Repeat Takers Strategies - Civil PE CBT

[Tiresomedegree0]

Yes, I’m ready!

will you please send me the group information if you have it?

 

[vishwa]

Welcome to the club. You’ll get it next time! Did they give you a diagnostic from the CBT?

Yes, they did give a diagnostic report

 

[PassPE]

Who is willing to join a FREE webinar on Civil PE CBT Topics?
This class might help you get more clarity on topics which you may need help.

If we get 10 likes on this post, we will do 1 FREE class session, taught by Dr. Mansour.

 

[Pra4surf1]

So I’m having a time management issue while taking exams in the past and now with practice exams. I tend to get sucked into a question that eats up too much time. I know the rule of thumb is hit the easy questions first but that still seems like a shuffle for me. After a lot of thinking I’m thinking of writing down key words for each question 1-40 such as osha, cpm, productivity, etc and then hitting each question per group like all osha then cpm and so on. On a
Practice run this morning it took around 20 minutes to make this index but I knew each question I wanted to target in order. Does this sound like a good approach or does anyone have any suggestions to improve on this?

 

[steel]

Who is willing to join a FREE webinar on Civil PE CBT Topics?
This class might help you get more clarity on topics which you may need help.

If we get 10 likes on this post, we will do 1 FREE class session, taught by Dr. Mansour.

This isn’t the forum for spam. Mods, please delete this from here?

 

[zachmccormick33]

So I’m having a time management issue while taking exams in the past and now with practice exams. I tend to get sucked into a question that eats up too much time. I know the rule of thumb is hit the easy questions first but that still seems like a shuffle for me. After a lot of thinking I’m thinking of writing down key words for each question 1-40 such as osha, cpm, productivity, etc and then hitting each question per group like all osha then cpm and so on. On a
Practice run this morning it took around 20 minutes to make this index but I knew each question I wanted to target in order. Does this sound like a good approach or does anyone have any suggestions to improve on this?

My approach going into the exam will be if I can't figure out how to start the question and get it going within a minute then I will flag and move on. Sometimes you run into the solution for a question you flagged earlier without even looking for it and you can save yourself a lot of time.

From my preparation so far, it sounds like a lot of people end up with 20 questions left with only 25 minutes to answer and that's not a position you want to be in when maybe half of those questions could potentially be solved very quickly.

 

[PassPE]

This isn’t the forum for spam. Mods, please delete this from here?

Its not spam. Read it through, its for a FREE class. Engineers would prefer a free class because everything is so expensive.

 

[CCstruct]

So I’m having a time management issue while taking exams in the past and now with practice exams. I tend to get sucked into a question that eats up too much time. I know the rule of thumb is hit the easy questions first but that still seems like a shuffle for me. After a lot of thinking I’m thinking of writing down key words for each question 1-40 such as osha, cpm, productivity, etc and then hitting each question per group like all osha then cpm and so on. On a
Practice run this morning it took around 20 minutes to make this index but I knew each question I wanted to target in order. Does this sound like a good approach or does anyone have any suggestions to improve on this?

Honestly i don’t think that’s the best option. You need to be answering a question with confidence or skipping it… most of the questions can be done in less than 3 minutes but not if you don’t know them. Even on your second pass don’t waste time if you’re completely stumped but you should really be down to 10-15 questions per half by your third pass. Also If you feel good about a question i wouldn’t go back to it, i told myself i wanted to but there’s no time. If you end up skipping more than half the questions then there’s a comprehension problem.

 

[civilrobot PE etc etc]

So I’m having a time management issue while taking exams in the past and now with practice exams. I tend to get sucked into a question that eats up too much time. I know the rule of thumb is hit the easy questions first but that still seems like a shuffle for me. After a lot of thinking I’m thinking of writing down key words for each question 1-40 such as osha, cpm, productivity, etc and then hitting each question per group like all osha then cpm and so on. On a
Practice run this morning it took around 20 minutes to make this index but I knew each question I wanted to target in order. Does this sound like a good approach or does anyone have any suggestions to improve on this?

This worked for me, but only for a few subjects. Scheduling, geometrics, and soil mechanics were my best topics. I was pretty strong in all of these, so I made a point to get through these first. Now, if I found that it started to take me more than 30 seconds to get started, I moved on. You have to be flexible.

I actually like the 1-2-3 pass approach. First pass, knock out anything that's a no-brainer (whatever that means to you). If it's a quick lookup and you know EXACTLY where to find the answer, or something you can do with your eyes closed (metaphorically). Second pass is for problems you can do but might require a few steps. Third pass is for the problems that you need to sit with for a minute to figure out. But you have to check the time to make sure you're not sitting too long. There might be another one you can figure out if you sit with it for a minute. So, you just have to become a little more flexible.

Solving these problems in order (1-40) will burn the clock.

 

[Pra4surf1]

Honestly i don’t think that’s the best option. You need to be answering a question with confidence or skipping it… most of the questions can be done in less than 3 minutes but not if you don’t know them. Even on your second pass don’t waste time if you’re completely stumped but you should really be down to 10-15 questions per half by your third pass. Also If you feel good about a question i wouldn’t go back to it, i told myself i wanted to but there’s no time. If you end up skipping more than half the questions then there’s a comprehension problem.

Great feedback thanks. I understand most of the questions but seem to get sucked into the longer ones sometimes. Even though I’m comfortable with them they eat up my time and then I end up coming across easier questions with very little time left on the clock. Trying very hard this round to force myself out of this process.

 

[Pra4surf1]

This worked for me, but only for a few subjects. Scheduling, geometrics, and soil mechanics were my best topics. I was pretty strong in all of these, so I made a point to get through these first. Now, if I found that it started to take me more than 30 seconds to get started, I moved on. You have to be flexible.

I actually like the 1-2-3 pass approach. First pass, knock out anything that's a no-brainer (whatever that means to you). If it's a quick lookup and you know EXACTLY where to find the answer, or something you can do with your eyes closed (metaphorically). Second pass is for problems you can do but might require a few steps. Third pass is for the problems that you need to sit with for a minute to figure out. But you have to check the time to make sure you're not sitting too long. There might be another one you can figure out if you sit with it for a minute. So, you just have to become a little more flexible.

Solving these problems in order (1-40) will burn the clock.

Thanks for the feedback. After 20 years out of school my test taking skills are weak! I like your process and definitely using some practice exams to improve in this area.

 

[Pra4surf1]

Well took the final EET depth exam and got 16/40. Absolute confidence crusher! Ranging between 30 and 60 % on their depth exams so far. Speed continues to be a problem for me. Does anyone who has taken EET classes think their practice exams are more difficult than real exam?

 

[zachmccormick33]

Well took the final EET depth exam and got 16/40. Absolute confidence crusher! Ranging between 30 and 60 % on their depth exams so far. Speed continues to be a problem for me. Does anyone who has taken EET classes think their practice exams are more difficult than real exam?

I've been reading on other forums that a lot of practice exams are more difficult than the actual exam. If speed is your issue, then on your first pass through of the questions only answer ones you know you can do quickly. On the second pass through, you can answer the questions that require some additional steps/require searching through standards or the handbook. On the third pass through you hopefully will be left with only 10 or less questions that you can spend whatever amount of time you have.

 

[WingNut]

I have been following this thread for some time. Here are the secrets that you need to know-- in no particular order.
A. The test is a bachelor's level exam-- it is designed to be successfully completed by the candidate that has 4 years of experience as an engineer in training and who has susccessfully taken the FE exam. NCEES data shows that the highest probability of passing the PE exam is at the 4 year point. Go to NCEES.org and read the squared report-- the report will show you the data.
B. The exam is slated around the test specification-- this is the material that the field has said is important for a 4 year engineer to know. OK-- so you work your ass off and know, really know ALL of the material on the test specification. This is one time where you have to KNOW the material, not memorize and dump like you did in undergrad work. If that is your modus operandi-- well, you need to learn the material-- really know what it is that is being asked.
C. The test questions are designed to be about 6 min in length. OK, some are easy, you can answer by inspection-- others require several calculation steps, however, the average question is 6 min in length.
D. If you spend more than about 4 min on a question, you don't have a clue as to what is being asked!! Pass and go on-- come back to this at the end of the exam and try and work the question. If the question is multiple guess, you have a 25% chance of selecting the right answer.
E. We are writing more questions that are of the alternative item variety-- heat maps, fill in the blank, multiple correct answers, drag and drop-- so again, you have to KNOW the material, not just memorize for the test.
F. I know PhD's that have failed the PE exam numerous times. Don't overthink this exam-- remember, it is a bachelor's level exam designed to be successfully completed by a BS degree candidate with 4 years of experience.
G. Each test question is reviewed by 5=6 PE's before it is placed on the exam. The test question has been worked by another 5-6 PE's to detect any flaws. Sure, sometimes things happen and the question has a flaw, however, rarely.

How do I know all of this? I serve as the PE exam development committee chair-- I have helped write questions for 12 years-- I was the committee vice chair for 6 years prior to this. My discipline is Industrial and Systems, but the concepts are the same for all exams.

You can do this-- there are NO SHORTCUTS-- you have to know the material. This may require you to relearn and restudy some material that previously you used the cram and dump method. This is also a 1 and done exam-- there is no reason to try and take the test 4 times-- if you don't know the material, learn it and pass the exam. It is not that tough.

Just for reference, I was 55 years old when I took the test and had been in senior management for 30 years--- yes, I passed the first time. Yes, I took a review course and I studied 3 hours a day for 2 months as well. My family sacrificed during this time. You can do this-- just do it.

 

[Rashedeis]

So I’m having a time management issue while taking exams in the past and now with practice exams. I tend to get sucked into a question that eats up too much time. I know the rule of thumb is hit the easy questions first but that still seems like a shuffle for me. After a lot of thinking I’m thinking of writing down key words for each question 1-40 such as osha, cpm, productivity, etc and then hitting each question per group like all osha then cpm and so on. On a
Practice run this morning it took around 20 minutes to make this index but I knew each question I wanted to target in order. Does this sound like a good approach or does anyone have any suggestions to improve on this?

Yes it does. It worked for me.

 

[Rashedeis]

So I’m having a time management issue while taking exams in the past and now with practice exams. I tend to get sucked into a question that eats up too much time. I know the rule of thumb is hit the easy questions first but that still seems like a shuffle for me. After a lot of thinking I’m thinking of writing down key words for each question 1-40 such as osha, cpm, productivity, etc and then hitting each question per group like all osha then cpm and so on. On a
Practice run this morning it took around 20 minutes to make this index but I knew each question I wanted to target in order. Does this sound like a good approach or does anyone have any suggestions to improve

 

[Creazyce]

I've been reading on other forums that a lot of practice exams are more difficult than the actual exam. If speed is your issue, then on your first pass through of the questions only answer ones you know you can do quickly. On the second pass through, you can answer the questions that require some additional steps/require searching through standards or the handbook. On the third pass through you hopefully will be left with only 10 or less questions that you can spend whatever amount of time you have.

I took the Civil Geotech the first time and was not nearly as prepared as I thought I was. Then I went through EET's course and passed the second time (2 years ago). Even finished the AM portion almost an hour early and the 30 minutes early on the PM portion. With that said, I think EET's practice exams were more on par with the difficulty of the actual exam as compared to several other of the practice exam books. The "homework" problems they assigned were generally more difficult that any exam question.

 

[Pra4surf1]

I have been following this thread for some time. Here are the secrets that you need to know-- in no particular order.
A. The test is a bachelor's level exam-- it is designed to be successfully completed by the candidate that has 4 years of experience as an engineer in training and who has susccessfully taken the FE exam. NCEES data shows that the highest probability of passing the PE exam is at the 4 year point. Go to NCEES.org and read the squared report-- the report will show you the data.
B. The exam is slated around the test specification-- this is the material that the field has said is important for a 4 year engineer to know. OK-- so you work your ass off and know, really know ALL of the material on the test specification. This is one time where you have to KNOW the material, not memorize and dump like you did in undergrad work. If that is your modus operandi-- well, you need to learn the material-- really know what it is that is being asked.
C. The test questions are designed to be about 6 min in length. OK, some are easy, you can answer by inspection-- others require several calculation steps, however, the average question is 6 min in length.
D. If you spend more than about 4 min on a question, you don't have a clue as to what is being asked!! Pass and go on-- come back to this at the end of the exam and try and work the question. If the question is multiple guess, you have a 25% chance of selecting the right answer.
E. We are writing more questions that are of the alternative item variety-- heat maps, fill in the blank, multiple correct answers, drag and drop-- so again, you have to KNOW the material, not just memorize for the test.
F. I know PhD's that have failed the PE exam numerous times. Don't overthink this exam-- remember, it is a bachelor's level exam designed to be successfully completed by a BS degree candidate with 4 years of experience.
G. Each test question is reviewed by 5=6 PE's before it is placed on the exam. The test question has been worked by another 5-6 PE's to detect any flaws. Sure, sometimes things happen and the question has a flaw, however, rarely.

How do I know all of this? I serve as the PE exam development committee chair-- I have helped write questions for 12 years-- I was the committee vice chair for 6 years prior to this. My discipline is Industrial and Systems, but the concepts are the same for all exams.

You can do this-- there are NO SHORTCUTS-- you have to know the material. This may require you to relearn and restudy some material that previously you used the cram and dump method. This is also a 1 and done exam-- there is no reason to try and take the test 4 times-- if you don't know the material, learn it and pass the exam. It is not that tough.

Just for reference, I was 55 years old when I took the test and had been in senior management for 30 years--- yes, I passed the first time. Yes, I took a review course and I studied 3 hours a day for 2 months as well. My family sacrificed during this time. You can do this-- just do it.

Thanks for the feedback Wingnut! Very insightful. It’s very easy to get discouraged during this journey. This forum has helped a ton with advice and staying positive!

 

[Rashedeis]

I took the Civil Geotech the first time and was not nearly as prepared as I thought I was. Then I went through EET's course and passed the second time (2 years ago). Even finished the AM portion almost an hour early and the 30 minutes early on the PM portion. With that said, I think EET's practice exams were more on par with the difficulty of the actual exam as compared to several other of the practice exam books. The "homework" problems they assigned were generally more difficult that any exam question.

My advice is practice different exams from different vendors (Test Masters, the school of PE, and the EET) if you go through their problems and mock exam most likely you will pass the exam. Each vender covers 15 to 2%0 different problems than the other ones. Do them all and you should be ready for the exam. No short cut, do as many problems as you can.

 

[Pra4surf1]

I have a structural question I’m trying to understand and could use some help please. When trying to find a max moment for a beam the given eq is Pab/l. In the NCEES HB it states: P=kips, a, b, and l = inches. But in multiple practice problems that isn’t how you solve it. Solutions use lbs and feet. Many problems seem to mix this up and I understand units need to be the same when solving but following the HB doesn’t appear to provide correct solutions. Can anyone clarify? Thx for any advice structural is my weakest area for sure .