Environmental Exam

[txjennah PE]

Score!  

Anyone else hated the EERM? 

Meeeeeeee.

 

[HaleySummer]

I'm not sure if this is the best advice but it worked for me. I have close to zero experience in the air quality field. So I decided instead of stressing too hard and learning things from scratch I'll just make sure I master the water and solid waste portion of the exam. I had never taken the exam before but I used the ppi and ncees practice exams to study. Both were pretty tricky in my opinion. I ended up feeling like I aced the AM section and completely failied the PM. I must've guessed on 35 questions in the PM. Some how I came out with a Pass. 

So my advice is to make sure you master what you know. And have enough to make an educated guess on what you don't. 

 

[trackerjacker]

I can add one other thing - I created an alphabetical index for the NCEES practice exam by what they were asking you to solve for.  Most of the actual exam questions were not exactly like the practice exam, but were close enough that being able to look at those while I worked the problems in the actual exam easily got me 4 or 5 answers (I'd guess).

@txjennah, if you want it, I'd be happy to scan that and send it to you.  Or maybe post somewhere.

 

[timmer1026]

I'm not sure if this is the best advice but it worked for me. I have close to zero experience in the air quality field. So I decided instead of stressing too hard and learning things from scratch I'll just make sure I master the water and solid waste portion of the exam. I had never taken the exam before but I used the ppi and ncees practice exams to study. Both were pretty tricky in my opinion. I ended up feeling like I aced the AM section and completely failied the PM. I must've guessed on 35 questions in the PM. Some how I came out with a Pass. 

So my advice is to make sure you master what you know. And have enough to make an educated guess on what you don't. 

I struggled in the Air and Solid Waste portion of the exam.  What reference did you use that was most beneficial for the Solid Waste portion?  I've taken the exam several times and have failed with scores in the low 50s/100 every time- so frustrating

 

[lbeebe]

Thanks.  Wasn't sure if there was anything else out there.  Lagrega seems to be the main reference for that area. I will be reading and tabbing it this time though. 

I struggled in the Air and Solid Waste portion of the exam.  What reference did you use that was most beneficial for the Solid Waste portion?  I've taken the exam several times and have failed with scores in the low 50s/100 every time- so frustrating

I did some more looking through my notes/reference list. In addition to Lagrega, I also had Kuo Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil Remediation. It's a small text, but if you need to brush up on some C=C0e-kt (and other reaction rate type problems it was helpful in that regard, but I don't remember needing to look anything up during the actual exam in there).

There are many recommendations for the Salvato Environmental Engineering book(s) in the Environmental forum. It does have some more obscure information compared to other references. I used them to verify a few of the qualitative questions I wasn't 100% sure on. The latest edition is 3 separate books. Not sure it would be worth the investment, but I did get some good reading out of that one that helped me as a reference during the exam.

Overall I think the biggest thing is familiarity with your references. The exam is so broad that if you haven't spent quality time with a book it probably isn't going to be too beneficial. As important as working through problems, just taking the time to READ through references was highly beneficial for me. I felt like I had nailed most of the qualitative problems my previous attempt and was breezing through problems when I started studying for April. I read through nearly all of the Davis & Cornwell book (and did any practice problems w solutions), skimmed Legraga and Salvato, worked through a lot of Kuo and the Air Pollution Control by Cooper & Alley. I put in A LOT of time for the October 2016 exam attempt and felt at a total loss for what to do this time and doubted if I could pass based on self-study, but IT IS POSSIBLE! My secondary focus outside of reading texts was drilling SPEED, when I did a run through of the NCEES practice exam, I got somewhere around 80 right but more importantly I was able to get through it in about 2.5-3 hours per session (granted I had worked the problems previously), but time management is a huge component I felt I struggled with previously. I took a majority of the time during the real exam but I didn't feel rushed.

Sorry for the long write-up. I know the frustrations of not passing and just want to try to give some encouragement and guidance to others.

 

[HaleySummer]

I struggled in the Air and Solid Waste portion of the exam.  What reference did you use that was most beneficial for the Solid Waste portion?  I've taken the exam several times and have failed with scores in the low 50s/100 every time- so frustrating

For the calculations in the solid waste portion I found most of them to be unit conversions.  I just wrote down all the given variables and their units and started cancelling **** out and converting to the desired units.  The Engineering Unit Conversions Fourth Edition by Michael R. Lindenburg was a huge time save.  As for the conceptual questions I was able to find some of them in the EERM and the others in Chapter 9 of Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science Third Edition by Masters and Ela.  

I'm not sure if this was for the solid waste or air quality section but when there was a conceptual question I didn't understand regarding a chemical that sounded familiar but I didn't know at the top of my head I looked in Chemistry for Environmental Engineering and Science Fifth Edition by Sawyer, McCarthy, and Parkin.  

Like I mentioned before, I didn't feel super confident when I left the exam, but I think if you feel super confident on the AM or PM section you have a good chance of passing.  Let me know if you need any other advice!  Good luck.  

 

[timmer1026]

I did some more looking through my notes/reference list. In addition to Lagrega, I also had Kuo Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil Remediation. It's a small text, but if you need to brush up on some C=C0e-kt (and other reaction rate type problems it was helpful in that regard, but I don't remember needing to look anything up during the actual exam in there).

There are many recommendations for the Salvato Environmental Engineering book(s) in the Environmental forum. It does have some more obscure information compared to other references. I used them to verify a few of the qualitative questions I wasn't 100% sure on. The latest edition is 3 separate books. Not sure it would be worth the investment, but I did get some good reading out of that one that helped me as a reference during the exam.

Overall I think the biggest thing is familiarity with your references. The exam is so broad that if you haven't spent quality time with a book it probably isn't going to be too beneficial. As important as working through problems, just taking the time to READ through references was highly beneficial for me. I felt like I had nailed most of the qualitative problems my previous attempt and was breezing through problems when I started studying for April. I read through nearly all of the Davis & Cornwell book (and did any practice problems w solutions), skimmed Legraga and Salvato, worked through a lot of Kuo and the Air Pollution Control by Cooper & Alley. I put in A LOT of time for the October 2016 exam attempt and felt at a total loss for what to do this time and doubted if I could pass based on self-study, but IT IS POSSIBLE! My secondary focus outside of reading texts was drilling SPEED, when I did a run through of the NCEES practice exam, I got somewhere around 80 right but more importantly I was able to get through it in about 2.5-3 hours per session (granted I had worked the problems previously), but time management is a huge component I felt I struggled with previously. I took a majority of the time during the real exam but I didn't feel rushed.

Sorry for the long write-up. I know the frustrations of not passing and just want to try to give some encouragement and guidance to others.

Thank you for your reply.  And yes, I continue to struggle with time management.  Did you use EERM for reference?   So, reading through Introduction to Environmental Engineering in your opinion was most helpful?

 

[timmer1026]

For the calculations in the solid waste portion I found most of them to be unit conversions.  I just wrote down all the given variables and their units and started cancelling **** out and converting to the desired units.  The Engineering Unit Conversions Fourth Edition by Michael R. Lindenburg was a huge time save.  As for the conceptual questions I was able to find some of them in the EERM and the others in Chapter 9 of Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science Third Edition by Masters and Ela.  

I'm not sure if this was for the solid waste or air quality section but when there was a conceptual question I didn't understand regarding a chemical that sounded familiar but I didn't know at the top of my head I looked in Chemistry for Environmental Engineering and Science Fifth Edition by Sawyer, McCarthy, and Parkin.  

Like I mentioned before, I didn't feel super confident when I left the exam, but I think if you feel super confident on the AM or PM section you have a good chance of passing.  Let me know if you need any other advice!  Good luck.  

Thank you for your reply.   I actually thought I did better this time around, but apparently not AND I struggle with time management.  There are 2 books Introduction to Environmental Engineering, one by Davis and Cornwell and the other by Masters and Ela.  Which one specifically?

 

[lbeebe]

Thank you for your reply.  And yes, I continue to struggle with time management.  Did you use EERM for reference?   So, reading through Introduction to Environmental Engineering in your opinion was most helpful?

For me after my previous attempt, I felt like my two biggest issues were time management and the qualitative questions so I thought reading through Intro to Env Engineering by Davis & Cornwell was highly beneficial to brush up on the basics. I tried to schedule my studying so that I read relevant chapters on a topic then did problems the rest of the week on that subject. D&C isn't great for all topics but I left the morning session feeling like I had nailed it and without any time management issues.

I had EERM tabbed and used it during the exam (and studying) but I never personally took the time to read through it cover to cover since it is just a streamlined version of other (better) texts.

About a month out I took the NCEES practice exam to gauge where I was at and REALLY focused on not letting myself get hung up on problems, if I spent too much time on it, then I skipped it. I spent the next few days working through the problems I missed/skipped and breaking them down to make sure I understood them. I did a mix of problems (and working them AS FAST AS POSSIBLE) and more reading up until the exam. I redid the practice exam a week or two out and got over 80/100 in about 5 hours time (granted I probably had some committed to memory) but I felt REALLY good about that going into the exam and honestly didn't have any major time management issues this round.

 

[txjennah PE]

I can add one other thing - I created an alphabetical index for the NCEES practice exam by what they were asking you to solve for.  Most of the actual exam questions were not exactly like the practice exam, but were close enough that being able to look at those while I worked the problems in the actual exam easily got me 4 or 5 answers (I'd guess).

@txjennah, if you want it, I'd be happy to scan that and send it to you.  Or maybe post somewhere.

Oh wow, that would be awesome! Thanks!

 

[timmer1026]

For me after my previous attempt, I felt like my two biggest issues were time management and the qualitative questions so I thought reading through Intro to Env Engineering by Davis & Cornwell was highly beneficial to brush up on the basics. I tried to schedule my studying so that I read relevant chapters on a topic then did problems the rest of the week on that subject. D&C isn't great for all topics but I left the morning session feeling like I had nailed it and without any time management issues.

I had EERM tabbed and used it during the exam (and studying) but I never personally took the time to read through it cover to cover since it is just a streamlined version of other (better) texts.

About a month out I took the NCEES practice exam to gauge where I was at and REALLY focused on not letting myself get hung up on problems, if I spent too much time on it, then I skipped it. I spent the next few days working through the problems I missed/skipped and breaking them down to make sure I understood them. I did a mix of problems (and working them AS FAST AS POSSIBLE) and more reading up until the exam. I redid the practice exam a week or two out and got over 80/100 in about 5 hours time (granted I probably had some committed to memory) but I felt REALLY good about that going into the exam and honestly didn't have any major time management issues this round.

Thank you! Huge difference in price between Introduction to Environmental Engineering / Edition 4 and Edition 5.  You think worth the extra cost for the latest edition?

 

[trackerjacker]

Oh wow, that would be awesome! Thanks!

Done! Prep forum/Environmental exam. 

 

[txjennah PE]

Done! Prep forum/Environmental exam. 

You are awesome!  Thank you so much!

 

[trackerjacker]

You are awesome!  Thank you so much!

No prob.

 

[ENVEforthewin]

Just getting on here, passed in NY (no scores given). First time test taker.

I also found Air Pollution Control by Cooper & Alley and my intro book from Davis & Cornwell to be very helpful (EERM a necessity, but not excellent). I actually know I got a question right because I had the Cooper & Alley book. I did not read through them before the exam, focused a lot more on problem solving and just used the indexes to find information. (However, similar to google it's important to use the correct words when searching through the index.)

 

[timmer1026]

Just getting on here, passed in NY (no scores given). First time test taker.

I also found Air Pollution Control by Cooper & Alley and my intro book from Davis & Cornwell to be very helpful (EERM a necessity, but not excellent). I actually know I got a question right because I had the Cooper & Alley book. I did not read through them before the exam, focused a lot more on problem solving and just used the indexes to find information. (However, similar to google it's important to use the correct words when searching through the index.)

Thank you! Huge difference in price between Introduction to Environmental Engineering / Edition 4 and Edition 5.  You think worth the extra cost for the latest edition?

 

[ENVEforthewin]

timmer1026 - I doubt it matters for the PE, many of the questions you don't know right away you'll be searching for on a wing and a prayer (and making sure not to waste too much time on the conceptual questions). I'm not sure what edition I have, but I know it's the one I had my 1st year in college - so it's 10 years old at least.

 

[timmer1026]

@ENVEforthewin, thank you! I'll just get the 4th edition.

 

[dimockman]

@ENVEforthewin, thank you! I'll just get the 4th edition.

I bought the international edition for 25 bucks

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