VIRGINIA - RESULTS

[KOMAR]

Well my name is not listed (starts with a "V") so I guess that means I did not pass. Looks like maybe one person out of at least 4 taking mechanical machine design with me passed. Looking forward to the diagnostics but I just hope I did not get a 68.5.Congratulations to the ones that did pass.

Tough break. Hopefully the diagnostic will assist you in preparing for the next time. Don't give up! I didn't find this board until after I took the exam, but it looks like it is VERY helpful. Stick around and knock that f*cker out next time!

 

[VA_NowPE]

Thanks KOMAR! Congrats to you too.

Tried to change my log-in name but could not find how to - not the smartest when I set things up.

I know a few people (names at the higher end of the alphabet) that took it but there names have not been listed yet on DPOR's website - is there the possibility that they have not uploaded all the names yet?

 

[KOMAR]

Thanks KOMAR! Congrats to you too.
Tried to change my log-in name but could not find how to - not the smartest when I set things up.

I know a few people (names at the higher end of the alphabet) that took it but there names have not been listed yet on DPOR's website - is there the possibility that they have not uploaded all the names yet?

I guess that is always a possibility. I know a "W" that is posted as having passed. Not sure the order in which names are entered. Is it by name, by number (apparently assigned based on when you apply), or something else.

 

[IlliniASU]

Is it too early in the day to start drinking?
I can't seem to get any work done today anyway.

:beerchug:

I could not get anything done either when I found out that I passed, and that was three weeks ago!

Make sure you go to happy hour today. You deserve it! Woohoo!!

:beerchug:

 

[maryannette]

... so I guess that means I did not pass.

Good luck on next exam, buick. We're here for you. Never give up.

And, congrats to those who passed.

 

[gumba]

My name begins with "D" and I'm not showing up. :smileyballs:

I think it is safe to say I didn't pass.

Congrats to those of you that did! Take the rest of the day off and celebrate!

Last time I got a 69. Can a brother get a break???

Time to go for #4 10940623:

 

[Ken]

My name begins with "D" and I'm not showing up. :smileyballs:
I think it is safe to say I didn't pass.

Congrats to those of you that did! Take the rest of the day off and celebrate!

Last time I got a 69. Can a brother get a break???

Time to go for #4 10940623:

Gumba,

Here's my two cents...When I first took it, I walked in almost blind, minimal study and hope...Second time round, I actually buckled down and did some studying. hard..u bet, the most important thing is NEVER GIVE UP...you can do this...not the toughest thing in the world...but u need to be dedicated to it and u have to want it real bad. Good luck

 

[gumba]

Gumba,
Here's my two cents...When I first took it, I walked in almost blind, minimal study and hope...Second time round, I actually buckled down and did some studying. hard..u bet, the most important thing is NEVER GIVE UP...you can do this...not the toughest thing in the world...but u need to be dedicated to it and u have to want it real bad. Good luck

Your right Ken. As my father always tells me. How bad do you want it. Time to get it done. I made it through engineering school. I can do this. Thanks for the kick in the butt!

 

[buick455]

I feel like I have been kicked in the gut today. 4 months of prep work and nearly 3 months of waiting has taken its toll. I am curious what my diagnostic report will look like though.

 

[Ken]

I feel like I have been kicked in the gut today. 4 months of prep work and nearly 3 months of waiting has taken its toll. I am curious what my diagnostic report will look like though.

Buick,

The diagnostic only tells you so much. Here was my plan going in, adapt it for your own use:

Knowing I failed the first time, I chose to pick my battles... I was going for Transportation not Geotech( my masters is in Geotech), because I work as a Transpo. The transpo section in the afternoon is tranpo, water and some geotech. Thats where my focus was. In the morning, make sure u have your water, transpo, geotech and enviro down cold. The others like eng econ and construction not too hard to master because its elementary.

The mornin is pretty straight forward but an be tricky..be careful , work slowly but diligently, build up extra time by getting the qualitative questions out of the way by referencing quick( no assumptions)..look it up. and check and check your work.

In the afternoon, be smart about managing time, don't try to ace it, you won't, don't shoot for any score in particular, guess intelligently and believe in yourself. Hope it helps. You can shoot me an email in private if u want. Keep your head up. Good luck. Believe me , the people on this board are the best, they want you to pass...

 

[buick455]

Thanks,

The first thing I did wrong (after 22 years out of college) was take a PE course, this was a waste of time for me as I have to do it myself to learn. Maybe a course after I studied for a few months would have helped.

The second thing was studying too much of one depth, machine design vs fluids, thermo and heat transfer. I knew this going into the exam but ran out of time studying. I thought 3.5 months and about 350 hours was enough time but 4-5 months and 500 hours would have been about right.

I also spent allot of time organizing for the exam, maybe too much. I made a spread sheet with every problem that I worked with references etc which I used to determine how to tab my references. Tabbing did help allot but this organization took allot of time, but for the most part that is done.

I was sick prior to and after the exam (stomach virus) which did not help but I can not say it hurt me allot.

During the exam I know I spent too much time on some problems and blew through the ones I knew well but maybe too fast and should have looked some thing up.

I know of at least 8 problems I just could not get an answer but I knew how to work them and latter found out I just messed up looking up the correct inputs or equations. I need to work more practice exams. Now I need to find some new ones for the ME, MD depth.

April 24th is really not that far off I guess, its the wait after that is the killer.

 

[Geotech.PE]

Congratulations!

BTW, how would I know that I passed it if I am already a PE and taking another exam, e.g.

SE-I ? I know very well that I did not do that well in this attempt, but I know I had answered 50% of the 80 questions with confidence (confidence level 99%), and the rest 50% ?????? almost without a appreciable confidence.

I am certainly waiting for the diagnostic letter, and I am ready not to see P-A-S-S this time. I used to think that my PE certification will raise my salary, and status, but it hardly changed. I am not optimistic that I will have any advantage even if I pass the SE-I in VA unless I am ready to transfer to IL or other states where SE-I is separately recognized.

Good thing is that there is a discussion going on about recognizing the SE as a separate category in the remaining 38 states. I hope to pass SE by that time, so I am not worried right now whether I pass or fail. I am going swallow these codes before I bet another try. Period.

Have fun.

GeoTech.PE

 

[maryannette]

Time to go for #4

#4 was the one for me.

NEVER GIVE UP...you can do this...not the toughest thing in the world...but u need to be dedicated to it and u have to want it real bad.

The most important thing I did to pass was dedicate my life to passing.

The first thing I did wrong (after 22 years out of college) was take a PE course, this was a waste of time for me as I have to do it myself to learn. Maybe a course after I studied for a few months would have helped.

I didn't even finish college. Went 3 years with intention of working for a year to save money, then finish. Never happened. With no degree, I needed 12 yrs experience to take EIT, which I passed 2nd time. I failed Mech PE 3 times. I had majored in Civil, but worked more in machine design, so took Mechanical PE. After 3 failures, I gave up for awhile. When I decided to try again, I took Civil, which always felt more comfortable to me. I took a review and it did help me a lot. You can do this. I got PE at 49. Just commit and do it. We're here for you!!!

 

[jarey]

My name was not on the DROP web site.....yet. I went in blind with minimal preperation/studying. I now have a feel for the exam and will buckle down. If anyone has any books/reference material for sale please let me know. Also please advise the best reference materials to use for the ME exam.

Jarey

 

[VA_NowPE]

My name was not on the DROP web site.....yet. I went in blind with minimal preperation/studying. I now have a feel for the exam and will buckle down. If anyone has any books/reference material for sale please let me know. Also please advise the best reference materials to use for the ME exam.

Jarey

Best wishes for next time Jarey and thanks for starting the VA posts!

I know studying times vary from person to person, but from the advice I was given - Starting 3 months ahead of time: those who are preparing for the PE should study 1 - 2 hours every night and for about 6 - 10 over the weekend (I was given this advice from 5 of my co-workers who passed). Also, do as many practice problems as you can and understand them. Then, take a sample examination 2 to 4 weeks in advance of the actual exam. From that sample exam assess your strengths and weaknesses, and try to improve on all your weaknesses by doing more practice problems. Then go in to the actual exam and crush it!

Hey, I thought this was great advice and am just sharing it with whoever cares. I was grateful to my co-workers who told me.

 

[VA_NowPE]

Anybody in Virginia receive a letter yet?

 

[jarey]

Congratulations to you Va_EIT for passing, yes it's time you change your handle.

I appreciate the advice it sounds like a good game plan.

I e-mailed Rhonda yesterday, she said the letters went out on Wednesday, so I think must of us should receive them today. Hopefully I will get some encourgement from my exam statistics.

Jarey

 

[gumba]

I still haven't got my letter in the mail. I'm curious to see what my score was.

Last year I got a 69. I'm going to take the advice and do a lot more practice problems this next time.

I hope the letter comes today so I can see how good/bad I did.

:reading:

 

[maryannette]

... but from the advice I was given - Starting 3 months ahead of time: those who are preparing for the PE should study 1 - 2 hours every night and for about 6 - 10 over the weekend (I was given this advice from 5 of my co-workers who passed). Also, do as many practice problems as you can and understand them. Then, take a sample examination 2 to 4 weeks in advance of the actual exam. From that sample exam assess your strengths and weaknesses, and try to improve on all your weaknesses by doing more practice problems. Then go in to the actual exam and crush it!

Good advice! I will add a couple of thoughts. You really need to DEDICATE your life to passing the exam for a few months. And, if you don't do well on the practice exam, don't get discouraged. I messed up on the practice exam, but passed the exam that counts. I've heard that most practice exams are harder than actual exams.

Good luck!!

 

[buick455]

I started studying June 15th and studied about 20-30 hours per week and did about 200 problems. The mistake I made was I focused too much on core machine design problems and not enough on fluids, thermo, and heat transfer.

I started again on 1/6/09 studying 2 hours a night. The first few nights were tough as I know I could have passed this exam but I am getting over it now and looking forward to the next exam. I started at the beginning of the MERM (fluids section) and working my way to the back while working the practice problems.

I have not received the results yet in the mail.