Help Support Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum:
smckeon pe
Well-known member
Hi All - finally ready to post here - Good Luck to all those planning to take the test in October! I took the test twice - first in April 2012, and again in April 2013. Failed the first time, I think mostly to lack of appropriate time dedicated to studying. I spent much more time studying for the second go-round, and, although I didn't walk out of the test SUPER confident that I'd passed, I did feel that I performed much better than on my first attempt - which lead me to 1.5 months of second guessing everything I had done. Thankfully, I got my passing notice about two weeks ago, so I don't have to go through those very daunting 8-hours again. Anyway - here goes:
Test you took:
PE Environmental Engineering, April 2013 (2nd attempt)
Where you took it:
Newark, NJ
Exam was administered in a large student center room - lots of long tables with 2 people sitting at each table. The room is pretty quiet relative to some other people's experiences, but I still made use of ear plugs. Chairs are decently comfortable - they have thinly padded seats and the backs of them are flexible while still being supportive. The temperatures were pretty warm in the room both times I was there, so I was glad to have layers that I could put on/take off as needed. *The test admins made people tuck in their hoods if they were wearing hooded sweatshirts or jackets - best to just avoid wearing anything with a hood for the test. You can bring snacks and water into the room with you, but they can't sit on the table - I placed a water bottle on the floor beside me, but honestly, didn't have time to think about drinking anything during the exam.
Free parking in the student parking lot, which is nice given the location. Short outdoor walk from the garage to the student center - if the weather is icky, have an umbrella or rain jacket to avoid having to sit in wet clothing all day. The student center has food available for purchase, but I brought lunch with me in a cooler and walked to my car to eat. If it's a nice day outside, there's a campus green adjacent to the building where the test is administered, it's nice to sit outside to get some fresh air and to calm yourself down between the morning and afternoon sessions. Don't bring cell phones into the testing room - they will ask you to turn them in if you do - and you won't be able to collect them before the end of the day.
What books you brought with you:
1. Environmental Engineering Reference Manual, Lindeburg*
2. Wastewater Engineering, Metcalf & Eddy
3. Air Pollution Control, Cooper & Alley
4. Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil Remediation, Kuo
5. Practice Problems for the Environmental Engineering PE Exam, Lindeburg
6. Environmental Sample Questions & Solutions, NCEES*
7. Environmental Law Handbook, 21st Edition, Steinway, Ewing, Case, Nardi, and Brownell*
8. 3 Binders of notes from School of PE online class with sample problems and solutions included*
9. 1 Binder of RCRA rules and regs (based on recommendations from School of PE instructors), plus some other EPA regulation printouts.
What books you actually used:
Everything with an asterisk. I used the EERM and the three binders from School of PE for the majority of the test. The other references were used much less, but I was VERY glad I had the Enviromental Law book because I know, for certain, that I would have answered at least 3 questions incorrectly without that one. I didn't have that book when I took the test the first time, only got it based on a recommendation from a co-worker, and was glad I did.
What books did you wish you brought:
Nothing
General impression about exam and format:
If you want to know about the format, get the NCEES practice exam. The actual layout of the test is very similar to the sample tests, and sometimes they use similar problems on the exam, which makes the sample exams pretty good references.
I did all of the problems in the NCEES sample exams, and all of the samples that were provided by School of PE. I actually did all of the School of PE sample questions twice - once when we were going through each topic as part of class, and again after the classes ended, when I still had two weeks to test time, keep the problems and concepts fresh in my brain.
Advice for future test takers:
1. If you don't know where to start studying, I recommend the School of PE review course. I initially signed up for it only because they offered a free repeat if you fail the test the first time around. I did have to take advantage of it and was glad that I was able to make it work.
2. If you do take the School of PE ONLINE classes, I recommend taking the weeknight course as opposed to the weekend one. I took weekend classes for my first attempt, but found that I was lacking ambition to study at night after work. When I took the online classes during the week, it forced me to focus after work on whatever subject we were reviewing, and I used all of my weekend free time to study and go over whatever we had done the week before.
3. Get to the testing site early and use the restroom BEFORE you go into the testing room. The first time I took the test, I made the mistake of thinking I could drop my stuff off at my seat THEN go to the bathroom - but the proctors wouldn't let me leave the room before the exam started even though we had at least 15 minutes before the official start of the test.
4. If you do take a review course, going over the material on your own AFTER you've gone through it in class helps to solidify the concepts - I highly recommend this approach for feeling more comfortable with the material.
5. If you fail at first, take some time to be disappointed, but then get back on the horse, and study again - there is no shame in having to take the test more than once, and the feeling of accomplishment you have after finding out you pass is well worth the aggravation, time, and frustration you have getting to that point.
6. Tell your family/friends/innocent bystanders that you will let them know when you know the results, and kindly request that they not ask you for updates while you're waiting on results. It's annoying enough to have to wait for your state to release results, it's even worse when your Mom calls you every other day to find out if you're in or out...especially when your mom/aunt/friend doesn't fully understand what getting a PE actually means.
7. As others have mentioned, take your time and read each question carefully - you can save a TON of time by understanding what they're asking for and crossing out the info in the problem that doesn't pertain to the question being asked.
Test you took:
PE Environmental Engineering, April 2013 (2nd attempt)
Where you took it:
Newark, NJ
Exam was administered in a large student center room - lots of long tables with 2 people sitting at each table. The room is pretty quiet relative to some other people's experiences, but I still made use of ear plugs. Chairs are decently comfortable - they have thinly padded seats and the backs of them are flexible while still being supportive. The temperatures were pretty warm in the room both times I was there, so I was glad to have layers that I could put on/take off as needed. *The test admins made people tuck in their hoods if they were wearing hooded sweatshirts or jackets - best to just avoid wearing anything with a hood for the test. You can bring snacks and water into the room with you, but they can't sit on the table - I placed a water bottle on the floor beside me, but honestly, didn't have time to think about drinking anything during the exam.
Free parking in the student parking lot, which is nice given the location. Short outdoor walk from the garage to the student center - if the weather is icky, have an umbrella or rain jacket to avoid having to sit in wet clothing all day. The student center has food available for purchase, but I brought lunch with me in a cooler and walked to my car to eat. If it's a nice day outside, there's a campus green adjacent to the building where the test is administered, it's nice to sit outside to get some fresh air and to calm yourself down between the morning and afternoon sessions. Don't bring cell phones into the testing room - they will ask you to turn them in if you do - and you won't be able to collect them before the end of the day.
What books you brought with you:
1. Environmental Engineering Reference Manual, Lindeburg*
2. Wastewater Engineering, Metcalf & Eddy
3. Air Pollution Control, Cooper & Alley
4. Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil Remediation, Kuo
5. Practice Problems for the Environmental Engineering PE Exam, Lindeburg
6. Environmental Sample Questions & Solutions, NCEES*
7. Environmental Law Handbook, 21st Edition, Steinway, Ewing, Case, Nardi, and Brownell*
8. 3 Binders of notes from School of PE online class with sample problems and solutions included*
9. 1 Binder of RCRA rules and regs (based on recommendations from School of PE instructors), plus some other EPA regulation printouts.
What books you actually used:
Everything with an asterisk. I used the EERM and the three binders from School of PE for the majority of the test. The other references were used much less, but I was VERY glad I had the Enviromental Law book because I know, for certain, that I would have answered at least 3 questions incorrectly without that one. I didn't have that book when I took the test the first time, only got it based on a recommendation from a co-worker, and was glad I did.
What books did you wish you brought:
Nothing
General impression about exam and format:
If you want to know about the format, get the NCEES practice exam. The actual layout of the test is very similar to the sample tests, and sometimes they use similar problems on the exam, which makes the sample exams pretty good references.
I did all of the problems in the NCEES sample exams, and all of the samples that were provided by School of PE. I actually did all of the School of PE sample questions twice - once when we were going through each topic as part of class, and again after the classes ended, when I still had two weeks to test time, keep the problems and concepts fresh in my brain.
Advice for future test takers:
1. If you don't know where to start studying, I recommend the School of PE review course. I initially signed up for it only because they offered a free repeat if you fail the test the first time around. I did have to take advantage of it and was glad that I was able to make it work.
2. If you do take the School of PE ONLINE classes, I recommend taking the weeknight course as opposed to the weekend one. I took weekend classes for my first attempt, but found that I was lacking ambition to study at night after work. When I took the online classes during the week, it forced me to focus after work on whatever subject we were reviewing, and I used all of my weekend free time to study and go over whatever we had done the week before.
3. Get to the testing site early and use the restroom BEFORE you go into the testing room. The first time I took the test, I made the mistake of thinking I could drop my stuff off at my seat THEN go to the bathroom - but the proctors wouldn't let me leave the room before the exam started even though we had at least 15 minutes before the official start of the test.
4. If you do take a review course, going over the material on your own AFTER you've gone through it in class helps to solidify the concepts - I highly recommend this approach for feeling more comfortable with the material.
5. If you fail at first, take some time to be disappointed, but then get back on the horse, and study again - there is no shame in having to take the test more than once, and the feeling of accomplishment you have after finding out you pass is well worth the aggravation, time, and frustration you have getting to that point.
6. Tell your family/friends/innocent bystanders that you will let them know when you know the results, and kindly request that they not ask you for updates while you're waiting on results. It's annoying enough to have to wait for your state to release results, it's even worse when your Mom calls you every other day to find out if you're in or out...especially when your mom/aunt/friend doesn't fully understand what getting a PE actually means.
7. As others have mentioned, take your time and read each question carefully - you can save a TON of time by understanding what they're asking for and crossing out the info in the problem that doesn't pertain to the question being asked.
Test you took: PE Environmental Engineering
What books you brought with you:
ENVRM by Lindeburg
Hazardous Waste Management by La Grega
Air Pollution Control by Cooper Alley
Wastewater Engineering by Metcalf & Eddy
Water chemistry by Benjamin
Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science by Masters
Introduction to Environmental Engineering by Davis Cornwell
What books you actually used: Actually used them all for at least one question. Heavy use of the ENVRM, and LaGrega
What books did you wish you brought: Drinking water references
General impression about exam and format: NCEES practice exam was about what it was format wise. ENVRM questions were much harder than actual questions. Morning was much harder for me than afternoon.
Advice for future test takers: Make sure to have a reference that has shortcut unit conversions. Skip questions that are time consuming and come back. The best thing to do is tab your references and get use to the sections in your books. Do as many practice problems as possible and actually understand the theory behind the problems and not just how to solve the individual problem.
What books you brought with you:
ENVRM by Lindeburg
Hazardous Waste Management by La Grega
Air Pollution Control by Cooper Alley
Wastewater Engineering by Metcalf & Eddy
Water chemistry by Benjamin
Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science by Masters
Introduction to Environmental Engineering by Davis Cornwell
What books you actually used: Actually used them all for at least one question. Heavy use of the ENVRM, and LaGrega
What books did you wish you brought: Drinking water references
General impression about exam and format: NCEES practice exam was about what it was format wise. ENVRM questions were much harder than actual questions. Morning was much harder for me than afternoon.
Advice for future test takers: Make sure to have a reference that has shortcut unit conversions. Skip questions that are time consuming and come back. The best thing to do is tab your references and get use to the sections in your books. Do as many practice problems as possible and actually understand the theory behind the problems and not just how to solve the individual problem.
Env_eng_grrl
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Test you took: PE Environmental Engineering in April 2013
Where you took it: Macomb, Michigan
What books you brought with you:
Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering by James R. Mihelcic
Water Resources Engineering by Ralph A. Wurbs and Wesley P. James
Air Pollution Control Engineering by Noel de Nevers
Environmental Engineering Reference Manual by Michael R. Lindeburg
Wastewater Engineering by Metcalf & Eddy
Unit Operations and Processes in Environmental Engineering by Reynolds/Richards
Surface Water-Quality Modeling by Steven C. Chapra
Aquatic Chemistry by James N. Jensen
Geotechnical Engineering by Donald P. Coduto
The Complete Guide to the Hazardous Waste Regulations by Travis P. Wagner
Applied Hydrogeology by C.W. Fetter
Design, Operation, and Closure of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills by EPA
Emergency Response Guidebook by DOT
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards by CDC
Risk Assessment Equations from NCEES 2011 Sample Questions and Solutions
What books you actually used:
Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering by James R. Mihelcic
Water Resources Engineering by Ralph A. Wurbs and Wesley P. James
Air Pollution Control Engineering by Noel de Nevers
Environmental Engineering Reference Manual by Michael R. Lindeburg
Wastewater Engineering by Metcalf & Eddy
Unit Operations and Processes in Environmental Engineering by Reynolds/Richards
What books did you wish you brought: I did not bring my drinking water text.. probably should have
General impression about exam and format: Format is just like NCEES practice exam. My impression is that the exam was easier than the practice exam, which makes it a good standard to set your sights.
Advice for future test takers: I took a review course offered by the local engineering society. My thoughts were that the course would help me stay focused on studying and necessitate time spent reviewing the material. The people that taught the courses were excellent and I ended up learning quite a bit. There were people that had been in consulting or regulatory agencies 20-30 years and there were some who had just passed the PE exam who had excellent grasp of the material and preparation strategies. I would recommend a review course - in terms of your career advancement, its probably the best money spent.
Most of the textbooks I brought were those that were assigned for courses during my undergraduate in environmental engineering. Once I learned that you could bring material into the PE exam, I started saving my books. Some I even bought back after the fact. I think this was an immense help because I was familiar with each of these particular textbooks. In addition, if you are a practicing engineer, having access to reference is necessary.
Where you took it: Macomb, Michigan
What books you brought with you:
Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering by James R. Mihelcic
Water Resources Engineering by Ralph A. Wurbs and Wesley P. James
Air Pollution Control Engineering by Noel de Nevers
Environmental Engineering Reference Manual by Michael R. Lindeburg
Wastewater Engineering by Metcalf & Eddy
Unit Operations and Processes in Environmental Engineering by Reynolds/Richards
Surface Water-Quality Modeling by Steven C. Chapra
Aquatic Chemistry by James N. Jensen
Geotechnical Engineering by Donald P. Coduto
The Complete Guide to the Hazardous Waste Regulations by Travis P. Wagner
Applied Hydrogeology by C.W. Fetter
Design, Operation, and Closure of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills by EPA
Emergency Response Guidebook by DOT
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards by CDC
Risk Assessment Equations from NCEES 2011 Sample Questions and Solutions
What books you actually used:
Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering by James R. Mihelcic
Water Resources Engineering by Ralph A. Wurbs and Wesley P. James
Air Pollution Control Engineering by Noel de Nevers
Environmental Engineering Reference Manual by Michael R. Lindeburg
Wastewater Engineering by Metcalf & Eddy
Unit Operations and Processes in Environmental Engineering by Reynolds/Richards
What books did you wish you brought: I did not bring my drinking water text.. probably should have
General impression about exam and format: Format is just like NCEES practice exam. My impression is that the exam was easier than the practice exam, which makes it a good standard to set your sights.
Advice for future test takers: I took a review course offered by the local engineering society. My thoughts were that the course would help me stay focused on studying and necessitate time spent reviewing the material. The people that taught the courses were excellent and I ended up learning quite a bit. There were people that had been in consulting or regulatory agencies 20-30 years and there were some who had just passed the PE exam who had excellent grasp of the material and preparation strategies. I would recommend a review course - in terms of your career advancement, its probably the best money spent.
Most of the textbooks I brought were those that were assigned for courses during my undergraduate in environmental engineering. Once I learned that you could bring material into the PE exam, I started saving my books. Some I even bought back after the fact. I think this was an immense help because I was familiar with each of these particular textbooks. In addition, if you are a practicing engineer, having access to reference is necessary.
garfield2481
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- Joined
- Oct 29, 2013
- Messages
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- 0
I should give a little background about me. I have a bachelors in chemical engineering and a masters in environmental engineering and have been working on industrial wastewater projects for the past 5-6 years/
Test you took: PE Environmental Engineering
Where you took it: Philadelphia, PA
What books you brought with you:
Environmental Engineering Reference Manual by Michael R. Lindeburg
Wastewater Engineering by Metcalf & Eddy
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards by CDC
Hazardous Waste Management by La Grega
Air Pollution Control by Cooper Alley
Practice Problems for the Environmental Engineering PE Exam, Lindeburg
Binders of notes from NC State class (VERY USEFUL)
Environmental Law Handbook
Rest of the PE practice problem books by PPI
What books you actually used:
Heavy use of the NC State notes and air pollution control
Barely used Lagrega and environmental law handbook
What books did you wish you brought:
None
General impression about exam and format:
Format similar to the NCEES sample book. I found water/wastewater problems easy, but that's what I have been working on the last few years.
Advice for future test takers:
Most important advice I can think of is that if you buy a book or take a book to the exam, make sure you read it or go through it properly. You don't need to memorize stuff, but have to make sure you know where things are. I never really used LaGrega or environmental law handbook much and had I known where things were (i.e. tagged or highlighted) things would have been very different. You really dont have time during the exam to read paragraphs looking for that one answer.
The NC state notes are great. Really good shortcuts and you should carry it if you can and add notes or stuff in it if you can. I tagged the crap out of it and it came in handy. Have colored tabs for air, water, haz. waste etc.
You HAVE to buy an engineering unit conversions book. Will save you precious time during the exam.
If you are weak in a certain area (like air or hazardous waste etc.), that's where you need to start practicing problems and work on them till you are proficient. The exam really doesn't let you look through books to understand how to solve a problem.
Work as many problems as you can and when you are done, go over them 1-2 more times. That way it will get ingrained in your head!!! The only books I used were the PPI practice problem books (Wayne S books are helpful, companion to PE book not so much), NCEES sample book and the air pollution control appendix problems for PE.
Carry lunch to your test center unless you are certain there are places to eat nearby. They expect you to be at the exam center 45 minutes before the exam, so you might need to find a breakfast spot too!
Best of luck to you all! I hope I pass
Test you took: PE Environmental Engineering
Where you took it: Philadelphia, PA
What books you brought with you:
Environmental Engineering Reference Manual by Michael R. Lindeburg
Wastewater Engineering by Metcalf & Eddy
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards by CDC
Hazardous Waste Management by La Grega
Air Pollution Control by Cooper Alley
Practice Problems for the Environmental Engineering PE Exam, Lindeburg
Binders of notes from NC State class (VERY USEFUL)
Environmental Law Handbook
Rest of the PE practice problem books by PPI
What books you actually used:
Heavy use of the NC State notes and air pollution control
Barely used Lagrega and environmental law handbook
What books did you wish you brought:
None
General impression about exam and format:
Format similar to the NCEES sample book. I found water/wastewater problems easy, but that's what I have been working on the last few years.
Advice for future test takers:
Most important advice I can think of is that if you buy a book or take a book to the exam, make sure you read it or go through it properly. You don't need to memorize stuff, but have to make sure you know where things are. I never really used LaGrega or environmental law handbook much and had I known where things were (i.e. tagged or highlighted) things would have been very different. You really dont have time during the exam to read paragraphs looking for that one answer.
The NC state notes are great. Really good shortcuts and you should carry it if you can and add notes or stuff in it if you can. I tagged the crap out of it and it came in handy. Have colored tabs for air, water, haz. waste etc.
You HAVE to buy an engineering unit conversions book. Will save you precious time during the exam.
If you are weak in a certain area (like air or hazardous waste etc.), that's where you need to start practicing problems and work on them till you are proficient. The exam really doesn't let you look through books to understand how to solve a problem.
Work as many problems as you can and when you are done, go over them 1-2 more times. That way it will get ingrained in your head!!! The only books I used were the PPI practice problem books (Wayne S books are helpful, companion to PE book not so much), NCEES sample book and the air pollution control appendix problems for PE.
Carry lunch to your test center unless you are certain there are places to eat nearby. They expect you to be at the exam center 45 minutes before the exam, so you might need to find a breakfast spot too!
Best of luck to you all! I hope I pass
Test you took: PE Environmental Engineering
Where you took it: Salem, OR
What books you brought with you:
EERM - Lindeburg
Intro to Environmental Engineering - Masters
Hydrology and Hydraulic Systems - Gupta
Haz Waste Management - LaGrega
Environmental Engineering PE Exam Guide & Handbook - King
Wastewater Engineering - Metcalf & Eddy
Air Pollution Control - Cooper & Alley
Environmental Law Handbook - Bell et al
Practice Problems for the Environmental Engineering Exam - Lindeburg
NCEES Problems
Environmmental Engineering Practice PE Problems - Schneiter
2012 Emergency Response Guidebook
NIOSH Reference Handbook
Binder with references, EERM index/appendices, solved problems
What books you actually used:
First seven listed in addition to the binder. Mostly relied on the EERM.
What books did you wish you brought:
A text on drinking water
General impression about exam and format:
Similar to what others have listed. The most similar from a prep standpoint were the NCEES practice problems, but I don't recommend relying on these practice problems exclusively in preparation. Overall, the quantitative problems were relatively straightforward and I found that I rarely had to use my references for these problems with the exception of a quick look up for an equation. This was mainly due to the prep time I put in: I could recall conversions, etc. simply due to repetition during my studying. Qualitative problems were a different animal. This is where I used my references the most. Many of the qualitative problems I knew based on experience or I knew where to look in my references. For quite a few others I had to rely on process of elimination. Overall, I feel the exam questions were fair, but the content of the exam is very broad, so it's nearly impossible to know everything. There were a few subject areas not covered on the exam that I studied extensively because I was sure they would be covered, but weren't. I used up all of the time in the morning and afternoon sessions, and felt the level of difficulty was pretty similar in each session. My background is water, so I was feeling a little more pressed for time in the afternoon section.
Advice for future test takers:
Begin preparing yourself well in advance of the exam. There is no substitute for preparation. Cramming will not work for this exam. I started studying June 1 and ramped up my studying as I progressed, particularly the final two months. I'm fairly certain I studied at least 300 hours for the exam. As many others have said, know your references well. You don't have time on the exam to navigate references you are not familiar with. I think a good strategy is to spend about 60% of your time solving practice problems, and about 40% reading/getting to know your reference materials. During the exam, I found myself going to the references I was most familiar with. The EERM is the most handy reference as it was written for this exam. It's not perfect, but it has most of the content you will need to know for the exam. During my studies, the areas of the EERM I largely skipped included the background info and the much of the HVAC/Thermo sections in the middle of the book. This didn't seem to be an issue on the exam. There are some topics, such as groundwater, water treatment, and wastewater treatment that are not sufficiently covered by the EERM in my opinion. Many people have listed the Fetter Groundwater Hydrology book as a good reference for groundwater. I have this book, but didn't bring it to the exam. Instead, I relied on the Hydrology and Hydraulic Systems book by Gupta which sufficiently covers groundwater in addition to many other relevant topics including open channel flow, stormwater, hydraulics, etc.
I also prepared a binder as suggested by many on this post. It included conversions, EERM index, EERM appendices, problems I solved by hand, and other miscellaneous references and regulations. I mostly used it for the EERM index. I don't think I looked at the solved problems in my binder at all (or the NCEES problems or any other solved problems for that matter). There simply isn't enough time on the exam. The biggest benefit of the binder for me was the process of putting it together during my preparation. It helped me get organized in preparing for the exam. I also used a reference on drinking water MCLs I had in my binder a couple of times.
I used the strategy (listed by others) of taking a few minutes at the beginning of each session to look through all the problems first, then marking them in the exam booklet as 1, 2 or 3 depending on the perceived level of difficulty. This is a good strategy as it allows you to answer the easier problems first, and not waste a lot of your time early in the exam on the more difficult problems. Time management is key.
Lastly, I found this thread was very helpful in strategizing and organizing my thoughts and materials for the exam.
Where you took it: Salem, OR
What books you brought with you:
EERM - Lindeburg
Intro to Environmental Engineering - Masters
Hydrology and Hydraulic Systems - Gupta
Haz Waste Management - LaGrega
Environmental Engineering PE Exam Guide & Handbook - King
Wastewater Engineering - Metcalf & Eddy
Air Pollution Control - Cooper & Alley
Environmental Law Handbook - Bell et al
Practice Problems for the Environmental Engineering Exam - Lindeburg
NCEES Problems
Environmmental Engineering Practice PE Problems - Schneiter
2012 Emergency Response Guidebook
NIOSH Reference Handbook
Binder with references, EERM index/appendices, solved problems
What books you actually used:
First seven listed in addition to the binder. Mostly relied on the EERM.
What books did you wish you brought:
A text on drinking water
General impression about exam and format:
Similar to what others have listed. The most similar from a prep standpoint were the NCEES practice problems, but I don't recommend relying on these practice problems exclusively in preparation. Overall, the quantitative problems were relatively straightforward and I found that I rarely had to use my references for these problems with the exception of a quick look up for an equation. This was mainly due to the prep time I put in: I could recall conversions, etc. simply due to repetition during my studying. Qualitative problems were a different animal. This is where I used my references the most. Many of the qualitative problems I knew based on experience or I knew where to look in my references. For quite a few others I had to rely on process of elimination. Overall, I feel the exam questions were fair, but the content of the exam is very broad, so it's nearly impossible to know everything. There were a few subject areas not covered on the exam that I studied extensively because I was sure they would be covered, but weren't. I used up all of the time in the morning and afternoon sessions, and felt the level of difficulty was pretty similar in each session. My background is water, so I was feeling a little more pressed for time in the afternoon section.
Advice for future test takers:
Begin preparing yourself well in advance of the exam. There is no substitute for preparation. Cramming will not work for this exam. I started studying June 1 and ramped up my studying as I progressed, particularly the final two months. I'm fairly certain I studied at least 300 hours for the exam. As many others have said, know your references well. You don't have time on the exam to navigate references you are not familiar with. I think a good strategy is to spend about 60% of your time solving practice problems, and about 40% reading/getting to know your reference materials. During the exam, I found myself going to the references I was most familiar with. The EERM is the most handy reference as it was written for this exam. It's not perfect, but it has most of the content you will need to know for the exam. During my studies, the areas of the EERM I largely skipped included the background info and the much of the HVAC/Thermo sections in the middle of the book. This didn't seem to be an issue on the exam. There are some topics, such as groundwater, water treatment, and wastewater treatment that are not sufficiently covered by the EERM in my opinion. Many people have listed the Fetter Groundwater Hydrology book as a good reference for groundwater. I have this book, but didn't bring it to the exam. Instead, I relied on the Hydrology and Hydraulic Systems book by Gupta which sufficiently covers groundwater in addition to many other relevant topics including open channel flow, stormwater, hydraulics, etc.
I also prepared a binder as suggested by many on this post. It included conversions, EERM index, EERM appendices, problems I solved by hand, and other miscellaneous references and regulations. I mostly used it for the EERM index. I don't think I looked at the solved problems in my binder at all (or the NCEES problems or any other solved problems for that matter). There simply isn't enough time on the exam. The biggest benefit of the binder for me was the process of putting it together during my preparation. It helped me get organized in preparing for the exam. I also used a reference on drinking water MCLs I had in my binder a couple of times.
I used the strategy (listed by others) of taking a few minutes at the beginning of each session to look through all the problems first, then marking them in the exam booklet as 1, 2 or 3 depending on the perceived level of difficulty. This is a good strategy as it allows you to answer the easier problems first, and not waste a lot of your time early in the exam on the more difficult problems. Time management is key.
Lastly, I found this thread was very helpful in strategizing and organizing my thoughts and materials for the exam.
RIP - VTEnviro
His Memory Eternal
Unit Ops by Reynolds and Richards is pretty technical, but good for process stuff. I relied on this one s lot.
Envl Chem by Bunce is good for theory and concepts - alkalinity, hardness, etc.
Test you took: PE Environmental Engineering
Where you took it: Orlando, FL
What books you brought with you:
EERM - Lindeburg
FE Supplied-Reference Handbook
Environmental Engineering Dictionary - Lee
Basic Environmental Technology - Nathanson
Chemistry for Environmental Engineering and Science - Sawyer, McCarty, Parkin
Environmental Engineering - Salvato
Applied Hydrogeology - Fetter
Hazardous Waste Management - LaGrega
Wastewater Engineering - Metcalf & Eddy
Air Pollution Control - Cooper & Alley
Environmental Law Handbook - Bell et al
Practice Problems for the Environmental Engineering Exam - Lindeburg
NCEES PE Environmental Sample Questions & Solutions
Environmmental Engineering Practice PE Problems - Schneiter
RCRA manual
Binder with quick references: property tables, conversion factors, engineering data and constants, indices/appendices, solved problems
What books you actually used:
Used all of them but the majority of questions were fielded using the first four books and the binder with quick references. Having the Lindeburg text is a no-brainer, obviously. The FE (yes, Fundamentals!) Handbook was absolutely indispensible--I did many calculations very quickly using it. The Dictionary is a must-have for handling esoteric qualitative questions--it's well worth the money, you can find used older editions (still relevant) online for under $30.
What books did you wish you brought:
None
General impression about exam and format:
As others have already mentioned, the format is most similar to the NCEES practice problems.
There seemed to be an even split of quantitative and qualitative questions. The quantitative ones were straightforward, no tricks involved; the qualitative ones were more challenging in my opinion because they required specific experience with a particular scenario or subject matter--this may be subjective on my part since I mainly focused on working problems during studying.
Advice for future test takers:
Start studying at least 4 months in advance. Don't waste time reading EERM cover to cover (what I did) before you start working problems. Start doing problems as soon as possible so you can assess your strengths/ weaknesses and well as reinforce an efficient problem solving methodology; also, take the NCEES practice test early on (don't wait until the week before like I did).
Prepare a quick reference binder. Do this at the same time you are working practice problems since you will learn which properties, conversions and equations keep coming up.
Be intimately familiar with a few of your references but bring them all (just in case). It's better to have them and not need them then to miss a relatively easy question because you were missing a reference. For me many books were only good for one question but since the test is so broad you will need every single point you can get.
Time is of the essence so answer the easiest test questions first. Don't fall into the trap of spending too much time on a few questions early on--this will only increase your stress and make even easy questions difficult when you see time running out. Go through the test first and answer any questions that you can solve in 2-3 minutes; answer the more difficult questions after you've solved the easiest; save at least 10-15 minutes at the end for guessing on questions you have absolutely no idea of the answer or to check that you've filled out your Scantron correctly.
Where you took it: Orlando, FL
What books you brought with you:
EERM - Lindeburg
FE Supplied-Reference Handbook
Environmental Engineering Dictionary - Lee
Basic Environmental Technology - Nathanson
Chemistry for Environmental Engineering and Science - Sawyer, McCarty, Parkin
Environmental Engineering - Salvato
Applied Hydrogeology - Fetter
Hazardous Waste Management - LaGrega
Wastewater Engineering - Metcalf & Eddy
Air Pollution Control - Cooper & Alley
Environmental Law Handbook - Bell et al
Practice Problems for the Environmental Engineering Exam - Lindeburg
NCEES PE Environmental Sample Questions & Solutions
Environmmental Engineering Practice PE Problems - Schneiter
RCRA manual
Binder with quick references: property tables, conversion factors, engineering data and constants, indices/appendices, solved problems
What books you actually used:
Used all of them but the majority of questions were fielded using the first four books and the binder with quick references. Having the Lindeburg text is a no-brainer, obviously. The FE (yes, Fundamentals!) Handbook was absolutely indispensible--I did many calculations very quickly using it. The Dictionary is a must-have for handling esoteric qualitative questions--it's well worth the money, you can find used older editions (still relevant) online for under $30.
What books did you wish you brought:
None
General impression about exam and format:
As others have already mentioned, the format is most similar to the NCEES practice problems.
There seemed to be an even split of quantitative and qualitative questions. The quantitative ones were straightforward, no tricks involved; the qualitative ones were more challenging in my opinion because they required specific experience with a particular scenario or subject matter--this may be subjective on my part since I mainly focused on working problems during studying.
Advice for future test takers:
Start studying at least 4 months in advance. Don't waste time reading EERM cover to cover (what I did) before you start working problems. Start doing problems as soon as possible so you can assess your strengths/ weaknesses and well as reinforce an efficient problem solving methodology; also, take the NCEES practice test early on (don't wait until the week before like I did).
Prepare a quick reference binder. Do this at the same time you are working practice problems since you will learn which properties, conversions and equations keep coming up.
Be intimately familiar with a few of your references but bring them all (just in case). It's better to have them and not need them then to miss a relatively easy question because you were missing a reference. For me many books were only good for one question but since the test is so broad you will need every single point you can get.
Time is of the essence so answer the easiest test questions first. Don't fall into the trap of spending too much time on a few questions early on--this will only increase your stress and make even easy questions difficult when you see time running out. Go through the test first and answer any questions that you can solve in 2-3 minutes; answer the more difficult questions after you've solved the easiest; save at least 10-15 minutes at the end for guessing on questions you have absolutely no idea of the answer or to check that you've filled out your Scantron correctly.
Test you took: PE Environmental Engineering
Where you took it: Worcester, MA
What books you brought with you:
Heavy use of ENVRM, NCSU notes. Used M&E, Lagrega, Cooper & Alley, dictionary a few times. Law handbook helped with one question. The unit conversion book saved me some valuable time.
What books did you wish you brought:
None
General impression about exam and format:
Follows the NCEES sample questions book. I found the PM section easier than AM.
Advice for future test takers:
A lot of good advices are found in this blog. Thanks a lot for previous bloggers. I thought, I was underprepared for the exam but luckily passed it. I would have prepared for ~270 hr. My advice is to focus on quantitative problem solving. There are a good amount of qualitative questions in the exam but it is difficult to fully prepare for it. NCSU DVDs helped me a lot. Cooper and Alley book on Air quality is also a good reference. The sample questions at the back of Cooper text were similar to exam questions. Lindeburg guide is a must have. Focus on important chapters. Schneiter’s book of solved problems were difficult than actual questions on the exam, but I thought it was good for preparation.
There were many questions on Hydrology and Hydraulics in the AM section. I had issues with time management at the exam. For AM section, I completed only 5 questions after hour 1. So, I had to play catch-up rest of the exam. Finally, I completed all but 2 questions. I did not do mock exams as preparation before the PE exam. Hindsight, I think it would have helped.
I am selling the study material including most listed above. Kindly email me at [email protected] if interested.
Where you took it: Worcester, MA
What books you brought with you:
- ENVRM - Lindeburg
- NCSU DVD notes
- Metcalf & Eddy
- Environmental Engineering Dictionary – Lee
- Hazardous Waste Management, by LaGrega
- Air Pollution Control - Cooper & Alley
- Environmental Law Handbook – Sullivan
- Engineering Units Conversion - Lindeburg
- Surface Water Quality Modeling– Chapra
- Applied Hydrogeology by C.W. Fetter
- Water Chemistry – Benjamin
- Water Treatment: Principles and Design – MWH
- NCEES Environmental Sample Questions and Solutions
- Environmental Engineering Solved Problems by R. Wane Schneiter
- Environmental Engineering Practice PE Exams by R. Wane Schneiter
- Practice Problems for the Environmental Engineering PE Exam (Companion), Lindeburg
Heavy use of ENVRM, NCSU notes. Used M&E, Lagrega, Cooper & Alley, dictionary a few times. Law handbook helped with one question. The unit conversion book saved me some valuable time.
What books did you wish you brought:
None
General impression about exam and format:
Follows the NCEES sample questions book. I found the PM section easier than AM.
Advice for future test takers:
A lot of good advices are found in this blog. Thanks a lot for previous bloggers. I thought, I was underprepared for the exam but luckily passed it. I would have prepared for ~270 hr. My advice is to focus on quantitative problem solving. There are a good amount of qualitative questions in the exam but it is difficult to fully prepare for it. NCSU DVDs helped me a lot. Cooper and Alley book on Air quality is also a good reference. The sample questions at the back of Cooper text were similar to exam questions. Lindeburg guide is a must have. Focus on important chapters. Schneiter’s book of solved problems were difficult than actual questions on the exam, but I thought it was good for preparation.
There were many questions on Hydrology and Hydraulics in the AM section. I had issues with time management at the exam. For AM section, I completed only 5 questions after hour 1. So, I had to play catch-up rest of the exam. Finally, I completed all but 2 questions. I did not do mock exams as preparation before the PE exam. Hindsight, I think it would have helped.
I am selling the study material including most listed above. Kindly email me at [email protected] if interested.
RIP - VTEnviro
His Memory Eternal
Excellent post! Welcome to the club. I thought qualitative was harder than quantititative since you can't just work the problem and cancel out units.
I used to live in that neck of the woods, so I know how to pronounce Wistuh.
I used to live in that neck of the woods, so I know how to pronounce Wistuh.
RIP - VTEnviro
His Memory Eternal
According to 40 CFR XXX, the definition of hazardous slop is most likely...
I hated those.
I hated those.
Test you took: PE Environmental Engineering
Where you took it: Louisville, KY
What books you brought with you:
Environmental Eng Reference Manual 1st Ed - Lindeburg
Practice Problems for the EE PE Exam 2nd Ed - Lindeburg
Env Engineering Solved Problems 2nd ed - Schneiter
Intro To Env Eng 4th International Edition - Davis and Cornwell
Applied Hydrogeology 3rd ed - Fetter
Water Supply and Pollution Control 6th ed - Viessman & Hammer
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
Engineering Unit Conversions 4th Ed - Lindeburg
PE Environmental Practice Exam - NCEES
McCoy's RCRA Reference 2002 Ed
Binder with notes from practice exams - Any equations with all variables on practice exams that were not easily found in EERM
Printed Regs:
Recommended Standards for Wastewater Facilities 2004 ed.
2011 Ed of Drinking Water Standards and Health Advisories - EPA
Handbook for Sampling and Sample Preservation of Water and Wastewater - EPA
Design, Operation, and Closure of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills - EPA
Requirements for Hazardous Waste Landfill Design, Construction, and Closure - EPA
Various Sections of Health and Safety Regs: HAZWOPPER, PSM, UFC, SARA - anything required to answer questions in practice problems
Combustion Analysis Basics: An overview of Measurements, Methods and Calculations Used in Combustion Analysis - TSI
RCRA Orientation Manual 2011 - EPA
Land Disposal Restriction: Summary of Requirements - EPA
NAAQS from EPA website and Methods of Measurement Chart from NAAQS Monitoring and Analysis Guidelines Volume II -EPA
What books you actually used:
EERM, Introduction to EE by Davis and Cornwell, Water Supply and Pollution Control by Viessman, Lindeburg conversions book, at least one question used Applied Hydrogeology,
Intro to EE by Davis and Cornwell was an excellent book to read. I read almost the entire book in preparation and know that it helped me pass. It provided a lot of information that wasn't in the EERM.
During the exam I didn't use the printed regs much, but having scanned through them repeatedly to answer practice problems and reading the RCRA orientation manual to prepare really helped. I finished the afternoon section in 3 hours, the qualitative questions were immediately known or knew where to find, or knew I would have to guess.
What books did you wish you brought:
I thought I had plenty.
General impression about exam and format:
No surprises, it was exactly like the outline NCEES provides and the NCEES practice exam is exactly how the real exam feels.
Advice for future test takers:
Start studying well in advance, I started in October for the April Exam. Unless you have great knowledge of Water, Waste, and Air you will benefit from slowly adsorbing the concepts as well as learning the math. I don't think it would be possible to cram for the qualitative questions and I can't imagine trying to rely on only having studied the quantitative problems. The more time you spend reading the sections of your references around the equations the easier the exam will be.
I'm very relieved to have passed.
Where you took it: Louisville, KY
What books you brought with you:
Environmental Eng Reference Manual 1st Ed - Lindeburg
Practice Problems for the EE PE Exam 2nd Ed - Lindeburg
Env Engineering Solved Problems 2nd ed - Schneiter
Intro To Env Eng 4th International Edition - Davis and Cornwell
Applied Hydrogeology 3rd ed - Fetter
Water Supply and Pollution Control 6th ed - Viessman & Hammer
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
Engineering Unit Conversions 4th Ed - Lindeburg
PE Environmental Practice Exam - NCEES
McCoy's RCRA Reference 2002 Ed
Binder with notes from practice exams - Any equations with all variables on practice exams that were not easily found in EERM
Printed Regs:
Recommended Standards for Wastewater Facilities 2004 ed.
2011 Ed of Drinking Water Standards and Health Advisories - EPA
Handbook for Sampling and Sample Preservation of Water and Wastewater - EPA
Design, Operation, and Closure of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills - EPA
Requirements for Hazardous Waste Landfill Design, Construction, and Closure - EPA
Various Sections of Health and Safety Regs: HAZWOPPER, PSM, UFC, SARA - anything required to answer questions in practice problems
Combustion Analysis Basics: An overview of Measurements, Methods and Calculations Used in Combustion Analysis - TSI
RCRA Orientation Manual 2011 - EPA
Land Disposal Restriction: Summary of Requirements - EPA
NAAQS from EPA website and Methods of Measurement Chart from NAAQS Monitoring and Analysis Guidelines Volume II -EPA
What books you actually used:
EERM, Introduction to EE by Davis and Cornwell, Water Supply and Pollution Control by Viessman, Lindeburg conversions book, at least one question used Applied Hydrogeology,
Intro to EE by Davis and Cornwell was an excellent book to read. I read almost the entire book in preparation and know that it helped me pass. It provided a lot of information that wasn't in the EERM.
During the exam I didn't use the printed regs much, but having scanned through them repeatedly to answer practice problems and reading the RCRA orientation manual to prepare really helped. I finished the afternoon section in 3 hours, the qualitative questions were immediately known or knew where to find, or knew I would have to guess.
What books did you wish you brought:
I thought I had plenty.
General impression about exam and format:
No surprises, it was exactly like the outline NCEES provides and the NCEES practice exam is exactly how the real exam feels.
Advice for future test takers:
Start studying well in advance, I started in October for the April Exam. Unless you have great knowledge of Water, Waste, and Air you will benefit from slowly adsorbing the concepts as well as learning the math. I don't think it would be possible to cram for the qualitative questions and I can't imagine trying to rely on only having studied the quantitative problems. The more time you spend reading the sections of your references around the equations the easier the exam will be.
I'm very relieved to have passed.
Test you took: PE Environmental Engineering
Where you took it: Louisville, KY
What books you brought with you: LOTS! I'll try to list them more-or-less in order of how useful they were to me.
Environmental Engineering Reference Manual
My personal binders of notes, quick references, common equations, unit conversions, regulations, chemical data, etc
Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering (Corbett)
Hazardous Waste Management
Air Pollution Control
Intro to Environmental Engineering (Davis Cornwell)
Water & Wastewater Technology (Hammer & Hammer)
Wastewater Engineering (Metcalf Eddy)
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Environmental Chemistry (2 volume set; Yen)
Practical Design Calc's (Kuo)
Environmental Engineering Review (Naimpally)
The Solid Waste Handbook
Aerosol Technology
Smoke Dust and Haze
I included solved problems in my binders that I had worked (while studying in advance) from basically every "sample test" and "sample problems" book I could get my hands on. I found that, during the test, I didn't have the time to locate similar problems that I had solved, but it was definitely helpful to have worked many problems in advance. (Please see my classified ad on here where I'm selling my "sample tests" and "sample problems" books - I have basically all of the available books. I have 7 different sample test/problem books.)
What books you actually used:
Mostly EERM and my extensive quick-reference binders that I created. If I remember correctly, these are the books I actually used during the exam:
Environmental Engineering Reference Manual
My personal binders of notes, quick references, common equations, unit conversions, regulations, chemical data, etc
Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering (Corbett)
Hazardous Waste Management
Air Pollution Control
Intro to Environmental Engineering (Davis Cornwell)
Water & Wastewater Technology (Hammer & Hammer)
Wastewater Engineering (Metcalf Eddy)
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
What books did you wish you brought: Perhaps there are books I don't own that might have been helpful, but there weren't any books I left at home (like my Fluid Mechanics book or Geotechnical Engineering book or an OSHA book) that I felt would have helped me on any problems I might have missed.
General impression about exam and format: It went roughly how I expected it to go. The time goes by quickly, and I used all my available time. I felt relatively confident during the morning session, and somewhat less-so during the afternoon session. After taking the exam, I thought I had probably passed, but I wasn't sure.
Advice for future test takers: I spent a LOT of time making sure I knew how and where to QUICKLY find information I needed in my references. I made sure I was very familiar with all my references. You might have the "perfect" reference book with you for answering a certain question, but it's not going to help you if you're not already familiar with the book, what's in it, where to find the info you need, etc. Basically, I felt that being organized and prepared was perhaps the most important thing for me. Another "exam tip" I found helpful was that I basically skimmed all the questions first before working any of them, making note of which ones would be easy for me personally, which ones I basically had no idea how to solve, and which ones were somewhere in between. I solved all the easy ones first. Then moved to the "in between" questions. Then, as time permitted, I gave the questions that seemed most difficult a quick effort. If I had simply worked the questions in order, I probably would have spent way too much time on some of the hard questions (and possibly still missed them) and not even had time to get to the questions that were easy for me personally (due to my familiarity with the subject, having worked with the material, studied it extensively, or whatever the case may be).
Be organized, get there on time, try to relax (as best you can - I know it's not easy!), and watch your time to make sure you don't waste too much time on a single problem (or waste time searching blindly through your reference books).
Where you took it: Louisville, KY
What books you brought with you: LOTS! I'll try to list them more-or-less in order of how useful they were to me.
Environmental Engineering Reference Manual
My personal binders of notes, quick references, common equations, unit conversions, regulations, chemical data, etc
Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering (Corbett)
Hazardous Waste Management
Air Pollution Control
Intro to Environmental Engineering (Davis Cornwell)
Water & Wastewater Technology (Hammer & Hammer)
Wastewater Engineering (Metcalf Eddy)
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Environmental Chemistry (2 volume set; Yen)
Practical Design Calc's (Kuo)
Environmental Engineering Review (Naimpally)
The Solid Waste Handbook
Aerosol Technology
Smoke Dust and Haze
I included solved problems in my binders that I had worked (while studying in advance) from basically every "sample test" and "sample problems" book I could get my hands on. I found that, during the test, I didn't have the time to locate similar problems that I had solved, but it was definitely helpful to have worked many problems in advance. (Please see my classified ad on here where I'm selling my "sample tests" and "sample problems" books - I have basically all of the available books. I have 7 different sample test/problem books.)
What books you actually used:
Mostly EERM and my extensive quick-reference binders that I created. If I remember correctly, these are the books I actually used during the exam:
Environmental Engineering Reference Manual
My personal binders of notes, quick references, common equations, unit conversions, regulations, chemical data, etc
Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering (Corbett)
Hazardous Waste Management
Air Pollution Control
Intro to Environmental Engineering (Davis Cornwell)
Water & Wastewater Technology (Hammer & Hammer)
Wastewater Engineering (Metcalf Eddy)
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
What books did you wish you brought: Perhaps there are books I don't own that might have been helpful, but there weren't any books I left at home (like my Fluid Mechanics book or Geotechnical Engineering book or an OSHA book) that I felt would have helped me on any problems I might have missed.
General impression about exam and format: It went roughly how I expected it to go. The time goes by quickly, and I used all my available time. I felt relatively confident during the morning session, and somewhat less-so during the afternoon session. After taking the exam, I thought I had probably passed, but I wasn't sure.
Advice for future test takers: I spent a LOT of time making sure I knew how and where to QUICKLY find information I needed in my references. I made sure I was very familiar with all my references. You might have the "perfect" reference book with you for answering a certain question, but it's not going to help you if you're not already familiar with the book, what's in it, where to find the info you need, etc. Basically, I felt that being organized and prepared was perhaps the most important thing for me. Another "exam tip" I found helpful was that I basically skimmed all the questions first before working any of them, making note of which ones would be easy for me personally, which ones I basically had no idea how to solve, and which ones were somewhere in between. I solved all the easy ones first. Then moved to the "in between" questions. Then, as time permitted, I gave the questions that seemed most difficult a quick effort. If I had simply worked the questions in order, I probably would have spent way too much time on some of the hard questions (and possibly still missed them) and not even had time to get to the questions that were easy for me personally (due to my familiarity with the subject, having worked with the material, studied it extensively, or whatever the case may be).
Be organized, get there on time, try to relax (as best you can - I know it's not easy!), and watch your time to make sure you don't waste too much time on a single problem (or waste time searching blindly through your reference books).
Janizzle
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 27, 2014
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 2
Hey! I've been meaning to do this for awhile, but now that Pennsylvania has finally issued me a PE license number and NCEES says that I passed (as of 1/21), I wanted to share my advice.
Test you took: PE Environmental
Where you took it: Philadelphia, PA
What books you brought with you:
What books you actually used:
General impression about exam and format: Okay, so the Morning and Afternoon were two extremely different animals. When I did the Practice Exams, the morning topics were my biggest weakness...but somehow the morning was a breeze and the afternoon killed me! So clearly the Lindenberg problems are quite a bit tougher than the actual exam. I found overall, most questions were extremely straightforward and the "tricks" weren't that tricky. But often times you either had to know it or you didn't. The morning had questions on water, wastewater and waste management. The afternoon had engineering econ, health and safety, air, and remediation. The air questions were a little wilder than what I was expecting, health and safety had a lot of odd-balls and remediation was insane!!
Advice for future test takers:
I am so relieved to have passed the exam. Thank you to EVERYONE for your advice that you've left over the years. Having my index full of references really made me comfortable with all of my materials, and while I did more page flipping in the afternoon, overall I felt in control. So glad to be done!!
Test you took: PE Environmental
Where you took it: Philadelphia, PA
What books you brought with you:
- Introduction to Environmental Engineering, Davis & Cornwell (a great book that covers just about everything)
- Air Pollution Control, Cooper & Alley
- Engineering Unit Conversions, Michael Lindenberg (HUGE time saver!)
- Wastewater Engineering Treatment & Reuse, Metcalf & Eddy (a MUST for the exam!)
- Hazardous Waste Management, LaGrega (a great book! I actually ordered this on Amazon used and it was already tabbed up really great!)
- Water Supply and Pollution Control, Viessman & Hammer (very cheap, VERY useful - I didn't get until a couple of weeks until the exam and I'm glad I did!)
- Environmental Sample Questions and Solutions, NCEES
- Civil: Water Resources & Environmental Sample Questions and Solutions, NCEES (extremely helpful, gave me extra problems to practice! just skip the civil stuff in the front)
- Environmental Law Handbook (not very useful during the exam)
- Basic Environmental Technology (last minute buy and a complete waste)
- Environmental Engineering Solved Problems, Lindenberg
- FE Reference Manual (extremely helpful, thanks for the advice here on taking it!)
- Environmental Engineering Review Manual
- Practice Problems for the Environmental PE Exam, Lindenberg
- Environmental Engineering Practice Exams
- School of PE Notes and Practice Problems (3 Binders: Site Assessment/Remediation/Public Health & Safety, Air/HazWaste/Water Treatment, and Wastewater/Water Resources/Engineering Economics), plus recommended EPA Sheets on Remediation Technologies
- NC State Course Notes in Binders (I think 2?)
- Small Binder with home-made Index for each exam area citing useful page numbers for resources in textbooks, notes, and sample problems, and an index for key tables and figures in the EERM
- NIOSH Pocket Guide (was able to order for free at the last minute)
- Environmental Regulations Desk Reference binders, Lion Training (borrowed)
- Emergency Response Guidebook (borrowed)
- HAZWOPER Reference Manual (borrowed)
- ACGIH References with TLV's and BEI's (borrowed)
What books you actually used:
- EERM
- School of PE Notes
- NC State Notes (great hazardous waste information)
- Davis & Cornwell (LOVE this book!)
- LaGrega (so much information here)
- Cooper & Alley (gave me a little boost, EERM covers air pretty well)
- Viessman and Hammer
- Engineering Unit Conversions
- NCEES Civil WR&E and Environmental Sample Questions and Solutions
- FE Reference Manual (got me a problem I wouldn't have otherwise)
- Environmental Engineering Solved Problems
- NIOSH (but couldn't find what I was looking for)
- Environmental Regulations Desk Reference
- My small binder with my indices
General impression about exam and format: Okay, so the Morning and Afternoon were two extremely different animals. When I did the Practice Exams, the morning topics were my biggest weakness...but somehow the morning was a breeze and the afternoon killed me! So clearly the Lindenberg problems are quite a bit tougher than the actual exam. I found overall, most questions were extremely straightforward and the "tricks" weren't that tricky. But often times you either had to know it or you didn't. The morning had questions on water, wastewater and waste management. The afternoon had engineering econ, health and safety, air, and remediation. The air questions were a little wilder than what I was expecting, health and safety had a lot of odd-balls and remediation was insane!!
Advice for future test takers:
- Start studying as soon as possible. Don't wait until you're approved to sit for the exam. In Pennsylvania, it wasn't until August 20 or so when I received confirmation. I started collecting books in early July and while I did start studying in July, I didn't really push it until that confirmation came in the mail.
- Buy used books if you can...old editions for the most part are fine. Make sure you KNOW your books well, or at least are comfortable with going through an index quickly. I did print out the index of the EERM but that wasn't terribly helpful during the exam.
- I used two "milk crates" that I bought from Walmart to carry my books. They had to be about $7 a piece. I was able to carry these on a dolly I borrowed from work, straps and all. I had a bit of a hike from my car to the building but it wasn't that bad. I was able to easily set up a little bookcase at my desk. I thought this was better than storing it in a suitcase like a lot of others. Thankfully we were allowed to have more than one book on the table at a time.
- It's been said but you really need to do a ton of problems and READ your reference books. Things start to stick the more you do it. It can be frustrating as hell but it gets better.
- Re-read problems to make sure you're answering what has been asked. Circle, underline, cross out as needed.
- Don't get lost in your books and miss an easy problem! I had a problem I meant to go back to that I knew how to do but got caught up trying to search through books!
- I used the NC State Notes which were great, and I also did School of PE. They were both great but if I had to choose one I'd go with SOPE. The notes were invaluable for solving problems quickly.
- Practice using ear plugs before the exam. And make sure you have a watch! It's amazing how quickly those last 15 minutes fly.
I am so relieved to have passed the exam. Thank you to EVERYONE for your advice that you've left over the years. Having my index full of references really made me comfortable with all of my materials, and while I did more page flipping in the afternoon, overall I felt in control. So glad to be done!!
Janizzle
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 27, 2014
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 2
I have been meaning to find a copy of LaGrega since everyone says it's such a good resource even outside of the exam...Thanks for the Amazon tip.
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