Total Studying Time

[maryannette]

P E in 2 days ... Prayer needed always

My PE prayer was, "God, I've studied hard and prepared as well as possible, so if I have to guess, please let me guess the right answer."

Amen.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Mine was similar. "Please, God, don't make me have to study for this thing again."

God smiled on me.

 

[Brentum]

Well, I didn't keep track but I've probably put in 120-140 horus maybe? Some reading, mostly doing problems. Have about 200+ pages of problems worked (2 problems per page average).

More or less followed the plan in the MERM. No review classes were offered in Spokane that I could find (which is odd as this is one of the testing locations for Washington). I do have a braniac buddy of mine who's taking it two that I've been studying with. He's got a Master's in ME and works for the Naval Research Station doing acoustic testing and research to new sub designs. So I am hoping by osmosis that I've soaked up some of his brain waves over the past few months.

I probably should have another 80-100 hours of studying in though, so I'm kinda freaked out. I'm 11 years out of college, and in a job that's more sales and applications than nuts and bolts engineering. I do a fair amount with fluids, and a little with thermo and HVAC, but I have charts, graphs, and tables for everything I need. I almost never have to a quantitative analysis as it were.

So, I'll let you all know if it was enough in June. I'm guessing not, and am prepared to take it again in October, and hopefully I'll have a better idea what I need to do to be successful with one test under my belt. However, I've got my fingers crossed and am saying a few prayers that it'll be enough so I don't have to take this freakin' think again. ;-)

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Do hours spent spamming EB.com count towards hours studied?

 

[roadwreck]

Do hours spent spamming EB.com count towards hours studied?

Yes!

 

[BlackVision]

Less the 2 days and I have studied maybe a total of 25 hours for the CE PE exam (ENV&WR). I am posting this to make those who didn't study 200 plus hours...just to make them feel like they are not alone. LOL.... In college I was a good test taker but that was 8 years ago. lol... I wasn't really motivated to study and really didn't have that much time. But I know someone who studied maybe 15 hours and had a well tabbed book and passed. Here is how he passed and this is how all multiple choice exams should be taken...well it worked for me in college.

* Tab your CERM! Even your practive problem books! Tabs like "trapezoidal open channel problem," or "primary clarifier problems."

* Look at all the questions of the test before answering and rank the easy to hard per se. Just look for those questions you know you can answer. Then those you think you can if you have a little more time and then those you have no idea where to start and then do them in that order!!!

* Always leave time at the end of the test to guess those that you did not answer.

* pay attention to units....this is huge. Your answers units can tell you how to calculate the answer in some ways. Also watch out for them question that give you too much info. You don't necessarily have to use all the info to answer!

I was told there are a handful of questions for the AM that you can answer in 30 seconds. This gives you 30min over and above your 6 minute per question.

Anyway, my 2 cents has no leverage since I haven't even taken the test yet. But if i pass I will be sure to let you know how I did it. lol....

 

[benbo]

Anyway, my 2 cents has no leverage since I haven't even taken the test yet. But if i pass I will be sure to let you know how I did it. lol....

Good luck and you may very well pass. But I'm afraid that even if you pass your two cents will have no leverage. You cannot honestly state that it is better to be unprepared and lucky than to prepare for a significant exam like this. Maybe you don't need to study 200 hours, but any person who counts on getting through just by putting tabs in their book is going to have to be a genius or really lucky.

This is especially true in California, where civils have to take three exams (I'm electrical so I didn't), and I'm not sure all the information for these can be found in the CERM.

But, like I said, good luck to you. I just wouldn't follow your study method if I was starting out.

 

[BlackVision]

Good luck and you may very well pass. But I'm afraid that even if you pass your two cents will have no leverage. You cannot honestly state that it is better to be unprepared and lucky than to prepare for a significant exam like this. Maybe you don't need to study 200 hours, but any person who counts on getting through just by putting tabs in their book is going to have to be a genius or really lucky.
This is especially true in California, where civils have to take three exams (I'm electrical so I didn't), and I'm not sure all the information for these can be found in the CERM.

But, like I said, good luck to you. I just wouldn't follow your study method if I was starting out.

I agree. But IF I pass, lol my 2 cents on how I did it will not be weighted any less then everyone elses two cents. It is what it is, 2 cents. 98 cents is all on the individual test takers and their individual styles. Oh and I did not count in the other 2 tests. I should have explained that my goal is just to pass the 8 hour which the rest of the country is doing. Some States will accept the California 8 hour (eg Wisconsin) as sufficient to get your PE liscense, but just for that State. Oh well good luck people...

Oh is anybody taking LEEDS? I have been studying for that too. Is there a LEEDs section on the website?

 

[benbo]

Oh is anybody taking LEEDS? I have been studying for that too. Is there a LEEDs section on the website?

Don't you mean you haven't been studying for that either?

Sorry, I couldn't resist. I think that's closed book, so the tabbing method probably won't work. Or am i wrong?

 

[BlackVision]

Don't you mean you haven't been studying for that either?
Sorry, I couldn't resist. I think that's closed book, so the tabbing method probably won't work. Or am i wrong?

You are correct it is not open book. I took a class for LEEDS. It is much more of a motivation for me than the PE and more interesting.

 

[jmbeck]

You are correct it is not open book. I took a class for LEEDS. It is much more of a motivation for me than the PE and more interesting.

I went to the NC Tech Review in Atlanta about a month ago.

They basically walked you through the book and showed off their green building. Not at all what I was hoping for.

I was going to take the exam two weeks ago, and had to cancel due to a work assignment in Denver. I haven't rescheduled, but want to soon.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

Bigray76 and I both passed the LEED AP exam for new construction.

We don't have a LEED forum here, but feel free to post questions in the "Exams - Other" Forum.

 

[Vinsanity]

I dont count how many hours I have spent on studying, I just try to study almost all topics that I can and prepare better, specially on my weak areas and improve my strengths. Good luck to all April 2008 guys.

Maybe 500 hours reading, and solving problems all that I find related to this exam.