Don't waiver. If you do construction for a living, then take the construction test again.
I agree some of those questions in the sample test can be oddball or overly hard than the actual test.
However, they all have something in common, the common questions. See what pops up in several practice tests. Focus real hard on it.
Not a civil guy, but the main tables in the back of the main PE review book, know how to use them.
IF you have not done so, try to remember the actual questions. Don't harp on the oddballs, but the ones you studied.
Going back to the big book. Likely, you need to know 1/4 of the book to pass. A few chapters will probably never be in there at all. However, probably 5 chapters or so, you need to know 1/2 the chapter well.
also, we make mistakes. Learn from them. Write down what mistakes you made on a list as you study. Then you can quickly review the test for these basic mistakes you tend to make. Maybe it's mixing up psi with psf. A big helper for me is a calculator you can see a few lines back, make sure you didn't put in a typo.
Time management is a huge key. Put the time in for the easy stuff and the stuff you know well. Any doubt or just seems like too much math to get there, don't even blink, pass to the next one. Sometimes putting that question in the back of your head and letting it cook is the best method.
Also, the hard to do problems are actually real easy to do. Look for the common sense answer. Like that can be negative, or wood can't possibly be that strong, etc......... They put one or two in there.
You know the math, you know the processes involved in the field, and you have that experience that doesn't look right eye. They ask questions that involve those in that order, and sometimes you need to use one over the other.
Just learning the practical test groove is probably worth 20% of your time. IF you get something wrong, don't just say ohh yeah, so and do it right. Even better see the ohh yeah part, then try to do it again 2 or 3 days later.
Like concrete, just laying it down will work so-so. But, going back and watering it makes it solid.
If done right 400 hours of study wont be as good as 100 hours of well directed study. Keep with the test taking as you learn the core subjects more. If you took a practice test 2 weeks ago, still take it again.
Search for older copies of practice tests. Maybe even call you old engineering teacher and senior engineers you know locally for old practice tests. Wouldn't take much work to find 12 different ones.
Looking at the diagnostics, I think they had someone else's test, LOL... I did great in a couple areas I thought I was going to struggle with and vice versa... oh well, I think I studied harder in those areas and it definitely shows.
