Review Courses

[north6633]

Well it has started. I will begin the long slog to the April exam. I am looking into taking a review course. Its between Testmasters and course offered by the Univ of Washington.

Testmasters is $1500 and the UW course is $500. But the UW course is on Tuesdays and Thurs nights from March 6th through April 10th total of 11, 2 hour classes. The UW class uses "the other board" ref material which I already own.

The Testmasters course will be held sometime in the middle of March for over 3 weeks for a total of 70 hours of class. So the cost per hour of instruction is similar.

I live 150 miles from Seattle where the course are offered and the UW course is in downtown Seattle, which means horrible traffic and expensive hotles if I am too tried to drive home some nights.

The Testmasters course will be held over 2 , 4 day blocks and 1 weekend block. If there schedule this sprig is anything like the fall schedule. Since it will be over consecutive days I will be able to stay with friends that live south of Seattle and go to the class so hotel costs will not be a factor.

So with taking all of this into consideration it appear I would be ahead if I went with the Testmasters class. But after reading some posts from Roadguy and Purduegrad I am beginning to wonder. I don't want to drop that kind of coin and not pass. I intend of maintaining a full study schedule before during and after any class I would take. But I do know I am a verbal learn and tend to get a lot out of a class , especially a well taught class. Thats what got me through the EIT 10 years out of school.

So what are some thought of refresher courses from some of you who have taken them. I far from having to make a decision today. Just starting to look at the different options. I am going to pass this test this spring thats all I know and I want to do what ever it takes to give me an edge.

I have searched and read some threads pertaining to this topic. Most were pretty positive on refresher course and Testmasters in general.

Sorry for being so long winded.. I appreciate any input...

 

[3gorgesdam]

That is a long commute to UW from where you are at. I just passed this October exam (Structure Module) without taking any review class or online type of thing. I read on my own. I don't think one needs to take review class. PE exam is not to test the depth of your knowledge rather than how much you know in a general sense. One could easily be self taught. Just my opinion.

By the way, I am not saying that review course is not beneficial. I am sure they all are.

 

[north6633]

That is a long commute to UW from where you are at. I just passed this October exam (Structure Module) without taking any review class or online type of thing. I read on my own. I don't think one needs to take review class. PE exam is not to test the depth of your knowledge rather than how much you know in a general sense. One could easily be self taught. Just my opinion.

I agree, I may just have to see how I feel about my progress as the deadlines for the classes get closer. I am torn. I can think of a lot better things to do with those $$ than spend them on a course.

But passing is the priority this time around. I went at the EIT 4 times, the first three I went in totally halfassed, just like I went into the Oct exam. I know I will be better prepared regardless if I take a class or not.

 

[3gorgesdam]

I started the preparation process with the same determination - Pass! Whatever it takes. So I put in about 150 hours total, definitely not 300 hours like many claimed. I don't know how one could put in that many hours. With 150 hours for 4 months period, that is 10 guaranteed hours per week.

I think lots of the folks here spent tremendous amount time on 6 minute solutions. You can check my post before the exam. I stated I only had one 6 minute solution for Structure. I worked 70% of the problems coz it was very time consuming . One could get overwhelmed with just one 6 minute solution. I definitely didn't have time for 6 of them. At one point I realized time was limited. I decided to focus only on Structure. But I quickly realized that would be a huge mistake. Spread your efforts. For the rest of the five subjects, I read CERM over and over and over . For GEO I used Das. Get that book. Two books actually. During exam I found a few answers right in those two books. I was very excited when my answers matched the solutions. I bought Civil Sample Exams, one for NCEES and one from "the other board". I worked out 85% of both sample exams. NCEES is outdated in terms of codes, didn't help at all. I also used UW review notes from previous review class from a friend. This is all the materials I have. Remeber you simply just don't have enough time to read them all. But any subject you did study, make sure you know them well. Hope this helps.

 

[north6633]

Thanks for the words of wisdom 3gorges. I need to just get setup and start doing problems. I know that just taking a couple practice exams will make a difference. I posted this question thinking I would be more persuaded into taking a course and at this point I am less likely to part with the $$$.

I think I will wait and see how I am feeling about the exam come March 1st and reevaluate. Take a practice test and see how I do.

You muct be living in Washington state.. I am over in Wenatchee..

 

[NCcarguy]

I think that the PE Review course on CD's were WAY better than the review course given at the local university, I have been VERY close all three times (49, 50, 49) and I can honestly say that I wouldn't be in the ballpark without the CD's I bought.

 

[3gorgesdam]

I have been to Wetnachee. I designed one of Wetnachee community college classroom building. A small project. I am actually in Coeur d'Alene. I took exam in Washington just coz it is closer. I think it is helpful to get the review notes from UW. I used it extensively. There wasn't any review course close by. Even if there was one, I still think it would be time consuming. To me attending class alone without thorough review afterwards just isn't adequate. It is a good idea to see where you at sometime down the road first. Mainly to see if you are comfortable with reading on your own, then make decision what to do next. After all, each of us is different as far as absorbing information and self discipline. Experimenting is the only way to know what works.

What afternoon module are you going to take?

 

[north6633]

NCcarguy,

Thats not a bad idea. I might have to look into that. I know I will need something. Especially since I do a lot less engineering than I use too.. Just have to find something that works. Sorry to here about your not making it.. Looks like you are really close.

3gorges,

I am taking the transpo depth module. I worked for the State of AK DOT for 4 years and a year of that was in the traffic section. Most of my background is in heavy earthwork and road construction. So that is where my strength lies. My degreee is in mining engineering and I worked for many years as a project engineer at a hard rock mine. Now I am a Project Manager for a construction company. So my day to day work involves how the jobs are built and where teh $$ are going. So I am not getting much help on the work side...

 

[Art]

I did the ASCE CD course for the FE and worked problems from an onsite source

pretty sure I would not have passed without it...passed first try, walked out pretty much knowing I did, no real angst...

used an ISA CD for the PE, it helped immensly, I should know tomorrow for sure...but I walked out feelin' good

I spent ~150 hrs for the FE (I was out of school for a loooong time)

~100 for the PE

it provided more than material, it helped me structure my study regime...broke it into areas/topics, and nice time packages ~1 to 2 hrs each...

 

[purduegrad]

what is the ISA CD and how do i get it?

 

[Art]

what is the ISA CD and how do i get it?

it's for the control systems test...ISA is the sponsoring org, like IEEE, ASCE, ASME, etc. be helpful for the electrical controls stuff too

 

[ARJ]

I took a review course. Chelapati's in Irvine, California. My employer paid for it so cost was not an issue. There are positives and negatives about taking review courses.

Positives: The publications that you receive are worth taking the course alone. They are loaded with various example problems and step by step solutions. I didn't take any review course notes because all of the information was in the publications they handed out. Many problems I encountered on the actual exam were very similar.

Negatives: Since all they are doing is teaching you out of the publications they have given you. Do you really need to be there? Can't you simply look at the problems and use the step by step, thoroughly explained solutions and teach yourself, at your own pace? Well I decided yes. I stopped attending the course because I felt like they were wasting precious study time and started studying on my own. It's one thing for me to see them do the problem. Sure it looks easy--they did it!! You can only master the material by doing the problems yourself.

Conclusion? Their publications---invaluable. However your study time is too. My advice is not feel obligated to continue to go to the classes just because you paid for it. Remember, the goal is to pass the exam. If you decide to take a review course, and in the middle of it, you feel that your time could be better spent on your own...... ditch'em. Worked for me!!

 

[Road Guy]

what were your weakest areas from the exam?

TM mainly focuses on getting you a really good score in the AM.

Its hard for me to say something really bad about testmaster because I passed (I also did +100 hours outside of the TM class)

but I was just really really dissapointed in both ENV & Geotech, I know they have different instructors, I will add the names of my instructors to the TM thread in the review section if you can compare. I sat through most of the TRA section thinking I know more TRA than the guy teaching it.

They told us not to come for the second day of the STR part unless we were doing STR afternoon, so that was a waste of $$ for a day (I did spend the day at a library studying though)

I think if you already have the CERM they knock 120 bucks off the fee, not that that really helps a whole lot.

 

[cbuxton]

I took a review course with the University of Maryland. The instruction was beneficial, 3 hours, twice weekly for about 3 months. It helped keep me focus on studying but I also put a lot of time in on my own working sample tests and practice problems. I took the Electrical Exam with the Power Depth Module. The power instructors were local utility employees that had a lot of practical experience that was benenficial because the depth module had a fair amount of utility type problems.

ass

 

[singlespeed]

The class, where ever you take it, will be a crapshoot - if the instructor is good, it's money well spent.

If you prepare prior to the class - even better.

There is one pitfall to taking a review class, some folks believe that's all they need to pass the test. Unless you're brilliant, the probability is low.

 

[biggs3]

I took a review course from a university that was ~3 hours away, but the closest one to offer a course. It was $300 for 30 hours of review. I drove up and back 5 consecutive Saturdays for 5 6-hour review classes. (Right in the middle of college football season, so I was upset, but knew I had to do it!). Left at 4:30 in the morning and got back at 7:30 in the evening. Very overwhelming, but very thorough as well. The class was intended to help with the breadth portions, and I can say very confidently that it was essential in my passing. It provided a good structure for review, it hit on all the major concepts for each breadth section. I supplemented it with some review CD's a coworker had in areas I felt I needed a little more depth. But, I took the transportation afternoon as well and the review classes BARELY scratched the surface for it. Instead I relied on the CERM, a couple of college texts and some problem books. In the end, there were only a couple problems on the morning and afternoon each that I was clueless about and couldn't find any info on. Most others I could figure out either by some texts or just reasoning. I ended up feeling very confident when I left and ended up passing the first try.

 

[jpeeler55]

I keep struggling with whether to take a prep class at local univ. in NC, as I have taken twice, and was close this last time. Did good on the AM portion, and not so good on machine design in afternoon. Studied probly 200 hours, and all the 6 minute books, MERM, practice problems. Maybe the class will provide a more structured approach?

 

[north6633]

Thanks for all the input. I have no elusions about passing with only attending a review course. I know for the FE the review course I attended helped, but I was living in teh town it was offered which made a big difference.

Road Guy, I did not see the review course forum. I would appreciate if you posted the names of the instructors you had at Testmasters. I am still torn and if those names came up as teaching here I would definitely influence my spending of $1500.

But the studying starts tonight. I will pull out the books and dive into it. Build a study schedule and try to take at least 3 practice tests between now and the exam.

 

[jmquadrunner]

I took the testmasters class in Dallas. I felt it was very heolpful. I was so well prepared for the morning that I walked out of there feeling that I might have missed two questions, most all of what was asked had been covered in the course. It wasn't as helpful in the afternoon but since I knew I was taking Water Resourses I studied the pertinent material for that and it all turned out good. I would definately recomend the Testmasters course to anyone. Hope this helps someone.