Survey: time spent studying and your result

[amats42]

ME TFS passed 1st attempt. I took an in-person course (36 hours) and spent probably 100-125 hours running problems, tabbing, and testing.

Classes are fun, but they aren't nearly as effective as running problems. I felt like I could have used another 50 hours doing problems, but I was confident on about 60/80 problems, struggled through another 10, and probably guessed on the final 10. Those 50 hours probably would have pushed me into 70/80 confident answers (I didn't review statics and could have used more HVAC review).

I think the suggested 300 hours is excessive for TFS, but the confidence on test day may be worth it! I was rather nervous walking out of the test.

 

[trackerjacker]

There is only one fact that matters. Study as much as you need to.

You will never regret spending extra hours needed to pass the exam, but you most definitely will regret NOT studying more if you fail.

Yeah that.

 

[midiman143]

I started with tabbed books from a friend and self studied as many NCEES and other problems as I could. I took a BSCE course which I didnt find super helpful for about half the lectures 4 hours a week and studied another 8 on weekend. So all told I was probably under the 100 hour mark and did not pass. Next round I plan to take EET and study more hours for sure.

 

[quique421]

2-3 hours every day plus Dr. Monsour's course on Saturday and Sunday so about 26-31 hours a week About 400 hrs total.

 

[RayEng84]

I was 9 years out of school and didn't remember anything except basic concepts from school.  I took an online Machine Design & Materials online course and studied around 200 additional hours.  I passed and give the biggest credit to doing all the available NCEES practice exams and watching a ton of youtube videos on basic machine design & metallurgy topics.  I actually learned a ton and it is helping me as an engineer.    

 

[schedengr]

I studied close to 250 hours for the exam and failed. It's a bit misleading to ask how many hours you put toward the exam, because I devoted most of my time to the breadth section and I got destroyed by the afternoon. Linderberg's CERM doesn't do justice covering construction hardly at all. Construction is an extremely broad topic and I felt that the board chose questions that were questionable on what was being asked. I mean to ask a question about <Deleted> is straight up bs to be asked on a civil engineering pe exam. <Deleted>, I'd really like to see an OSHA inspector come out on a job site and ask that question to a project manager. Give me a break.

 

[Becks]

I understand why some folks are saying that knowing how much others studied might not be helpful, but I personally pursued info about this to set up my study schedule.

I started studying about ten weeks ahead of time with the goal to put in ten hours a week. Some weeks I did more and some weeks I did less or none. I ended up with about 110 hours and spent way more time on breadth doing practice problems. The time I did spend on depth was mostly flicking through references and tabbing areas that I felt might be useful. I found the indices to be pretty bad and I also wanted to be familiar with what reference would be needed for a particular question.

FWIW, I had convinced myself I failed before results came out. 

110/transportation/pass

 

[ATLAC47]

The state of GA requires passing the 16 Hour SE exam in order to obtain a PE for structural engineers, so I had to study a lot for the SE exam considering I'm still young with only 5 years of experience.

300/SE exam/Pass 

 

[ptatohed]

I studied close to 250 hours for the exam and failed. It's a bit misleading to ask how many hours you put toward the exam, because I devoted most of my time to the breadth section and I got destroyed by the afternoon. Linderberg's CERM doesn't do justice covering construction hardly at all. Construction is an extremely broad topic and I felt that the board chose questions that were questionable on what was being asked. I mean to ask a question about <Deleted> is straight up bs to be asked on a civil engineering pe exam. <Deleted>, I'd really like to see an OSHA inspector come out on a job site and ask that question to a project manager. Give me a break.

Please don't post exam-like questions! 

 

[knight1fox3]

I studied close to 250 hours for the exam and failed. It's a bit misleading to ask how many hours you put toward the exam, because I devoted most of my time to the breadth section and I got destroyed by the afternoon. Linderberg's CERM doesn't do justice covering construction hardly at all. Construction is an extremely broad topic and I felt that the board chose questions that were questionable on what was being asked. I mean to ask a question about <Deleted> is straight up bs to be asked on a civil engineering pe exam. <Deleted>, I'd really like to see an OSHA inspector come out on a job site and ask that question to a project manager. Give me a break.

Please don't post exam-like questions! 

Furthermore, NCEES monitors this forum very closely and will occasionally investigate those instances where they feel an exam agreement has been violated. Be mindful.

 

[gpoli111]

The state of GA requires passing the 16 Hour SE exam in order to obtain a PE for structural engineers, so I had to study a lot for the SE exam considering I'm still young with only 5 years of experience.

300/SE exam/Pass 

Georgia really requires an SE to practice? That's not what it shows on the NCSEA site. http://www.ncsea.com/resources/licensure/

 

[alien]

I started my studying in November, so almost 6 months before the actual exam. Not sure how many hours I put into it. I took it kind of slow in the beginning and then studied more and more as I got closer, and then dwindled down my studying again a week or so before the exam to allow myself to relax mentally. I do think I studied too much compared to other responses here, but I passed (electrical), and that's all that matters. Thanks to everyone who provided and provides guidance in this community.

 

[ATLAC47]

Georgia really requires an SE to practice? That's not what it shows on the NCSEA site. http://www.ncsea.com/resources/licensure/

They will only let you sit for the 16 hour exam if you work on buildings and/or bridges.  The state doesn't recognize the SE, but requires passage of the 16 hour exam to get a PE.

 

[MEinTX]

I studied probably 200 hours on my own going through the Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual, then another 80 hours taking the Test Masters class. I ended up passing first try ME Thermal Fluids.

 

[mn_mag]

5 hours a saturday for aprox 8 saturdays, pass, water resource.  Honestly felt like if you did the 6 min problems without looking at solutions you should have a good chance at passing

 

[schedengr]

I just hope the board wakes up with some real questions for the next construction depth exam. Keep the exam civil engineering related and not for construction management majors, we all chose civil engineering over CM. 

 

[Privacylee]

Approximately 200 hours taking the School of PE course and taking practice tests on weekends the month before the exam.

Passed Civil/Transportation 1st attempt.

Like others have said, It was a lot of work but I certainly would have wished I had studied more if I had not passed.

 

[SteveTheEngineer]

Cool story bro

Not a story, only the truth.  Not everyone studies 100+ hours to pass the exam.  It all depends on your background.

 

[ngmakhlo_PE]

1st attempt: Maybe 50 hours total at random times, no routine, no schedule. FAILED HARD. Civil/Transpo

2nd attempt: well over 430 hours over a span on 4.5 months (including EET lectures). Studied every single day before and after work. Passed Civil/Transpo.

 

[smahurin]

They will only let you sit for the 16 hour exam if you work on buildings and/or bridges.  The state doesn't recognize the SE, but requires passage of the 16 hour exam to get a PE.

That seems backwards, no?   I know nothing about georgia but it seems like it would be impossible to enforce a requirement to take the SE, before the PE if they don't recognize the SE.  If they don't have a separate license for different engineers why would they require one georgia PE to pass 24hrs of exams and other georgia PE's to pass 8hrs of exams.  I'm sure you know your state requirements, it just seems incredibly weird that GA would do that.