NYS PE Application

[RedstripeCE]

So I just started the process of filling out the application to sit for the PE exam in New York. I am a civil project engineer in construction and have just over 4 years of experience. I would be taking the Civil/Construction exam if approved. I'm concerned with how much detail I have to go into when describing my experience and at what point would some of my experience by unnecessary to list? Do I have to list specific tasks that I completed with exact dates for each construction project I worked on? Typically how many pages of experience should be expected to be submitted with this application? It would be nice if there was somewhere I could find an example of how the experience should be written. I want to make sure that I will not be rejected prior to submitting my application.

Also, I'm sure it varies by state, but typically how long should it take the board to review the application? Assuming I get my application in soon and it was approved, would I have to wait until April '14 to sit for the exam or is it possible I could sit for the exam in October?

Sorry for the overload of questions, I appreciate the help/advice anyone can provide.

 

[CU07]

My form 4A was 7 pages in total. I wouldn't list out the work you did by date - put the total time in months for each project in the right column. I did mine in roughly chronological order to show increasing responsibility, but that's the only reason I chose the order I did.

The rule of thumb at my company is the more information you give, the more they can find fault with. You just want to list the engineering tasks you completed. If you did a project where you did inspection but really you were making engineering judgements or calculations, focus on that. I hear that NY is very strict about inspecting time not counting, but it wasn't an issue I had to worry about.

Here's something I wrote which accounted for about 8 months of my experience time:

US EPA Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans, Various Facilities, New York State
The portion of engineering work under this task entailed conducting site inspections to review all aspects of oil storage and pollution prevention at a facility and preparation of an SPCC Plan to address facility specific issues in accordance with 40 CFR 112. This included the engineering review of oil storage containers and equipment for compliance with the EPA and NYSDEC requirements; engineering analysis of spill potential from each container or piece of equipment; engineering calculations of secondary containment volumes; stormwater volume analysis where secondary containment areas are exposed to precipitation; and evaluation of facility drainage pathways and proximity to surface water. The oil storage containers were also reviewed against the Fire and Mechanical Codes of NYS and NFPA. This information was then compiled into an engineering report that was reviewed by the managing engineer (P.E.) and reviewed and P.E. stamped by the Senior Vice President-in-Charge (endorser).

 

[desi_girl]

Hello RedstripeCE,

I am from a different field and with a bachelor's from a different country. When I applied at NJ, I was 8 months short from my 4 years of work experience in USA . But I think due to my MS degree, they waived those 8 months. I made sure I included all minute details on "design/ engineering" related work experience. Anything that I could remember and find on my workstation was in that application. Even if that means you have to explain the basics like developing design documents, flowcharts, preparing drawings in A.CAD, be very specific. All US experience has to be under licensed PEs.

Do not limit your description. Keep the words flowing. It is rather beneficial to include repetitive description (on different projects) rather than falling short.

I made sure to include my work experience from outside US too, although it is not acceptable. Just to give an idea of all the engineering work I have done so far.

Your PE recommendations should be strong enough. Try to get great recos.

It helped. My application was approved in the first go. My friend who worked in the same company and had same qualifications as I, and probably a year of added work experience got rejected at NJ. They mentioned "lack of design exp" as the reason. I think it all depends on how well you describe.

 

[desi_girl]

Yes, I forgot to add that all my experience was in chronology, deparated by Project name, duration (month, year) and the name of the licensed PE I worked under.

 

[CU07]

All US experience has to be under licensed PEs.

This is not true in NY. They also do not require recommendations, just endorsements from your supervisor for all qualifying time.

 

[desi_girl]

All US experience has to be under licensed PEs.

This is not true in NY. They also do not require recommendations, just endorsements from your supervisor for all qualifying time.

Oh, thats even easier then !

 

[mkt1]

I was very detailed with all my design work, including specifying each standard used for each project, specific equations used and any issues that aroses and how they were handled. Working on the NY PE application was more of a headache than the exam itself... If you get approved then you are more than half way there

Good luck!

 

[ny bridge guy]

All US experience has to be under licensed PEs.

This is not true in NY. They also do not require recommendations, just endorsements from your supervisor for all qualifying time.

I would think that experience needs to be endorced by a licensed PE of the same state. I had just enough years of experience plus 3 or 4 months extra and was approved first time applying and then passed. If you are not working under a licensed engineer how can this experience be creditable? This is exactly from the NY website:

Form 4

You must complete Form 4 and submit it to the State Education Department at the address at the end of the form. Indicate the discipline that most closely relates to the majority of your professional experience being submitted for evaluation. List all experience that you wish to be evaluated for licensure. Your experience must be listed in chronological order beginning with your first employment for which experience is being claimed, and include firm name, name of endorser, beginning and ending dates, and total time claimed for each endorser. Be sure to sign and date the attestation in item No. 6.

Your experience must be endorsed by someone who is familiar with your work and can attest that it has been done as stated and is accurately described. Your endorser should preferably be the person who was your supervisor at the time the work was performed. If this is not possible, a letter documenting the reasons, must be provided with the Form. If you are unable to obtain a supervisor's endorsement, select another person (coworker or client) you worked with who is sufficiently knowledgeable about your work to attest to the accuracy of your experience description.

When an endorsement does not lend credibility to your experience, it may be discounted at the judgement of the Board. A Form 4A that is not endorsed will not receive any credit toward licensure.

 

[snobumPE]

Ok, that says nothing about a PE. My buddy actually went through the trouble of getting a PE to sign off his experience and NY rejected it because they were not his direct supervisor. He resubmitted them with his supervisors (who were not PEs) and was approved.

 

[Rockettt]

True. Working under a PE is definitly encouraged and a plus, but NOT totally a requirement. As long as you have plenty of relevant professional experience your golden. They just want to see consistent professional developement through those years you list.

 

[PB&Jelly]

Ok, that says nothing about a PE. My buddy actually went through the trouble of getting a PE to sign off his experience and NY rejected it because they were not his direct supervisor. He resubmitted them with his supervisors (who were not PEs) and was approved.

I have been working at one of the architecture/engineering design firms.  There are PE around who I work with but my direct supervisor is in architecture.  I do engineering for the firm but that is just the organization for the AE firms.  Should I ask a PE who is not my supervisor or my supervisor who is not an engineer to endorse me? 

 

[Ramnares P.E.]

If your work is reviewed by a PE then he/she should have no problems endorsing your application.  

It's been a while since my application but I vaguely remember being able to break it down by projects and endorsements of the same so that I had a combination of PE and non-PE endorsements.

 

[John QPE]

Anyone have any idea how long the comity review for NYS takes??

How long the Form 5 Interim Review takes??

I'm going on like 3 months now.

 

[mattlick12]

Have you called to verify that all of your information has been received and is on the desk of the review board? 

 

[ptatohed]

Anyone have any idea how long the comity review for NYS takes??

How long the Form 5 Interim Review takes??

I'm going on like 3 months now.

The comity review time for NYS is the same as that for NY.

 

 

[Reinouir]

I recommend giving them a call.  While I was in my application stage I called once I had all my information mailed out and good thing I did.  One of my education transcripts was sent to them incorrectly. Because I called to inquiry, I was able to rectify that within a timely manner to avoid delays. 

 

[wyman]

The comity review time for NYS is the same as that for NY.

 

Okay enough of this. Meet me in Temecula.

 

[sachin1983]

Any idea of how to get your Undergraduate Transcript sent to  NYSED when your bachelor's is from India (Pune University)?