HELP! How can I figure out CERM?

[Pra4surf1]

The exam is next week and I feel like I’ve already failed. Just can’t seem to get better than 70 on practice exams and this week just doing worse every practice exam I pick up. If I have no clue and look it up in the CERM I just can’t filter through that material to find what I need even using the index. Example I find the correct pages but the formula has so many components in it and variations I just can’t disect it to even start working on the solution. I feel like the CERM is most people’s #1 resource but I just can’t solve anything from it unless I spend a lot of time and write it down in my own terms. So far I’m 250 hrs in and 1200 problems that I can solve successfully all different but that seems like a small percentage of possible problems that could pop up. The real formula here is how to prepare for this exam and be able to solve something you haven’t seen before. This is my second attempt and I just feel screwed.

 

[matt267 PE]

Have you done any of the NCEES practice exams? The CERM practice problems and exams were harder than the NCEES practice exam (for me at least). I feel like the NCEES practice exam was the closest to the actual exam's level of difficulty.

As far as navigating the CERM, I used tabs on the pages. But I didn't use the CERM at all during the exam.

And don't feel screwed. Anxiety is normal and expected, but don't give up before you even get there. If, and I mean "if" this exam session doesn't go your way, maybe taking a review course will help you organize your thoughts, formulas, and practice problems. Review courses are expensive, but worth it. I had good success with EET's Civil-WRE review course.

 

[Pra4surf1]

Thanks so much for the feedback Matt. I’m spending a few days just going through the CERM looking up things I’m comfortable with to see if I can understand the CERM format better for those unknowns. Hopefully that will help. I took a class through ITRE for last exam and the same class for this next exam. It is helpful for what it covers. However first exam I felt like most of the morning problems were something I’ve never seen. I also bought the NCEES exam along with many others. After each practice exam I went back through all the ones I missed after I reviewed the solution. I can take most of my practice exams now and get most of them correct. Hopefully it will help.

 

[matt267 PE]

It sounds like you've put in the work. Good luck on the exam. Be sure to come back and let us know how you did.