Illinois PE Exam Materials Allowed in Test (HELP!)

[Illini86]

I have a question as I can't get any legit answers and everyone beats around the bush and is wishy washy about what can be brought in

#1)

The CERM is allowed but can you bring in a "REVIEW BOOK" such as the Kaplan PE Review Book...To me they are EXACTLY the same and the CERM has even more problems worked in it?

#2)

Can you bring in PowerPoint slides from a online Review Course??? They are not strictly just worked problems, but mainly are therory based with the occasional example...again this is EXACTLY what the CERM book does but with less problems...

Please can I get a LEGIT answer to this topic, as I've called and the women didn't know what I was talking about and is like NO written things are allowed and review books and this other stuff like that yet everywhere else i look it simply outlaws bringing in practice tests and solution manuals in Illinois.

THANKS!

 

[cdframe]

That seems pretty strict. In California anything goes as long as it is BOUND. Yes this includes the Kaplan book, the powerpoint with theory, worked out problems, even handwritten notes (bound in a binder). If anything is loose-leaf they will take it away and well... just do not bring anything loose leaf.

I agree with you, the CERM and the Kaplan book fall under the same category. Also I am confused about why the rules for materials would vary state by state.

 

[ibbo]

When I took the PE in Hillside (the Chicago location) in Oct 2010, the proctors were adamant that only the CERM was allowed. All other PPI publications were prohibited. I would think this extends to the Kaplan material. They made us take out the worked out problems in the NDS 2005 (the timber manual for structural). Illinois is a little more strict regarding what constitutes an acceptable open book.

Along a similar vein, when I took the SE in April 2011, they prohibited both the SERM, CERM and any other PPI publications.

 

[snickerd3]

IL is strict on what is allowed. The list on the board site used to be pretty specifc as to what is and is not allowed. as far as notes, copyrighted material basically has to be bound by the publisher ie not copies and self bound

 

[Illini86]

When I took the PE in Hillside (the Chicago location) in Oct 2010, the proctors were adamant that only the CERM was allowed. All other PPI publications were prohibited. I would think this extends to the Kaplan material. They made us take out the worked out problems in the NDS 2005 (the timber manual for structural). Illinois is a little more strict regarding what constitutes an acceptable open book.

Along a similar vein, when I took the SE in April 2011, they prohibited both the SERM, CERM and any other PPI publications.

yeah i dont know why it's got these dumb rules that no other state has which seems like we're getting shafted and thus are at a disadvantage compared to everyone else who we are ultimately compared against with the passing score...to me something seems funky right there...

and if you can;t bring in copies of the codes then, nobody will be able to do anything cause eveyrone just prints them out from the office and puts em in a binder, which the testing company lady told me was ok...I only printed the asce and ibc, all of the other codes i have the actual book version....i guess i'll just mooch a hard copy just in case of each then....

what makes illinois so special????

and no serm or cerm for the SE??? that blows...did you know that beforehand???

i just want everything squared away so i dont get this news first during the test and then can avoid an unneededfreak out..

 

[willsee]

I didn't take any printed materials with me. If it wasn't bound in a book I didn't take it. So to answer #2...no (at least that is my take on the rules).

#1 I would just email the board, but my guess is they will tell you no on that as well.

Everyone I saw during my exam had hard bound copies of the code...why wouldn't you just borrow your work copies?

In the end anything I thought was questionable I didn't bring. It wasn't that big of a deal.

 

[chaocl]

I am not sure about IL's rule. I think it is better for you to ask IL state borad what is allow during the exam.

If they can't allow you to bring samples, then ask them can you write on the CERM!!!

I passed my PE exam in CA and they allow that you can bring samples but I mainly used MERM because it is easy for me to get more information in the MERM. (I always write similar example or key point next to the examples in MERM).....so during the exam you won't open so many book to look for a answer that might not be in that book!!!!

 

[Illini86]

i wouldn't borrow the copies as we printed them all out for normal daily job use and assumed would just use those codes, but then screw it now as we have "stricter" rules then NCEES, so ill bring hard copies and none of the other ****...

yeah can't use the kaplan or the notes....whatever totally stupid rules and puts us at disadvantage but now i wana rock this ***** and be done dealing with all these idiots

 

[ibbo]

and no serm or cerm for the SE??? that blows...did you know that beforehand???

Yes, I knew that beforehand from a coworker. The PE isn't bad- CERM should be all that you really need. For the SE though, if you're working out problems according to examples, you're probably going too slow to finish.

 

[Illini86]

and no serm or cerm for the SE??? that blows...did you know that beforehand???

Yes, I knew that beforehand from a coworker. The PE isn't bad- CERM should be all that you really need. For the SE though, if you're working out problems according to examples, you're probably going too slow to finish.

Atleast you knew beforehand....and that makes sense given we should know what's goign on given its an SE, whereas the PE is on junk we NEVER have done in real life and HIGHLY doubt we ever will so gotta have something to refer to inorder to know what's going on

thanks for the help, i figured that was the case in general with my questions, but wanted more insight as again, didn't want problems on exam day...thanks!

 

[ptatohed]

Maybe this will help:

References, Materials and Procedures for the Illinois Professional Engineering Examinations

http://www.idfpr.com/Renewals/apply/FORMS/PE_SPEC_Exam.pdf

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

Well this is vague:

Books with content directed mainly toward solution of engineering problems or preparation for

​

professional engineering examinations.

 

[Illini86]

yeah it is vague cause that's EXACTLY what the cerm is lol...whatever it's in the past now....let's rock it!

 

[ptatohed]

yeah it is vague cause that's EXACTLY what the cerm is lol...whatever it's in the past now....let's rock it!

Next month's exam is in the past?

 

[Jayman_PE]

Man, I feel for you Illinois folks. What a joke! The most corrupt state in the nation is worried about applicants following NCEES standard procedures, because they want to show theirs are more stringent?

I'd move.

 

[EEmarcus]

I have a question as I can't get any legit answers and everyone beats around the bush and is wishy washy about what can be brought in

#1)

The CERM is allowed but can you bring in a "REVIEW BOOK" such as the Kaplan PE Review Book...To me they are EXACTLY the same and the CERM has even more problems worked in it?

#2)

Can you bring in PowerPoint slides from a online Review Course??? They are not strictly just worked problems, but mainly are therory based with the occasional example...again this is EXACTLY what the CERM book does but with less problems...

Please can I get a LEGIT answer to this topic, as I've called and the women didn't know what I was talking about and is like NO written things are allowed and review books and this other stuff like that yet everywhere else i look it simply outlaws bringing in practice tests and solution manuals in Illinois.

THANKS!

A friend of mines took the test in OCT 11 (Elec-Pwr) and he informed me that they proctors did not take any 3-Ring Binders from anyone as long as all the papers were bounded. They did take the NCEES practice booklet and Schaum's book from ppl though. Hope that helps. I plan to bring my binder with me.

 

[daedalus34r]

I know my response is late for the April examination but should be helpful for any future IL PE/SE test takers:

http://www.idfpr.com/Renewals/apply/FORMS/PE_SPEC_Exam.pdf

• Nothing loose leaf, everything has to be bound.
  
• No problem books. Basically only official references and textbooks are allowed. None of those laminated reference cards were allowed either.
  
• CERM was okay on the PE but for some reason the proctor was really cranky and would not allow the use of a very similar 'All-in-one' prep book by the Author 'Goswami'. I had prepared using both and they were nearly identical in content, just different in presentation. Goswami is easier to read and learn from but CERM had more material, very dense.
  
• SERM is not allowed on the SE.
  

With all that said, for both my PE and SE, enforcement was non-existent. They just walked around and asked each test taker if they understood the rules on references. I saw people with the NDS wood example problems. I saw folks using laminated references. The proctors are generally volunteers, in my case the test site was an assisted living facility and the proctors were senior citizens, i really can't tell if they've been educated or trained to tell which books can or cannot be let in.

IMO it just comes down to an honor system. You should abide by the rules and only bring what is allowed, you don't want to get into the dilemma of having a test score voided or being banned from taking it.

Also, feeling the need of bringing problem books is a good indication you are not prepared. There is no time on the test to learn how to do a problem, that was meant to be done prior.

 

[snickerd3]

depends on the test location. The proctors for test when i took it had a color printout of the approved calculators if it didn't match one of the pictures it was taken away...even if the name was the same as the picture. They also glanced at the books i brought. They were essentially day labor sort of people from a temp agency definitely not volunteer. But the level of effort probably greatly depends on the # of people taking the test. we had only probably 75 people taking it at my location with like 8 or 9 proctors so they could take more time with each person.

 

[willsee]

During my exam someone asked if they could use the NCEES test/solutions. The proctor was going to allow it until half the room erupted so they did not allow it.

 

[daedalus34r]

During my exam someone asked if they could use the NCEES test/solutions. The proctor was going to allow it until half the room erupted so they did not allow it.

wow ncees specifically does not allow you to bring previous exams to the test, this guy must've known that and tried to pull a fast one on the proctor, had to be desperate lol