Well I took the 2001 NCEES sample exam today...

[JoeysVee]

I took the 2001 ME sample exam today under exam-like conditions and scored 32 in the morning and 22 in the afternoon (HVAC). This gives me a total score of 54. That's close to the estimated passing score of 56!

A couple of things to consider is... I took this sample exam in 2006 and I think it may have helped me on a few problems in the morning but back in 2006 I took the thermal/fluids afternoon so I don't think that helped the afternoon score. I remembered how to do a few of the morning problems so I think my score should be adjusted down by ~4 on the morning section. Also, I remember when I took the real thing in 2006 I walked out thinking how much easier the 2001 sample was in comparison to the real thing. So I still have a ways to go.

The good thing is....I still got 34 days to go! I think in 34 days I can really add to my afternoon score since I have only spent about 1 week of the past 10 weeks studying the HVAC section (which will be my afternoon section). I did all the other sections first then just started focusing on the HVAC. So from this point forward I will focus on HVAC. I will be taking the 2008 sample exam on October 10th so that will give me another good exam to measure where I am.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with the score I got today with 34 days to go!

 

[maryannette]

Sounds good, Joey. You are following through with your plan. Good for you.

 

[benbo]

You're on your way! And don't forget to update your color coded schedule.

 

[Kephart P.E.]

I took the 2008 version of the NCEES Sample Test and I wanna say I scored around 58 or so. I only took it 2 weeks before the test but going over the problems I missed, in detail is one of the main reasons I passed.

Along with a lot of time organization of my references, attending a Review Course, and lastly a very fundamentals heavy BS ME curriculum.

 

[Master slacker]

I took the 2008 version of the NCEES Sample Test and I wanna say I scored around 58 or so. I only took it 2 weeks before the test but going over the problems I missed, in detail is one of the main reasons I passed.

+1

I scored a 56 on my NCEES sample test 2 weeks ahead of time and passed the PE. Reworking all of those problems afterwards didn't hurt.

 

[JoeysVee]

Kephart & Slacker,

Did y'all think the 2008 sample exam was harder or easier than the real exam? Thanks!

 

[chaocl]

You are way better than me! I only score 20 in the morning and 20 in the afternoon (T&F) for the NCEE 2001 samples but this is my first try.....I need more more partice now....only a month away.

After I look up the answer that a lot of the problems used simple equations....I should remeber more problems like this or so.

 

[JoeysVee]

You are way better than me! I only score 20 in the morning and 20 in the afternoon (T&F) for the NCEE 2001 samples but this is my first try.....I need more more partice now....only a month away.
After I look up the answer that a lot of the problems used simple equations....I should remeber more problems like this or so.

Two days after I took the morning and HVAC afternoon, I worked the T/Fs afternoon section and got a 23. So I got a 22 on the HVAC afternoon section and a 23 on the T/F afternoon section. I'm going to take the MS afternoon section in a week or so.

So I got a 54 on the morning/HVAC exam and if I would have taking the T/Fs afternoon my total score would have been a 55. This is helping raise my confidence meter (which was a zero).

I heard the 2008 exam was harder and the real thing is more difficult than both of those...at least that's what I've heard.

 

[Kephart P.E.]

Two days after I took the morning and HVAC afternoon, I worked the T/Fs afternoon section and got a 23. So I got a 22 on the HVAC afternoon section and a 23 on the T/F afternoon section. I'm going to take the MS afternoon section in a week or so.
So I got a 54 on the morning/HVAC exam and if I would have taking the T/Fs afternoon my total score would have been a 55. This is helping raise my confidence meter (which was a zero).

I heard the 2008 exam was harder and the real thing is more difficult than both of those...at least that's what I've heard.

I felt like the 2008 sample exam was very close to the real thing, the morning portion (of the sample) was a bit tougher than the real deal and the afternoon was a bit easier than the PE exam.

I am guessing it is a little different for everyone based on your knowledge base. I did feel the Sample Exam did an excellent job in prep for the morning section, not as accurate for the afternoon.

FYI I took the Therm and Fluids Section.

 

[Master slacker]

Kephart & Slacker,
Did y'all think the 2008 sample exam was harder or easier than the real exam? Thanks!

I forget which sample exam I took (have to look for it in a box in the closet), but I found that the sample exam was easier than the real deal for both sections. The morning wasn't incredibly bad. I probably found the afternoon MD section harder since I got mentally fatigued halfway through.

It will do you well to understand the ways solutions are approached in sample exams and how to find the methods in your reference books.

 

[JoeysVee]

Thanks for the info guys. I'll be taking the 2008 Sample Exam here in a couple weeks.

 

[mcilenti]

Just took the 2001 Sample Exam...33/40 on the morning but only 20/40 on the afternoon (Fluids/Thermo).

Anyone have any idea what the avg passing score is?

Some thoughts- I didn't finish the afternoon exam (8 blank, including some I skipped to go back to). When I started studying (in January) I went through the MERM & MERM Practice from the beginning. SO naturally, I can't remember all the stuff I did at the beginning (Fluids/Thermo).

I'll focus on that stuff for a week or so then take the PPI Practice Exam and see how that goes....

My brain hurts now.... I hope everyone's studying is going well.

Mike

 

[buick455]

The PPI sample exam is much longer than the NCEES sample exam. I am just working the problems without timing myself as there is no use. Some of the solutions take up a full typed page. I couldn't copy it in 6 minutes. It is good practice though.

 

[JoeysVee]

Just took the 2001 Sample Exam...33/40 on the morning but only 20/40 on the afternoon (Fluids/Thermo).
Anyone have any idea what the avg passing score is?

Some thoughts- I didn't finish the afternoon exam (8 blank, including some I skipped to go back to). When I started studying (in January) I went through the MERM & MERM Practice from the beginning. SO naturally, I can't remember all the stuff I did at the beginning (Fluids/Thermo).

I'll focus on that stuff for a week or so then take the PPI Practice Exam and see how that goes....

My brain hurts now.... I hope everyone's studying is going well.

Mike

See the first post in this thread. The passing score changes but it is believed to be around a 56. Give or take a couple of points.

A 33 in the morning is strong. If I were you I wouldn't study anything except thermal/fluids from here on. I wouldn't waste your time on the PPI exam. Have you done the thermal/fluids 6 minute problems? Work problem after problem after problem but only in thermal/fluids....that's what I would do anyways.

 

[mcilenti]

I don't have the 6 minute problems, so that's out.

I'm reworking all of the Fluids problems that I wasn't 100% about (even if I got them right). I hadn't worked on Fluids stuff in a few months so it was a little rusty.

Tomorrow I'm going to finish reworking the Fluids then I'm going to do the Machine Design PM exam.

A lot of my mistakes were stupid because I was rusty, and re-working them helped a lot. Plus it took me a while to get through the MERM to the right sections. I was waiting for the practice exam to tab it out, so I'll work on that tomorrow evening as well.