I did the same thing exactly. I took SOPE, but watched several of the EPER videos. If I had known about Zach's course before I paid for SOPE I probably would have done that one instead. And the comment about Nieves... Well I try to be nice, but yeah. One of my main issues was that the depth of instruction was random. Some topics were dealt with in fine detail for long periods of time which took away from time for other topics. Those topics were merely mentioned in passing. And it turns out some of the more detailed topics discussed were less relevant. I understand that there are probabilities of certain types of questions, but the focus on detail seemed random and not exactly in line with the actual test in too many cases. But that's me.
I failed the POWER PE Please Help!
- Thread starter HotFudge
- Start date
Help Support Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum:
I hope not to take it 4 times!! I plan on sharing my study techniques once i do pass as well. Crazy thing is that, both of my study buddies that only studied half the time both passed. Discouraging but hey gotta keep at it right? Thanks for the positive reminder!
KatyLied P.E.
The Alchemist.
Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason as to who passes and who doesn't. At times it can be more luck than knowledge. I will say that sometimes, and I'm not saying that this would work for you, it's best to wait and take it again rather than taking the test back-to-back. I did back to back my first two attempts and failed. Sometimes it's good to sit out a session, gather your thoughts and then take it. It's easy to want to jump back in thinking that you'll forget something if you don't. Waiting allows you to gather your thoughts, fully evaluate what you need to focus on and firm up your process. Although I waited waaaaaaay too long to take it my third time I was in a much better mental state and was finally able to pass. Only you know what works for you.
KatyLied P.E.
The Alchemist.
An additional thought. let's say you decide to take the test in Spring '18. Well maybe you take a class like GA Tech in Fall '17. You can really dive deep into the material without having the pressure of knowing the test is 3-4 months away. I the spring you'll still have access to the videos as you work CI, Spinup, etc. Just an idea.
The reason i am wanting to take it again in October is because someone told me that it will count against me if i don't take it. Like the 4 times in three years rule?? So i was not trying to risk that. Plus i have taken two months off now since the day i stopped studying so i feel ready to embark on this journey again. I am a single lad with nothing but time on my hands right now. My workload will be intense in the spring as well so it's best for me to prep now with less pressure than having to deal with too much come spring.
Ken PE 3.1
It's wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man
I hope you get it this time. I know the pain of having to restudy over and over again to get this done. You can do it!
Hanging around here after multiple attempts does not make one a troll.
@HotFudge, Another reason for taking it every time is to make sure that you don't miss out on an exam that has more of the material that you know well. We all try to study the same thing and maybe a little of new material each time we take this exam. Each time, the exam will cover different things and if you're lucky you will sit in an exam where it covers a lot or most of the stuff you know. Then, you will ace it! I'd hate it knowing that I would have passed the time I decide not to sit in and that time turned out to be an exam that I know most of the material and pass. Another reason for that is to keep your mind fresh; keep it exercised. I believe that the more your brains exercise, the better they will do and the sharper they will become. I've taken the exam every single time and passed on my 3rd try. I'm glad I never skipped any cycle. Good luck to you and don't give up. You will make it!
I agree. Studying shouldn't be much of an hassle because i have a goal so i am motivated rather than bummed to study. I just need fresh materials to look at and i am thinking of signing up for a course in July. I honestly did not think the practice exams i took really prepped me for the exam (maybe like 30%). For you guys that took the exam multiple times, did you go back and take the same practice tests and use them as your study guide? I took my practice exams soo many times that i just know how to solve the problem now and i am in need of fresh material that i have never seen before. What other sources of practice exams did you use?
I signed up for Georgia Tech PE Prep. It's an online course with pre-recorded videos. The course came with a thick (3-inch) binder, from which I used to make tons of notes that were extremely helpful during the exams. I was able to solve several problems from just my notes & quick formula references from my notes derived from Georgia Tech Binder. I think the short-cuts & summary of formulas in the binder are invaluable. I did the same as you; took sample exam questions from NCEES and all 4 editions from Complex Imaginary. I also used the Complex Imaginary Code Drill book to study for NEC code questions. It was very challenging for me to learn the NEC codes; never had experience with it before. I used the Code Drill book along with tabs bought from Amazon to label the NEC book + the McHenry index look up. I'm sure I got the majority or all of the NEC code questions correct this past time to allow me to pass.
So did you just self study on your previous attempts with CI and NCEES practice exams? I know a course will help structure me this time around i just need practice problems that i haven't done before to have a new look at subject matters that i struggled on. NEC codes i am having to learn from scratch but its been a great learning experience and new so i am enjoying that part.
Yes, self study with practice exams, some text books & information collected from online & this forum. My experience is that practice exams are hit or miss. When I did the practice exams, the problems were all so easy. On the exam, many questions literally caused me headache. Try to learn the concepts and have a good grasp on basic things like Per-Unit, Voltage Drop, Symmetrical Analysis etc... and work problems forward and backward and try to see if other questions/values maybe asked of you given some different parameters. Georgia Tech course's lecture was about 60% good for me, because I didn't get much from Fault Analysis' lectures. The binder I got from the course was extremely helpful to me. I decided to go cover to cover slowly so that I could understand it more. From there, I made myself a set of note in a 1-inch binder to bring to the exam. I used my note binder 80% (the other 20% was for NEC code, index, NESC, and various text books) of the time during the exam. Make good notes and know where everything is so you can refer to the subject without wasting much time during the exam.
Exactly! This is why i said the practice problems did not prep me for the exam (personally). I just wonder how people use same or even less material and are good to go. I do need to in-grain the concepts as this test covers only about an inch deep of the topics that are covered on the exam. I spent soo much time on fault analysis and all the methods to solve faults and got hit with the conceptual questions instead. My hand made binder had formulas and definitions sorted into their respective topics and i did not have much use for them since the conceptual questions all required a firm solid knowledge of the basics and without that you are pretty much doomed.
Ken PE 3.1
It's wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man
The thing that helped me to pass was categorizing example problems and notes according to the exam breakdown. Which essentially means that the same example might show up in 3 or 4 sections. It helped reinforce the formulas needed for a particular style problem, plus you have all the notes at your fingertips when you flip to the section. I also made comments as to which reference covered the particular topic best. It worked for me after 3 attempts at the "do practice problems nonstop for 4 months" mentality.
No one way is good for everyone, you just have to find the way that works for you. Organization was my key to success.
KatyLied P.E.
The Alchemist.
lusone:
KatyLied P.E.
The Alchemist.
Probably more than you want to know about my strategy and resources. This is from a post of mine from several years back. I put in about 300 hours. These were the books I took in with me. This was my third time taking the test and I passed. There was a 17 year gap between my 2nd and 3rd attempts. The first two times I took the exam I had AOL and CompuServe accounts. ( Do some of you even know what those are?). Thank God for the "internets" and its "world wide webs". :B
Two three ring binders. Composed of GA Tech material, solved problems, and miscellaneous info I printed from the internet. One of the binders was the GA Tech one. By the time I included all the supplemental info I had to split it in two. GA Tech really gives you a good foundation. It also has a good section on code and NESC. I also cross referenced information sections with sample test problems
Camara reference manual along with the associated sample test and solved problems. the reference manual came in handy but I did not really use the other two books.
Graffeo book. Electrical Engineers Guide to Passing the PE Exam. Handy reference manual good and concise. Good lighting and wattmeter info. I recommend a good cursory reading of this book. A nice amount of miscellaneous info which could come in handy. Good section on CT's. also has helpful sample test.
Complex Imaginary sample tests. Good sections on ideal transformers, motors, and code problems. Some problems are on par with actual exam problems.
Spin Up exams. Problems are not as difficult as exam problems but they focus on details which come in handy during exam.
NEC handbook, as opposed to actual NEC book. The additional, clear explanations worked better for me.
Grainger and Stevenson's Power System Analysis. I used it more as moral support than an actual reference.
NESC book. Focus more on NEC as opposed to NESC. I would recommend becoming familiar with the basic goals of NESC and what it covers and doesn't cover. If you read through NESC introduction I think that will be sufficient. There are some who've had different experiences with the NESC so make sure you take the book with you.
Complex Imaginary NEC drill book. I highly recommend getting this. Time was tight so I only worked through about a third of the book. the drills helped me become familiar with where the topics were located. As I attempted each problem I would underline the nouns in each question. then go to the index, look up the nouns and go from there. You just have to grind it out but if you use that process you should be able to answer the drill problems in 6 minutes or less. I felt really good about the NEC test questions as a result of this book.
As I worked through each sample test, if I couldn't find the answer in my reference book I would google it. I'd then print that info out and add to my notebook. A lot of this included PLC's, VFD's, GFCI's, harmonics, voltage classifications, short circuit calc, generation prime movers, load flows/bus types and any other subject I couldn't find.
NCEES sample test. Good overall study guide. Know different ways that the problems can be asked. I only carried in the 2011 edition but also had 2009. Problems are exactly the same. 2009 contained a lot of general info which is now found on NCEES website. My guess is NCEES wanted to be able to quickly update any rule/guideline changes. If I have to do it again I will spend a little more time on this test.
Finally spin-Up suggested a good test day strategy.
1) Don't skip around the test but go through each problem in order. On first pass, work the ones that you know off the bat and don't necessarily have to dig deep to solve.
2) Mark the NEC/NESC problems with a "2" and work on the second pass. That way you don't have to worry about going back and forth between the code books and other reference matl's.
3) Mark all problems with a "3" that you think you can solve after digging deeper in your reference matl's. Also, any code problems that you couldn't work on the 2nd pass should also be marked with a "3".
4) Mark all problems with a "4" that you really don't know but maybe can use solid engineering reason to solve. Hopefully by this time you only have about 20% of test left. I'm not saying I was fortunate enough to have this happen to me I'm just telling you my strategy.
5) Mark all problems with a "5" that you have no idea how to work. Assuming the light bulb doesn't come on for these, I would recommend doing a quick scan on the rest of your answers, seeing what letter is trending and go with that.
On some of the "4" and "5" the light bulb did come on for me after a 2nd or 3rd look. Hopefully that made up for any careless errors I might have made on 1-3. I actually used that same strategy to pass the CEM (Certified Energy Manager) exam in 2013.
Hopefully all this translates into a passing score but nonetheless I felt really good about my test prep. As a result of my cross referencing and various tabs I was able to quickly access a good amount of info. How you organize your references and sticking to a test strategy are just as important as knowing the material.
Two three ring binders. Composed of GA Tech material, solved problems, and miscellaneous info I printed from the internet. One of the binders was the GA Tech one. By the time I included all the supplemental info I had to split it in two. GA Tech really gives you a good foundation. It also has a good section on code and NESC. I also cross referenced information sections with sample test problems
Camara reference manual along with the associated sample test and solved problems. the reference manual came in handy but I did not really use the other two books.
Graffeo book. Electrical Engineers Guide to Passing the PE Exam. Handy reference manual good and concise. Good lighting and wattmeter info. I recommend a good cursory reading of this book. A nice amount of miscellaneous info which could come in handy. Good section on CT's. also has helpful sample test.
Complex Imaginary sample tests. Good sections on ideal transformers, motors, and code problems. Some problems are on par with actual exam problems.
Spin Up exams. Problems are not as difficult as exam problems but they focus on details which come in handy during exam.
NEC handbook, as opposed to actual NEC book. The additional, clear explanations worked better for me.
Grainger and Stevenson's Power System Analysis. I used it more as moral support than an actual reference.
NESC book. Focus more on NEC as opposed to NESC. I would recommend becoming familiar with the basic goals of NESC and what it covers and doesn't cover. If you read through NESC introduction I think that will be sufficient. There are some who've had different experiences with the NESC so make sure you take the book with you.
Complex Imaginary NEC drill book. I highly recommend getting this. Time was tight so I only worked through about a third of the book. the drills helped me become familiar with where the topics were located. As I attempted each problem I would underline the nouns in each question. then go to the index, look up the nouns and go from there. You just have to grind it out but if you use that process you should be able to answer the drill problems in 6 minutes or less. I felt really good about the NEC test questions as a result of this book.
As I worked through each sample test, if I couldn't find the answer in my reference book I would google it. I'd then print that info out and add to my notebook. A lot of this included PLC's, VFD's, GFCI's, harmonics, voltage classifications, short circuit calc, generation prime movers, load flows/bus types and any other subject I couldn't find.
NCEES sample test. Good overall study guide. Know different ways that the problems can be asked. I only carried in the 2011 edition but also had 2009. Problems are exactly the same. 2009 contained a lot of general info which is now found on NCEES website. My guess is NCEES wanted to be able to quickly update any rule/guideline changes. If I have to do it again I will spend a little more time on this test.
Finally spin-Up suggested a good test day strategy.
1) Don't skip around the test but go through each problem in order. On first pass, work the ones that you know off the bat and don't necessarily have to dig deep to solve.
2) Mark the NEC/NESC problems with a "2" and work on the second pass. That way you don't have to worry about going back and forth between the code books and other reference matl's.
3) Mark all problems with a "3" that you think you can solve after digging deeper in your reference matl's. Also, any code problems that you couldn't work on the 2nd pass should also be marked with a "3".
4) Mark all problems with a "4" that you really don't know but maybe can use solid engineering reason to solve. Hopefully by this time you only have about 20% of test left. I'm not saying I was fortunate enough to have this happen to me I'm just telling you my strategy.
5) Mark all problems with a "5" that you have no idea how to work. Assuming the light bulb doesn't come on for these, I would recommend doing a quick scan on the rest of your answers, seeing what letter is trending and go with that.
On some of the "4" and "5" the light bulb did come on for me after a 2nd or 3rd look. Hopefully that made up for any careless errors I might have made on 1-3. I actually used that same strategy to pass the CEM (Certified Energy Manager) exam in 2013.
Hopefully all this translates into a passing score but nonetheless I felt really good about my test prep. As a result of my cross referencing and various tabs I was able to quickly access a good amount of info. How you organize your references and sticking to a test strategy are just as important as knowing the material.
KatyLied's prep is awesome! To add to the prep for NEC & NESC, you should always bring the right version referred to by the NCEES. There ARE differences between different release year of NEC and NESC and your answers do make a difference which year you use (I know this for a fact through negative experience of others). NESC questions may also appear more than you think. Having a copy of NESC handy is a must. These are easy points if you know where to get the answers quickly. I copied the index of NEC and combined it with McHenry to keep in a thin project folder (the one with bent metal at the 3-ring locations to keep the sheets inside the folder). I tabbed (A-Z) these indexes as well. The reason I kept the index separately in a thin project folder is for easy & quick access. It's easier to have index on one side and then NEC on the other to reference quickly instead of having to flip through the thick NEC book. This helped me save a lot of time. I also indexed the solved sample exam questions in categories. Engineering Economics formulas & interest look-up tables are also helpful.
KatyLied P.E.
The Alchemist.
One other thing. Go check out the test site the day before. Know exactly where the room is. If you have a lot of books use a hand cart/truck. You'll get rattled if you get there the morning of and it takes awhile to find the room. On test day get there early. I took the test at a convention center and there was a gun show and an auto show going on the same day. I was glad I got there early and got a good parking spot. Bring your own lunch and eat it by yourself in your car. Restaurants can take too long to serve. Eating lunch with other test takers may lead to problem discussions and that leads to second guessing which leads to freaking out. (Sounds like an old DirectTV commercial.
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KatyLied P.E.
The Alchemist.
Go to Wikipedia. Look up ANSI device numbers. Print out the list. Thank me later.
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