retsofnai55
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- Joined
- Jan 31, 2021
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I have searched through the forum to get some feedback on EET and School of PE and found it to lean more towards EET but still very close to center. I am asking because my case is a little different.
I graduated in 2016 and passed my FE right away and went to work as a Transportation/Drainage Engineer. Middle 2020 I moved and switched my work to Civil-Structural engineering and tried to cram 4 years of Civil-Structural Experience into 4 months of studying for the October 2020 Civil Structural PE Exam. Unfortunately I failed. Even if I spent 4 years working at my Civil-Structural job, I don't think it would have been enough to pass that PE exam. My civil structural work is very specific so I would not have the broad experience to know what I am doing to pass the PE. I work in the aluminum industry in Florida designing screen enclosures, mobile homes, car ports, and pretty much anything small structural based for aluminum, mostly residential. I do span and factor of safety calcs all the time but our connections are already product approved so I never touch them. We do some minor concrete calculations for uplift with linear footers and slabs but nothing complicated. To sum it all up, my problem is not that I have been out of school for long, but I am trying to pass a civil structural exam with little to no experience in the field.
I purchased the PPI CERM and some package of theirs to review their questions and answers. I felt like their answers were confusing, they were incomplete, and sometimes used odd units. I also purchased and reviewed 5 practice tests: Civil Eng PE Practice Exams, Civil PE Practice exam and guide, NCEES Structural practice exam, Civil PE practice exam: Structural Depth Version A, and Civil PE Structural Practice Exams by David Gruttadauria. I felt that the October 2020 Exam was leagues harder than all of these. I also saw a lot of construction conceptual questions on the breadth exam like rollers and construction equipment questions that I have no idea how to study for. The questions I had the most difficult time answering were the ones that dealt with concrete and wood. The ACI and NDS books were extremely hard for me to understand.
My questions is, what do you think the best online study courses are for someone who does not need a refresher but more of almost a full education and experience that would help with passing the Civil-Structural PE in April 2021? I already studied for and attempted the exam so I have a decent background, but I need some help with the more advanced aspects of the subject.
P.S.
I could take an "easier" exam just to get my PE, but I would like a better background in Civil-Structural because I plan on making this job a lifetime career. I have family ties and have already heavily invested in the company and plan on making my way up the ladder so I don't plan on going anywhere.
I graduated in 2016 and passed my FE right away and went to work as a Transportation/Drainage Engineer. Middle 2020 I moved and switched my work to Civil-Structural engineering and tried to cram 4 years of Civil-Structural Experience into 4 months of studying for the October 2020 Civil Structural PE Exam. Unfortunately I failed. Even if I spent 4 years working at my Civil-Structural job, I don't think it would have been enough to pass that PE exam. My civil structural work is very specific so I would not have the broad experience to know what I am doing to pass the PE. I work in the aluminum industry in Florida designing screen enclosures, mobile homes, car ports, and pretty much anything small structural based for aluminum, mostly residential. I do span and factor of safety calcs all the time but our connections are already product approved so I never touch them. We do some minor concrete calculations for uplift with linear footers and slabs but nothing complicated. To sum it all up, my problem is not that I have been out of school for long, but I am trying to pass a civil structural exam with little to no experience in the field.
I purchased the PPI CERM and some package of theirs to review their questions and answers. I felt like their answers were confusing, they were incomplete, and sometimes used odd units. I also purchased and reviewed 5 practice tests: Civil Eng PE Practice Exams, Civil PE Practice exam and guide, NCEES Structural practice exam, Civil PE practice exam: Structural Depth Version A, and Civil PE Structural Practice Exams by David Gruttadauria. I felt that the October 2020 Exam was leagues harder than all of these. I also saw a lot of construction conceptual questions on the breadth exam like rollers and construction equipment questions that I have no idea how to study for. The questions I had the most difficult time answering were the ones that dealt with concrete and wood. The ACI and NDS books were extremely hard for me to understand.
My questions is, what do you think the best online study courses are for someone who does not need a refresher but more of almost a full education and experience that would help with passing the Civil-Structural PE in April 2021? I already studied for and attempted the exam so I have a decent background, but I need some help with the more advanced aspects of the subject.
P.S.
I could take an "easier" exam just to get my PE, but I would like a better background in Civil-Structural because I plan on making this job a lifetime career. I have family ties and have already heavily invested in the company and plan on making my way up the ladder so I don't plan on going anywhere.