ME PE Exam-What did you think?

[Brentum]

(ME-Thermo/fluids)

I thought the MERM was probably good for 80% or so. But as I ran out of time both sessions and had to guess a fair amount, maybe that's inaccurate.

I had a Cameron book with me that I found pretty helpful for the fluids problems, especially the NPSH stuff that the MERM didn't seem to go into much. The Cameron has pipe friction tables from 1/4" to 192" pipe diameters, as well as K values for valves, viscous liquid friction tables, and even steam friction loss tables. A lot of the other things in it are in the MERM, but hey are nice and clear and condensed in the Cameron book. I felt very good on my fluids, but I didn't study my turbines enough, and didn't manage my time well, and if I don't pass, that will have been a big part of that.

I had a MArk's handbook, but didn't use it much. Mainly as a secondary reference for some of the non-quantitative stuff. It's not a bad double check though. THe non-quantitative stuff if interesting. If you know it, it takes no time at all. IF you have the right reference, you can usually look it up quick and still take little time. If you don't know it and don't have a reference, then they are pretty hard to fake and can really suck. I think more actual reading of the MERM, and having more non-MERM references to go to really help with those. Every one of those you can get is one ugly calculating problem you save for the end and sweat less. (wish I'd actually done that myself on the test)

Also had old Thermo and Machine design books from college , but didn't really have time to hunt through them.

Yea, I wondered too if the NCEES folks design the test to need more than just the MERM.

Like I said before, the test wasn't as hard as I built it up in my mind. It was easier than the Lindeberg practice Exam and problems. Never took the NCEES practice test.

But it was still sufficiently hard (and long) to stomp a mud-hole in my behind.

I am glad to read that I'm not the only one that got trapped into problems and wasted way too much time on. Misery enjoys company.

As far as the old Format Exams go, I'm probably glad the test is now the way it is. However, everything is a 2-edge sword. Those older problems are much more in-depth, and you can't guess.

However, with multiple choice, you can basically know how to do the problem, work it through, get one sign wrong, or make one little bone headed mistake, and you get it all wrong. With the old format, if you did that, you'd still get partial credit for it. If the mistake was pretty simple, you'd get the majority of credit for it. Plus you had only to do 4 out of 10. That means each problem is like an hour long...which sucks...but it also means you have a pretty good shot at have pretty decent proficiency of at least 3 or 4 of the 10 problems. You don't have to work the ones you have no clue on.

With the current format, you -have- to take a stab at the ones you have no clue on.

I think in a sense, the current exam allows for some people who maybe aren't as prepared as they should be to get lucky and pass. (not me, but some people) But I think the old format allowed those who were reasonably well prepared to be killed for stupid mistakes on something they otherwise know how to do.

 

[PErimeter]

I did the Machine Design PM.

The AM was tough. It was all over the place and I skipped more than I thought I had, so I ended up rushing at the end and made a complete WAG at one question with seconds on the clock. Could have used MERM for it all, but I had quicker references set up.

The PM was tough, too, but I felt much more prepared. I finished with 13 minutes left to check work. There were a couple that looked "straightforward", but ended up "straight, forward through the thick overgrown jungle". That hurt the clock.

Shigley definitely helped, as well as Marks'. May have used Machinery's, but I am SURE they look at the MERM and make sure you need more than that.

On the whole, it was a bit tougher than the NCEES sample, but easier than Lindeburg. Also, the fact that I was a sick, coughing germ with 3 hours of sleep and intravenous DayQuil didn't help.

I think I have a good shot (70/30?) at passing. If I do, it will be a miracle because I felt so good in the PM (there were a lot of people praying for me). If I didn't, I am in WAY better shape now than I was a year ago. I shouldn't have to study nearly as much to do better.

As for the "old style", the engineers at work all complain about the *required* economics problem - WAY more in-depth than anything in the MERM or on the exam. Crazy problems that you wouldn't wish on an evil CPA, much less an engineer. It's really 6 of one, half-dozen of the other - stupid mistakes will cost you, period. Make enough of them, and you fail.

Good luck, all! We should be hearing in late June, I assume, from some of the previous examinees (they heard 2-2.5 months later, at least in NY).

 

[cocoloco]

I agree. Not proud to say it but this is my third shot and found the AM to be harder than the first two. Harder by quite a bit. PM (HVAC) was a little better. Not feeling confident whatsoever. I had to leave some questions that I could have worked on with a little more time. The AM portion has got my sweating bullets even now!

 

[Matt-NM]

Anybody care to venture a guess at a cut score? If the NCEES sample were to be a straight up 56/80 for 70% (not sure if this is even remotely accurate), I would personally say that this exam should be significantly lower, as I thought it was a great deal more difficult. I hope NCEES doesn't do something like say "oh, this test was alot more difficult than last time. We better lower the cut score by 2 points."

 

[johnsmith]

I also did the Machine Design PM.

AM is more difficult. I try to ask some questions that is out of expectation and I didn't prepare them. My suggestion is to read from first page to last page,

don't miss any page in MERM. Use one whole year to prepare.

 

[M.E. Nebraska]

I took the Thermo/Fluids depth and thought that the overall test was more difficult then the NCEES practice exam, but easier then the "the other board" test. I also studied 300 hours since January 2008 and propably 100-200 hours before the January 2008. On the NCEES practice exam I got in the 80% range as well.

In the AM portion I got done with about 20 minutes and went back and checked answers and made educated guesses on 4 problems that I had skipped. On the PM section I was finished in time with 8-10 that I went back and reworked and made educated guesses on the remainder. I agree with previous comments that the first 10 questions on thermo/fluids PM section were quite difficult.

Overall I still am not confident I passed. I think I am less confident every day that goes by. I would guess I got something like 30-35 in the AM and 25-30 in the PM. So my low end would not put me in the passing column. After reading everybodys comments I hope their is a curve. I sure hope I pass, I don't want to do this again.

 

[rcurras]

Overall I still am not confident I passed. I think I am less confident every day that goes by. I would guess I got something like 30-35 in the AM and 25-30 in the PM. So my low end would not put me in the passing column. After reading everybodys comments I hope their is a curve. I sure hope I pass, I don't want to do this again.

With those results, I think that you will pass.

Thanks.

RC.

 

[M.E. Nebraska]

With those results, I think that you will pass.
Thanks.

RC.

Those were just guesses, I really didn't keep track during the exam. I just tried to go by the ones that I was not confident in. I am sure I missed some that I thought I got right. So maybe my estimates are high. Either way it doesn't really matter, I won't know for another 11 weeks.

 

[Sschell]

I believe the cut score does vary year to year (and state to state)...

I feel bad now for some of the advice I have given on this board in the past. I said that I studied 250 hours and was VERY overprepared, it seems that that may not have enough for people this time around. I also said that one could get away with just bringing MERM, this was certaintly the case when I took the test last year, but it seems not to be true this time around.

Last year i believe there was only one fatigue problem, and one or two code problems (the type you either know or you don't).

When I took the test I had time to answerevery question, go back and double check all my work, and still leave a half hour early in both AM and PM sections. I left with a high level of confidence that I passed.I am interested to see if the pass rate changes from last year to this year.

 

[rcurras]

I believe the cut score does vary year to year (and state to state)...

I feel bad now for some of the advice I have given on this board in the past. I said that I studied 250 hours and was VERY overprepared, it seems that that may not have enough for people this time around. I also said that one could get away with just bringing MERM, this was certaintly the case when I took the test last year, but it seems not to be true this time around.

Last year i believe there was only one fatigue problem, and one or two code problems (the type you either know or you don't).

When I took the test I had time to answerevery question, go back and double check all my work, and still leave a half hour early in both AM and PM sections. I left with a high level of confidence that I passed.I am interested to see if the pass rate changes from last year to this year.

When I took the test for first time (last April 2007, and my specialty is Electrical not Mechanical), I was not as prepare as I was this time (last Friday). However, during my first try I had plenty of time during the AM section to finish and go back to review some questions were I was doubtful about my results. This time around, I did not have the luxury of review anything at all. Again, this time, I believe that the PM section was harder than the first one, because once more I studied/covered a lot of material, and there were questions where I have no clue about their resolution.

Thanks.

RC.

 

[BORICUAZO]

I believe the cut score does vary year to year (and state to state)...
I am interested to see if the pass rate changes from last year to this year.

Cut Score: Truly an "Unsolved Mystery!!" :dunno:

 

[johnsmith]

I think 1000 hrs is the minimum to study the exam. Also, prepare every topics in MERM. You won't regret.

 

[ME_FPE]

Cut Score: Truly an "Unsolved Mystery!!" :dunno:

*insert old Unsolved Mysteries theme music and start Robert Stack voice over*

 

[Matt-NM]

I didn't have any time to review problems in either session (machine design depth). Did anybody else? Thankfully I decided to study economics for a couple hours during the final week. The NCEES practice exam had economics problems that could be figured out without any actual economics knowledge. Not the case on the real thing.

Holding out hope. DO NOT want to go through this again.

 

[PEara]

I took ME-HVAC. The test was more difficult that I expected in both morning and afternoon sessions.

 

[P.E. Luchion]

I took ME-thermal. I agree test was more diffcult then I expected.

 

[HVACstevie]

I took the HVAC&R afternoon section.

The morning was intimidating at first. It seemed very machine design heavy and HVAC and Thermo are my strong points. But I was able to complete all the morning questions by 10:30am. Then I just rechecked, rechecked and rechecked. I felt great at lunch.

Then the after noon HVAC depth kicked my rear end. After reading everyone elses comments I feel better about my test.

I figure 30+ AM and 25+ PM.

 

[bigtrees]

I thought morning session was very easy. In fact, it actually makes me nervous because when I have tests go that smoothly I usually end up doing poorly on them. Like a previous person, I finished around 10:30 and had about 90 minutes to review and recheck the exam.

I did thermal and fluids in the afternoon and found it much more difficult than the morning. The problem I had with the afternoon is the problems provided way too much data and the diagrams were much more complicated than they needed to be for solving problems quick. So a problem that was actually really simple looked really hard. The problem I had with the afternoon wasn't the difficulty in the problems but I ran out of time to solve them.

I'm predicting 40 in the morning* and 26* in the afternoon for a total of 66.

* Note earlier comment that I am really bad about estimating my scores on exam. In reality, I'm just crossing my fingers that I passed.

 

[PEara]

I took the HVAC&R afternoon section.
The morning was intimidating at first. It seemed very machine design heavy and HVAC and Thermo are my strong points. But I was able to complete all the morning questions by 10:30am. Then I just rechecked, rechecked and rechecked. I felt great at lunch.

Then the after noon HVAC depth kicked my rear end. After reading everyone elses comments I feel better about my test.

I figure 30+ AM and 25+ PM.

I figure 28+AM and 25+PM

 

[buick455]

I took ME-thermal. I agree test was more difficult then I expected.

My thoughts:

I am glad it is over. I came down with a stomach virus on Tuesday and am still sick so 8 hours doing problems was not much fun. One thing I did not expect was the proctors walking around and standing in front or to the side of me, that distracted me the most. Other than that I did not hear much at all which was good.