October 2018 Exam Study Progress

[txjennah PE]

Our Environmental board is so quiet! For those of you taking the October 2018 exam, how are things going?  Making good progress with your studying?

I've been studying.  So far I feel like I have a better grasp on concepts (I guess I should, if this is my third time, right?) But still worried about air  

 

[JohnLee]

I have wanting to ask the same ... I got two weeks to focus on breadth this is my second time I'm been trying to focus more on the problems... @txjennah what are you doing differently? I know for me I have been taking a practice breadth every Sat since July 

 

[txjennah PE]

I have wanting to ask the same ... I got two weeks to focus on breadth this is my second time I'm been trying to focus more on the problems... @txjennah what are you doing differently? I know for me I have been taking a practice breadth every Sat since July 

So for us, we don't get a breadth - just AM and PM environmental problems.  So on one hand, it's nice not to have to worry about studying for the breadth! On the other hand, it's a lot of environmental problems

I'm adjusting several things.  The first is I've started studying much earlier.  Timewise, I'm about a month ahead of where I was last year when I was studying for the Fall 2017 exam.  The second is I'm taking my study time more seriously.  The first two attempts, I mostly studied on the couch while my husband had the TV on.  Now I sit at the dining room to watch my videos or work out my practice problems. It helps me stay more focused and makes study time more serious.  Finally, I've just been trying to do as many problems as I can.  I spent too much time in the past reading and not really doing enough study problems.  While it's important to understand the concepts for the conceptual questions, I'm trying to have a better balance of reading vs. problems. I do a little reading with each of the topics I work on, but am mostly doing problem sets.

I'm also spending most of my time focusing on subjects I'm weak in (air and water). I'm taking the EET Water Resources/Env depth - even though I'm not doing the depth exam, the subject matter comprises a significant portion of the environmental exam. The class is excellent and I feel like I'm actually learning the material.  

Best of luck to you! You've got this!

 

[Dleg]

I'm glad you guys are talking about your study efforts. You're right, it's been way too quiet in here. We should probably just come out and ask people to post, like you did!  

I will say it sounds like you are on the right track, with increasing your problem working and dedicating some study space/minimizing distractions.  I did a lot of reading, as well, but for me, I don't really "understand" a concept until I struggle through at least a few problems.  The reading helps me form the mental model or image of the relationship, but that doesn't do me much good until I actually work stuff out on paper.  

 

[JohnLee]

So for us, we don't get a breadth - just AM and PM environmental problems.  So on one hand, it's nice not to have to worry about studying for the breadth! On the other hand, it's a lot of environmental problems

I'm adjusting several things.  The first is I've started studying much earlier.  Timewise, I'm about a month ahead of where I was last year when I was studying for the Fall 2017 exam.  The second is I'm taking my study time more seriously.  The first two attempts, I mostly studied on the couch while my husband had the TV on.  Now I sit at the dining room to watch my videos or work out my practice problems. It helps me stay more focused and makes study time more serious.  Finally, I've just been trying to do as many problems as I can.  I spent too much time in the past reading and not really doing enough study problems.  While it's important to understand the concepts for the conceptual questions, I'm trying to have a better balance of reading vs. problems. I do a little reading with each of the topics I work on, but am mostly doing problem sets.

I'm also spending most of my time focusing on subjects I'm weak in (air and water). I'm taking the EET Water Resources/Env depth - even though I'm not doing the depth exam, the subject matter comprises a significant portion of the environmental exam. The class is excellent and I feel like I'm actually learning the material.  

Best of luck to you! You've got this!

OH yeah EET Water Resources/Env is amazing but the morning/Breadth is the section I lacked. I got 70% on the depth but 40% in the morning so I will do EET when the depth section start again. I turn a closet into an office but on Sat & Sun I go to the library to take the test. I'm trying to improve my time cause I was really slow in my last study and I think that what cost me.

Best wishes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We shall conquer this monster!

 

[peacock321]

txjennah and JohnLee - good luck to you both!

txjennah - May I ask, with this being your 3rd time, have you taken any other prep courses before?  Also, is your current course online?  Lastly, how far in advance did you start studying this time?

Thank you!

 

[txjennah PE]

txjennah and JohnLee - good luck to you both!

txjennah - May I ask, with this being your 3rd time, have you taken any other prep courses before?  Also, is your current course online?  Lastly, how far in advance did you start studying this time?

Thank you!

Hello @peacock321!  Yes, I've taken School of PE.  It was good, though some topics were covered more thoroughly than others.  On my end, I didn't work as many review problems as I should have.  I started studying casually in May, and got a regular schedule down by July.

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

So for us, we don't get a breadth - just AM and PM environmental problems.  So on one hand, it's nice not to have to worry about studying for the breadth! On the other hand, it's a lot of environmental problems

I'm adjusting several things.  The first is I've started studying much earlier.  Timewise, I'm about a month ahead of where I was last year when I was studying for the Fall 2017 exam.  The second is I'm taking my study time more seriously.  The first two attempts, I mostly studied on the couch while my husband had the TV on.  Now I sit at the dining room to watch my videos or work out my practice problems. It helps me stay more focused and makes study time more serious.  Finally, I've just been trying to do as many problems as I can.  I spent too much time in the past reading and not really doing enough study problems.  While it's important to understand the concepts for the conceptual questions, I'm trying to have a better balance of reading vs. problems. I do a little reading with each of the topics I work on, but am mostly doing problem sets.

I'm also spending most of my time focusing on subjects I'm weak in (air and water). I'm taking the EET Water Resources/Env depth - even though I'm not doing the depth exam, the subject matter comprises a significant portion of the environmental exam. The class is excellent and I feel like I'm actually learning the material.  

Best of luck to you! You've got this!

@txjennah You got this SPAM buddy!

 

[txjennah PE]

@txjennah You got this SPAM buddy!

Thank you @squaretaper

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

Great advice for any test discipline: scan and reprint ALL your practice problems such that there's one problem per page and then organize them by topic. I picked this up from the Dr. Tom's Classroom review course and it was the #1 takeaway that helped me the most. Since you're taking the time to work a bajillion problems anyway, curating them is just a small additional step that will save a TON of time.

 

[peacock321]

Hello @peacock321!  Yes, I've taken School of PE.  It was good, though some topics were covered more thoroughly than others.  On my end, I didn't work as many review problems as I should have.  I started studying casually in May, and got a regular schedule down by July.

txjennah - If you had to choose only one review course, would it be School of PE or the one you’re taking now?  Thanks!

 

[txjennah PE]

txjennah - If you had to choose only one review course, would it be School of PE or the one you’re taking now?  Thanks!

Are you taking the Water Resources exam?  I took School of PE for environmental and am taking the EET depth because my water resources knowledge was lacking.   The environmental exam doesn't have a breadth portion, so I can't speak for either review program's breadth or depth review.  However, I do really like EET. They give you more practice problems than SoPE and several practice exams.  

 

[txjennah PE]

I'm glad you guys are talking about your study efforts. You're right, it's been way too quiet in here. We should probably just come out and ask people to post, like you did!  

I will say it sounds like you are on the right track, with increasing your problem working and dedicating some study space/minimizing distractions.  I did a lot of reading, as well, but for me, I don't really "understand" a concept until I struggle through at least a few problems.  The reading helps me form the mental model or image of the relationship, but that doesn't do me much good until I actually work stuff out on paper.  

Yep, absolutely agree!  If I just read through something, my brain doesn't really pay much attention.  But struggling through a problem really helps reinforce the concepts!

 

[kncumber]

My main worry is time. If I had 16 hours to take the test I would be ok. Sometimes, I find myself struggling for 15 minutes on one question which I solve eventually. On the real exam, I don't have this amount of time. Sigh.

 

[txjennah PE]

My main worry is time. If I had 16 hours to take the test I would be ok. Sometimes, I find myself struggling for 15 minutes on one question which I solve eventually. On the real exam, I don't have this amount of time. Sigh.

I hear you @kncumber.  Time management killed me my first attempt.  I did a little better the second attempt (but not well enough, obviously ).  The more you work through problems and get familiar with the concepts, the better you will get.  Organization of your binders will help greatly. I made an index of my problems so I could flip to the right one.  Keep working through problems and time yourself with practice exams.  

 

[PEforWin]

Hi, I am really starting late and cannot do a review course. I was wondering what anyone who isn't taking a review course is using to review the material for the exam. I heard the Lindeburg book has a lot more material than needed and that the level of difficulty is much higher than the actual exam. Thanks! Or if people taking the review course guide me to which sections to look through in the Lindeburg book. I also have the Intro to Environmental Engineering by Davis and Cornwell, Air Quality by Cooper and have ordered a used copy of Lagrega for Haz waste.

 

[txjennah PE]

Hi, I am really starting late and cannot do a review course. I was wondering what anyone who isn't taking a review course is using to review the material for the exam. I heard the Lindeburg book has a lot more material than needed and that the level of difficulty is much higher than the actual exam. Thanks! Or if people taking the review course guide me to which sections to look through in the Lindeburg book. I also have the Intro to Environmental Engineering by Davis and Cornwell, Air Quality by Cooper and have ordered a used copy of Lagrega for Haz waste.

Hey @PEforWin I'll look through my books when I get home and offer some suggestions.  Off the top of my head, don't even waste time studying all the intro calculus sections in Lindeberg.  I wasted time on that the first time around. 

 

[kncumber]

@PEforWinI heard the same thing. I use the lindenburg as the back up to the texts you listed. The only other text that I have that you did not list is the Metcalf and Eddy. Does anyone know which practice question resources (PPI, NCEES practice) most closely resembles the actual test in terms of question structure and difficulty? <<<I can ask that question right? (if not....disregard, not trying to get in trouble)

 

[PEforWin]

Thank you so much. I appreciate the help. 

 

[Dleg]

Try out the advice thread pinned at the top of this forum - it contains advice on the first few pages, for sure, from people who took the exam without a course.  I know my advice thread in there contained advice on how to use the Lindberg book to study. My advice was based on a 3 month study period, but you can just compress...