Taking FE Exam in Less than 2 Weeks and Worried

[sgt_waddle]

Hello all.

I am taking the FE Exam in less than two weeks. I am taking the Civil afternoon portion. I have been studying for a few months now. I have the Lindberg books and a subscription to Exam Cafe on PPI2Pass.com. It still seems to me that there is not that much material available to prepare for afternoon civil portion. I have taken a few mock exams and have done well enough (usually 75-85 percent....although that always includes some problems I have had in the past already due to the test generation) but I am still very worried. When I was working the through the big FE Review manual by Lindberg, I struggled on a lot of that. My weakest areas are thermo, electrical, computers, and chemistry. The ethics questions also seem tricky.

I am a senior student right now, and have not taken a course in foundations or transportation yet. I am in reinforced concrete now. So those areas are a little shakey due to lack of experiece. Beyond this... I find the surveying questions difficult.

Can anyone offer any advice or experience? Are the exam questions as difficult as the PPI2Pass preparation material? Worse maybe? I see that the first time test takers passing percentage is really quite high. But I hear the test is very hard. How does this make sense?

Also, I read some places that a score of roughly 50% is needed to pass, but then I see people posting that they got a 65 or 67% and still failed. Could anyone shed any light on this for me?

I appreciate your time, and any responses you have.

Have a good day.

 

[John QPE]

I found the All In One PE Book by Dr. Goswami to be a great resource for the Civil afternoon. I also used the NCEES civil practice exam, and the Kaplan cil book (not very good) .. I also took a review course from School of PE.

The PPI practice problems are a lot more difficult than the real exam. Just go through the NCEES outline, do your best, and go from there.

All the transpo stuff you will need is on like 1-2 pages in the manual....just go through the NCEES outline and know where all these formulas are...know which equations require distance in feet vs distance is stations! (this will screw you up) ....

Most of all....don't sweat it. You can always take again, and on the 2nd try you'll know what to expect!

Good luck, make us proud!

 

[emeschew]

My experience was probably the same as most people here. I took the FE exam during my last semester of senior year. Between studying for that, studying for class and working on my senior project, I was feeling slightly overwhelmed.

I started studying around the prior Christmas because I knew it was going to be a busy semester. My school also offered a free class to all engineering students to review all of the general material, which was nice since I was able to study with a bunch of my friends in other disciplines. Regarding the civil portion of the exam, I had taken all of the "entry" courses in civil (my focus was structural) with the exception of any construction management material (ironic looking back now since I am currently in construction). I reviewed scheduling and estimating to try to maximize the number of questions I could get right since I had no idea what CPM was or what float days were etc...

If I remember correctly, they aren't going to make you design a reinforced column or beam or footing. They might ask you questions regarding the process or you might have to do a quick calculation as a check, but you won't have any codes to help you. I do remember worrying about the exam, I think almost everyone does, but it sounds like you've been studying for a while so you should be fine. I would review the material that you have not had a course in yet. So transportation and foundation design, at least be familiar with common type problems in your sample exams and with the equations in the exam guidebook.

I thought the ethics questions were tricky as well, but just read through the problem statement a few times to make sure you are understanding the question and answer selection. Electrical and computers were my weakest areas as well; however, they make up a small portion of the test, so I tried my best and guessed on the rest. Is that some kind of literary feat? Probably just a good rhyme, but it's been a while since I took a literature class...

Regarding the scoring, and maybe I might be getting this confused with the PE exam, the scoring is not a set 50 or 75% correct to obtain a passing mark. NCEES has their way of scoring http://ncees.org/exams/scoring/ and it remains a mystery to all engineering examinees. I would worry less about scoring any kind of minimum and focus on answering as many questions correctly as possible to maximize your chance of passing.

I think what makes the test hard is the fact that their is such a broad spectrum of material to study. The study guide from NCEES covers all aspects of your college coursework so it makes trying to study for everything almost impossible. This ties in with our weakest areas as well - electrical and computers. I remember studying with an electrical friend who had never taken statics or dynamics or any materials courses. My point is that the test appears to level the playing field, so to speak. We all have our weak areas. That's just my opinion.

I thought the actual test was easier than the PPI or other sample exams, but I was glad I did them in the end. That goes for the PE too. Keep working sample problems and sample exams.

Good luck!

 

[iwire]

get familiar with the formula book. I took it last year, it was helpful

 

[civilized_naah]

I found the All In One PE Book by Dr. Goswami to be a great resource for the Civil afternoon. I also used the NCEES civil practice exam, and the Kaplan cil book (not very good) .. I also took a review course from School of PE.

When I saw this message from John Q, I thought it might be useful for some if they had a list of topics and page numbers from that book that can form the basis for studying for the FE Civil exam. I am also planning to use it to accompany my upcoming FE review course. I tried to upload the PDF, but that won't work for some reason. So, I am pasting it below:

[SIZE=12pt]List of Topics from All In One PE Exam Guide relevant to the FE-CIVIL Examination[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]MATH: Mathematics[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]PRST: Probability & Statistics[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]MOM: Mechanics of Materials[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]MATL: Materials[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]STAT: Statics[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]STRAN: Structural Analysis[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]STDES: Structural Design[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]GEO: Geotechnical Engineering[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]FLM: Fluid Mechanics[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]HYD: Hydraulics & Hydrologic Systems[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ENV: Environmental[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]TRA: Transportation[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]CON: Construction[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ECON: Engineering Economics[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]SURV: Surveying[/SIZE]

[SIZE=20pt]List of Topics: IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE[/SIZE]

Subject

Topic

Pages

MOM

Sign Convention

1-2

STAT

Centroid

2-3

STAT

Moment of Inertia, Section Modulus

4-6

MOM

Bending Stress

6-7

MOM

Shear Stress

9-10

MOM

Torsion of circular sections

13

MOM

Torsion of thin-walled sections

14

MOM

Pressure vessels

14-15

MOM

Mohr’s circle

15-19

MATH

Vectors

25-27

STAT

Equivalent force system

27-28

STAT

Trusses: Stability & Determinacy

28

STAT

Trusses: Method of Joints

29-31

STAT

Trusses: Method of Sections

31-33

STAT

Trusses: Zero Force Members

34-35

STRAN

Deflection of Trusses

35-36

MOM

Shear Force & Bending Moment

42-55

MOM

Deflection of beams

55-59

STRAN

Deflection of beams 0 Unit Load Method

64-65

STRAN

Indeterminate Beams: Fixed end moments

102

MATL

Concrete – Absolute Volume Method

103-106

MATL

Concrete: Modulus of Elasticity; Modulus of rupture

106

STDES

Reinforced Concrete: Reinforcement bars

107

STDES

Reinforced Concrete: Load combinations

108

STDES

Reinforced Concrete Beams: Flexure: Singly reinforced sections

117-123

STDES

Reinforced Concrete Beams: Flexure: Doubly reinforced sections

123-124

STDES

Reinforced Concrete Beams: Shear

127-130

STDES

Reinforced Concrete One-Way Slabs

133-136

STDES

Reinforced Concrete Columns

143-155

STDES

Steel Tension Members

165-172

STDES

Steel Compression Members

175-187

STDES

Steel Beams: Flexure

191-203

STDES

Steel Beams: Shear

204-205

GEO

Phase Relationships for Soil

269-272

GEO

Effective stress

281-282

GEO

Atterberg Limits – Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit

284-286

GEO

Standard Penetration test

286-288

GEO

Direct Shear Test

290-291

GEO

Compaction

292-297

GEO

Triaxial test

298-303

GEO

Consolidation

303-308

GEO

Sieve sizes

315

GEO

Particle size distribution

317

GEO

USCS soil classification

318-320

GEO

AASHTO soil classification

320-326

GEO

Stress under corner of uniformly loaded rectangular area

328-329

GEO

Stress under corner of uniformly loaded circular area

336-337

GEO

Permeability: Darcy’s Law

343-350

GEO

Flow Nets

352

GEO

Aquifers: Steady state solution

356-361

GEO

Shallow foundations: Terzaghi

368-370

GEO

Deep foundations

396-400

GEO

Active earth pressure

415

GEO

Passive earth pressure

417

GEO

Retaining wall: Stability

420-423

CON

Earthwork: trapezoidal rule& Simpson’s rule

464

CON

Area by coordinates

466

FLM

Continuity equation

473

FLM

Energy equation – Bernoulli

473

FLM

Momentum equation

475

FLM

Viscosity

478

FLM

Hydrostatic pressure

481

FLM

Dynamic Similarity

484

FLM

Laminar & Turbulent Flow

487

FLM

Flow measurement devices for pipes

498-501

FLM

Flow measurement devices for open channels

548-551

HYD

Head loss in pipes: Darcy-Weisbach equation

489-492

HYD

Head loss in pipes: Hazen Williams equation

492-494

HYD

Head loss in pipes: Minor losses

494-496

HYD

Open channel hydraulics – Chezy Manning equation

520

HYD

Trapezoidal, circular and rectangular channels

521-524

HYD

Normal depth of flow in circular channels

531-534

HYD

Critical depth

539

HYD

Weirs

548

HYD

Hydraulic jump

553-557

HYD

Precipitation depth and intensity

567-569

HYD

Unit hydrograph

578-580

HYD

Runoff estimation – NRCS curve number

583-587

HYD

Runoff estimation – Rational Method

589-592

ENV

Biochemical Oxygen Demand

608-614

ENV

Dilution purification

616-620

ENV

Hardness in water

620

ENV

Harness removal

623-626

ENV

Ph

626-629

ENV

Alkalinity

629-631

ENV

Toxicity

633-635

ENV

Mixing and flocculation

644

ENV

Activated Carbon Adsorption

653-655

ENV

Hydraulic detention time

665

ENV

Activated Sludge process

667-671

TRA

Speed, volume, density

683-685

TRA

Constant acceleration

689-690

TRA

Accident rates

699

TRA

Stopping sight distance

701-703

TRA

Stopping sight distance on vertical curves

704-708

TRA

Horizontal sightline offset

708-710

SURV

Angles – azimuth and bearings

715

SURV

Latitudes and departures

716

TRA

Horizontal curves

717-727

TRA

Vertical curves

728-731

TRA

Spiral length

734

TRA

Superelevation

739-741

TRA

Equivalent single axle loads

823-825

TRA

Structural number

826-827

TRA

Performance grading

829

TRA

Superpave

830-832

MATL

Asphalt mix proportions

834-838

ECON

Engineering Economics

855-878

PRST

Binomial distribution

879

PRST

Normal distribution

883

PRST

Student’s t-distribution

886

PRST

Regression

890

CON

Critical path analysis

893-900

[SIZE=20pt]List of Topics: BY SUBJECT[/SIZE]

Mathematics

Subject

Topic

Pages

MATH

Vectors

25-27

Probability & Statistics

Subject

Topic

Pages

PRST

Binomial distribution

879

PRST

Normal distribution

883

PRST

Student’s t-distribution

886

PRST

Regression

890

Engineering Economics

Subject

Topic

Pages

ECON

Engineering Economics

855-878

Statics

Subject

Topic

Pages

STAT

Centroid

2-3

STAT

Moment of Inertia, Section Modulus

4-6

STAT

Equivalent force system

27-28

STAT

Trusses: Stability & Determinacy

28

STAT

Trusses: Method of Joints

29-31

STAT

Trusses: Method of Sections

31-33

STAT

Trusses: Zero Force Members

34-35

Mechanics of Materials

Subject

Topic

Pages

MOM

Sign Convention

1-2

MOM

Bending Stress

6-7

MOM

Shear Stress

9-10

MOM

Torsion of circular sections

13

MOM

Torsion of thin-walled sections

14

MOM

Pressure vessels

14-15

MOM

Mohr’s circle

15-19

MOM

Shear Force & Bending Moment

42-55

MOM

Deflection of beams

55-59

Materials

Subject

Topic

Pages

MATL

Concrete – Absolute Volume Method

103-106

MATL

Concrete: Modulus of Elasticity; Modulus of rupture

106

MATL

Asphalt mix proportions

834-838

Fluid Mechanics

Subject

Topic

Pages

FLM

Continuity equation

473

FLM

Energy equation – Bernoulli

473

FLM

Momentum equation

475

FLM

Viscosity

478

FLM

Hydrostatic pressure

481

FLM

Dynamic Similarity

484

FLM

Laminar & Turbulent Flow

487

FLM

Flow measurement devices for pipes

498-501

FLM

Flow measurement devices for open channels

548-551

Hydraulics & Hydrologic Systems

Subject

Topic

Pages

HYD

Head loss in pipes: Darcy-Weisbach equation

489-492

HYD

Head loss in pipes: Hazen Williams equation

492-494

HYD

Head loss in pipes: Minor losses

494-496

HYD

Open channel hydraulics – Chezy Manning equation

520

HYD

Trapezoidal, circular and rectangular channels

521-524

HYD

Normal depth of flow in circular channels

531-534

HYD

Critical depth

539

HYD

Weirs

548

HYD

Hydraulic jump

553-557

HYD

Precipitation depth and intensity

567-569

HYD

Unit hydrograph

578-580

HYD

Runoff estimation – NRCS curve number

583-587

HYD

Runoff estimation – Rational Method

589-592

Environmental

Subject

Topic

Pages

ENV

Biochemical Oxygen Demand

608-614

ENV

Dilution purification

616-620

ENV

Hardness in water

620

ENV

Harness removal

623-626

ENV

pH

626-629

ENV

Alkalinity

629-631

ENV

Toxicity

633-635

ENV

Mixing and flocculation

644

ENV

Activated Carbon Adsorption

653-655

ENV

Hydraulic detention time

665

ENV

Activated Sludge process

667-671

[SIZE=12pt]Structural Analysis[/SIZE]

Subject

Topic

Pages

STRAN

Deflection of Trusses

35-36

STRAN

Deflection of beams 0 Unit Load Method

64-65

STRAN

Indeterminate Beams: Fixed end moments

102

[SIZE=12pt]Structural Design[/SIZE]

Subject

Topic

Pages

STDES

Reinforced Concrete: Reinforcement bars

107

STDES

Reinforced Concrete: Load combinations

108

STDES

Reinforced Concrete Beams: Flexure: Singly reinforced sections

117-123

STDES

Reinforced Concrete Beams: Flexure: Doubly reinforced sections

123-124

STDES

Reinforced Concrete Beams: Shear

127-130

STDES

Reinforced Concrete One-Way Slabs

133-136

STDES

Reinforced Concrete Columns

143-155

STDES

Steel Tension Members

165-172

STDES

Steel Compression Members

175-187

STDES

Steel Beams: Flexure

191-203

STDES

Steel Beams: Shear

204-205

Surveying

Subject

Topic

Pages

SURV

Angles – azimuth and bearings

715

SURV

Latitudes and departures

716

[SIZE=12pt]Geotechnical[/SIZE]

Subject

Topic

Pages

GEO

Phase Relationships for Soil

269-272

GEO

Effective stress

281-282

GEO

Atterberg Limits – Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit

284-286

GEO

Standard Penetration test

286-288

GEO

Direct Shear Test

290-291

GEO

Compaction

292-297

GEO

Triaxial test

298-303

GEO

Consolidation

303-308

GEO

Sieve sizes

315

GEO

Particle size distribution

317

GEO

USCS soil classification

318-320

GEO

AASHTO soil classification

320-326

GEO

Stress under corner of uniformly loaded rectangular area

328-329

GEO

Stress under corner of uniformly loaded circular area

336-337

GEO

Permeability: Darcy’s Law

343-350

GEO

Flow Nets

352

GEO

Aquifers: Steady state solution

356-361

GEO

Shallow foundations: Terzaghi

368-370

GEO

Deep foundations

396-400

GEO

Active earth pressure

415

GEO

Passive earth pressure

417

GEO

Retaining wall: Stability

420-423

[SIZE=12pt]Transportation[/SIZE]

Subject

Topic

Pages

TRA

Speed, volume, density

683-685

TRA

Constant acceleration

689-690

TRA

Accident rates

699

TRA

Stopping sight distance

701-703

TRA

Stopping sight distance on vertical curves

704-708

TRA

Horizontal sightline offset

708-710

TRA

Horizontal curves

717-727

TRA

Vertical curves

728-731

TRA

Spiral length

734

TRA

Superelevation

739-741

TRA

Equivalent single axle loads

823-825

TRA

Structural number

826-827

TRA

Performance grading

829

TRA

Superpave

830-832

Construction

Subject

Topic

Pages

CON

Earthwork: trapezoidal rule& Simpson’s rule

464

CON

Area by coordinates

466

CON

Critical path analysis

893-900

 

[civilized_naah]

A 110 question (5.5 hrs) practice exam for the new FE-CIVIL exam is now available at Amazon ISBN: 978-1494766306