One week out from the test advice

[Bprit]

Well we are about a week away from the test. This will be my second time taking this wretched test. I have gone over ALL examples and problems and read the books. So my question to all that have passed this beast, what to do in the final days? 

 

[medieval_pancake]

I'm a week away from taking it for the first time. I was wondering this same thing too...I was going over the MERM last night where he lists out stuff to pack and what not and saw that he mentions to pack a "length of rope"...haha i'm assuming that is to end my pain and suffering if the test is that bad.

 

[blewis216]

This weekend:

-Take a simulated exam if you have yet to do so,

-make sure your materials are all tabbed and you are familiar with everything you are taking

-Brush up on any topics you think you are almost there on

Next Week:

Monday and tuesday continue studying things you need work on

Wednesday thursday do not touch anything PE related, if you are working consider taking thursday off for getting logistics for friday taken care of

Thurday take time do do something you love to do, go running, play video games, watch movies... whatever

Thursday night go to bed like 30-45 minutes before normal time

Friday wake up and crush the PE Exam

Good luck y'all!

 

[bhook20]

I fully agree with the advice above. This last week needs to be taken lightly. Tabbing references is a good way to keep your mind sharp. 

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

I second the above points. Also, I'm going through my most-often-used references and annotating notes to myself in case of brain fog during the exam. Even painfully simple things like the ideal gas law I made a note that the temp and pressure need to be in absolute. Of course I know that, but in a rush it's SO easy to forget.

 

[KatyLied P.E.]

+1 on the part about getting logisitics squared away.  I visited the test site a couple days ahead at thesame  time I'd be taking the test. That gave me a good feel for what traffic was going to be like I found out where I needed to park and took a peek inside the test roomI.

Also, some extra advice for test day.  Bring a bag lunch.  That way you won't have to worry about finding a restaurant and/or getting stuck in a long line.  I went back to my car and ate my sandwiches and chips.  This also meant that I didn't end up second guessing myself by eating around other test takers and heaing their conversations.

 

[medieval_pancake]

Whats the restroom situation like at exam sites? Do you have to wait for a proctor to usher you out of the room or can you get up and go when ever? I usually drink a lot of water for lunch, but I'm thinking I should drink as little as possible so I don't have to waste time going to the restroom.

 

[engineeringforfun]

This weekend:

-Take a simulated exam if you have yet to do so,

-make sure your materials are all tabbed and you are familiar with everything you are taking

-Brush up on any topics you think you are almost there on

Next Week:

Monday and tuesday continue studying things you need work on

Wednesday thursday do not touch anything PE related, if you are working consider taking thursday off for getting logistics for friday taken care of

Thurday take time do do something you love to do, go running, play video games, watch movies... whatever

Thursday night go to bed like 30-45 minutes before normal time

Friday wake up and crush the PE Exam

Good luck y'all!

This is exactly what my routine was before the exam. Like you said, crushed it! I took Wednesday and Thursday off before the exam, it was a great recovery period.

 

[Jbone27 PE]

I pretty much followed the schedule above except I did do a final run through on Wednesday that I think helped. I didn't work a single problem. I used the big binders from EET as my main reference. I sat down and flipped through each and every page. Took about an hour each binder but I feel like it just helped me remember all the studying I had put in and gave me a fresh reminder of where everything was. It was more of a confidence booster than anything. 

Other than that I just packed up my tote. Double and triple checked I had everything I needed and that was it. Tried to go to bed early night before the exam but didn't work so I just watched episodes of The Office til I passed out.  Passed my 1st attempt.

Best of luck!!

 

[knight1fox3]

Whats the restroom situation like at exam sites? Do you have to wait for a proctor to usher you out of the room or can you get up and go when ever? I usually drink a lot of water for lunch, but I'm thinking I should drink as little as possible so I don't have to waste time going to the restroom.

Every exam site handles this a bit differently I imagine. Typically you signal a proctor, request a restroom break, and they hold on to your exam until you return and then give it back for you to continue. Often times there are those die-hard pregnant women who are there to take the exam who usually require multiple restroom breaks.

 

[kevo_55]

Buy your booze before you take the exam.

 

[knight1fox3]

Buy your booze before and take with you to the exam.

Fixt. :thumbs:

 

[Surf and Snow]

Well we are about a week away from the test. This will be my second time taking this wretched test. I have gone over ALL examples and problems and read the books. So my question to all that have passed this beast, what to do in the final days? 

First time time taking the PE exam for me here. Been studying/taking practice exams 3 months now (started after new years day). Averaging 85-90% on my practice exams, feeling fairly confident, but reasonably skeptical.

Here's my plans for this final week.

• Fri (today): work full day, then 2hr 20 problem set, then 2 hrs study and learn from any weak points
  
• Sat: 8-hr full practice exam, then 3 hrs study and learn from any weak points
  
• Sun: family day - No study
  
• Mon: work full day, then 2hr 20 problem set, then 2 hrs study and learn from any weak points
  
• Tues: work half day, then 4hr 40 problem set, then 2 hrs study and learn from any weak points
  
• Weds: PTO-no work, re-work full 2018 NCEES practice exam, study and learn from any weak points
  
• Thurs: PTO-no work, take 4hr 40 problem set, travel to hotel in Salem, afternoon final reference material tabs and notes etc..., relax, go to bed by 10pm.
  
• Fri: Wake up early, good breakfast, arrive at test location early, Crush It! Drive home, crack celebratory beer!
  

ymmv

Good luck to us ALL!!!

 

[knight1fox3]

• Fri: Wake up early, good breakfast, arrive at test location early, Crush It! Drive home, crack celebratory beer!
  

LOL. You'll fit in nice here. Assuming you're interested in sticking around after the exam. This is a pretty fun and intelligent community.

Also, if you''re interested, I could share one of my favorite exam re-caps from another previous EB member who took the Electrical Power PE. :thumbs:  

 

[nmaevh]

I did some last minute "cramming" the night before. It was only for about 1/2 an hour, but it refreshed a topic that I ended up seeing in multiple places on the exam. I also showed up way to early to the exam site. I read that it started at xyz am when in reality they opened the doors at that time. I had a dickens of a time trying to find an open coffee shop with how early I arrived. It also stressed me out waiting around so much.

 

[youngmotivatedengineer]

Deffinately make sure you have a good alarm set, and maybe have someone there to wake you test day. The night before try to relax as much as possible. My 1st attempt I was so afraid of over sleeping that I was literally awake almost every 20 minutes checking the clock. 

On my 2nd attempt, I got to the test site by 630am(it's a 1hr commute and I didn't want to get caught up in the few areas that gets heavy traffic during the normal morning work commute) so I re read through the NCEES practice exam and answers. Not trying to actually solve the problems,  but just refreshing on the procedure and the general method of what needs to be done to solve the problem.  This reading helped occupy my mind from worrying about how long the day will be or how hard it will be. Also slowly got me into test mode as well as a good confidence booster when I was able to read the question and know what procedure or steps need to be taken to solve it. 

 

[RBHeadge PE]

Here's my plans for this final week.

• Weds: PTO-no work, re-work full 2018 NCEES practice exam, study and learn from any weak points
  
• Thurs: PTO-no work, take 4hr 40 problem set, travel to hotel in Salem, afternoon final reference material tabs and notes etc..., relax, go to bed by 10pm.
  

Pretty solid plan. I had a similar tact the second time around. I don't think I was ever more prepared for the test than I was the Wednesday before the exam. I tried additional studying on Thursday evening but I had pretty much hit the point of negative returns.

Good luck on Friday!

 

[blewis216]

I would strongly advise against reading the NCEES practice exams the morning of or the night before. And if you do choose to do that make sure you read every question in the real test very carefully. I personally think that cramming will do more to hurt you than help you. Just relax and have confidence that you're prepared, because if you aren't prepared Thursday you won't be prepared Friday.

 

[TrishBOkay]

Anybody have thoughts on test taking strategies? Perhaps hitting the NEC code book questions first and then heading back to finish the rest? That way you’re not picking that book up and down a million times. 

 

[blewis216]

Anybody have thoughts on test taking strategies? Perhaps hitting the NEC code book questions first and then heading back to finish the rest? That way you’re not picking that book up and down a million times. 

This was my strategy:

First go through the test and answer every question that you can do in under 10 seconds, it's something you just know you don't have to look anything up... there should be a few of these.

Next go through and answer ever question you can do in under 1 minute. These questions either require a simple look-up in your reference materials or require a formula you just need to look up.

Then answer any longer question that you feel confident you can get with a few minutes of time to look at your reference or formulate a solution, these also include NEC or NESC questions that require some digging through code

Last hit up the few questions that you have no idea on and will be digging through reference materials desperately finding anything to grasp onto.

I finished both sessions in 2-3 hours using this method and passed comfortably.