How I Passed the Thermal / Fluid PE exam

[P-E]

The merm practice problems book was all I needed.  However, if you have time, more problems wouldn't hurt. 

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum; and have been preparing for the April ME-TF exam for April 16. I have a question. Has anyone found the Schaum's TF or Fluids manual helpful for preparation or during the exam?

Thanks

I had never heard of it prior to your post.  It seems like it might be useful, but I would make sure you know how to do the type of problem from the NCEES practice exams before branching out into that.  As a bonus, it looks like it is available for only 17 bucks or so.  Compared to other references that is pretty cheap.

 

[Mike in Gastonia]

Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum; and have been preparing for the April ME-TF exam for April 16. I have a question. Has anyone found the Schaum's TF or Fluids manual helpful for preparation or during the exam?

Thanks

I have some great advice for you - if you show up on April 16th you won't do very well. You'll do much better if you show up on April 15th......

 

[Ken PE 3.1]

Daaaaaamn Mike, in with razor blades a flyin'

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

I feel like this thread should be pinned.

 

[Rantlers]

Just wanted to say thank you to @Ramnares P.E. and @TomMechanical, I followed your gameplans for studying and was able to pass on the 1st try!   :thankyou:

And for my one piece of advice to others, do NOT waste your money on the Kaplan sample PE exam. That's $30 and 8hrs of my life I'll never get back...

 

[seeseansky]

I got the news that I passed TF exam on Friday. First try. I really want to say thank you to EB. Especially to Ramnares! I have found great ideas, methods and intuition in this thread!!

 

[starquest]

Being this thread is created for TFS depth, I figure that I'd post my experiences with using the same study approach for MSM depth.  

I started studying on January 26 for the April 15 exam (12 weeks).  I invested 275 total hours during this time period.  I maintained an excel spreadsheet on how many hours I devoted per day and to what.  This aided in my motivation and tracking of my progress.

Many thanks to Ram...this study approach was instrumental.  I'm so glad that I read and followed it from day one!   

Here are my comments from Ram's study guide, tailored to MSM depth:"Here's what worked for me:1. Based on the work I've done daily, as well as the subjects I've studied in Grad school, I knew in advance that I would be taking the Thermal/Fluids. Decide what afternoon session you want to take and focus on that. Do not waste time trying to master all three major disciplines. MSM was my depth based on my background.2. Once I applied and got my letter of approval, I purchased the MERM, Thermal/Fluids Six Minute Solutions, NCEES 2008 practice exam, and NCEES 2001 practice exam. The 2008 exam was updated in 2011. The actual content is the same. The 2008 exam contained all three disciplines. The 2011 book simply split them apart and sold them individually. The NCEES 2001 exam is very difficult to get hold of but well worth the effort and money.

Was not able to get the 2001 exam which I don't believe hurt me in any way!  In addition I used the Lindberg unit conversion book (absolutely needed...no if's, and's, or but's), my old FE mechanical book that I had to prepare for the FE exam way back in April of 2000, Shigley's Machine Design 5th edition, Machinery's Handbook, and referred to a few other old college textbooks.   I also downloaded the oughtredco practice exam to supplement for not having the 2001 ncees exam, I only did the AM sample test and felt it was beneficial but it had many errors.  3. I prepped for this exam with the attitude that it was a one-or-none deal. I was only going to take this exam once. At the time I started prepping for the exam I had a one-year old son to deal with AND I was pursuing a second MS degree. Why am I telling you this? You need buy-in from your spouse/significant other. My wife and parents spent countless hours while I studied late into the night and all day on weekends.

Same experience here.  I worked 6 evenings a week for a minimum of 2 hours a day but typically was 3 hours.  I also used my lunch hour at work religiously. On several occasions I spent 5-6 hours straight along the way...specifically the last two weeks.  4. I did not read the MERM. I skimmed through the MERM to get a general idea where the sections were located and what information was in the Appendix. 

Same.  I'll note that I purchased the MERM 13th edition from the start.   I held off of buying the companion problems until later on.  Due to price and availability at the time, I bought the 12th edition practice problems.  Although some of the chapters were different numbers between the editions, this didn't pose to be much of an issue for me. 5. Copy the MERM appendix and have it bound separately. It will save you a lot of time during the exam and make it much easier during practice. It will also save the life-time of your MERM binding. Print and bind the Index also.

I didn't copy the appendix, didn't feel it was necessary (had it well tabbed by the time of the exam and knew it in and out).  I did copy the index and put it in a separate 3 ring binder and tabbed it alphabetically.....was such a help during the exam!!!6. I began by working the Six Minute Solutions book. Do not be afraid to look at the answers if you get stuck the first time through. As I was working the SMS, I would find the formulas in the MERM and highlight them AND record them in my notes. If I didn't have a clue how to work the question, I would read the solution, find all the equations, and work through it using the solution. Highlight your equations in the MERM and in your notes for easy reference. I worked through the SMS 7 times before I got 100% correct under 8 hours. In fact, by the time I was at the end of my preparation, I was working through the SMS in about 4 hours and getting 100%. A lot of it at that point will seem like rote memorization, don't be scared of it. As you're working through the problems, read and understand the methodology. Work the problems over and over again.

I worked the MSM 6MS book 3 times. I did this cold...no prior studying, not even skimming the MERM.  I took the time to learn and understand the approach of every problem.   I didn't take it to mastery but I was confident that I knew how to tackle all problems in around 8 hours by the third pass.    I still was making stupid mistakes, of which I just flagged and moved on.  To give you a feel; it took 35 hours first pass. 21.5 second, and 8.5 third.  I tabbed the MERM sufficiently using the shaggy method during this process (all chapters in the MERM tabbed on the right and key tables, formulas, etc on the bottom).  Also, I utilized Shigley's Machine Design a lot while working the 6MS problems.   I was very comfortable with this reference as a result.   I actually had to travel for work during this time period where I literally went thru Shigley's cover to cover while on the plane and in layovers...I felt this was very helpful.   At this point I was felt pretty good on MSM problems and had a great understanding of the MERM MSM chapters/appendix's and Shigley's.7. Once I completed the SMS, I moved on to the NCEES 2008/2011 exam. Again, I worked this using the same methodology as above. I got 100% correct, under 8 hours after my 5th attempt or so. Use the same method of writing down the equations you did not know and reading the methodology.

I did the NCEES 2008/2011 AM and MSM PM tests three times.   I could complete the questions in well under 8 hours by the third time...still some stupid mistakes but I definitely was comfortable I knew how to approach and solve every problem by the third pass.  Same approach, didn't treat this as a sample exam but simply as more problems to work out.  I used the solutions, as required, on my first pass just like I did on the 6MS.

8. Worked the NCEES 2001 exam using the same approach described in (6) and (7) above. You'll see a lot of posters saying keep an exam to test yourself the last week or so. I found that working as many problems as possible with as much time left to prep was the best strategy.

I didn't have this exam nor even tried hard to acquire it.   At this stage I ran thru my old Mechanical FE book which I was waiting for my MERM companion book to arrive.   The FE book really helped me in the TFS and HVAC problems that I haven't had much experience to date.   I'm not sure it helped too much for the exam itself but it prepared me for the challenging problems in the MERM. 

I also spent about 8-10 hours on 'relearning' vibrations.  I ran thru my old Schaum's outline on Mechanical Vibrations.  Although I wouldn't recommend this too much...for none of the work really had any impact on how I did on the exam.  I was surprised to find that there weren't too many vibration problems on the exams and the ones that were there were basic...although I read here that previous exams were different.  If I had this time back, I wish I would have focused more on reviewing my old Dynamics book...for I felt the actual exam was loaded in Kinematics/Kinetics problems.   

Again most of this time doing these odds and ends at this stage was while I ordered and waited for the MERM companion book to arrive.   Probably a bad move to not order it up front but it did give me a little breather in the middle of this process that allowed me to focus on getting myself up to speed on the areas that I knew I needed more help in.  9. Now I moved on to the MERM. I worked all the main sections noted on the NCEES breakdown. Skip the math, project management, plant engineering, statics etc. I worked the Fluids, Heat Transfer, Thermo, HVAC, Machine Design sections. I did NOT work any of the 1-hour time limit problems. I was able to work all the problems in those sections twice. Do not be afraid if you get stuck and need to read through the solutions.

This was the most tedious part of the study process...specifically in the TFS and HVAC sections which were out of my depth.   It was so time consuming and discouraging.   I the TFS and HVAC problems with exception to the 1 hour time limit ones.  I also skipped the inorganic chemistry chapter and about half of the combustion chapter (not sure I'd recommend this but these weren't my strong points and I was devoting so much time and effort into understanding them that I decided to just move on).   The TFS problems were extremely challenging for me and I resorted to the solution on almost every problem (specifically heat transfer and fluids...also the sections that have the famed 'iterative solutions').  

For the MSM chapters, I did EVERY problem including the 1 hr time limit ones.  With the 6MS as a basis, I felt the MERM problems for MSM were doable (only sporadically referring to the solutions)...but still time consuming.    

I'll share a great tip that worked with me in the TFS/HVAC sections;  I first read thru the MERM chapter briefly, then I looked at all problems AND the solutions, only after doing this did I start to work the problems one by one.  I felt I had greater retention of the problem by first looking them over and relating them to the formulas in the MERM.   When I finished the problem, I recorded notes on the key equations used.   At the completion of each chapter, I had a nice 2-3 page set of notes that I used up to and including at the exam (I can't stress this enough on how beneficial it was for me...particularly on the areas outside of my depth).   I wasn't so rigid in my approach in my depth area because I felt I knew the MERM in and out on those sections by then (thanks to the 6MS)and I had better comprehension.  BTW it took 113 hours to go thru this process!  That's one pass thru!   10. By this time, I had approximately 10 days left before the exam. I worked the SMS and each of the NCEES exams the first three days. I re-worked the MERM problems in the Fluid, Heat Transfer, and Thermo sections.

I had about 2 weeks at this point.  I went back and did another pass thru the 6MS, 2011 ncees practice exam, and FE problems the first week.   It was on the last week when I downloaded the oughtredco sample exam.  I only had time to do the AM section.   I felt that this exam was a much better representation of TFS questions that appeared on the actual exam!   For MSM and HVAC, the 2011 NCEES sample exam was adequate but I felt it lacking on TFS.  The oughtred AM questions pertaining to TFS were a lot more challenging and closer to what I experienced on the actual exam.   As I said earlier, there were a lot of errors both in the oughtred questions and answers.  Some thru me off and got a bit frustrating...but in all, I really think doing these 40 questions only a few days prior to the exam were instrumental in passing!  

11. I went through the MERM, using the notes that I made as I studied (here's where the highlighting comes in handy) and tabbed what I felt was important. At this point I knew the MERM and the bound appendix intimately so I didn't feel the need to tab that much. I certainly tabbed the major sections of the MERM and a few diagrams. Follow the now famous Shaggy tabbing method on this site.

On my last two days, I ran thru all of the MERM companion problems.  No I didn't do them from scratch, I simply read the problem and reviewed the solutions (the solutions that I worked out, not the solutions in the book).   Then I picked 3 or 4 problems that I felt were really good examples from each primary chapter and wrote them out nice and neat, each on a single white sheet of copy paper (highlighting in yellow, the type of problem and key formulas and approaches).  I included these problems behind each 2-3 page set of notes that I created on my full pass thru the MERM earlier.  

I assembled these notes and 'sample problems' within a three ring binder and tabbed them according to section (thermo, combustion, fluids, HT, etc.).  I put a divider on the three ring binder and included one set of worked solutions from 6MS, MERM, FE problems, and sample tests.  I tabbed these accordingly as well.  (I broke the MERM companion problems down into key areas like I did in the notes section).     I also included some of items that I downloaded on the internet in this binder...mainly things like; a better psych chart, more comprehensive beam formulas, thick walled cylindrical pressure vessel formulas, etc. 

This binder, or as some refer to it as the 'book of knowledge', was VERY helpful during the exam.  The MERM, the book of knowledge, the MERM index binder, and the Unit conversion book didn't leave my desk for the entire exam...yes it got cluttered at times but was very necessary!

Note I never did the problems in the MERM for plant engineering or econ.  I felt these were adequately covered by the sample tests, the 6MS, and those FE problems that I worked...which was a good decision looking back.

  12. I took Thursday (the day before the exam) off. I was up early (normal time I leave for work 0500) and did one run through of the SMS, NCEES 2008, and NCEES 2011. I drove to the exam site and ensured I knew where the building was. Then I drove home and packed my bag. I took a back-pack. I took the MERM, the MERM appendix I bound, Steam Tables, Lindeburg conversion book, sample exams, 2 calculators, and ear-plugs. I put my money, approval letter, and ID cards in a zip lock bag. Then I did absolutely nothing exam related the rest of the day. I took my son to play-time, watched a few movies etc.

This will differ based on what works for you.   Some take the day off, some work like mad.  I always found that I benefit greatly by this last minute CRAM...maybe its just mental, but it works for me...so that is what I did.   I took half a day on Wednesday and worked until about 11pm.  On Thursday (the day before the exam), I took the day off of work and studied 13 hours straight...only stopping to make a sandwich, etc.   These last two days consisted of mainly doing that final skim over of the MERM and creating the 'sample problems' worksheets, assembling my 'book of knowledge', updating the tabs in my MERM that were worn/torn from being put in and out of my bookbag over the past 3 months, and finally assembling my bankers box of books.   I also tabbed my units conversion book with the key conversions and tabbed my Shigley Machine Design book very well.  13. Exam day I was up early and went to the site. I finished both sections (AM and PM) with over an hour to spare. I did NOT go through and rate questions etc. I simply worked the questions in order. If I didn't feel satisfied with an answer, or if I had to guess, I put a mark next to it and moved on. At the end, I came back and re-worked the questions I had doubts on. I still left the exam room very early both sessions. I felt that leaving the AM session early and giving myself extra time for lunch allowed me to clear my head and prep for the PM session.

I ran thru the morning session with ease.  I came to solutions on all but 1 problem on the first pass.  I think I had 2-3 problems of which I know I processed right but didn't come out with one of the answers.  However I had plenty of time to go back and review/double-check each and every problem.  I think I still had to make an educated guess on those 1-2 problems and I know that I had to flat out guess on the one problem that I really didn't know how to approach (Combustion problem..not surprising because I basically skipped half of that chapter on my preparation).     

The PM session was different.  I hit three problems in a row early on that completely stumped me.  This thru off my rhythm and confidence.  However, I finally skipped them and powered on.  I wasn't so diligent at this point in checking all of my work...if I got a solution, I filled in the bubble and moved on due to time.   I ended up having enough time to go back to those 3 questions in the end.  I processed two out of the three to solutions (of which I know were correct).   I was on the right track with the third but think I was making a stupid mistake along the line...by this point I had scribbles everywhere on the test booklet and think I was messing myself up...but I made an educated guess before the time ran out.  

All in all, I left the exam feeling confident that I succeeded!    

I felt the exam really was a mix of the problems I did in the 2011 NCEES practice exam, the 6MS, and the MERM.  I referred to all three during the exam.  Some problems were almost spot on with worked problems from these sources, others had similar approaches.   I didn't feel the need to hail marry any other references for potential solution paths during the exam.  14. Went through the now well known process of self-doubt and anger at the lack of timely results.

Yep.   I'm also in PA so was expecting to wait a full two weeks after the initial states received their scores but thankfully PA wasn't too far behind this go around
Best of luck to all.  I plan on keeping up with this forum in the future and would be happy to share my experience with others that follow.  Feel free to send me a message.  

Thank you to EB boards!   This was an overwhelming experience that I wouldn't have been able to get through without your help!

 

[Phenomenon083]

Passed the exam and I can sign and seal that this thread is a great PE preparation thread  Thank you everybody on this thread who chipped in their experience from time to time. This was the first thread that I read when I first visited the board and it motivated me greatly for my TF exam preparation. I designed my exam preparation based on this thread, here is what I've done

Dec 1 - Jan 31. I'm out of school for a while and working as a project engineer so I really do not practice a specific engineering discipline day to day basis. So I felt like I needed to know the relative theories and practice problems accordingly before I jumped on to the problems (SMS, NCEES) representative of the PE exam. In light of this, I skimmed through whole MERM and practiced problems from MERM companion. While I was practicing problems, I made sure I know the underlying assumption of the theory being used to solve the problems. I put more focus on TF section and skipped plant engineering, control systems section.

Feb 1 - 29. Practiced SMS TF multiple times till I know the problems very well and practiced MD & HVAC SMS just once.

March 1 - 15. Before I started practicing the NCEES 2011 TF I took it as a simulated test, marginally failed. Practiced it 5 times till I know the problems very well.

March 15 - 31. Likewise NCEES 2011 TF, took NCEES 2001 TF as a simulated test, did better on this exam. Nearly half of the questions are same as NCEES 2011, didn't grade those, but the other half of the problems are valuable in my opinion. Again, practiced it 5 times till I know the problems very well.

April 1 - 7. By this time I have 2 weeks left till the exam. So I took PPI practice exam, needless to say I failed miserably. But I knew this exam is not a representative to the exam. One positive thing from this exam was that there were multiple questions from Heat transfer which covered problems from different theories, this was a great practice for heat transfer. NCEES and SMS heat transfer problems are basically focused on LMTD, and heat exchanger, not many problems from conduction or convection. This reference covered those. Anyway, week before last week I've practiced the problems from this reference.

April 7 - 13. Last week I just practiced NCEES, SMS and did some practice problems from MERM. Took the day off before the exam day.

Did sleep terribly before the exam night ( went to bed around 11 pm and woke up at 12.30 am  ). I was so nervous in the morning. First couple of questions threw me off but after that I remember I answered next 28 questions straight and came back to solve the questions I missed, found some of the problems were so simple I missed those just being paranoid. Finished 30 minutes early and stayed till the end to check my answers and made sure I filled all the bubbles correctly Anyway I was not overly satisfied with my AM performance. I thought I could do better. Plus common consensus is that AM is easier than PM, so I thought I was in trouble.

I expected PM to be harder, but I felt more comfortable with PM. I just flew through most of the problems. Definitely the problems were longer and requires more steps to solve but the solution path were easy to see. After my first round I just had 3 or 4 problems left to answer. Finished the exam 20 minutes early and did recheck everything within the timeframe. After the exam I felt pretty good about passing.

On May 19th after 34 days of waiting (which is earlier than I expected honestly) I receive the pass notice and my PE exam journey is over! Looking back at it I have to say simulated tests, practicing NCEES and SMS problems, and knowing the underlying assumption of a theory by studying MERM was crucial to pass the exam.

 

[Ramnares P.E.]

Thank you starquest and Phenomenon083 for adding valuable advice to this thread.  Glad to hear that the advice on here worked for you both.  I'm sure your additions to this thread will prove very helpful to future test takers.

Congrats on passing the P.E.

 

[Louisdaboois]

Quite honestly, I agree with @Audi driver, P.E. this thread really needs to be stickied. 

By far the most valuable information for Mechanical PE test takers. I'd go as far as saying it'll guarantee passing scores.

 

[seeseansky]

I was so nervous in the morning. First couple of questions threw me off but after that I remember I answered next 28 questions straight and came back to solve the questions I missed, found some of the problems were so simple I missed those just being paranoid. Finished 30 minutes early and stayed till the end to check my answers and made sure I filled all the bubbles correctly Anyway I was not overly satisfied with my AM performance. I thought I could do better. Plus common consensus is that AM is easier than PM, so I thought I was in trouble.

I expected PM to be harder, but I felt more comfortable with PM. I just flew through most of the problems. Definitely the problems were longer and requires more steps to solve but the solution path were easy to see. After my first round I just had 3 or 4 problems left to answer. Finished the exam 20 minutes early and did recheck everything within the timeframe. After the exam I felt pretty good about passing.

I took TF exam and passed. Exactly same as you. I expected AM problems would be easy, but felt harder than expected. Hence I was so disappointed and during lunch time I called my wife and said "I think I would fail because normally PM problems are harder. But my wife told me "never give up!". I was little bit surprised as I felt so comfortable with PM problems and just went through. Finally I found only 2 problems are left blank on answer sheets!

 

[LifeSucks]

October 2016 will be my 3rd time taking the TF exam.  58% the first time and 69% the second. I've never been a strong test taker so I'm hoping 3rd time is the charm. I have taken Houston Testmasters class twice now, I felt this prepared me well for the AM portion but none whatsoever for the PM. I have the 2001, 2008, and 2011 NCEES practice exam, MERM, Lindbergh unit conversion book, SMS. Time was the biggest factor for me, I am slow at reading and solving problems!!! Any tips on how to get faster? I'm hoping to get started studying again after vacation I have planned end of July. Thanks everyone for all the insight.

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

October 2016 will be my 3rd time taking the TF exam.  58% the first time and 69% the second. I've never been a strong test taker so I'm hoping 3rd time is the charm. I have taken Houston Testmasters class twice now, I felt this prepared me well for the AM portion but none whatsoever for the PM. I have the 2001, 2008, and 2011 NCEES practice exam, MERM, Lindbergh unit conversion book, SMS. Time was the biggest factor for me, I am slow at reading and solving problems!!! Any tips on how to get faster? I'm hoping to get started studying again after vacation I have planned end of July. Thanks everyone for all the insight.

Sounds like you need to work more problems.  Work them until you get faster at them.

 

[aakrusen]

Since Ramnares did such a fantastic job of laying out the study/review schedule, and Starquest added to it with an MSM focus, I felt I needed to combine their comments into a study sheet of my own.  I printed this out and it is the front page in my Custom Notebook (Book of Knowledge).

Here's what I put together with an effort of removing comments, streamlining it, and making it slightly objective.  Some may find additional info is critical in a guide like this, or less info.  For me, I feel like this will fit me best and help keep me focused on what I need to do until October.

[SIZE=10pt]Study Plan for the Mechanical System and Materials discipline (MSM)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]1.      1.  [/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt]Decide what afternoon session you want to take and focus on that. Do not waste time trying to master all three major disciplines.[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]2.      2.  [/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt]Obtain MERM, MERM companion book (practice problems), Six Minute Solutions (6MS) for Mechanical System and Materials (MSM), NCEES 2011 Practice Exam, NCEES 2001 Practice Exam, Lindeburg Unit Conversion, Shigley’s Machine Design (5th ed.), Machinery Handbook, and FE Reference Handbook.  [/SIZE]Assemble a notebook or 3 ring binder with blank pages for notes.  Tab notes with subject titles (eg Statics, Dynamics, Strengths, Material Properties, Fluids, Thermo, etc).  This notebook becomes a custom set of notes that combines key equations and critical points to solving problems.  This custom book is invaluable as it is customized to the user.[SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]3.      3.  [/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt]Two hours per weekday, 5 hours each Sat and Sun.[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]4.      4.  [/SIZE][SIZE=9.5pt]Skip through the MERM to get a general idea where the sections were located and what information is in the Appendix.[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]5.  Copy the Index, tab it by letter, and have it bound (or in 3 ring binder).  If possible, print out the MERM Appendix, or at the least ta[/SIZE]b the Appendix in the MERM.

[SIZE=10pt]6.  Begin by working the 6MS book.  [/SIZE]Do not be afraid to look at the answers if getting stuck the first time through.  While working the 6MS, find the formulas in the MERM, highlight them AND record them in notes. If unsure how to work the question, read the solution, find all the equations, and work through it using the solution.  Highlight equations in the MERM and in notes for easy reference. Work through the 6MS until getting 100% correct under 8 hours.  Bonus points for working through the 6MS in about 4 hours and getting 100%. A lot of it at that point will seem like memorization, it’s OK.  While working through the problems, read and understand the methodology. Work the problems over and over again.

[SIZE=10pt]a.      [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Alternate route – Work the MSM 6MS book 3 times without opening the MERM.  [/SIZE]Take the time to learn and understand the approach of every problem.  Don’t’ need to take it to mastery, but passing the 6MS in 8 hours is the goal.  Flag mistakes and move on.  Realistic times per pass = 35 hrs for 1st, 21.5 hrs for 2nd, and 8.5 hrs for 3rd.

[SIZE=10pt]b.      [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Tab the MERM using Shaggy method (chapters on right side of page, then key tables, forumlas, etc along the bottom of the page).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]c.       [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Utilize Shigley’s Machine Design while working the 6MS problems.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]1.     7.   [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Once 6MS has been “mastered”, move on to the 2011 NCEES Practice Exam.  [/SIZE]Go through book until getting 100% correct under 8 hours (typically by 4th attempt).  Continue to write down unfamiliar equations and reading the methodology.  Don’t treat this as an exam, view it as additional practice problems.  The more the better.

[SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]1.      8.  [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Next move to 2001 NCEES practice exam (if attainable).  [/SIZE]Same method as above.

[SIZE=10pt]a.      [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]If 2001 NCEES practice exam is not available, move to old FE study material or text books from school.  [/SIZE]The point here is to continue to do as many problems as possible.  Practicing how to look up the needed data and equations for each question is essential for not only learning the material but it also aids in time management.

[SIZE=10pt]b.      [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Dynamics and Kinematics/Kinetics problems may need additional attention since this is the MSM discipline.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]1.      9.  [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Move on to the MERM.  [/SIZE]Work all the main sections noted on the NCEES breakdown, trying to work all the example problems twice.  Depending on comfort level, it might be ok to skip the 1 hour practice problems.  Skip the math, project management, plant engineering, inorganic chemistry.  Do not forget that TFS and HVAC are covered on the morning exam.

[SIZE=10pt]a.      [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Alternate route – Do all the example problems in each chapter as well as the 1 hour time limit problems.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]b.      [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Read through each chapter then do the example problems.  [/SIZE]This may help with understanding of the problem rather than going in cold.  Record equations used for each chapter in custom notebook, having 2-3 pages of notes per chapter is realistic.

[SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]1.      10.  [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]By this point, there is likely only a few weeks left until test day.  [/SIZE]Take another pass through the 6MS, NCEES practice exams, MERM practice problems (either in the chapters or companion book, or both).  Keep in mind that the MERM problems are more difficult than what is on the exam, practicing these problems for MSM discipline will aid in continuing to master the theories and principals of that discipline.

[SIZE=10pt]2.      11.  [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Take an extra pass through the MERM to tab additional material noted in the custom notebook.  [/SIZE]Continue with the Shaggy Tabbing Method.

[SIZE=10pt]3.      12.  [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Final few days prior to the exam, go through the MERM companion problems, pick out 3 or 4 problems that best represent the subject and copy them into the custom notebook.  [/SIZE]These copied problems (and solutions) go with the 2-3 pages of notes per chapter that were generated from step 9.  Continue this process for the 6MS and NCEES practice exams, saving the problems and solutions in the custom notebook.  Other helpful graphs, data, and equations (e.g. better Pysch chart, comprehensive beam formulas, and thick walled pressure vessels, etc) found on the internet may be a nice additional the notebook.  Also, tabbing the Units Conversion and Shigley’s book can be beneficial.

[SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]1.      13.  [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Take Thursday off from work.  [/SIZE]Get up early, run through the 6MS and NCEES practice exam(s).  This will likely be done in less than 8-10 hours.  If the test site is local, drive there, find parking options and prices, as well as food options.  Head back home and pack up everything that will be taken to the exam (including approval letter, ID cards, money, 2 calcs, and ear plugs).  Relax, send the kids to stay with the folks, take the spouse out for dinner (they deserve it for being so supportive during the last 3-4 months).

[SIZE=10pt]2.     14.   [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Exam Day.  [/SIZE]Get to the test site 30 minutes to one hour early.  Once the exam has begun, work the problems in order, noting if some need to be revisited.  Don’t get discouraged if there are 3 questions in a row that need to be skipped.  Don’t let the psychological part of test taking ruin the pace/rhythm.  Skip what needs to be skipped and move on.  Because so many practice problems were worked over the last 3 months, pacing will not likely be an issue, meaning there’s time at the end to go back and do the skipped questions. 

[SIZE=10pt]a.      [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Pro tip 1, finishing the AM session early leaves more review time for the PM session.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]b.      [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Pro tip 2, the answers for each question are in numerical order (eg 50 psi, 150 psi, 200 psi, 210 psi), so selecting “C” for every question that need to be guessed on will not improve chances for a correct answer.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]c.       [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Pro tip 3, NCEES loves to use Logical Distractors where one answer may look like a realistic option.  [/SIZE]This kind of answer can be derived by working through the problem correctly but missing one step.  Watch out for these!

[SIZE=10pt]d.      [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Pro tip 4, establishing that this test is one the highest priorities for the next 3-4 months, putting in 15-25 hours per week, and mastering as many problems as realistically possible will all but guarantee passing the exam the first time.  [/SIZE]Obviously there’s more to it than that, but the underlying point is the same.

[SIZE=10pt]e.      [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Pro tip 5, while it’s not an exact science (because the cut score varies each time the exam is offered), try and get 60 or more questions correct on the actual exam.  [/SIZE]Keep a tally during the exam of answers that are known to be 100% correct.  If this tally is 60 or more by the end of the day, WINNER! WINNER! WINNER!

[SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Not sure what's up with my formatting, the text size and font style is all over the map in this post.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][/SIZE]

 

[starquest]

6.  Begin by working the 6MS book.  Do not be afraid to look at the answers if getting stuck the first time through.  While working the 6MS, find the formulas in the MERM, highlight them AND record them in notes. If unsure how to work the question, read the solution, find all the equations, and work through it using the solution.  Highlight equations in the MERM and in notes for easy reference. Work through the 6MS until getting 100% correct under 8 hours.  Bonus points for working through the 6MS in about 4 hours and getting 100%. A lot of it at that point will seem like memorization, it’s OK.  While working through the problems, read and understand the methodology. Work the problems over and over again.

a.      Alternate route – Work the MSM 6MS book 3 times without opening the MERM.  Take the time to learn and understand the approach of every problem.  Don’t’ need to take it to mastery, but passing the 6MS in 8 hours is the goal.  Flag mistakes and move on.  Realistic times per pass = 35 hrs for 1st, 21.5 hrs for 2nd, and 8.5 hrs for 3rd.

For the alternate route on the MSM 6MS, I think I misworded my intentions earlier.  I would NOT advise doing the 6MS without utilizing the MERM.  I simply would not read over the MERM prior to starting the 6MS, start cold with both books but definitely use the MERM to help solve the 6MS problems.  The 6MS helps you to use the MERM index to locate the formulas you need, much more so than doing the MERM companion problems which follow the MERM chapter by chapter. 

 

[JayhawkerME]

I was fortunate enough to find this site fairly early in my studies. I'm proud to say that I passed Thermal Fluids on my first attempt through self-study, largely thanks to the guidance of those on this forum. I wrote up a study guide for a buddy that's taking the exam, but then I realized that I should probably pay it forward a bit here. So without further ado, one engineer's opinion:

Mechanical (Thermal Fluids) Study Guide:






Before you begin—some required reading / viewing:






This thread. You're here already. Congratulations!

Youtube ‘Dr. Tom ME PE exam strategy’. He has several videos about test taking strategy. He lays out how to map out your study plan according to how many points are in each subject. A great strategy.

Read Lindeburg’s ‘Introducton’ section in the MERM. It is a fairly comprehensive overview of the PE process and is filled with helpful reminders and tricks. It helped me frame the way I studied to better mirror test conditions.

Study time & commitments:






I started studying in early January for the Apr-15 test. I wasted a bunch of time early on reading through the MERM in the hopes of shaking off the rust, and forgot quite a bit. My recommendation would be to start 12 weeks ahead of time, and to take a few days of vacation time in the two weeks prior to the test. There’s a lot of material to master—if you study for over three months, you’ll start to forget things.

Study Materials:






You’ll need to acquire the materials that you’ll use during the actual test. ‘Practice how you play’. The Lindeburg MERM has a pretty good list of potential items. I’d recommend the following:

• ·         MERM
  
• ·         Lindeburg Units Conversion book (in a 3 ring binder or as a standalone book)
  
• ·         Random notes binder (2 page study sheet and other small items)
  
• ·         Steam tables (I cannot stress how important this is)
  

o   It should have saturation and superheated tables (by both pressure and temp) that go to at least 5000psi. Also, it should have the metric equivalent to US.

• ·         11 x 17 psychrometric chart (this will be 3 ring bound during the test, but loose is fine for studying)
  

o   You should have a ruler for this, as well

• ·         Air tables (similar format as steam tables—obviously without saturation data)
  
• ·         Calculator. Make sure it fits the NCEES requirements before you start studying.
  
• ·         Kitchen timer for timed sessions. Avoid the temptation to use your phone—you won’t have it on test day.
  

For problem sets, you’ll need:

• ·         The 2001 NCEES test
  
• ·         The 2008 NCEES test
  
• ·         The Lindeburg practice exam
  
• ·         Lindeburg’s Practice Problems
  

Some of these exams are difficult to come by. I’d recommend that folks check with their library (especially if you have an access to a University library system). I was able to find a few books on location and successfully transferred a few more through an inter-library loan system.

The Tao of the PE study plan:






Rule 1: Know thyself. What type of learner are you? Is working problems only on the weekends good for you? Would you benefit from a review of some of the theory (there are ME undergrad lectures available all over youtube, if that’s your bag)? Do you need to be out of the house to avoid distractions?

Rule 2: (T)CREAM-- . Test Conditions Rule Everything Around Me. You are attempting to pass a test with very specific parameters within a finite amount of study time. Your studying should reflect that. It’s easy to get into the trap of trying to read through theory or work very involved practice problems (ie some of Lindeburg problems). Focus on the goal. How are you going to solve problems at a 6 min/problem clip with over 75% accuracy? How have you prepared for the mental marathon of an eight hour exam under these timed conditions?

Practical study outline (12 weeks):

• ·         Week 1: NCEES 2001 afternoon test under untimed conditions
  
• ·         Week 2: NCEES 2008 afternoon test under untimed conditions
  
• ·         Week 3: NCEES 2001 afternoon test under timed conditions
  
• ·         Week 4: NCEES 2008 afternoon test under timed conditions
  
• ·         Week 5: NCEES 2001 morning test under untimed conditions
  
• ·         Week 6: NCEES 2008 morning test under untimed conditions
  
• ·         Week 7: Lindeburg afternoon practice exam under untimed conditions
  
• ·         Week 8: Lindeburg morning practice exam under untimed conditions
  
• ·         Week 9: Work through core topics and areas of weakness
  

o   Your focus should be 80% afternoon and 20% morning session material.

o   Use Lindeberg practice problems and MERM chapter problems  to supplement

• ·         Week 10: NCEES 2001 afternoon test under timed conditions
  
• ·         Week 11: NCEES 2008 afternoon test under timed conditions
  

o   Review / scan the three exams. Walk through how to solve the problem. Note any areas still giving you trouble.

o   Generate study plan for next week based upon areas of weakness.

o   Double check documents and materials needed for test

• ·         Week 12: Study light, organize materials, and get some rest
  

The schedule above is rooted in a couple of personal observations:

• ·         Reviewing old college materials (textbooks, notes, etc.) or the MERM itself is not terribly efficient. Getting reps in on the NCEES exams is good practice for the actual exam, while also exposing you to the theory.
  
• ·         The NCEES exams are a good way to work your way up to more difficult problems, while also exposing your areas of weakness.
  
• ·         A fair amount of Lindeburg’s materials (Practice problems, MERM chapter problems and the practice exam) are an order of magnitude more complex than the NCEES exams and what you’ll encounter on test day. However, they are vital in ensuring you have a greater breadth and depth of knowledge.
  

o   The NCEES exams represent snapshots of how they might compile an exam. They can (and will) change which topics they emphasize, and introduce content that is not present in either the 2001 or 2008 practice exams.

• ·         There is nothing like a test under timed conditions to teach you the intangibles of test day, and to guide your study habits.
  

An Ode to Cheat Sheets:






One of the materials I used the most on the test was a cheat sheet. It was two pages of the most commonly referenced equations I encountered in studying the three exams. It also included where the equation / topic was found in the MERM (i.e. 36-7) in case I needed to flip to it for context or similar equations.

I recommend a cheat sheet two main reasons: (1) It prevents a ton of flipping through the MERM, which costs time; (2) Compiling and writing a cheat sheet is a form of study. When you have to write out the equations, you’re forced to look at its components and to understand why a solution calls for it. Some also may argue that connecting content to multiple senses / experiences helps retention.

How to compile a cheat sheet: After you complete an untimed exam, compare your solutions to the book’s. At the same time, try to identify which equations they used. Locate the chapter and page number and write it down in the margins of your scratch work. After you’re all done, march through your scratch work and type up the equation and chp/pg number in a Word Doc. Try to group ‘like’ topics together as you go.

The next time you take the exam (timed or otherwise) use your cheat sheet. It’ll dramatically reduce your ‘flip’ time.

The Art of the Timed Practice Exam:






I found timed exams to be the most valuable form of study. I recommend doing a four hour test on Saturday, scoring it in the afternoon and then working through deficiencies on Sunday / the following week. It makes for a decent weekly cycle. I didn’t do eight hour mock exams, because I wanted to be able to reflect on all the content and immediately rework the problems. I feel like I had enough endurance built up for the real deal, despite only doing four hour exams.

Set yourself up at a table with a 4’ x 4’ work space. Why 4’x4’? That’s the space we were given on test day—it was a bit awkward, because it’s a bit harder to reach materials way out in front of you.

Get your kitchen timer ready and be sure to keep any drinks or snacks on the floor.

 Some things to think about when you simulate the test:

o   How do you deal with skipping / ranking problems? I found that ranking them by difficulty was a waste of 10 minutes and that working them in order, reading them thoroughly and then evaluating whether to skip them was more efficient. I’d then write down the problems I skipped on the final page of the test booklet. By the time of the actual test, you’ll be experienced enough to know the difference between a three minute and an eight minute problem by reading it.

o   How much time are you spending on each of the problems? I found it helpful to write down how much time I spent on them in the margin so I could review that info afterwards. Obviously, that’s not something you need to do on the actual test.

o   Did you notice that you were missing any materials that you needed to solve the problem? Which resources did you use the most? Are there any opportunities to cut down on flipping between the MERM?

o   How’d you handle the mental fatigue? Eventually, your brain will become more accustomed to running marathons.

o   How much time did you have left when you worked through the test? How many problems did you need to come back to? For example, you may have gotten through all the easy ones with 45 minutes to spare, and had six hard problems to come back to.

o   Were you scrambling for time at the end? How many did you guess on?

o   How many fluids did you drink? How many times did you need to get up to go to the bathroom?

Mark up your test and note the results. The metrics I used to track improvement were: score (duh), how fast I completed my first pass, and how many problems I needed to come back to. After a while, you’ll also be able to mentally handicap what your score will be based upon those the latter two metrics.

Work your way down the ‘things to think about when you simulate the test’ list two paragraphs up. How can you cut your time or improve in any of these areas? I saved a bunch of time flipping once I switched from MERM steam tables to a separate flip book, likewise with having a cheat sheet vs. looking up things in the glossary. Adjust your future studying accordingly.

Breadth and Depth:






I mentioned it earlier, but the NCEES tests alone are not enough to prepare you for the exam. You’ll need to crack open some of Lindeburg’s materials to get a sufficient body of knowledge.

Lindeburg is kind of like that one Professor you had that makes things harder than they should be in real life. There is a method to his madness—his problems require that you draw from 2 to 4 pieces of theory and many conversions/calcs, whereas the NCEES only requires 1-2 pieces of info and fewer conversions/calcs. By hitting Lindeberg’s material later in your studies, you’ll have a base knowledge before running into the buzz saw.

The study plan outline devotes weeks 7 & 8 to his exam. It will take 2 or 3 times of walking through the exams to understand how he attacks the problems, or to gain an understanding of the new concepts he introduces. But you’ll be glad you did—working these problems netted me a few extra points on test day.

Week 9 is devoted to introducing supplemental material. To date, you’ve only worked 240 problems, some of which were essentially duplicates. By now, you should know which areas you’re weak in (take a look at the three afternoon exams for inspiration). Figure out which MERM chapters make the most sense to target. Work all sample problems in those MERM chapters (usually 3-5 a chapter) and work a couple of the companion MERM practice problems. Shoot for about 30-40 extra problems that week-- do more if you can.

Finish Strong:






The last couple of weeks should be heavily focused on afternoon topics, getting timed test reps, and addressing deficiencies. Two weeks out from test day, you should have a good base of knowledge, a fairly complete cheat sheet, and be getting passing test scores under timed conditions. Still, there will be lingering doubts about certain topics, and whether or not you’re prepared.

If you can, take off from work on the Friday before the exam, and the day before the exam. Your week before the exam should look like this:

• ·         Thursday night (-8): Scan the three exams and put together a study sheet for the next week. Work problems / address deficiencies (3- 4 hours total).
  
• ·         Friday (-7): All day working problems / addressing deficiencies
  
• ·         Saturday (-6): Work a timed NCEES afternoon exam. Score it that afternoon and work the problems you messed up on. Keep working through any deficiencies.
  
• ·         Sunday (-5): Take a look at the break down of problems for the morning session—what’s your level of comfort with them? With all the emphasis on afternoon session materials, you could miss an opportunity for easy points (i.e. beam bending, econ, manufacturing concepts). Cram for anything else you might have (morning or afternoon) and finalize your cheat sheet.
  
• ·         Monday & Tuesday (-4 & -3): Lightly review any remaining items. 9 hours of sleep
  
• ·         Wednesday night (-2): Read through Lindeburg’s ‘Introduction’ section in the MERM and note any outstanding issues (triple check your paperwork). Organize all of your materials and then kiss them good bye for 24 hours. 9 hours of sleep (make sure to go to sleep at a time that simulates test day)
  
• ·         Thursday (-1): Wake up like you’re going to go to the test. Simulate everything until you’re ready to hit the door. Then relax-- it’s a ‘You’ day. Blow off some steam, loaf a bit, hang out with the family, or whatever floats your boat. The one piece of ‘work’ I did do was to drive by the test location to make sure I knew where it was. 9 hours of sleep.
  

Test Day:






Nail it, and then, as one of my Professors used to say, ‘Go pound some Budweisers’.

Good luck!

 

[Ramnares P.E.]

Excellent write up.  Good to see this post turned out quite useful and even better to see folks add valuable information/study habits.

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

Test Day:

Nail it, and then, as one of my Professors used to say, ‘Go pound some Budweisers’.

Good luck!

As if an 8 hour exam weren't punishment enough! :wacko:

 

[SacMe24]

Ok, just got word I passed and wanted to write a thank you to Mr. Ram PE for writing this post.  I followed this outline with a few tweaks and an added class but I am VERY glad I found this at the beginning of my studies.  Anyways, below is my thoughts and changes to the outline.  This was my first try at this exam and it proved successful.

My start Date was mid August sometime. Total time was between 150 to 170 hours.

One additional study tool I used was School of PE for the Mechanical PE exam.  It was a great refresher for those morning topics but don't expect it to be much help for the afternoon, that is where the below write up kicks in."Here's what worked for me:1. Based on the work I've done daily, as well as the subjects I've studied in Grad school, I knew in advance that I would be taking the Thermal/Fluids. Decide what afternoon session you want to take and focus on that. Do not waste time trying to master all three major disciplines. Thermal and Fluids is my discipline as well, no brainer for me.2. Once I applied and got my letter of approval, I purchased the MERM, Thermal/Fluids Six Minute Solutions, NCEES 2008 practice exam, and NCEES 2001 practice exam. The 2008 exam was updated in 2011. The actual content is the same. The 2008 exam contained all three disciplines. The 2011 book simply split them apart and sold them individually. The NCEES 2001 exam is very difficult to get hold of but well worth the effort and money.

Was not able to get the 2001 exam, but got the rest of these books. One additional MUST have in my opinion was the Lindburg Unit conversion book (2nd most used book at my exam desk).  Get it early so you use it during your studies,3. I prepped for this exam with the attitude that it was a one-or-none deal. I was only going to take this exam once. At the time I started prepping for the exam I had a one-year old son to deal with AND I was pursuing a second MS degree. Why am I telling you this? You need buy-in from your spouse/significant other. My wife and parents spent countless hours while I studied late into the night and all day on weekends.

Extremely important, it just became business as usual during the week, home from work, dinner, then books/class until sleep, rinse and repeat. Buy-in from spouse a must.4. I did not read the MERM. I skimmed through the MERM to get a general idea where the sections were located and what information was in the Appendix. 

Same5. Copy the MERM appendix and have it bound separately. It will save you a lot of time during the exam and make it much easier during practice. It will also save the life-time of your MERM binding. Print and bind the Index also.

Didn't do the appendix, but did do the index (it was downloadable from PPI).  3rd Most Used Reference at my exam desk.  Appendix would have been nice, but I was too lazy to scan it all in.6. I began by working the Six Minute Solutions book. Do not be afraid to look at the answers if you get stuck the first time through. As I was working the SMS, I would find the formulas in the MERM and highlight them AND record them in my notes. If I didn't have a clue how to work the question, I would read the solution, find all the equations, and work through it using the solution. Highlight your equations in the MERM and in your notes for easy reference. I worked through the SMS 7 times before I got 100% correct under 8 hours. In fact, by the time I was at the end of my preparation, I was working through the SMS in about 4 hours and getting 100%. A lot of it at that point will seem like rote memorization, don't be scared of it. As you're working through the problems, read and understand the methodology. Work the problems over and over again.

Agree 100% with this!  I worked it about 5 times, by the final time you can almost do every problem in your head.  It makes you remember pages in the MERM and what sections will combine with each other for a particular type of problem.  I have read a lot of hate about the SMS, it has it's flaws, but I think it is an excellent source for problems that use the equations and chapters that are relevant for the exam.7. Once I completed the SMS, I moved on to the NCEES 2008/2011 exam. Again, I worked this using the same methodology as above. I got 100% correct, under 8 hours after my 5th attempt or so. Use the same method of writing down the equations you did not know and reading the methodology.

Worked this so many times I would know what the next problem was and start solving before a flipped the page.  Really helped with memorizing the MERM locations and the problem types.

8. Worked the NCEES 2001 exam using the same approach described in (6) and (7) above. You'll see a lot of posters saying keep an exam to test yourself the last week or so. I found that working as many problems as possible with as much time left to prep was the best strategy.

Did not have this exam, but I would have gotten it if it wasn't 3,000 dollars on the internet. Maybe you can pick one up off this forum.9. Now I moved on to the MERM. I worked all the main sections noted on the NCEES breakdown. Skip the math, project management, plant engineering, statics etc. I worked the Fluids, Heat Transfer, Thermo, HVAC, Machine Design sections. I did NOT work any of the 1-hour time limit problems. I was able to work all the problems in those sections twice. Do not be afraid if you get stuck and need to read through the solutions.

I didn't order the MERM Problems Book until the last 2 weeks before the exam.  I went through the sections that pertain to the T&FS and used the solutions a whole lot.  Never reached the confidence level that I did with the SMS and the NCEES practice exam because I felt the problems were a little harder.  But, do them anyways, at least once.  10. By this time, I had approximately 10 days left before the exam. I worked the SMS and each of the NCEES exams the first three days. I re-worked the MERM problems in the Fluid, Heat Transfer, and Thermo sections.

My last week I worked the SMS and NCEES, Only worked the MERM once.

11. I went through the MERM, using the notes that I made as I studied (here's where the highlighting comes in handy) and tabbed what I felt was important. At this point I knew the MERM and the bound appendix intimately so I didn't feel the need to tab that much. I certainly tabbed the major sections of the MERM and a few diagrams. Follow the now famous Shaggy tabbing method on this site.

I waited until the last week to tab my MERM, but I didn't over-tab, only the most used pages.  I wish I did it sooner so I would have been really comfortable with the tabbing for the test but the last week work of studying was sufficient for me to get used to most of the tabs.  12. I took Thursday (the day before the exam) off. I was up early (normal time I leave for work 0500) and did one run through of the SMS, NCEES 2008, and NCEES 2011. I drove to the exam site and ensured I knew where the building was. Then I drove home and packed my bag. I took a back-pack. I took the MERM, the MERM appendix I bound, Steam Tables, Lindeburg conversion book, sample exams, 2 calculators, and ear-plugs. I put my money, approval letter, and ID cards in a zip lock bag. Then I did absolutely nothing exam related the rest of the day. I took my son to play-time, watched a few movies etc.

I worked the SMS & NCEES until about 2pm on Thursday.  Packed it up and had a nice afternoon and dinner with the wifey. I took everything mentioned above except the steam tables, used the steam tables in the MERM for my entire prep.  In bed by 930, which was terrible because the Patriots were playing thursday night that week...13. Exam day I was up early and went to the site. I finished both sections (AM and PM) with over an hour to spare. I did NOT go through and rate questions etc. I simply worked the questions in order. If I didn't feel satisfied with an answer, or if I had to guess, I put a mark next to it and moved on. At the end, I came back and re-worked the questions I had doubts on. I still left the exam room very early both sessions. I felt that leaving the AM session early and giving myself extra time for lunch allowed me to clear my head and prep for the PM session.

I finished the morning with about 1.5 hours to spare but I stayed in the test center until the end just reassuring that my bubbles were filled in correctly. Felt really good when i went for lunch break, but then used the entire 4 hours for the afternoon section, I wouldn't say it was much harder but there were several problems that I struggled to find the solution path too.  I didnt rate questions either, just went one by one, if I spent more than 30 seconds on one and didnt have an idea of a path forward, I starred it and moved on and went back at the end.   14. Went through the now well known process of self-doubt and anger at the lack of timely results.

This was terrible but glad it is over!
Ram's outline is excellent and I would recommend it to any T&FS test taker.  If you need the structure to get through the morning exam prep, I would highly recommend the School of PE class.  Stick to it and I'm sure you will have a successful career as a PE! Good Luck!

Hello Tom,

Wow, what a great summary and thanks for taking the time to write out the test strategy that worked for you. Although we are in different disciplines, the principles are still the same and I definitely agree that I need to get my hands on older revisions of the NCEEs exam so I can practice more exam-like problems. I'm not afraid of hard work, like I said I was putting in close to 30 hrs. a week of study time on top of the lectures, so I know I can do it, I just want to be SMART about it the next time. Now that I've read through all the chapters in MERM and that knowledge is still relatively fresh in my head, I won't have to spend so much time re-reading everything and will instead dedicate time to practice, practice, practice.

Thanks again for your advice.

JV