Test Masters/EET/Dr. Tom's/PPI Short Evaluation

[PowerStroke79_PE]

Before my results come in I wanted to share a short opinion of my experiences with PE Courses I have taken. Not that I will be influenced by my results, but just in case. I took PE exam Civil/Structural

1. Test Masters (On Demand): Material is Great and Lessons are detailed and well taught. Some subjects better than others IMO, but they are all pretty good. I found their Geotech, Transpo and Water Resources for the AM review to be very good. However, they never answered a single email with any of my questions. Yes I required help and asked questions, not everyone does. 

2. EET (Live Webinars) : Excellent Lessons and lots of help. Material is spot on. Always answered my questions within the hour for the most part and certainly within 24 hrs when there were exceptions and they could not respond in a short time. These guys are the real deal. They love what they do and try really hard for their students. Structural IMO is exceptional. 

3. Dr. Toms (On Demand): Great Material and Organization. However, you have to build your binder by their instructions. While this is an attempt for you to internalize your study material, I found it to be quite annoying. Professors DO NOT explain anything out of what each example is. For example, a problem regarding the moment of inertia I realized would not resolve if one of the added sections was calculated as opposed to using the value given for it. The professor refused to discuss anything regarding my calcs as I had overlooked the given values. I found it very disappointing and thought it would have been less time to just discuss the problem. This was the case for every subject with different professors. 

4. PPI Live Webinars Structural Depth: I would not recommend this to anyone. I took the class hoping for the real deal as the PPI books are great and I had ran twice through the Six Minute Solutions volume and felt great improvement. The professor was a few minutes late one day and openly stated he had "overslept". He never followed the lesson plan and only covered a few problems from it and winged it about 80% of the lesson. The Professor seemed very knowledgeable but I never felt he was prepared to give any of the lessons. I am amazed no one else has commented on this in this forum. 

Which do I recommend? Below is in Order. 

1. EET

2. EET (Yes, I repeated this recommendation on purpose.)

3. Test Masters

4.  Dr. Toms

5. Any of the above. 

Everyone is different. I would like to stress that every course out there expects you to have knowledge of engineering fundamentals and be good at them. Yes even EET. And I understand them. Instead of cramming tricks and memorizing problems I recommend you pick up your favorite or recommended review manual (CERM or Goswami are Excellent) and hit them hard. Jump what you don't understand and when you are done with the first run, give it another one. I have failed this exam too many times, but I have grown. I have gotten so much better at what I do and its been because I have persisted in learning. Also, I'm horrible at taking exams. I hope I passed, but if I didn't I'll give it another run. I guess this didn't end up short. My apologies. 

 

[Mazen Natafji]

sure but do not forget Professional Engineering Services and Dr. Mansour's material which is very well organized and his practice questions are done very similar to the real thing that will surely help you finish the test in time since it times you. also I found that Dr. Mansour classes are teacher based only a teacher with extensive teaching background like his can get the concept through to students. I sincerely IMO say that without him passing the PE and then seismic or Surveying would have been very difficult and lengthy.

 

[PowerStroke79_PE]

sure but do not forget Professional Engineering Services and Dr. Mansour's material which is very well organized and his practice questions are done very similar to the real thing that will surely help you finish the test in time since it times you. also I found that Dr. Mansour classes are teacher based only a teacher with extensive teaching background like his can get the concept through to students. I sincerely IMO say that without him passing the PE and then seismic or Surveying would have been very difficult and lengthy.

I never took his course or studied under him. Im expressing my opinion based on my encounter with different courses that i took. Personally i think anyone can pass with either course i mentioned. Its more about which one clicks for you. You can still end up failing much like me when you consistently do something wrong and the course ends up being the least factor. I will look for his books and consider it.....