SE Exam Scoring Workshop
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geoffsandberg
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Finally got CT results in... Passed both lateral and vertical.. first try too! Grueling exam, but it was worth it
TehMightyEngineer
BRB Starting an Engineering Firm
Darn, looks like you have a bit to go for lateral but getting vertical out of the way and having seen lateral once already will likely give you a really good chance of passing lateral the next time around.
Nicely done!
Yep. I'm feeling fine about it. In hindsight I probably overstudied for vertical because I had nearly an hour to spare on the morning and afternoon. I'm just glad I can focus on the one this next time around. Personally I think it's a little easier to study for given there is less material. Will definitely hit bridge items much harder.
David Connor SE
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Congratulations to everyone who passed!
And if you didn't, do not get discouraged. This is the most difficult of all of the engineering exams. Use what you have learned from the experience and knock it out of the park next time!
For those of you looking to buy my book, please make sure you buy the 2nd edition as it has been updated to AASHTO 7th edition. Also note there is a vertical book, lateral book, and combined book. You can purchase it from my website http://www.davidconnorse.com and also Amazon.
And if you didn't, do not get discouraged. This is the most difficult of all of the engineering exams. Use what you have learned from the experience and knock it out of the park next time!
For those of you looking to buy my book, please make sure you buy the 2nd edition as it has been updated to AASHTO 7th edition. Also note there is a vertical book, lateral book, and combined book. You can purchase it from my website http://www.davidconnorse.com and also Amazon.
David, I got your bridge book based on AASHTO 6th edition two months back and it is one of the best, I am wondering if the difference between your new edition(based on AASHTO 7th edition) and the previous one is substantial? Do you recommend to get the newer one?
David, I also got your book back in September. Are there any significant differences?
David Connor SE
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If you bought my book before the 2nd edition came out and you would like a pdf of the additions and revisions made to the 1st edition, please drop me a line at [email protected].
TehMightyEngineer
BRB Starting an Engineering Firm
Mithrandir918
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mr Conner, just read up about you bro. lots of praises on your books. especially the part that you use the codes so heavily, one doesnt need the code at the test...
im definitely picking up a copy.
TehMightyEngineer
BRB Starting an Engineering Firm
Well, I wouldn't say that. You definitely should have a copy of the AASHTO code for the exam.
I can't speak to what is in david connors bridge guide, but I would high highly recommend you bring all applicable references. I felt like the SE was an exercise in locating obscure code references, if you don't have the code to reference... it would be pretty tough to answer the questions.
How did you study for lateral? I think I put 200 hours for Vertical and 100 hours on Lateral. I used the SERM, 6 min solutions, and the NCEES exam. Any other recommendations other than David's book? Thanks
David Connor SE
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You will need to have the AASHTO code for the exam and for when you are studying bridge questions, whether you are using my book or not.
While I tried to cover as much as I could in the books, there are LOTS of things they could come up with to ask.
AASHTO has put out a version of AASHTO for SE exam takers that is about half the price of the "full" AASHTO code. See this link.
https://bookstore.transportation.org/item_details.aspx?ID=1541
While I tried to cover as much as I could in the books, there are LOTS of things they could come up with to ask.
AASHTO has put out a version of AASHTO for SE exam takers that is about half the price of the "full" AASHTO code. See this link.
https://bookstore.transportation.org/item_details.aspx?ID=1541
Lukus
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I used School of PE on demand option, PPI practice exams and NCEES practice exams. I design bridges in a high-seismic state so I supplemented my notes with examples from work and I relied on these heavily in the Lateral Bridge PM. David's book was pretty much all I used for Lateral AM bridge questions. David listed every pertinent code section in the solutions so it made for a time-saving test resource.
For building guys, I always hear that working through SEAOC Seismic Design examples is a must, especially Volume 1. There are more volumes available but make sure you get the version that corresponds to the version of IBC currently spec'd by NCEES. Definitely get at lease Volume 1 of SEAOC.
I strongly recommend a review course. You can probably pass without one, but I felt that the benefits of my review course went far beyond the test and just helped me solidify my knowledge. You know you learn about ductility etc in college, but then years later you're detailing columns in SDC D/Seismic Zone 4 and you become foggy on all of the theory behind what you're doing. Review courses really refresh and reinforce that collegiate knowledge and apply it in practical, code-base examples. School of PE was just fine, really strong on theory. I hear PPI is great as well.
I got really lucky in my office, and had two large seismic design category D projects in the past year. I had a very vertically irregular concrete shear wall hotel, and horizontally and vertically irregular steel moment frame hospital. I had spent a lot of time getting to know the code. Other than that, I did the practice exams from NCEES and PPI.
