S1 Exam level of difficulty

[knelli]

For those who have taken the S1 more than once:

How did you think April '08 rated on level of difficulty and which year are you comparing to?

I took it for the 1st time on Friday.... hurry up and wait for results!!

-K

 

[vane_gator]

I took the S1 for the 2nd time (sigh) on Friday. First attempt was October 2007. I felt this version was much more challenging and the questions much more specific. I felt the October exam covered more diverse range of topics. I felt much better after the October exam; didn't feel so great this time around (which fills me with a sense of dread.......)

 

[Roy T.]

glad i took the civil/str this time. I too took the str1 exam in oct and got hammered - i almost let my ego get the better of me and try and try to climb that mountain again - but better judgement won out.

 

[knelli]

I took the Civil/str 2 yrs ago and passed, it was MUCH easier than the S1. Someday I would like to be registered in Illinois, so I will torture myself with S1 and S2!!

I thought it was tough, but still feel I may have a slight chance of passing? I guessed on 9 Q's and wasn't sonfident of my answer on another 13, so it will probably be close!!!

Good luck everyone.....

 

[vane_gator]

I was really close to passing the first time (I think I was less than 4 questions from passing, from my diagnostics). So I decided to study in depth my "weaker" subjects, and spent the last couple of weeks going over all the subjects and practice problems. My logic was if I studied what I'd done poorly on the first time around, I would be able to cover those last 4 or 5 questions I needed to pass. However, it felt that the questions this time around were completely different breadth of subjects. It was like looking at a completely new test.

 

[kevo_55]

I will not lie, the SE I is one tough exam. The only was I got through it was to just do problems until they came out of my ears.

Those who choose to take it are very brave. Those who can pass it really know their stuff.

Good luck everyone!

 

[ODB_PE]

it sounds like there was a lot more seismic on this one than last October, from what I have heard.

 

[LTBSE]

This is the first time I took SE1.

I planed to take the test at least half year ago, always found a lot of excuse not to study. I can't focus myself until a month before the test. Totally I spent like 110 hour total to review.

I tried hard and solved 90% the problems in the exam, although I really not sure if I could pass. It was a very intense one. Most of the questions need you to do calculation, only very few of them that you can answer by just take a look and make some judgment.

I heard some people said the style is totally different from the past years. Although it is my first time, I felt same way from comparing the sample questions with the test.

I guess NCEES is trying to test more analysis ability this time. There are some many problems related to statics!!!

During my review, i really feel that the reference books for structural field is very limited. I studies most of the 6 minutes problems, and half of the problems in the Structural Manual. I really feel they are not the best, although I believe no other book in the same field can be better.

Before the exam, I really want to create a blog to share my good/bad experience (not only SE exam but also daily working) as well as to learn from all visitors.

Now, the exam is over, I became lazy again. I guess I will give a try soon, hope some of you guys will come to visit my blog when I have it eventually.

 

[drno]

The exam was fair when it concerned material that I actually work with in practice, but I could not get a 'near' answer on an apparently trivial question. I'm in Florida, so the seismic problems were problematic. In short, subjects were covered in proportion, which cause a scoring percentage problem. Overall, I should have spent less time reviewing material I already knew. The afternoon session was not a good, Oh well.

 

[vane_gator]

, but I could not get a 'near' answer on an apparently trivial question.

Neither could I. I kept going over and over, running through the calculations and muttering to myself "but I KNOW this, how can I not get a close enough answer?!!". This was very frustrating!

 

[Jennifer]

I was really close to passing the first time (I think I was less than 4 questions from passing, from my diagnostics). So I decided to study in depth my "weaker" subjects, and spent the last couple of weeks going over all the subjects and practice problems. My logic was if I studied what I'd done poorly on the first time around, I would be able to cover those last 4 or 5 questions I needed to pass. However, it felt that the questions this time around were completely different breadth of subjects. It was like looking at a completely new test.

I have done pretty much the same this time. I worked on the two subjects that I did the worst in and now I'm hitting the practice problems for the whole thing. I guess I just wanted to do something different. How did you do? I didn't want to neglect the things I do well, but I also figured it was an opportunity to pick up a few points I might have missed last time.

 

[vane_gator]

I didn't have any luck. Just keep doing practice problems and cover everything again. practice, practice, practice.

 

[Jennifer]

Thanks. I got a 66 this last time and I was hoping I could pick up the extra points in the areas I didn't do well...Bridges and Masonry. But I'm hitting the practice problems now. 10940623:

 

[vane_gator]

My advice to you is to cover everything again. Don't be surprised (I know I was) when the test looks different than the last time. By this I mean they test you on different concepts.

 

[Jennifer]

My advice to you is to cover everything again. Don't be surprised (I know I was) when the test looks different than the last time. By this I mean they test you on different concepts.

I've heard that it can be very different. Thanks for your help!

 

[Roy T.]

If I could offer one bit of advice to all those considering taking the Structural 1 exam - DON'T DO IT. PARTICULARLY if you have already taken it and failed. It is an extraordinarily difficult test and the odds of you passing on any attempt are less than 2 in 5.

Not only that - the BIG BIG reasons you should avoid wasting your time, money and effort on Str 1 are this:

1) In most states you are only given a set number of times you are allowed to take the P.E. exam ( ussually 3) before you are required to take ADDITIONAL college courses (12 hours in Florida). Think long and hard about that - 4 more advanced level college courses, how much that would cost, the BS you would have to go through to reapply and certified to the Board that you are NOW qualified to take the P.E. exam again - oh what a nightmare --- but i digress.

2) the TRULY big reason you should pass on structural 1 exam is oh so obvious. THEY WILL NOT EVEN BE OFFERING THE TEST AFTER 2010! Both Str exams (Str1 and STR2) will be replaced with a SINGLE 16 hour - 2 day test. What does that mean? most states, perhaps all, will no longer consider you a "structural engineer" or even competent to practice structural engineering with str. 1 alone. Legally, you will have no more rights or priveledges that had you just passed the Civil Exam - a frankly easier test.

What to do?

Take and pass the civil/str exam -- then take and pass the Str 2 exam ASAP, while they still offer it. A combination of these 2 will be acceptable in most states after the transition to qualify you as a fully competent structural engineer without having to take the 2-day test they will soon be offering.

just my $0.02

good luck on whatever you test you take. I'll be sitting this time out and taking the Str 2 next spring

 

[Casey]

THEY WILL NOT EVEN BE OFFERING THE TEST AFTER 2010! Both Str exams (Str1 and STR2) will be replaced with a SINGLE 16 hour - 2 day test.

I am curious about this and have been looking for news about combining the two structural exams, do you have a link about this? I would be interested in reading more about the future of the SE license.

 

[StructuralPoke]

2) the TRULY big reason you should pass on structural 1 exam is oh so obvious. THEY WILL NOT EVEN BE OFFERING THE TEST AFTER 2010! Both Str exams (Str1 and STR2) will be replaced with a SINGLE 16 hour - 2 day test. What does that mean? most states, perhaps all, will no longer consider you a "structural engineer" or even competent to practice structural engineering with str. 1 alone. Legally, you will have no more rights or priveledges that had you just passed the Civil Exam - a frankly easier test.
What to do?

Take and pass the civil/str exam -- then take and pass the Str 2 exam ASAP, while they still offer it. A combination of these 2 will be acceptable in most states after the transition to qualify you as a fully competent structural engineer without having to take the 2-day test they will soon be offering.

Where'd this come from? Never heard anything like this before...

 

[kevo_55]

^^ They've been talking about this for some time now. The PAKS evaluation is currently going on and getting some imput on what the "SE exam" will cover. ( See http://www.ncees.org/news/index.php?release_id=36 )

No formal announcement for the actual use of this exam is out yet, but the best guess is in April of 2011.

My guess it will be just a SE I "like" exam on Friday and then a SE II "like" exam on Saturday. But who really knows.

 

[mudpuppy]

Where'd this come from? Never heard anything like this before...

I guess nobody read my topic on the subject Maybe I should have come up with a better title?