Torn between Thermo/Fluids and Machine Design Depth, this late in the game!

[Matt-NM]

(I should have posted this in the ME discipline area, but that section seems to be a little stagnant right now. I guess everybody is studying. I apologize in advance.)

Help! I am torn between the machine design and thermo/fluids depth module for the April ME PE. Up until now I had planned to take MD but am now reconsidering. I guess I had sort of chosen MD by default, since I don't work in HVAC or thermo/fluids. I have read that the morning portion is always heavy in thermo/fluids (by people who actually took the exam four times in a row).

I would say that I am equally comfortable with both modules. My job does not necessarily sway me one way or another, so that's not a deciding factor. Come to think of it, in college I was probably better at fluids/thermo than MD. I guess I should have nailed this down long before now. I guess the worst thing I could do is nothing when my mind may be telling me something else.

How did everybody choose the afternoon module (MD or thermo/fluids)and did you regret that choice after the exam.

Has anybody taken both modules on different exams?

Sorry for all the urgent posts. I guess i'm just stressin'. Thanks for all the help.

 

[jroyce]

First, you have to try to stay as calm as possible because you still have 30 days to go and it gets worse as the day gets closer. The calmer you are now the easier it will be for you to stay calm on test day. I truthfully think that being calm will help you out because you will be able to recall everything you studed easier then if you are freaking out and stressing about it.

I have to disagree with the comment that the morning session is heavy in thermo/fluids. I took the test in April and October of 07 and I dont think either of them was heavy in thermo/fluids. I think the April test was pretty fairly distributed and the October test was a little heavy in HVAC but that is only my opinion and it may have been due to the fact that I was least comfortable with HVAC and so I noticed those problems more. All I can say is that you have to study everything and be as comfortable as possible with everything.

I chose the MD depth because that is waht I was most familiar with but I also was flirting with the idea of switching to thermo/fluids. I also don't have a job in either but I had more references in the MD depth. Also the thermo/fluids has alot of tables and looking up information in tables which I didn't watn to bother with. That is the reason I chose MD. That is just my two cents though. I would just pick one and stick with it. Don't second guess yourself because that will only hurt you. Pick the one you are most familiar with and continue with it. Remember to also study the other stuff a little but so you dont lose it in the next month.

Good luck and if you need anything dont be afraid to let us know. We have all been there.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I took the October 07 PE, and it seemed pretty heavily laced with HVAC stuff in the morning. I went MD for the afternoon because I was more interested in it, and had more experience in that field. I found it a lot easier to study for things I was interested in.

Just my .02.

 

[Matt-NM]

Well that was quick. I think I have officially flipped from machine design to thermo/fluids and back to machine design within a day. I think i'm going crazy. No not really, at least not that bad yet. Reading the posts about the thermo/fluids heaviness in the morning made me realize that I could almost bypass machine design altogether and not have as much to study. Doing several thermo/fluids depth sample problems made me change my mind. It only took me a few to realize that I would rather do machine design. I have put in quite a bit of time on machine design anyway. I guess I better just stick with machine design this time. Who knows, maybe i'll wake up in the morning and decide to go buy some HVAC books.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Roy T.]

I have a genuinely serious question, so please don't bite my head off here... is it really that important for most Mechanical Eng. to get a P.E.? my wife has a degree in Chem. Eng. and she is debating whether or not to sit for the P.E. - I told her it's a good credential to have and since she meets the requirements to sit for it there's no reason not to do it - but ultimately, for her career, I'm not sure if it matters.

For the most part, outside of civil, environmental or structural, I don't see where it makes a difference. very few engineers (excepting those that design HVAC or electrical plans for FACILITIES, a small fraction of mechanicals and electricals out there) outside of these fields ever need to sign and seal plans.

It's a good credential I suppose, but im not sure I waste my time with it if I didn't work as a civil. In fact, I'm quite certain that if I had majored in Mechanical, Electrical or Chemical I would not waste my time.

 

[Matt-NM]

Honestly Roy I am beginning to wonder myself whether it is worth it. If I stay in my current job forever, it probably would never make a difference. Because of the time and dedication required for preparation, this will likely be my one time sitting for the exam, pass or fail. Here are a few positives, however, for at least taking, and hopefully passing the exam...

1. It gave me a chance to brush up on stuff that I haven't used in a while. Always better to come off sharp with respect to the people you work with. I am always impressed with people who know information, at least qualitatively, on subjects that they probably don't use every day.

2. If the industry ever shifts and I am forced to work at a company that requires the PE, I would be comfortable knowing that I had it rather than being forced to pull out the books so many years after being out of school.

3. It seems to be something containing a certain amount of prestige. Whether people agree with this or not, I am personally impressed when I find out that somebody is a PE, especially now that I know how much preparation goes into studying for the exam.

All things aside, the exam is definately a sacrifice. Prepare to put everything aside for three months, including family time. Hope this help some.

 

[Sschell]

I agree with everything that Jroyce said above (I took it in april 07).

I would add that MD is the most broad of the three depth modules, and therefore probably closest to the mech. eng. cirriculum taught at most schools. If you to not have specific background in HVAC or Thremo/Fluids, I would go with MD by default.

as to the question bout Why get a PE? there is a thread about that: http://engineerboards.com/index.php?s=&amp...t&p=2873473