New enviro members

[fmullner]

Hey, just found the board and just joined. I took the Oct 07 Environmental PE exam in Cleveland, OH and I'm still waiting. I'm cautiously optimistic. It's nice to see others who've taken the "real" Env. PE exam. I've been hanging out at the "the other board" board and it seems to be dominated by Civil and Mech E's.

Anyway, it's good to be here. Hopefully I can get some good advice and even offer some of my own.

FWIW, I was really surprised by the exam itself. The morning session seemed to be almost all water which is not my strongest suit. I thought the afternoon was significantly easier. I wasn't exepecting so many regulatory questions, and I will say that the RCRA regulatory reference that I brought was a life-saver. I was also surprised at the number of qualitative questions. There just wasn't as much math as I expected.

The only good piece of advice I got prior to the exam was that the breadth was the real challenge. There are questions that you will not know unless you happen to have the right reference or have worked in the field. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Dleg]

Welcome fmullner! There may not be all that much action in this particular sub-forum, but us enviros are growing in number on the Board as a whole.

I know exactly what you mean on the exam. I took it in Oct. '06 and passed, but there were a number of qualitative questions that I simply had to guess on, and got wrong (based on my after-the-test research). As far as I am concerned, I smoked most of the quantitative questions, which were all simpler than the practice problems.

Good luck!

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

The only good piece of advice I got prior to the exam was that the breadth was the real challenge.

Welcome aboard dude. Not only am I the worst spammer here, but I also moonlight as an environmental engineer on the side. Well more of a civil with an envl slant, but I digress.

I took the Envl PE exam in April '06. Whoever gave you that advice was dead on. I've been preaching that to anyone who's been listening since then. The breadth of it is really overwhelming.

Hang around and post some. All we got is me, Dleg, and Jregieng representing the envl crowd.

 

[FLBuff PE]

Welcome aboard dude. Not only am I the worst spammer here, but I also moonlight as an environmental engineer on the side. Well more of a civil with an envl slant, but I digress.
I took the Envl PE exam in April '06. Whoever gave you that advice was dead on. I've been preaching that to anyone who's been listening since then. The breadth of it is really overwhelming.

Hang around and post some. All we got is me, Dleg, and Jregieng representing the envl crowd.

Dude, I'm here as well. Granted, I'm not a PE yet, but hopefully that will come in the mail in a month!

 

[fmullner]

Hey FLBuff--now that the results are trickling in...GOOD LUCK!

 

[FLBuff PE]

Hey FLBuff--now that the results are trickling in...GOOD LUCK!

Unfortunately, I will probably not find out un til mid-January...my state (CO) is s...l...o...w. Thanks, though. Good luck to you as well. Did you take the full blown Environmental exam? I did, attempt #2 in Oct. '07.

 

[jritter58]

I work for the Corps in the H&H section, but I do environmental work whenever the chance arises. I am looking to transfer into another section that does Superfund work. I have B.s.s in Chemistry snd Civil and an M.S. in Environmental.

 

[Dleg]

Welcome!

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the "H&H" section?

 

[FLBuff PE]

Welcome! And ditto about this secret 'H & H' society of which you speak.

 

[jritter58]

Corps speak for Hydraulics and Hydrology. The army loves acronyms.

 

[FLBuff PE]

So do those of us in enviro...welcome to eb.com!

 

[craftlady07]

Hello,

I took the enviro exam in october and failed, time to try again in april. I did not buy any of the practice problem books the first time, i just bought the ncees one, do you think i should get the ones from PPI too?

I've been working for a municipal consulting firm for 7 years in the water/wastewater department. I need major help in the air pollution/haz waste areas.

Thanks,

Andrea

 

[FLBuff PE]

Welcome, carfty! I took the Environmental exam for the third time in October, so I feel your pain. My experience was that the PPI problems went above and beyond what was on the exam; however, one can never do too many problems in preparing for the exam! I would recommend getting them. As far as Air, I had zero experience in it, but was able to get through the exam with the EnvERM and the Environmental Law Handbook. For Haz. Waste, I would also recommend going through the EnvERM, and try to find someone that can lend you Hazardous Waste Management by LaGrega. That is pretty much the holy grail on haz. waste. If you can't borrow it, it is worth the investment in buying it, IMHO. It is a great reference to have on your shelf. Good luck in April, and ask lots of questions. There is more than me here in Environmental!

 

[Dleg]

^I agree 100%. I would also recommend getting a copy of "Environmental Engineering" by Salvato, et al. It's a great overall reference you will keep with you for the rest of your career, and it has a lot of info on sampling and such which I was able to answer several questions with.

The PPI practice problems are essential, I think, just to guide your studying and make you find stuff in your references. Not to mention the practice for the quantitative problems. Invaluable.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

^ I'm doing some Army Corps work right now, I know what you mean. In other words, IDSACWRNIKWYM.

 

[jritter58]

You would fit right in with the Army way of things VT. I have a question for everyone. Things are getting hot at work and I will be working lots of weekends, therefore I will be hard pressed to get as much study time as I would like. Do I gamble and take it anyways or do I wait until Fall? I have maybe 80 hours in so far but I wanted to put in another 150 or so more but that just got shot down today.

 

[Dleg]

Do you have a wife and kids? If you don't have anyone to satisfy at home, I say sacrifice and work your butt off to pass in April. It's a huge load off your shoulders to have that exam behind you, and those two initials after your name. It's worth some sacrifice.

I always have an initial reaction like that when I get a bunch of work thrown at me. But in the end, I always find a way to get it all done.

I say go for it.

 

[jritter58]

Yeah, I have a wife with two sons ages 3 and 5. I have a tough row to hoe but I figure what the heck, I can always tak it again if I dont make it.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

Check on the re-testing policies in your state. Some require continuing education if you fail multiple times before you can take it again.

It could be one strike against you if you go in half baked and fail it.

I generally say go for it, but you might want to take that into consideration.

 

[EnvEngineer]

New to forum, I have a BS in Environmetal and MS in Civil/Enve and been in the field for 28 years. I took/passed the ME about 20 years ago and never worked for a civil engineer to get references until now. They did change the experience requirements which helped alot, I only need 1 of my 28 years. I have been studying for about 9 month, I spend 2-4 hours nearly every day. failing is not an option.

great forum, good luck to everyone