SEII Exam Strategy

[Casey]

I guess this is a more a question for Kevo, since I believe he is the only SEII veteran on the forum. Anyone else with experience or opinions feel free to chime. Any and all advice is appreciated.

With the Civil PE exam people usually jump around from question to question looking to do the easier questions first. Is this possible or even advisable with the essay format exams?

I know some questions rely on your answers from a previous solution, but judging from the NCEES sample exam it would suggest that some questions can be done out of order...

I am considering this approach since time is definitely not on my side. I can't be quick and neat at the same time.

Thanks.

 

[buening]

I too would like to find some tips on the SE II. I took the NCEES SE II morning practice exam today and it took me 4.5 hours. Based on that practice exam, the latter parts of the same question relied on components determined early in the problem. Each part of the question went along with the design process you'd normally take. Going out of order would more than likely take you longer, because you would hit a point where there was too many things you were missing for a formula. Skipping part of the problem that you are hung up on may or may not work, depending on what other parts there are. If you are hung up on the last part of the question, it may help to mark the pages of the code you have open and skip to the next problem...hoping to return to last part of that problem. This is what I've found for bridges, can't help much with the buildings.

Neatness is definitely a challenge for me. When you are flying through the calcs because you are tight on time, keeping things neat and in order is near impossible. I hope they would not fail me because of my handwriting when my knowledge is there.

In the end, I think it's all luck. There are so many things they can drill you on, and if you are lucky those problems are ones you are pretty familiar with. In bridges, there are tub girders and post tensioned beams, which are really uncommon. A buddy of mine took the SE II a few years ago and there was a post tensioned concrete box girder and it threw him for a loop. The next year he got a simple splice plate and passed.

 

[ARLORD]

Yes, I agree I can't work quicly and neatly either. I understand the material, I am worried about

getting it down on paper in a clear concise way where someone else can follow it. Normally at work,

after I am done a set of calcs I have to recopy it neatly for the file, because it is sloppy and jumps

around. I guess you can practice working quickly and neatly, but who has the time for that.

I prefer the multiple guess format.

I don't think there is any easy way out. However, I don't recommend going out of order unless you

confirm that all questions are independent.

I do look forward to any advice from veteran SE II takers.

 

[Greenaqua]

I took and passed SE II. I skipped around a little bit and left room in the workbook to come back if time permitting. The problems that I had for each session weren't equal in time so be carefull with time management. I would recommend attempting the problem that looks easiest to you and then work the other one after. It builds confidence and while you work the easier one you will likely be thinking of how you are going to solve the other in the back of your head. In the morning session I finished the 1st problem in about 1.5 hours. It took me the remainder of time to work the 2nd one.

 

[kevo_55]

As most of you know already, I'm not the only SEII taker/passer on the forum. I already know that I'm defintely not the smartest SE around as well. Maybe I am one of the most vocal though.

When I took the exam, I Mainly did the exam from "front to back." I might have skipped one sub-question but only because I knew that I needed to get some more time-consuming problems done which I had down better.

One important item of note, you'll have a small "answer booklet" of blank pages in order to provide your solutions. If you do skip questions or sub-questions you may need to leave a few blank sheets of paper. Don't worry though, if you happen to not leave yourself enough room just simply explain what you are doing and why you are currently on page 4 and must turn to page 10 for the final sub question to be answered.

Oh, and you can get more blank answer booklets if you wish as well. Many trees will be killed on Friday.

 

[Casey]

Well, I am on the road tomorrow on my way to the exam. Thanks for all the help and advice guys.

Good luck to all those writing the exam!!

Bonne chance!

 

[kevo_55]

I'm out myself.

Good luck Casey, BW, Arlord, buening, and jessica!!

See you on the other side!

:bananalama:

 

[buening]

Good bye cruel world, hope I make it out alive! :Locolaugh: Good luck all!

 

[Bigwolf]

Good Luck to everyone!!!! Kevo--have a good flight out to Cali--give those supplemental exams some hell! :th_rockon:

I'm heading to Phoenix tomorrow since the SE II is on Saturday there. See you all on the flip side! :multiplespotting: