photo: Nono Fara

I just wanted to say to all of the visitors here on the site that it has been great to work with some of you and help you prepare for the big PE Exam day.

Questions in your head…

Now the day is here, and you are probably quite nervous.  And if you were like me the day before my PE Exam, you probably have a lot of questions rolling around in your head.  But right now you may have many questions rolling around in your head.  Some of the things you may be asking include:  have I done enough?  What if I fail? Did I study the material?  these questions do not matter.

I just wanted to offer you some encouragement this day before the exam.   You need to relax a little bit and realize this is not the end all.  Yes, it is just a test.

Now the hard part of preparation is over and the day is here.  The truth is that you have put the hard work in and the only thing left to do is to execute.

Be Confident, Focused and Methodical

And you do have to execute in order to pass.  Remember the key to pass the exam is what I call CFM; be Confident, Focused, and Methodical when you go in there.  Read the problems carefully, and think about what they are asking for.  They may present things sightly different but the concepts are in your reach.

You are just 8 hours away from being a Professional Engineer, and a good exam day can get you to that goal.  I wish you the best on exam day, and look forward to hearing about your experience.

Best Wishes on your PE Exam,

Andy

One More Thing: 

If you have not seen facing the Giants, there is a scene in the video that depicts an important truth.  We can often do far more than our minds let us do.  If you believe that you can pass this exam, you will do much better on it. Now enjoy this short video.  Then Believe!

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Are you taking the 16 hour SE exam?  If so, then you will want to listen to this interview with Joseph Schuster, SE, PE.  Mr Schuster is a practicing Structural Engineer who has passed the exam himself, and has just released a new practice SE Exam.  He gives critical insight about the format of the Structural Exam, what references are needed for the exam,  and also some tips on how to prepare for  the exam.  We also discuss some of the benefits of taking the SE exam, and states where the SE license is currently recognized.  In addition, we discuss the newly released 16-Hour Structural Engineering (SE) Practice Exam for Buildings (STBDPX).

The following are some additional notes from the interview.   Some links include a commission, but at no additional cost to you.

Listen to the podcast Here:

Download info:
Right-Click Here To Download

New Practice Exam for the SE Exam:

16-Hour Structural Engineering (SE) Practice Exam for Buildings (STBDPX)

I believe one essential part of reviewing for a Professional Licensing Exam is to take a realistic practice exam.  This book fulfills this need while also providing some useful practice problems.  This practice exam is geared towards buildings, and it has 80 multiple choice questions, and 8 essay style questions.  The format of this practice exam matches the format of the 16 hour structural exam, so you can actually use it to run through the full 2-day exam.  This will allow you to assess some areas of weakness, and also help you to develop the attention and focus needed to get through the two-day exam.  The book covers all of the NCEES topics as noted below:

SE Exam Topics Covered

Structural analysis methods
Structural design considerations including seismic detailing
Loads
Concrete
Steel
Wood
Masonry
Foundations
Bridges (multiple-choice questions only)

As seen on Amazon:

See larger image 16-Hour Structural Engineering (SE) Practice Exam for Buildings (Paperback) By (author) Joseph S. Schuster PE List Price: $120.00 USD New From: $76.52 In Stock Used from: $76.77 In Stock

You can also view the intro to the book at the PPI website, here:

http://ppi2pass.com/Docs/bookInfo/STBDPX/STBDPXintro.pdf

Suggested References for the 16 Hour Structural Exam (SE Exam)

Required References for the SE Exam

The NCEES List of Standards are the absolute minimum required texts needed in the exam, and are noted below.

AASHTO – LRFD Bridge Design Specifications 5th Edition, 2010 ASIN: B004C15EOA
IBC 2009 – International Building Code, 2009 edition (without supplements) ISBN-10: 1580017258
ASCE 7-05 – Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, 2005 ISBN-10: 0784408092
ACI 318-08 – Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete, 2008 ISBN-10: 0870312642
ACI 530/530.1 2008 (also known as TMS 402/602) Building Code Requirements and Specifications for Masonry Structures – ISBN- 10: 1929081294
AISC Steel Construction Manual 13th Edition (Includes Specification AISC 360)
AISC Seismic Design Manual (Includes AISC 341 and AISC 358); ISBN-10: 1564240568
NDS 2005 (Specification and Supplement) National Design Specification for Wood Construction ASD/LRFD ASIN:
B001K9TDFS
NDS Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic 2008
AISI Cold-Formed Steel Specification 2007
PCI 2004 – PCI Design Handbook: Precast and Prestressed Concrete, 6th edition, 2004 ISBN-10: 0937040711

- You may be able to get by without the AISI manual and the PCI manual, but it is better to have it than not.

Highly Recommended References for the SE Exam:

Structural Engineering Reference Manual
2009 SEAOC IBC Structural/Seismic Design Manual, Volume 1
Structural Analysis Textbook (such as Structural Analysis by R.C. Hibbeler)
PCA Notes on ACI 318-08
NCEES, Structural Sample Questions and Solutions
Joe’s Book: 16-Hour Structural Engineering (SE) Practice Exam for Buildings (STBDPX)

Joe’s Further Reading & References for the SE Exam

ACI Design Handbook (SP-17)
Steel Textbook (such as Steel Structures by Salmon and Johnson)
AISC Design Examples. Version 13.1. Available as a free download from www.aisc.org.
AISI Cold-Formed Steel Design Manual 2008
Foundation Engineering Textbook (such as Foundation Engineering by Braja M. Das)
Wood Textbook (such as Design of Wood Structures by Breyer, Fridley, Pollock Jr, and Cobeen)
Structural Wood Design Solved Example Problems
Masonry Textbook such as Reinforced Masonry Engineering Handbook by James E. Amrehein
NCMA TEK14-1A (masonry section properties, available free online)
2009 SEAOC IBC Structural/Seismic Design Manual, Volume 2
2009 SEAOC IBC Structural/Seismic Design Manual, Volume 3
Seismic Design of Building Structures by Michael Lindeburg and Kurt McMullin.
345 Solved Seismic Design Problems by Majid Baradar
FEMA 451 Available as a free download www.fema.gov.
CodeMaster (laminated code summary sheets): Seismic Design (2009 IBC/ASCE 7-05) and Wind Design Overview (2009 IBC/ASCE 7-05)

Additional Study Tips and Suggestions for the SE Exam
Most people who do well on the SE Exam will begin studying about 1 year prior to the exam.  This is the amount of time needed to cover the material for this 2-day exam.  One of the first things you will want to do is get eh NCEES list of specifications for the Structural Exam, and use that as a study guide.  Determine how you will sufficiently cover each topic and subtopic on that list, and then follow through with the schedule.  You have to have a plan, but you also need to follow through with the plan in order to be successful on exam day.  The good thing about the 2-day Structural Exam is that you can pass one day of the exam, and come back and take the other day later.  While most people attempt to take both days together, you may decide to employ a different strategy.

What do you think? 

Please share your thoughts and questions about the SE Exam, or this post.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

As usual, we also answered a question from the Audience. We had a question from David about the California PE Exam; specifically the Seismic and Survey exam that is required to get a California Civil PE License. There are some nuances about each of the exams that will require special attention and preparation.

Ep 18 Q&A – Deciphering the California PE Special Exams Seismic and Civil

Download Info:

Right-Click Here To Download

California Seismic Exam:

The recommended seismic class was called seismicreview.com.  According to the interview, Steven T. Hiner, MS, SE provides a good review for the Seismic Portion of the California PE Exam special requirements.

California Survey Exam

For the survey portion, Jim has a review course that he provides and recommends over at CivilPEReview.com.  One of his commonly used resources for the survey portion is Tim Nelsons book that you can find at acethepe.com/surveybook, and also shown below:

See larger image Surveying Practice Problems (Paperback) By (author) Timothy J Nelson List Price: $19.95 USD New From: $19.95 In Stock

Thanks again to Jim Monroe for coming in to provide some tips about the PE Exam. Jim is a Professional Engineer and also an instructor for the Civil PE Exam.  You can sign up for his class (either the online or on the ground version) as a way to prepare for your PE Exam.

What do you Think?

What are you using to study for the California Special Civil Exams? 

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Get Plugged in With a Forum for Your PE Review

Studying for the PE Exam is hard, and sometimes you feel like you are on an island preparing by yourself.  One key to passing the PE Exam is to have others to talk to and connect with around you that are going through the same thing.  One way to do that is to use an online forum.  There are several PE Review Forums out there, but there is one that has gained polarity in the past few years, and gets my personal approval.

Podcast Download info:

Right-Click Here To Download

If you use forums to help prepare you for the PE Exam, then you probably know about the forum that we discuss in this episode of Ace the PE.  In this episode I brought in the creator of the popular forum  EngineerBoards.com in for an interview.  That’s right, we had ‘Road Guy’ himself come in from EngineerBoards.com to discuss his site.  Road guy proved to have some great tips about how to get the most out of the forum, and how to prepare for the PE Exam using this valuable resource.  If you are not familiar with the PE Exam Forum EngineerBoards.com, then we also tell you where to find it, and give you some tips on how to get started.

I hope you enjoy the interview!  Please click the share button or comment!

What do you think?
Do you think forums are helpful in preparing for the PE Exam?  Which forum do you prefer?

Also, if you liked this, then please click the share button or comment!

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

photo: paul.orear

Who Does Better on the PE Exam; The Generalist or the Specialist?

How your experience affects your PE Exam

Download info:

Right-Click Here To Download
One of the first questions asked in preparing for the PE Exam, is how much should you do to prepare for the exam?  Well, we find out in this episode that often the answer to that question depends on your work experience the preceding four years before you take the exam.  In this episode we discuss how experience can effect how much you study for the PE Exam.  Jim Monroe was on the line again, but this time and shared his view about whether it is better having broad experience or specialty experience as it relates to the PE Exam.  We also discuss how much you will need to prepare for the PE exam, and how to adjust your preparation based on your experience.
As you will find out in the podcast we agree that the person with a more specialty has not seen much of the material over a four year period, while the generalist has.  As such, the generalist will not need as heavy of a review as the specialist.  The interesting thing is that to be a generalist you usually have to work for a small company or a relatively small division in the public works sector.  These jobs do not always pay as much as the big boys do, but perhaps it will be worth it in the end if you get your PE as a result of working for a smaller company?

Professional Development Advice: Getting a PMP Certification.

In the professional development and career portion of the episode, we discuss the PMP exam.   In particular, we discuss how the PMP certification is becoming an inevitability of the engineering field for those that want to become a project manager.  Whether you like it or not, many companies are beginning to require that you have this certification.  Think we are blowing smoke?  Companies like Intel already require it for project managers.  That means we are next.  So after you get that PE license, it may be time to get you PMP license as well.  My friend Cornelius has a  helpful podcast on Project Management that you will want to subscribe to as well.

Thanks again to Jim Monroe for coming in to provide some tips about the PE Exam.  Jim is a Professional Engineer and also an instructor for the Civil PE Exam over at  CivilPEReview.com.  You can sign up for his class (either the online or on the ground version)  as a way to prepare for your PE Exam.

What do you think?
Do you think it is better to be a generalist or specialist as it relates to preparing for the PE Exam?
Also, what do you think of the PMP certification?  Do you think it is necessary for project managers in the engineering field.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

photo: akeg

Review Courses for the PE Exam – Are they Worth It?

If you are taking an upcoming PE Exam (or FE Exam or SE Exam for that matter) you are probably wondering:

Are Review Courses for the PE Exam Really Worth it?

I realize they can have a bit of a price tag, so it is not necessarily an easy decision.  Of course, if you can get your employer to pay for some of the costs of the review course, that takes the burden off of you. For those that do not have that luxury, take a look at the video below where I explore the question of whether review courses are worth it or not.

In this video, I give benefits of taking a PE Exam review course.  I also share some evidence that taking a course may help you pass the PE Exam…

Note, I wanted to say thanks to MSPE.org for use of information from their site in the video.

___

PPI Courses and Materials Discounts

Okay, so first I want to be completely transparent and let you know that I do get a commission if you use the code (ANDYS54U) since I am a partner with PPI, but at no additional cost to you.  I want to say thanks in advance if you use this code!

PPI (Professional Publications, Inc.) has review courses for the FE Exam (EIT Exam), Civil PE Exam, Mechanical PE Exam, Electrical PE Exam (Power and Electronics), Environmental PE Exam.  they also have a California Seismic & Survey Review Course, and a Casio FX-115 Calculator Review Course that may be helpful to you.

I am actually teaching the Review Course for the Civil PE Online PE Class this fall, and can answer any specific questions you may have about that.

Three options to save from PPI

1.  Just Taking the Review Course only…

PPI Review Course - Save 5%
Use the Promo code ANDYS54U if you are buying a review course from PPI (or any product for that matter).  But it cannot be used in conjunction with package discount (such as course + materials).  In that case, see the next option…

2.  Getting the Course + Books?
PPI Course + References Package Deal- Save 15% And Also Get Free Book
When you buy the Course + Books package deal from PPI, they provide already give you a 15% discount.  In that case, use the code FREEUNIT4 to get the book Engineering Unit Conversions for free.

3.  Or, You Decided to Just Get the Books? 
PPI References – Save 15%
If you choose to not to go with a review course, but want reference materials from PPI; then use link below, and you will get a 15% discount!!!  You do have to set up an account at the link, and then you get the discount.  – Note, I get no commission from purchases from this link, just helping you out of kindness

acethepe.com/getppi

Whatever option you choose as far as review courses go, I hope you are successful in passing the PE Eam.  Let me know if there are any questions I can help to answer for you.

What do You Think
Do you think PE Exam Review Courses Are Worth It?

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Podcast Ep. 15 Getting an NCEES Council Record (National Council of Examination of Engineers and Surveyors)

In this Episode, Tim and I discuss the NCEES Council Record.  This happens to be an overflow recording from episode 14, but I think it will be beneficial to you.

Listen to the audio directly here:

Or download and listen here:

Right-Click Here To Download

A Few More Thoughts about Getting an NCEES Council Record

For some of you, your PE license may need to be mobile from state to state. The process of registering for the PE Exam was the first time, and the process of applying for a license in a second state is usually not much easier.  Even though the PE Exam is the same for all states, the process for registering a license is often different.  For example, if you have your PE license in South Carolina, and you would like a PE license in Georgia, then you will need to apply for licensure by comity.  In order to do that, you must send your college transcript(s), all of the experience references, your PE License information, and of course fill out the PE Exam application.  If you have a NCEES record on file, however, the process is streamlined.   You send NCEES a request to transmit your record to the Georgia Board, and then you fill out an application with Georgia.  I will take option B anyway!

That is why I have an NCEES record and keep it up to date.  It does have an annual renewal fee of $25, and requires one reference update each year.  Make sure that you use a different reference each year, such that you always have five different references on file.  Also, one advantage of getting your NCEES record is that I think it looks pretty good on a resume (what do you think).  Further, I can tell my clients that if they need me to get licensed in a new state, my NCEES record provides an expeditious way to get licensed in that State.

What do You Think?

Are you planning to get a NCEES Council Record?  Why or why not? 

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Pitfalls to Avoid in Your PE Exam Preparation

Ace the PE Exam Episode 14

Listen to the podcast right here:

-Or- you can:

Right-Click Here To Download

Podcast Episode 14 Shownotes & Summary

In this episode, I was joined by a Tim of EngineeringVideos.net, who has become quite the regular here on the show, as well as Jim Monroe of CivilPEReview.com.

I think that you are going to find that this interview is truly a special treat. In this episode, you will find out advice about how NOT to prepare for the PE Exam, which will in turn lead to certain success on the exam.

You will also find that Jim’s experience over the past 20 years teaching people how to pass the PE exam really shines through, and he gives some golden nuggets of advice during this interview. You will definitely want to listen closely and follow the tried and true advice provided in this interview. One item that was of particular interest was how some people think they can use cookbook approaches to work problems, and how that will lead to potentially failing the exam. Find out what he means by the cookbook approach and how to avoid it.

Before we go into the main segment regarding the pitfalls to avoid, we answer a question from someone who wants to know about PE Exam review courses, their cost, and how to get a certificate. Again, Jim gives us some great pointers about the pros and cons of review courses.

Jim Monroe is the owner of CivilPEReview.com, and find out more about the Civil PE Exam course that he teaches and how he can help you to pass the PE Exam.

What do you think?

What is a pitfall that you will need to be particularly careful about? 

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Getting a Raise after you Pass the PE Exam

A Segment of “The Life of a PE”

photo: AMagill

Right-Click Here To Download

This is actually Part II of the previous recording, which was Episode 12 – where Tim and I answered questions about the PE Exam Question &A session for the PE e. I decided to make a break and call this episode 13.

News and Updates

Some news about the PE Exam has been included… listen to the audio for more info on that!

New Segment Added – “The Life of the PE”

Still working out the name of the segment… 
This is the first episode where we talk about life as a PE. In other words, we have added a segment on professional and personal development as an engineer. I think this will add a good dimension for us all. Sure you need to pass the PE Exam, but you still have to develop yourself as well. So, hopefully you like this new segment.

Getting a Raise after you Pass the PE Exam

In this segment we discuss how to approach you boss or manager about getting a raise, especially after you pass the PE Exam.  One of the benefits of passing the PE Exam is that it makes you more marketable, and increases the chance of you making more money.  But there are some key factors to consider when you go to your supervisor to ask for a raise…  I think these are some good tips that will make all of those expenses and headaches go away from taking the PE Exam.

Don’t forget to Check this out:

Tim has a new Book for the Civil PE Exam!

We also found out that Tim has a new product coming out. I will go ahead and end the curiosity, and share that you can go over to http://www.civilengineeringexams.com/ to see what he is up to over there…
Also, you can get the book on Amazon from this commission link:

See larger image Civil Engineering Practice Examination #1 (Paperback) By (author) Timothy J Nelson List Price: $14.95 USD New From: $14.95 In Stock

What do you think?
Do you have any tips for getting a raise after passing the PE Exam, or anytime for that matter.

Also, do you like the idea of doing a “Life of a PE” segment. Maybe that name is kind of weird. What do you think should we call it??

Leave a comment below and let us know what you think !!

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

photo: alexanderdrachmann

A Professional Engineer Exam Question & Answer Session

(-or- A Tale of Two Exams )

Right-Click Here To Download
Do you have any questions about the Professional Engineer Exam?

In this episode, we have a Q&A session where Tim and I answer questions from the audience. Among the questions, one is about an examinee who passed, and one who unfortunately… failed. This is the first Q&A we have done, and it went so well that we actually decided to cut it into two parts. The next part will be out soon.

Here are a few of the questions we discussed:

How many references are needed for the PE Exam, and what is the best way to get these. This is an important PE Exam requirement that we will cover.

How does the FE Exam (EIT Exam) compare to the PE Exam; In particular, is the PE Exam a closed book or open book exam?

A question is posed about a exam strategy that I call the three pass system.

Someone asks what they can do to overcome failing the PE Exam multiple times.

And we also here some great news about someone on the PE Exam.

We also found out that Tim has a new product coming out. I will go ahead and end the curiosity, and share that you can go over to http://www.civilengineeringexams.com/ to see what he is up to over there…

What do you think?
If you would like to ask a question for the show, then leave a comment here. Of course you can email info at acethepe dot com

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Horia Varlan / Horia Varlan

Once the the week of the PE Exam gets here, you have done your studying, so your focus will turn to making your final preparations for exam day as well as getting yourself sharp for exam day. Here are some suggestions for your final preparations.

Exam Day Supplies
The PE Exam is an open book exam. Some states have limitations, but for the most part you can bring your choice of references. Your references will be the first and obvious thing that you bring on exam day. If your state allows bound materials such as notes, solved problems, and sample exams, you will want to bring that as well. Of course, you will need the NCEES approved calculator, and perhaps even a backup as well. Remember that there are three specific types of calculators that you can take. If allowed by your state, take a watch so that you can keep track of time during the exam. You will want to leave the pencil in the car, because those are prohibited by NCEES. You will want to take layers of clothes so you are ready for different conditions. Other things that you may wan tot bring include a bottle of water, spare calculator, and lunch for the car.

Sleeping arrangements
If you are taking the exam away from home, take a moment to call and confirm your sleeping arrangements and/ or hotel room. If you will be at home the night before the exam, check your schedule, and plan a low key evening the night before the exam.

Travel Arrangements
Get good directions to the location of the exam, and find out where the exam room is ahead of time. Of course, leave in plenty of time to check into the exam with plenty of time to spare. Getting into a traffic jam, accident, or getting lost could all happen on your exam day, so it is best to allow a few minutes of cushion just in case.

Being prepared for the day of the exam will make your exam day go much smoother, and will help you be successful in passing the PE Exam.

What do you think?
What things do you suggest be brought to the exam room for the PE Exam?

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

photo: Seattle Municipal Archives

CIVIL PE EXAM Study Materials

** Updated 11/5/2012 **

The Civil Engineering Reference Manual by PPI now has a 13th edition, and the Practice Problems for the Civil Engineering PE Exam now also has a 13th edition.  You will obviously want to use the most updated version of both.

An Overview of What You Need:

The three things that will help you the most in your preparation for the PE Exam are as follows: A core reference manual, a Lot of problems, and a sample exam. For your depth review, you will also need to gather your design standards, when applicable.

The majority of your review should come from doing problems, and you will need the reference manual to help you through the problems. First skim the relevant chapters, and then work the problems for those types of problems. At some point in your review, you will want to take the sample exam to ascertain how you are doing, and determine what you need to focus on the most.

Reference Guide

Try to find a good reference guide that covers most of the material. Guides such as the Civil Engineering Reference Manual are a must. There are other publishers, but this is really the one that has been tried and true. Read a more complete review here.

Civil Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam (Hardcover)

By (author) Michael R. Lindeburg; ISBN10 = 1591263808 | ISBN 13: 978-1591263807 | Published by Professional Publications, Inc.

See larger image Civil Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam (Hardcover) By (author) Michael R. Lindeburg PE List Price: $336.00 USD New From: $197.00 In Stock Used from: $184.40 In Stock

Here is my Video Review of the Product:

Note: The 12th Edition of the Civil Engineering Reference Manual is no longer published, and has been superceded (Link)  

Civil Engineering PE License Review (Kaplan); ISBN10 = 1427761396

See larger image Civil Engineering PE License Review (Civil Engineering: License Review) (Paperback) By (author) James Banks, Braja M Das, Bruce E Larock, Thomas Nelson, Alan Williams List Price: $109.95 USD New From: $78.99 In Stock Used from: $19.99 In Stock Release date December 30, 2007.

Goswani; ISBN10 = 0071787720

See larger image Civil Engineering All-In-One PE Exam Guide: Breadth and Depth 2/E (Hardcover) By (author) Indranil Goswami List Price: $99.00 USD New From: $64.98 In Stock Used from: $71.81 In Stock

Design Standards Library
For the Civil PE Exam, the structural, construction, and transportation modules have design standards that will be necessary.
First, gather all of the references that NCEES has specified to be covered on the exam. If you are taking a depth module that cites specific references (such as Structural, Transportation, and the Construction depth modules), you certainly want to gather those materials for your depth module. Also, consider some of the materials for your breadth exam library as well. I have mentioned steel before, and underscore it is an important reference.

Practice Problems

One of the keys to passing the PE Exam is to work a ton of problems. You will need to obtain plenty of practice problems.

Practice Problems for the Civil Engineering PE Exam, 13th Edition:

A Companion to the Civil Engineering Reference Manual [Paperback] |  Michael R. Lindeburg PE (Author); 754 pages | Professional Publications, Inc.; Thirteenth Edition, New Edition edition (April 26, 2012) | ISBN-10: 1591263824 | ISBN-13: 978-1591263821

See larger image Practice Problems for the Civil Engineering PE Exam: A Companion to the Civil Engineering Reference Manual (Paperback) By (author) Michael R. Lindeburg PE List Price: $104.00 USD New From: $57.99 In Stock Used from: $68.12 In Stock

Sample Exam

To get a feel for the exam day experience, and also to help you ascertain where you are in your studies, you will need to take a sample exam about half-way to two-thirds of the way through your preparation.

Civil PE Sample Examination, Fourth Edition (April 26, 2012) by Michael R. Lindeburg PE  

ISBN-10: 1591263875 | ISBN-13: 978-1591263876

See larger image Civil PE Sample Examination (Paperback) By (author) Michael R. Lindeburg PE List Price: $104.00 USD New From: $57.06 In Stock Used from: $42.99 In Stock

Mike’s Civil PE Exam Guide; ISBN10 = 1453716343

See larger image Mike's Civil PE Exam Guide: Morning Session (Paperback) By (author) Mike Hansen List Price: $39.95 USD New From: $29.17 In Stock Used from: $39.67 In Stock

An Approved NCEES Calculator for the Civil PE Exam

You will need a calculator for the exam. NCEES has limitations on the calculator you can use, so be sure you follow those requirements.  Pick on one of the calculators below. I recommend buying it early and using the calculator at work as well as during studies. You can pick these up anywhere you buy electronics.

Civil ‘Depth’/ Afternoon Exam Materials

If you are taking the construction depth exam, I am told that this book is a great supplement for this portion of the exam.

Construction Depth Review Book (Ruwan)
0972865764

See larger image Civil PE Professional Engineer exam Construction module,Third Edition (Paperback) By (author) Fourth Edition Available at Amazon, PE, Ruwan Rajapakse List Price: $35.99 USD New From: $28.00 In Stock Used from: $25.00 In Stock

Civil PE Exam Review Courses

A PE Exam review course can be a helpful way to study for the PE Exam.

Civil PE Review Course – Online

This course by PPI is one that I would highly suggest. Well, I am a bit biased, because I am the instructor.  I have taught the class for two exams – The fall and the spring of 2012.  I believe it has gone very well.  We cover all 5 sub-disciplines of the Civil PE Exam.  (Note, use the code ANDYS54U and save another 5%!)

 Don’t buy into the idea that courses can help?  Check out this video expaining why a PE review course can help you prepare for the PE Exam:

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Summary of the BEST Study Materials and References for the Mechanical PE Exam

I have compiled a list of the Best Study Materials for the Mechanical Engineering PE Exam, and am providing that information here for your use.

By the way, I would like to thank my friend Greg over at PE Prep ME for the help in getting this list together.   We recently did a podcast episode on the Mechanical PE Exam, where we discussed this topic in more detail.   Greg also shared about the Mechanical PE exam Guide that provides additional tips and strategies specific to that exam.

Go to: http://acethepe.com/peprepme for the Mechanical Engineering PE guide

The Mechanical PE Exam is an open-book exam, and you will need to bring some references with you.  In addition, let me offer some suggested study materials that will come in handy when you prepare for the Mechanical PE Exam.  Below each recommendation you will find a link to the amazon version of the product.  Note:  These are affiliate links, though any commissions I receive are at no additional cost to you.  So I want to thank you in advance for feeding my babies

In studying for the Mechanical PE Exam, the three things you will need the most include a base reference manual, a bunch of sample problems, and a sample exam.  Of course, for the depth portion of the breadth and depth format, you will need to gather codes and standards so that you can answer those problems.

Your preparation should primarily be focused on working problems, and the reference manual is intended to be a reference and also a study guide when you realize that you need to refresh in a particular area.  First skim the relevant chapters, and then work the problems for those types of problems.  During your review, you will want to take the sample exam to determine how you are doing, and determine what you need to focus on the most.

Here is my list of references for the Mechanical Engineering PE Exam:

1.  Reference Guide
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1A.  Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual

The first thing is to get a good reference guide as the foundation of your reference and studies.  The most popular and tested manual for the Mechanical PE exam is the Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual.  Regardless of which depth discipline you take, this one manual will help you with the vast majority of questions.  Leave this one at home, and you might be coming back to re-take the test!

See larger image Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam, 12th Edition (Hardcover) By (author) Michael R Lindeburg List Price: $336.00 USD New From: $143.00 In Stock Used from: $192.95 In Stock

1B.  Marks Standard Handbook

Mark’s standard handbook is an alternative to the ‘MERM’.  It has been around and updated for years, and some people prefer to use this reference handbook for the Mechanical PE Exam.  Of course, you can use it as a supplement if you choose that option as well.

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2.  Additional References: 

The additional references that you need for the exam will largely depend on which depth module you select for the afternoon.  Here are the more common references needed for the afternoon portion of the Exam.

2A.  ASME Steam Tables

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2B.  Machinerys Handbook

See larger image Machinery's Handbook 29th Edition - Toolbox - If out of stock please order Large Print - ISBN 9780831129019 (Hardcover) By (author) Erik Oberg List Price: $94.95 USD New From: $74.40 In Stock Used from: $72.50 In Stock

2C.  ASHRAE Fundamentals

2009 ASHRAE Handbook - Fundamentals (I-P) (includes CD in dual units) (Ashrae Handbook Fundamentals Inch-Pound System) (Hardcover) By (author) American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers List Price: $199.00 USD New From: $189.88 In Stock Used from: $139.99 In Stock

2D.  NFPA 90A

See larger image NFPA 90A: Standard for Installation of Air Conditioning and Ventilating Systems, 2009 Edition (Paperback) By (author) NFPA Used from: $75.00 In Stock

3.  Practice Problems


One proven fact about the PE Exam is that working problems improves your chances of passing.  Here are some suggested practice problems.

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4.  Mechanical PE Sample Exam


To get a feel for the exam day experience, and also to help you ascertain where you are in your studies, you will need to take a sample exam about half-way to two-thirds of the way through your preparation.  Here is one suggested sample exam.

See larger image Mechanical PE Sample Examination (Paperback) By (author) Michael R. Lindeburg PE List Price: $104.00 USD New From: $61.00 In Stock Used from: $60.00 In Stock

5.  Calculator


You will need a calculator for the exam.  NCEES has limitations on the calculator you can use, so be sure you follow those requirements.

Courses

6.  PE Exam Review Course

A PE Exam review course can be a helpful way to study for the PE Exam, and you may wan to consider that as well as you are planning your review.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Best Chemical PE Exam Study Materials

The three main references and/or study materials that you will want to get for the Chemical PE Exam is a core reference manual, a lot of problems, and a sample exam.
The foundation of your review and preparation will be doing practice problems, so that explains why you need to get plenty of those.  Of course, you will also need a good reference that covers the broad subjects of the chemical PE Exam in a condensed way.  I suppose you could bring all of the texts that you collected during college, but the PE Exam reference manuals are good about ditching the theory and moving directly into the formulas and guidance you need to solve a problem.

The sample exam during the review in order to determine what areas need the most work.

Part 1 – Reference Manual for the Chemical PE Exam

Try to find a good reference guide that covers most of the material.  The Chemical Engineering Reference Manual is one that people have used for the exam.

Chemical Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam (CHRM6)  ISBN10; 1591260078

See larger image Chemical Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam, 6th ed. (Hardcover) By (author) Michael R. Lindeburg PE List Price: $336.00 USD New From: $325.00 In Stock Used from: $324.98 In Stock

Part 2 – Practice Problems for the Chemical PE Exam

2a – Practice Problems for the Chemical Engineering PE Exam (CHPP6)  ISBN10 = 1591260086

This resource has over 450 problems that coincide with the Chemical Engineering Reference Manual.  Together these products will aide you in your preparation.

See larger image Practice Problems for the Chemical Engineering PE Exam: A Companion to the Chemical Engineering Reference Manual, 6th ed. (Paperback) By (author) Michael R. Lindeburg PE List Price: $120.00 USD New From: $68.56 In Stock Used from: $62.00 In Stock

2b Six-Minute Solutions for Chemical PE Exam Problems (SXCH)  ISBN10 = 1591260124

There are 80 questions on the PE Exam which means you have approximately 6 minutes to work each problem. This collection of problems is intended to help give you a test day experience with each problem.

See larger image Six-Minute Solutions for Chemical PE Exam Problems (Paperback) By (author) Marta Vasquez, Robert R. Zinn List Price: $96.00 USD New From: $60.00 In Stock Used from: $40.00 In Stock

This book provides yet additional problems for your review

See larger image Chemical Engineering Solved Problems (Paperback) By (author) N. S. Nandagopal PE List Price: $104.00 USD New From: $45.00 In Stock Used from: $45.00 In Stock

Part 3 – Sample Exam

3.  NCEES PE Chemical Sample Questions & Solutions (NCPCH5)  ISBN10 = 1932613099

This is the official sample exam from the NCEES that will provide a test day experience, and also help you to ascertain where you stand with your review.

See larger image PE Sample Questions and Solutions: Chemical Engineering (Paperback) By (author) NCEES Used from: $185.00 In Stock

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Summary of Study Materials for the 16 hour Structural Engineering Exam (SE Exam)

Thanks to Horia Varian

I am working on this list of the Best Study Materials for the 16 hour Structural Engineering Exam (SE Exam) for your use.  The SE exam is a two-day exam, and is an open book format.  You can bring anything you want to the exam, but I suggest you try to find some materials that allow you to quickly find what you need to solve the problem.  So you will need a good core reference manual to guide your studies and to take into the exam room.  In addition, you will need to work lots and lots of problems to refresh yourself will all aspects of the exam.  Just make sure that you stay on some sort of schedule and work problems according to the Exam Specifications.  

First skim the relevant chapters, and then work the problems for the same kinds of problems.  During your review, you will want to take the sample exam to determine how you are doing, and determine what you need to focus on the most.  I need to get a link for the sample exam…

Part 1.  Reference Manual

1a.  Structural Engineering Reference Manual [Paperback]
Alan Williams PhD SE FICE C Eng (Author); 6th Edition. (STRM6); ISBN-10: 1591263719

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Alan Williams is the go to guy when it comes to getting prepared for the SE 16 hour exam.  This updated manual is a great manual to be used as the core of your review.  The manual covers the topics including structural analysis and design of both vertical and lateral loads.  The book has useful diagrams and provides commentary for how to do it.   Of course, the SE exam requires a knowledge of the relevant building codes, and this book helps you sort all of the nuances of each code. The book has 225 example problems and solutions.  Yes the book covers bridges and buildings, so you are covered either way…

Here are the codes it covers.  

• AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design, 5th Ed., 2010
• ACI 318 (2008)
• ACI 530/530.1 (2008)
• AISC 13th edition (2005)
• ASCE 7 (2005)
• IBC (2009)
• NDS (2005)
• PCI (2004)

Exam Topics Covered

•     Reinforced Concrete
•     Foundations & Retaining Structures
•     Prestressed Concrete
•     Structural Steel
•     Timber
•     Reinforced Masonry
•     Lateral Forces (Wind & Seismic)
•     Bridges

Part 2 – Practice Problems

To pass the Structural Exam you will need to work problems, work problems, and work problems.  Here are a few references that will provide the problems; you have to work them yourself.  

2a – Structural Engineering Solved Problems by C. Dale Buckner (Nov 30, 2011) (SEPPM5); ISBN-10: 159126376X

This book includes 100 practice problems that will help you prepare for the 16 hour structural exam.  Yes it covers both bridges and buildings.  

See larger image Structural Engineering Solved Problems (Paperback) By (author) C. Dale Buckner PhD PE List Price: $160.00 USD New From: $99.84 In Stock Used from: $95.61 In Stock

Part 3 – Sample Exam

PE Structural Sample Questions and Solutions [Paperback] NCEES (Author) ISBN-10: 1932613587

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Part 4 – Review Course for the SE Exam

Here is a Review Course for the 16 Hour SE Exam that I recommend.  I know the instructor for the Course, and I know he will do a great job to help you prepare for this exam.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Nine Tips for Making Your PE Exam a Success

The PE Exam is an 8 hour exam, and requires adequate preparation for in order to do well. But there are some exam-day tips that may allow you to be more efficient and effective in taking the PE Exam.

The Most Important Question
The first thing you have to do when you take the PE Exam is fill out your personal information.  Just make sure all of that is correct and obviously the information regarding what discipline, and or what depth module you will be taking in the afternoon.  If you get that question wrong, then I can assure you that you will not pass the PE Exam.

Morning Hero
The PE Exam has a morning and afternoon section.  I found that the afternoon exam tends to be slightly more difficult than the morning exam. If you can get some momentum in the early part of the exam and especially at the early part of the AM exam, then I think it will give you confidence for the afternoon exam.

Guess Away
Make sure that all bubbles for the portion of the exam you are taking are filled in.   The PE Exam is a multiple choice exam, and there’s no penalty for guessing.  So when they announce that you have just five minutes remaining, you will want to make sure you have every single bubble filled in, and filled in cleanly.

Pick a Bubble, Any Bubble
The PE Exam is a Scantron type format, with the answers being recorded onto a bubble-in form. Obviously, it is important to take your time when you bubble it in so that the scanner picks everything up properly. Also remember to enter the answer in the right place, and try not to erase answers because it may pick up the erasure  mark.

Units Units Units
Make sure your units are correct .  For example, you might have solved the problem in psf units, but they give the solution in  psi units. In that case you would be off by a factor of 144.  And it is possible that both solutions are provided as possible answers.

Problem Solving
As you work a problem, just kind of think through it, come up with a strategy for the solution and then work it.  You can write out the related formulas and think about each of the parameters in the formula.  Then  consider what the question is asking for, and try to come up with a solution.  It’s not a trick exam, per se, but they want to make it reasonably difficult.  They’re going to put all the possible ways to solve the problem. So just think through the problem, solve it with confidence,  and you will do fine.

Don’t Get Bogged Down
If you feel like you’re taking too much time on one problem, then just move on rather than get bogged down on one problem.    All the problems are weighted equally, so it is okay to skip a tedious problem and come back to it later.  You don’t have to answer every single problem in sequential order.  If you do skip around to different problems that you make very sure that the answers are bubbled into the form correctly.

Check Your Work
Try to allow a few minutes to check through your work and also ensure that your answers are all recorded properly.  A few minutes here could make a big difference in whether you pass or fail the exam.

Time’s Up, Pencils Down…
Once they say begin the exam, the first thing to do is check your clock an note the time, if you have a stopwatch mode that is even better.  The morning and afternoon exam both allocate 4 hours to work the exam, so you will want to make note of that.  Then take a deep breath and get focused, and start the exam.  Usually they will announce that you have 30 minutes remaining, 5 minutes remaining, and time is up.  Of course, when they call time on the exam, make sure that you put your pencil down immediately, and wait for the next instructions.

These are several things that should help you with your test day, and hopefully one or all of these tips will help you to get the best results when you take the PE Exam.

What do you think?
Do you have any other tips for exam day?

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Best Electrical PE Exam Study Materials

In this post I am providing a compilation of the best study materials for the Electrical PE Exam.  There are in fact, three exams under this category, the three being Electronics, Computers, and Power.  This post covers all three of the subjects.

The Electrical PE Exam is an open-book exam, and as such you are free to bring the materials and references with you.  You will also need some references or study materials for your preparation.  Below each recommendation you will find a link to the amazon version of the product.  Note:  I will receive a commission  from the links, though any commissions I receive cost you nothing.  So I want to thank you in advance helping support the site

In studying for the Electrical PE Exam, there three items of particular importance that you will need to purchase. You will need the most include a base reference manual, a bunch of sample problems, and a sample exam.

The reason I suggest these three items for your review is because you will want to have the core reference to help you work problems and to take to the exam.  But working problems will be the core of your review and preparation.  Skim over the appropriate section in the manual, and then work the problems for that area.  The sample exam is used to give you a test day experience and also find out where you need to spend some time preparing.

Part 1 – Electrical PE Exam Reference Materials

1a.  Electrical PE Power Exam Reference

Power Reference Manual for the Electrical and Computer PE Exam by John A. Camara PE (Jun 10, 2010); ISBN10 ISBN10 ISBN 1591261627

See larger image Power Reference Manual for the Electrical and Computer PE Exam (Hardcover) By (author) John A. Camara PE List Price: $336.00 USD New From: $189.00 In Stock Used from: $199.00 In Stock

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1b.  Electrical PE Computer Exam Reference

Computer Engineering Reference Manual for the Electrical and Computer PE Exam by John A. Camara PE (Sep 12, 2010); ISBN10 1591261708

See larger image Computer Engineering Reference Manual for the Electrical and Computer PE Exam (Hardcover) By (author) John A. Camara PE List Price: $320.00 USD New From: $199.00 In Stock Used from: $95.99 In Stock

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1c. Electrical PE Electronics Exam

Electrical and Electronics Reference Manual for the Electrical and Computer PE Exam [Hardcover]; John A. Camara PE (Author); ISBN-10: 159126166X

See larger image Electrical and Electronics Reference Manual for the Electrical and Computer PE Exam (Hardcover) By (author) John A. Camara PE List Price: $320.00 USD New From: $200.00 In Stock Used from: $175.00 In Stock

Part 2 – Electrical PE Sample Exams

Electrical Engineering Sample Examinations for the Power, Electrical and Electronics, and Computer PE Exams [Paperback]; John A. Camara PE (Author); ISBN-10: 1591261562

See larger image Electrical Engineering Sample Examinations for the Power, Electrical and Electronics, and Computer PE Exams (Paperback) By (author) John A. Camara PE List Price: $96.00 USD New From: $50.00 In Stock Used from: $35.99 In Stock

Part 3 – Practice Problems for the Electrical PE Exam

3a. Electronics PE Exam Practice Problems

Electrical and Electronics Practice Problems for the Electrical and Computer PE Exam [Paperback]; John A. Camara PE (Author); ISBN-10: 1591261686

See larger image Electrical and Electronics Practice Problems for the Electrical and Computer PE Exam (Paperback) By (author) John A. Camara PE List Price: $104.00 USD New From: $65.00 In Stock Used from: $67.09 In Stock

Part 4 – Review Courses for the PE Exam

4a Review Course for Power Exam -or- Electronics Exam – or- Computer Exam

Doctor Blanks Electrical and Electronics PE Exam Review Course

There are several review courses out there, but in reality, most of them focus on the Power Engineering exam.  If that is the exam you are taking, then you have even more of a selection that I am making note of here.  If you are taking one of the other exams, or even if you are taking the power exam, then you may wan to consider this course by Dr Blank:

Electrical PE Review Course

http://www.drblank.com/cop440or.htm

What do you think? 

Do you have any comments about these review materials?  What other study materials do you find espescially helpful for the Electrical PE Exam?  Please indicate the particular exam you took as well. 

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

FE Exam Study Materials

If you are taking the FE Exam (short for the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam) you will need some study materials and references to aide your preparation for this exam so that you can get your EIT (Engineer in Training) Certification as soon as possible.

The things that you will want for your FE Exam review include:  The NCEES Reference manual, A good Core reference manual that covers the core of the subjects,  several practice problems, and a sample exam to ascertain what areas you need to put more preparation into.  Here are a few suggestions of study materials for the FE Exam.  Given the breadth and depth format of the FE Exam, you will likely need a materials that cover both the breadth and depth aspect of the exam.

Most of your preparation will be doing problems, but you will need the reference manual to aide you when you hit a stumbling block.  The process will be to first establish a study schedule, breaking down the exam into its subjects, and allocating time for each subject.  Then, go over the chapters for the subject in the reference manual, and work the problems in that subject.  Then, repeat for each of the subjects until you have gone through all of the material.

FE Exam Study Materials – General Reference

FE Review Manual: Rapid Preparation for the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam [Paperback] ISBN10 1591263336

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FE Exam Civil Depth Reference

Civil Discipline-Specific Review for the FE/EIT Exam [Paperback]; ISBN10 1591261775

See larger image Civil Discipline-Specific Review for the FE/EIT Exam (Paperback) By (author) Robert Kim MSCE PE, Thomas A. Spriggs MSCE, Michael R. Lindeburg PE List Price: $96.00 USD New From: $46.00 In Stock Used from: $49.90 In Stock

Obviously, you will need a calculator for the exam.  And you may want to consider taking a FE Exam review course.  These can be useful if you are busy, or need the motivation to study.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

In order to Pass the PE Exam, you will need to master the day of the test, and an important part of that is having the right mentality to give you an edge on exam day. One of the worst things you can do is to rush through the exam carelessly.  Some people may get stressed about working through all problems, and as a result work problems hastily.

One of the most important things to keep in mind about taking the exam is that you need to have a balance between taking your time, and working problems efficiently.   If you feel like you are so stressed on exam day that you might rush through the problems, then this advice will be particularly useful.   Let me share a tip that has helped me have the right mentality on exam day, and led to my passing the PE Exam.

The Three C’s Mindset for Taking the PE Exam
Once test time gets here, take a moment and remind yourself to follow the three C’s, which are cool, calm and collected.  Just don’t day it out loud or people might think that you are weird.  But take a deep breath and try to relax.  Being relaxed and calm during the exam I think will actually help you do better and not being stressed and uptight during exam time.  Realize that though this is an important exam, but if you don’t pass it the first time, that’s okay. You can always take it again and just know that you’re not a failure if you don’t pass the first time.  Of course, do remember that there is a time limit on the exam.  So, though you need to be collected, you will also need to be efficient at working through the problems as well.

Given the number of problems on the PE Exam, it is common knowledge that you have an average of six minutes to solve each problem.  That is plenty of time to solve all of the problems on the exam and still have time leftover to check your work.  Some problems will take less than that, and some will take more than that. So remember to be efficient, and remember the three C’s on exam day -  cool, calm, and collected -and you should do just fine.

What do you think?
Do you have a different strategy for taking the PE Exam?  If so, please leave a comment.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Thanks to Horia Varlan (flickr)

Best Environmental PE Exam Study Materials

This is a post that provides the best study materials for the Environmental PE Exam.  The majority of the materials have been published by Professional Publications, Inc (PPI).  As with the other PE Exams, the Environmental PE Exam is open book.  You will therefore need a good set of materials to take with you into the exam, and you will also need some materials to study with.

I suggest that a good review begins with three basic parts; a review manual, practice problems (a lot of practice problems) and a sample exam.

The reason I suggest these three items for your review is that you will need the core reference to help you work problems and to take to the exam.  Textbooks and college notes are fine, but for the PE Exam you need something streamlined and condensed, yet able to cover the broad range of materials.

The reference manual is important, but working problems will be the core of your review and preparation.  Skim through the appropriate section in the manual, and then work the problems for that area.  The sample exam is used to give you a test day experience and also find out where you need to spend some time preparing.

Here are the suggested materials for the Environmental PE Exam; Note:  Much of the information below is amazon or other links, and I do gain a commission  from the links, at no extra charge to you.  So I want to thank you in advance helping support the site

Part 1 – Reference Manual for the Environmental PE Exam

Environmental Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam, Second Edition by Michael R. Lindeburg (Hardcover – Apr 1, 2003)  (ENVRM2); ISBN-10: 1888577983

See larger image Environmental Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam, Second Edition (Hardcover) By (author) Michael R. Lindeburg PE List Price: $336.00 USD New From: $209.00 In Stock Used from: $243.30 In Stock

Part 2 – Sample Problems for the Environmental Engineering PE Exam

Practice Problems for the Environmental Engineering PE Exam: A Companion to the Environmental Engineering Reference Manual (2nd Edition) (ENVPP2) [Paperback]; Michael R. Lindeburg PE (Author); ISBN-10: 1888577991

More than 370 practice problems that coincide with the Environmental Engineering Reference Manual.

See larger image Practice Problems for the Environmental Engineering PE Exam: A Companion to the Environmental Engineering Reference Manual(2nd Edition) (Paperback) By (author) Michael R. Lindeburg PE List Price: $104.00 USD New From: $65.00 In Stock Used from: $58.10 In Stock

Environmental Engineering Solved Problems [Paperback]
R. Wane Schneiter (Author) (ENSP3); ISBN-10: 159126071X

Even more problems, over 500, in multiple choice format.

See larger image Environmental Engineering Solved Problems (Paperback) By (author) R. Wane Schneiter List Price: $104.00 USD New From: $288.50 In Stock Used from: $58.15 In Stock

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Part 3 – Sample Exams

Environmental Engineering Practice PE Exams, 3rd ed. [Paperback]; R. Wane Schneiter (Author); (ENPX3); ISBN-10: 1591260019

Three 8-hour practice exams that will help you to find out where you are in your studies.

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NCEES PE Environmental Sample Questions & Solutions NCEES (Author); May 1, 2004; (NCPEN4); ISBN-10 1932613323

The sample exam put out by the NCEES.

See larger image PE Environmental Sample Questions and Solutions (Paperback) By (author) Ncees New From: $890.56 In Stock Used from: $25.24 In Stock

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Part 4 – Additional References

Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse [Hardcover] (Metcalf and Eddy); ISBN-10: 0070418780
This book comes highly recommended, and is a mainstay in the field of environmental engineering.

See larger image Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse (Hardcover) By (author) George Tchobanoglous, Franklin L. Burton, H. David Stensel New From: $99.82 In Stock Used from: $96.02 In Stock

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Best Study Materials for the Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering PE Exam

Thanks to Horia Varlan

Study Guide for the Professional Engineering License Examination (SNAME; 2009)

This guide is prepared by the same group that wrote the exam, so this guide will provide some of the best review for the Naval PE Exam.

Other References for the Naval Architecture PE Exam

The Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers cites the following references as well for you to gather and use in your exam preparations.

•     Introduction to Naval Architecture, E. Tupper, 1996, INA/SNAME
•     Principles of Naval Architecture, The Geometry of Ships, 2009 SNAME
•     Principles of Naval Architecture, Intact Stability, Colin S. Moore, 2010 SNAME
•     Principles of Naval Architecture, Strength of Ships and Ocean Structures, Mansour and Liu, 2009 SNAME
•     Principles of Naval Architecture, Vols II and III, E.V. Lewis, 1988, SNAME
•     Applied Naval Architecture, Robert Zubaly (available through SNAME)
•     Ship Design and Construction, R. Taggart, 1980, SNAME
•     Ship Design and Construction, T. Lamb, 2003, SNAME
•     Ship Production, R.L. Storch, C.P. Hammon, H.M. Bunch & R.C. Moore, 1995, SNAME
•     Fiberglass Boat Design and Construction, R.J. Scott, 1996, SNAME
•     Marine Engineering, R.L. Harrington, 1992, SNAME
•     Elements of Ocean Engineering, R.E. Randall, 1997, SNAME
•     Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels, American Bureau of Shipping, (ABS)
•     Rules for Building and Classing Plastic Vessels, 1978, ABS
•     Rules for Building and Classing High Speed Planing Craft, 1997, ABS
•     U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Titles 33 and 46 (CFR 33 and CFR 46)
•     Mechanical Engineer’s Handbook, Avallone and Baumeister, or
•     Eshbach’s Handbook of Engineering Fundamentals, Tapley

Naval Architecture PE Exam Review Course

Some people tend to review better in an audio and/ or video format.  This course provides a review of four main areas of the Naval Architecture PE Exam, and is designed in a distance format.  There are multiple experts on hand to provide the teaching of the class. The link is provided below:

Naval Architecture PE Exam Review Course

For More Information about the Naval Architecture PE Exam:

Contact the following organization:

The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers

http://www.sname.org/

SNAME study materials
601 Pavonia Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07306
Phone: 800-798-2188
Fax: 201-798-4800

And finally, if you have not done so already,  you will want to review the exam specifications for the Naval Architecture PE Exam.  Use this information to focus your preparation in the right areas.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Best Metallurgical PE Exam Study Materials – A Guide

For the Metallurgical PE Exam you will need to assemble your reference library from notes and text used during college and your career.  It is suggested that you bring only one reference for each of the categories that will be on the exam.  The TMS, or the Mineral, Metals, and Materials Society has more information on suggested references for the exam.  You can find this organization at the contact below.

The TMS cites the following References for the Metallurgical PE Exam; select one reference per category in order to ‘streamline’ exam day as much as possible.

METALLURGICAL PE EXAM RECOMMENDED READING AND REFERENCES

General:
ASM Metals Handbook, Desk Edition. 1st or 2nd Edition
Ceramic Materials Science and Engineering, by Carter and Norton

Corrosion:
M.B. Fontana, Corrosion Engineering. 3rd Edition McGraw-Hill
D.A. Jones, Principles and Prevention of Corrosion. 2nd Edition 1996. Prentice-Hall

Mechanical Metallurgy:
G. Dieter, Mechanical Metallurgy. 3rd Edition 1986, McGraw-Hill.
R.W. Hertzberg, Deformation and Fracture Mechanics of Engineering Materials, 4th Edition, John Wiley & Sons

Thermodynamics:
Introduction to the Thermodynamics of Materials, 5th Edition 2008, Taylor & Francis Books, Inc., by D.R.Gaskell

Transport Phenomena:
G.H. Geiger, Transport Phenomena in Materials, 1998, Addison Wesley
D.R. Gaskell, Introduction to Transport Phenomena in Materials Engineering, 1992, Macmillan Publishing Co.

Physical Metallurgy:
R.E. Reed-Hill, Physical Metallurgy Principles, 1992, PWS-Kent Publishing.
S. Avner, Introduction to Physical Metallurgy, latest edition, McGraw-Hill.

Other:
J.P. Schaffer, A. Saxena, S.D. Antolovich, T.H. Sanders, jr., S.B. Warner, The Science and Design of Engineering Materials, 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill.
W.D. Callister, Jr., Materials Science and Engineering, 5th Edition, John Wiley & Sons
Candidates are advised to carry a basic statistics book for reference purpose.

Contact The Minerals Metals and Materials Society

For more information, you may want to contact the TMS society directly.

TMS

http://www.tms.org/Education/PE/PEreferences.aspx

184 Thorn Hill Road

Warrendale, Pennsylvania 15086 USA

Telephone: (724) 776-9000

Fax: (724) 776-3770

E-Mail: education@tms.org

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What do you think?

Do you have other suggested study materials for the Metallurgical PE Exam? 

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Thanks to Horia Varian

Best Nuclear PE Exam Study Guide and Materials

Practice Problems Book:  

(Post Updated 11/4/12)

Nuclear Engineering Solved Problems

The former 101 Nuclear Engineering Problems, which was published in 1999 has been updated.  The new book replaces the 101 problems book is entitled Nuclear Engineering Solved Problems, which was released in June of 2012.  Note, if it is not available on amazon, it can be found directly on the publisher site.

The old version of the book:

101 Solved Nuclear Engineering Problems [Paperback]; ISBN10 = 1888577304 (Link)

The updated version of the Nuclear Engineering Solved Problems book:

Nuclear Engineering Solved Problems; By John A Camara, PE; June, 2012.  Second Edition.  | ISBN-10: 1591263859 | ISBN-13: 978-1591263852 | Professional Publications, Inc.

Currently Available on the Publisher’s Site (Link) 

Now it is only $50, but Use the Code ANDYS54U to save another 5%.

Here is a brief excerpt of what Amazon has to say about the book:

This book’s comprehensive coverage of nuclear engineering problem-solving will sharpen your understanding of nuclear energy and engineering whether you are a candidate for the nuclear PE exam, a nuclear plant operator or technician, a professional in the health physics field, or a nuclear power worker in military or civilian settings.

The Nuclear Engineering Solved Problems book is written to meet the 2012 NCEES PE exam specifications for the nuclear exam. In fact, the chapters match the bullets outlined in the exam specs, which makes the preparation easier for you.  The problems have all been solved in a detailed fashion, with all tables and references included in the solution.

Here is one of the reviews on Amazon:

…The questions are very good and each subject area is covered in sufficient quantity and quality to “knock the rust off” as one prepares for the PE examination….

Professional Engineering Examination Study Guide for Nuclear Engineers by American Nuclear Society (2004); ISBN 0894485687

An audio CD review product is available on Amazon is provided below.. (though honestly you can actually get it cheaper from New.Ans.com)

Professional Engineering Examination Study Guide for Nuclear Engineers (CD-ROM) By (author) American Nuclear Society New From: $200.00 In Stock

Additional References

Nuclear Reactor Analysis [Paperback]; James J. Duderstadt (Author), Louis J. Hamilton (Author); ISBN = 0471223638

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This is a textbook for an introduction into nuclear reactor analysis.  Provides the basics of nuclear fission chain reactions and reactor cores.

The description from amazon goes on to describe this in more detail:

This text introduces the student to the fundamental principles governing nuclear fission chain reactions in a manner that renders the transition to practical nuclear reactor design methods most natural. The authors stress throughout the very close interplay between the nuclear analysis of a reactor core and those nonnuclear aspects of core analysis, such as thermal-hydraulics or materials studies, which play a major role in determining a reactor design.

Introduction to Nuclear Engineering (3rd Edition) [Hardcover]; John R. Lamarsh (Author), Anthony J. Baratta (Author); ISBN 0201824981

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Nuclear Engineering: Theory and Technology of Commercial Nuclear Power, 2nd Edition; Ronald Allen Knief; ISBN 10: 0894484583

Nuclear Engineering: Theory and Technology of Commercial Nuclear Power, 2nd Edition (Hardcover) By (author) Ronald Allen Knief New From: $149.99 In Stock Used from: $174.76 In Stock

For More Information…

Contact the following organization

American Nuclear Society

http://www.new.ans.org/

555 North Kensington Avenue
La Grange Park, IL 60526
Phone: 708-352-6611
Fax: 708-352-0499

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Best Mining and Minerals Study Materials

Thanks to Horia Varlan

Study Guide for the Professional Licensure of Mining & Mineral Processing Engineers [Plastic Comb]
Society for Mining Metallurgy & Exploration (Author) ISBN10 = 0873352696

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A sample exam can be a good way to get that needed exam day experience, find out where you need additional review, and also give you plenty of problems to work.  This sample exam is the closest to what is on the actual PE Exam, because it is made by the same committee that developed the exam.

This sample exam is useful for identifying weaknesses at the start of your study and for putting the final polish on your exam preparation. Because it is made by the same same committee that makes the PE exam it is the most exam-specific preparation available.  The thing about mining engineering that is unique to this discipline is that it requires a breadth of knowledge.  And this sample exam covers that kind of breadth.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Best Study Materials for the Fire Protection PE Exam

The References for the Fire Protection PE Exam are cited by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) on their website as follows:

• The SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering (4th Edition); ISBN-10: 0877658218
(See a more detailed description below)
• NFPA Fire Protection Handbook (20th Edition)
• NFPA 11 – 2010
• NFPA 13 – 2010
• NFPA 15 – 2012
• NFPA 20 – 2010
• NFPA 25 – 2011
• NFPA 30 – 2012
• NFPA 92 – 2012
• NFPA 101 – 2012

Though these references are not cited in the NCEES specification for the Fire protection exam, I would suggest that you use these references, since the SFPE is involved in the writing of the exam.

Some Additional References to Consider for the Fire Protection PE Exam

• Principles of Smoke Management by Klote and Milke
• NFPA Fire Protection Handbook, 19th Ed.
• Enclosure Fire Dynamics, Karlsson & Quintiere
• An Introduction to Fire Dynamics, Drysdale
• Additional NFPA standards beyond those that are required

Detailed Description – SFPE Handbook

The SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering (4th Edition); ISBN-10: 0877658218

This handbook has been prepared by some of the foremost experts in the field of Fire Protection Engineering, and gives the coverage you need in the area of fire protection engineering and performance-based fire safety.  Some of the topics covered include the fundamentals, fire dynamics, hazard calculations, fire risk analysis, and modeling; as well as   Methods for predicting temperature in fire exposed structures, Structural fire engineering of building assemblies and frame, Risk-informed industrial fire protection engineering, Fire risk assessment for transportation vehicles, and Performance-based fire protection engineering.

Much of what you will need to pass the PE Exam will be in the SFPE, but you may need to supplement your library with the original references as well.

See larger image Sfpe Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering (Hardcover) By (author) Society of Fire Protection Engineers List Price: $270.00 USD New From: $229.99 In Stock Used from: $355.48 In Stock

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What do you think?

What references or study materials do you find useful for the fire protection PE Exam? 

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Best Architectural PE Exam Review Materials

Part 1. Sample Exam

Architectural PE Sample Exam (ASCE)

Principles and Practice of Engineering:  [Paperback]; ISBN 0784410909; Prepared by the Professional Exam Development Subcommittee, Architectural Engineering Institute of ASCE

Description of the Architectural PE Sample Exam

You may wonder why the first reference cited for the Architectural PE Exam is a sample exam.  While it is one of the few resources available for this exam, it is probably also the most important for you to obtain.  There are not many ‘reference manuals’ that I am aware of, so you will need to really make the best of this sample exam to guide your studies.

This is the Second edition of the Architectural Engineering PE Exam Sample Questions and Solutions Manual, and it  can be used as a sample exam, or merely as a source of sample problems.  The manual has 80 questions intended to be done in two four-hour segments, just like test day.  The book covers each of the four areas on the Architectural PE Exam.  Topics also include: Licensing Requirements, Description of Examinations, Examination Development, Scoring Procedures, Examination Procedures and Instructions.

Note:  Links on this page may earn a commission, but at no additional cost to you.  Thank you in advance for supporting this site.

See larger image Principles and Practice of Engineering: Architectural Engineering Sample Questions and Solutions (Paperback) List Price: $49.00 USD New From: $49.00 In Stock Used from: $38.00 In Stock

Part 2 – Codes and Standards for the Architectural PE Exam

Here are the Codes and Standards required for the Architectural PE Exam, as cited by the AEI of ASCE; though these are not cited in the PE Exam specifications.  Given the fact that this list is published by the group that essentially writes this exam, I would highly suggest you get as many of these references as possible.

• International Building Code, 2009 Edition, International Code Council, Inc.
• International Plumbing Code, 2009 Edition
• International Energy conservation Code, 2009 Edition
• ASCE 7, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, 2005 Edition, American Society of Civil Engineers.
• ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook 2005, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, & Air-Conditioning Engineers
• ASHRAE HVAC Applications Handbook 2003, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, & Air-Conditioning Engineers
• ASHRAE HVAC Systems & Equipment Handbook 2004, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, & Air-Conditioning Engineers
• ASHRAE Refrigeration Handbook 2006, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, & Air- Conditioning Engineers
• ASHRAE Principles of Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, & Air-Conditioning Engineers
• ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 – Energy Standard for Building Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, & Air-Conditioning Engineers
• IESNA Lighting Handbook; 9th Edition
• SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 3rd Edition, Society of Fire Protection Engineers
• ASPE Data Book Volume 2: Plumbing Systems, American Society of Plumbing Engineers
• Comment:  I am not clear why Volumes 1 & 3 are not needed ??
• NFPA 70 National Electric Code 2011 Edition, National Fire Protection Association
• NFPA 13 Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems 2010 Edition, National Fire Protection Association
• NFPA 14 Standard for the Installation of Standpipe, Private Hydrant, and Hose Systems 2010 Edition, National Fire Protection Association
• NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm Code 2010 Edition, National Fire Protection Association
• NFPA 20 Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pump for Fire Protection, 2010
• NFPA 101 Life Safety Code 2006 Edition, National Fire Protection Association
• ACI 318, 2002 or 2005 Edition, Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete, American Concrete Institute
• ACI 530, 2008 Edition, Building Code for Masonry Structures, American Concrete Institute; Also ACI 530.1
• ACI 530.1, 2008 Edition, Specifications for Masonry Structures, American Concrete Institute
• AISC Steel Construction Manual, Thirteenth Edition, American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc.
• NDS, National Design Specification for Wood Construction & National Design Specification Supplement, 2001 Edition, ASD, American Forest & Paper Association.

Part 3 – Additional References for the Architectural PE Exam

If that were not enough, you may also want to take a look at this manual.  I have not personally reviewed this, but I would probably pick it up if I were taking this exam.

3a – Architectural Engineering Ref Manual (1998) ; ISBN10: 0079136923
Comment:  I have not reviewed this manual, but you may want to check it out.

See larger image Standard Handbook of Architectural Engineering (Hardcover) By (author) Robert Brown Butler List Price: $125.00 USD New From: $82.22 In Stock Used from: $12.99 In Stock

3b – NCEES Structural I Sample Exam

3c – Engineering Economy textbook containing equations and tables related to time value of money.

Part 4 – A Note About the Architectural PE Exam:

Not all of the states allow you to take the Architectural PE Exam. namely Alaska, Oregon, Nevada, Cal, Hawaii, RI, Mass, and VT.  I am not clear their reasoning, but if you are in one of these states you will need to look at a different discipline, I suppose.  Here is a map showing the states allowing versus not allowing the
http://content.aeinstitute.org/images/contrib/MapofStatesStatus-2012.jpg

Part 5 – Contact the AEI of the ASCE for more information about the Architectural Engineering PE Exam

Architectural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers
http://content.aeinstitute.org/inside/intro.html
1801 Alexander Bell Drive
Reston, VA 20191
Phone: 800-548-2723
E-mail: aei@asce.org

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Petroleum Engineering PE Exam Study Materials

Thanks to Horia Varian

A good review for the PE Exam will begin with a good core reference manual, working plenty of practice problems and taking a sample exam along the way.  It also does not hurt to take a review course as well.  Below is a suggested reference manual, and according to their website, the Society of Professional Engineers will be putting out a guide in the near future.  

Reference Manual for the Petroleum Engineering PE Exam

A Guide to Professional Engineering Licensure for Petroleum Engineers and Sample P.E. Exam 10th Edition; 2009; 80 pp; Softcover; ISBN10=155563270X

See larger image A Guide to Professional Engineering Licensure for Petroleum Engineers and Sample P.e. Exam (Paperback) List Price: $30.00 USD

Note, amazon is out, check the Society of Petroleum Engineers (below).

Also, here is another source:

http://www.brownbookshop.com/products/A-Guide-to-Professional-Engineering-Licensure-for-Petroleum-Engineers-and-Sample-P.E.-Exam.html

This was provided on the Society of Petroleum Engineers Website regarding this reference manual 

This 2009 revision outlines the professional registration process in the U.S. A vital resource for individuals planning to register and become licensed in their respective states, it lists state boards and summaries their requirements. This softbound guide also features an updated actual sample P. E. exam, which reflects the new exam format of 80 one point, multiple choice, no choice questions. The guide includes test-taking do’s and dont’s and serves as an excellent review of general petroleum engineering problems. For those seeking to build or complete a personal library, the list of references will prove invaluable.

Review Course

A review course for the Petroleum PE Exam will be a good way to refresh the concepts on the Petroleum Exam, keep you motivated to study, and help you with some areas you may hit a wall on.  A review course is provided by the Society of Petroleum Engineers.  Here is a Link to the SPE Review Course.

Speaking of review courses, you may wonder if they are really worth it.  Check out my video entitled ‘PE Review Courses:  Are they Worth it?’ to give you some thoughts on whether you should take a review course or not.

For More Information about the Petroleum Engineering PE Exam

Contact the Following Organization:
Society of Petroleum Engineers
http://www.spe.org/
222 Palisades Creek Drive
Richardson, TX 75080
Phone: 972-952-9393
Fax: 972-952-9435
E-mail: SPEDAL@spe.org

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Best Industrial Engineering PE Exam Study Materials

The important things you will need to review for the PE Exam includes your core references, and practice problems. Once you obtain the problems, work as many as possible, and use the references to refresh your knowledge in areas as needed.  Here are the suggested resources for the Industrial PE Exam.

REVIEW FOR THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS’ EXAMINATION IN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING 2005 [Paperback] W. J. Kennedy (Author), Donovan Young (Author); ISBN10 = 097415573X

REVIEW FOR THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS' EXAMINATION IN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING 2005 (Paperback) By (author) W. J. Kennedy, Donovan Young List Price: $85.00 USD New From: $523.50 In Stock Used from: $155.00 In Stock

Sample Examination for the PE Exam in Industrial Engineering (IESE2), 2nd Edition

http://ppi2pass.com/shop/pe-exams-1/industrial-pe-exam/sample-examination-for-the-pe-exam-in-industrial-engineering-iese2.html

This sample exam will provide you with some realistic problems for your test-day, while also providing a way to create the actual test day experience.  Taking an exam for eight hours can be tough, so it is suggested to practice.  In addition, you will quickly find out areas that you need additional attention.  Once you determine those areas, spend extra time reviewing and educating yourself in that area.

The sample exam has 80 questions covering all aspects of the exam.

PE EXAM REVIEW FOR INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERS

You may decide that a live course is needed to refresh your knowledge for the Industrial PE Exam.  Fortunately, you can take a course through the Institute of Industrial Engineers

http://www.iienet2.org/IIETrainingCenter/Details.aspx?EventCode=PEI

Topic Highlights:

Engineering economics
Engineering registration and the PE exam
Facilities
Human factors and safety
Inventory planning and control
Management systems
Manufacturing systems
Probability and statistics
Production planning and control
Quality assurance
Work measurement
Work methods

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What do you think?

Do you have some suggestions about study materials, resources, or references for the Industrial PE Exam? 

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Best Control Systems PE Exam Study Materials

Sample Problems/ Sample Exam for the Control Systems PE Exam

PE Control Systems: Sample Questions and Solutions; ISBN10 = 0984014799

See larger image PE Control Systems: Sample Questions & Solutions (Paperback) By (author) Jagadeesh Pandiyan New From: $124.95 In Stock

A good set of sample problems will go a long way in assisting you in your preparation for the control systems  PE Exam.  This is essentially two sample exams in one, each containing 80 questions each.  Use each as a sample exam or as sample problems to work at your convenience.  The topics covered in this sample exam is as follows:

• Measurement
• Signals
• Transmission and Networking
• Final Control Elements
• Control Systems
• Safety Systems
• Codes, Standards, and Regulations

In addition, the reference provides information about licensing requirements as well as review course and suggested reference materials.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Michael Dale

You want to be at your best on exam day, so that you can obtain the highest score possible.  Of course you have put in many hours of review, and prepared for the material, but you also want your mind and body to be at there sharpest on exam day.     Here is some advice to ensure your mind and body are at their sharpest to pass the PE Exam.

Taper Your Review and Relax
The week of the exam is not the time to cram for the PE Exam.  By this time, if you have not reviewed it, a cramming session will not help much.  The main thing to do the final week of the exam is to taper back your studies.  It is okay to spend some time reviewing during that week before the exam, but try to spend time relaxing as well.  Go for a walk, check out a movie, or just read a non-technical book.  Just try to

Get a a Good Night’s Sleep
Please do try to get to bed at a reasonable time and have a schedule in place the night before where you eat dinner at a reasonable time. Don’t do anything out of the ordinary as far as trying to go to bed extremely early. If you go to bed at 10 o’clock every night, go to bed at 10 o’clock. If you go to bed midnight every night, though, you might want to think about going to bed a little bit early the night before the exam.  In fact, you will want to get a good nights rest for at least two days before the exam. This is because you are affected by the past two nights of sleep, not just the night before.

Get Some Brain Food
Then the day of the exam, of course you’ll want to eat a good breakfast and get some energy to get you through that exam. I’ve heard that eating proteins, maybe some eggs and maybe some carbs too. But eat a decent meal the day of the exam that will get you the proteins and the things you need to get through the exam. If you’re a coffee drinker, you might want to think about how much coffee you drink because you don’t want to be going to the bathroom every 30 minutes during the exam.

Get There Early
There is nothing like getting somewhere late to make you feel flustered.  It is better to get to the exam room a few minutes early, and allow yourself to stay relaxed and sharp.

Don’t Make this Mistake Just Before the Exam
During those final moments before the exam, you’re going to have to get there a little bit early so you can get to sign up and the registration taken care of. But, while you’re standing around and everything, my recommendation is meet some people, socialize a little bit, and talk about things other than the exam.  Just try not to think about the exam too much or especially don’t cram for the exam the day of the test because if you don’t know about it by then, you’re not going to know it.  If you do talk to others, I suggest that you try not to discuss the exam too much.  If you begin to talk to others about what they studied for, and you will just end up questioning yourself and whether you reviewed properly.   The best thing is to keep your mind relaxed just before the exam, and then when it’s time to take the exam, focus and be intense about it.

These are a few things that will help you stay sharp on exam day, and will hopefully give you the edge to pass the PE Exam
What do you think?

What things to you think will make you the sharpest on exam day? 

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Best Agricultural PE Exam Study Materials

The information regarding review material for the Agricultural PE Exam is limited, albeit there is information available.  I have found a few resources that will be of value to you if you are taking the agricultural PE Exam.  Here are the resources.

In addition to the materials listed below, you may want to get some of the Civil PE Exam Study Materials and/ or Environmental PE Exam Review materials that have been recommended here.  Another option, of course, is to gather up texts and notes from college days and prepare your own binder of information.

Review Course for the Agricultural PE Exam

Recorded Webinar Series by ASABE (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers)

You can get the power point files as well as the recorded video downloaded at this link if you hurry .

Topics included in the video and powerpoint multimedia files:

• Physical Operations
• Economics
• Circuits, Constrols and Sensorts
• Power and Energy Systems
• Ecology Natural Resources Engineering
• Mass Transfer Between Phases
• Hydrology and Hydraulics
• Soils
• Soil and Water Management
• Machine Design

Agricultural PE Exam Grant:  

The other resource unique to Ag E’s is that the ASABE offers an incentive to take the PE!

Apparently, they will reimburse you up to $300 for exam fees, and provide an additional $150 to use at your discretion.  Sign me up today!   You will need to be a member of ASABE to eligible for the reimbursement and incentives.

Agricultural PE Association

For more information about the Agricultural PE Exam, contact the ASABE:

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers

http://www.asabe.org/

2950 Niles Road
St Joseph, MI 49085
Phone: 269-429-0300
Fax: 269-429-3852

What do you think?

Do you have any suggested review materials or resources for the Agricultural PE Exam?  Let me know! 

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

freefotouk

Episode 11 Mechanical PE Exam Tips Revealed With Special Guest

Right-Click Here To Download

For this episode of Ace the PE Exam Podcast, I asked Greg over at PEPrepME.com to join us for this special interview to discuss the Mechanical PE Exam.

Greg is a Mechanical Engineer who successfully passed the Mechanical PE Exam, and decided to provide some tools for people to pass the Mechanical PE.  At that time, he has started his website and wrote a study guide for the Mechanical PE exam.

In this episode, we go over the different exams that you can choose from as a Mechanical Engineer, the Mechanical PE Exam Specifications and also the breadth and depth format.

We went on to find out the references that Greg Recommends for the Mechanical PE.

The primary reference for the Mechanical PE Exam include:

• Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual (MERM) (Primary Reference)

For your Mechanical PE Exam Depth review, you may need one or more of applicable references below:

• ASME Steam Tables-Compact Edition
• ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook
• Machinery’s Handbook

You can find the full listing of Mechanical PE exam References at the link provided.

Finally, Greg shares with us a few tips of his own that will help you study for the exam.

And finally Greg shares how to find him, and how to get a copy of the Mechanical PE Exam strategies guide . You will have to listen to the audio to get the promo code

To find more about Greg and the Mechanical PE Exam, please visit his website, where you can pickup a copy of the as well.

BTW, I want to thank you in advance for anyone deciding to purchase Greg’s guide. It does help me out, as I do get a commission, but at no additional cost to you.

Enjoy!

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

COCOEN Daily Photos

The  Professional Engineer Exam (PE Exam) is a timed exam.  You have 4 hours to take each the morning and the afternoon exam. So, that gives you about 6 minutes a piece on average to do the problems. If you take your time, I think you can do a good job and pass the exam with success. Here are a few time management tips to help you on exam day.

The Three Pass System for Passing the PE Exam

People like to approach the exam in different ways.  One way that I recommend to actually go through the problems is I call it the three-pass system.  The basic idea is to go through the problems on the morning portion of the exam as well as the afternoon portion three times. You will start by solving the easy problems in the first pass, then the medium and difficult problems in the second two passes.  This approach allows you to ease into the exam, while also getting ahead of the clock,  so to speak.  Here is how the system works in a little more detail.

For the first pass, go through and do the so called ‘easy problems’. These are problems that you know cold or you know with no reference.  It might be a verbal question or it may just require a simple calculation . But these are problems that you can probably do within a minute or two – quickly and easily. In the morning you’ll probably have about 10 of those kinds of problems, about 25% of the problems. This allows you to have 10 problems done on 20 minutes. That’s 25% of your morning exam. So, you can focus the rest of the 3 and half hours or so on the remaining 75% of the problem. So, that kind of gets you a leg up and gets you kind of moving and get you grooving into the exam.

The next pass involved solving the core of the exam questions. These are the problems that you know how to do. You just need to refer to your manual, find the formula, and solve the problem.  For these problems, you will want to spend around 3 to 6 minutes per problem. Most of these problems will be answered from one or two of your core references.   It helps to have your books tabbed is a good way to go through and just boom pick that formula out and go ahead and do that problem. And also having an index is another good thing to have. In that way, you can go in to the index, see where the formula is and where the reference is and then go to the place that you need to go in your book. So that’s the second pass, which has problems on the medium level of difficulty.  After completing this pass you knocked out another half of the exam, which means you should have about 75% of the exam done, and hopefully you still have plenty of time to work through the last pass.

At this point, you  should have about an hour or so to do the remainder of the problems on the morning or afternoon exam.  These questions are the hard ones that you needed to come back to.  Either you weren’t clear about the subject, or you knew they were going to take a lot of work. Spend the rest of the time working through these last problems.  Just try not to spend too much time on any one problem. If you find yourself exceeding 8 to 10 minutes on a problem, then either wrap it up or come back to it later.  At some point during the last pass, the exam administrator will announce there is 30 minutes left.  At that point, you will want to wrap up the last pass, check your work, and check that your bubbles have all been entered correctly.

I find that the success and momentum of answering the easy questions early provides the momentum to answer the harder questions later in the exam.  In addition, I feel like I am ahead of the clock which helps give me confidence as well.  Other people prefer to just work through each problem sequentially until they complete the exam.  But the three pass system is the one that I have used to get through the PE Exam, and it could be beneficial to you as well.

What do you think?
Do you have a particular way to work through the problems on the PE Exam

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

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The Civil Engineering Reference manual is considered a mainstay in the field for preparing for and passing the Civil PE Exam.  This book covers all five sub-disciplines of civil engineering including structural, transportation, geotechnical, construction, and water resources and environmental.  In addition, the book is  organized in a readable and efficient way.  The author of this book is Michael R. Lindeburg, who is well known for such publications.

The NCEES Exam Topics Covered in this book:

• Construction: Earthwork Construction & Layout • Estimating Quantities & Costs • Scheduling • Material Quality Control & Production • Temporary Structures
• Geotechnical: Subsurface Exploration & Sampling • Engineering Properties of Soils & Materials • Soil Mechanics Analysis • Earth Structures • Shallow Foundations • Earth Retaining Structures
• Structural: Loadings • Analysis • Mechanics of Materials • Materials • Member Design
• Transportation: Traffic Analysis • Geometric Design • Transportation Planning • Traffic Safety
• Water Resources & Environmental: Hydraulics—Closed Conduit • Hydraulics—Open Channel • Hydrology • Wastewater Treatment • Water Treatment

As you can see, the list of topics that this book covers in roughly 85 chapters is exhaustive, though such extensive coverage is requried should you wish to pass the PE Exam.  For the morning portion of the Civil exam, this book will likely be all that you need in order to answer all the question.  For the afternoon portion of the exam, this book will cover roughly 75% of the depth questions.  The remaining questions on the afternoon part of the exam will need to be answered using the codes and standards referenced by the NCEES.

In summary, this book has been tried and true to help me pass the Civil PE Exam.  In addition, parts of it came in handy when I took the Structural I exam a few years later.  Thankfully I was able to pass both exams!

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Episode 10 PE Exam Tips Revealed With Special Guest

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We asked Tim at EngineeringVideos.net to join us back for another interview. This time, Tim reveals his tips that helped him pass all three components of the California Civil PE Exam, including the seismic and survey portions.

Is preparation or exam day execution more important? While both are important, we get a very clear opinion about which one will give you the edge on test day.

What are some tips to help you keep moving when you get stuck? We answer this in the interview as well.

In addition, we discuss other tips such as what materials he took to the exam as well, and how to be prepared for the unexpected.

Here are the some links mentioned in the show:

To find Tim, you can find his free videos at engineeringvideos.net, or check out how he has organized civil PE Exam resources at civilpeexam.com. If that were not enough, those of you taking the survey exam may benefit from the Survey Practice Problems book Tim put together as well. Just check out the link provided.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

When Will You Find Out if You Passed the PE Exam, and How Will You Cope?

Okay, so you just finished the PE Exam, and now you just want to find out whether you passed.  The question  of the day right after you pass is:

“When will I find out if I passed the PE Exam“

According to the NCEES website, they release their results around 8-10 weeks after the exam to your state, and in most states will also send you an email to let you know that your results are on the NCEES portal.

I know from experience that these two months you spend waiting on your results for the PE Exam can be some of the most stressful times ever.  I remember when I was awaiting my results for the PE Exam, I would look through the mail with heightened anticipation for any result.  Coworkers and I would discuss whether it was better to get a thick envelope or a thin envelope.  Was it better to get your results early or late?  Both arguments had their valid points, but the reality is you never know until you opened that envelope and see the results for yourself.

Five Things to do While Waiting for your Results

1. Be Patient -  You know you will not hear anything for about two months.  I would just put it out of your mind for at least that time period.  Just be patient and know that before you know it, your results will be available.

2. Be Ready for Bad News -   There is a quote that says something like ‘hope for the best, and plan for the worst‘.  I think this is sound advice when awaiting your PE Exam results. Of course, I am not promoting pessimism, but I don’t want you to be overconfident either.

3. Keep Your Materials – Before you sell all of those unwanted materials, please be sure that you make sure you passed the PE Exam first.  This point goes along

4. Learn from your experience – Try to sit down and write out some things that you can do better next time.  pass or fail, this is a good process to do.  If you fail, it will be of particular value.  And if you pass, you may be able to help someone else out.  Some questions to ask include : What could you do differently to prepare better?  Is there another test day strategy that you could employ?  Were there references or materials that could have helped you get an edge on the Exam?

5. Enjoy your free time – While waiting for the results of the PE Exam, try to use all of that time that is now freed up, and spend time with your family or friends. Or maybe start a new hobby or activity.  I am sure by now you want to put your time and efforts towards something besides engineering for a little while.

What do You Think?
What do you think is the hardest part about waiting for your PE Exam Results?  

Do you have a funny story about when your results were made available?  

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Section III.  of the NCEES specifications for the breadth exam covers Structural Problems, and is 20% of the morning exam.
Part A. of section III specifies Loadings (Dead, Live, Construction) to be on the exam.

Here is a sample of such a problem.

Problem 301.    A second floor of an office building in downtown Dallas, Texas is constructed with the components  shown in the figure below.  What is the uniform dead load in pounds per square foot (psf) of this floor system?

Answer Choices: 

a)    20
b)    19
c)    17
d)    13

For the solution, continue to the next section:

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Does Salary Increase when you get a Professional Engineer (PE) License?

It is often noted that one reason that your should  get your PE license is that your salary will increase.  Well, there is actually data to back this up.  For example, a National Society of Professional Engineer’s study cites that licensed engineers earn approximately $20,000 more than their unlicensed counterparts in the same position. Let’s see why this is true, and how you can help to ensure it happens to your salary.

Should I Get a Raise Instantly After I Pass the PE Exam?
Of course, I would not expect there to be an automatic raise to kick-in the instant you pass the PE Exam.  However, with time there will likely be pay increases that match your new resume.  Much will depend on the company and the manager you work for.  At a minimum, though, I would think that a nominal raise would be in order to show appreciation for your hard work.  When I passed the PE Exam, the company I worked for gave me a small bonus to say ‘congratulations’.  I suggest if that happens to you that you take your family out for dinner, because you could not have done it without them!

When Should I Expect a Raise, Anyway
Typically what happens is that after you get your PE License, you are able to manage projects yourself, be fully responsible for the design, and of course sign off on the design.  In effect, you justify more pay because you are producing more for the company.  What also happens is that once you start taking on those kinds of responsibilities, you are likely to be promoted within the company.  With this promotion, often comes a raise.  As you continue to move upwardly within the company, raises will match your promotions.

Upwardly Mobile
Let’s face it, people just do not stay at the same company for 30 years anymore.  Most people in this current job atmosphere hold multiple jobs throughout their career.  And once you obtain your PE License you become more attractive to other companies.  So if other companies make you an higher offer, you either take the new job, or ask your current employer for a raise.  Switching jobs is another common way that getting a PE License results in increased pay.

Know Your Worth
We have to remember, of course, that averages are just that, and many factors will affect your salary.  Factors such as where you live, your field of engineering, and the company you work for are some that play into your salary.  You should check to be sure that your salary is within a reasonable range based on all of these factors.  At some point after you pass the PE Exam, you will want to use this information to negotiate with your company to determine an agreeable salary.

It’s Not All About the Money
So it will generally be true that licensed engineers get more pay than those working in similar positions that are not licensed, but a lot of factors affect that, especially your ability to negotiate a good salary.  The money is certainly one reason to get your engineering license, but hopefully, you have other reasons to get your license as well.

What Do You Think?

Do you expect to get a raise once you pass the PE Exam?

How much of a percentage increase do you think is fair?

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Do you want to know the key to passing the Professional Engineer Exam? 

Do you want to know the key to passing the Professional Engineer Exam?  The idea behind this strategy is really quite simple, but the follow is a little more difficult.  I believe that the primary key to passing the PE Exam is preparation.  Of course you will need to be sharp and ready on test day, but being prepared will help to ensure that as well.

1.  The PE Exam is Hard, so be Prepared

The Professional Engineering Exam is eight hours long, containing 80 problems on the exam.  The difficult part about the exam is that the knowledge base is quite vast, even within your specific discipline of engineering.  The result is that you do not know exactly which type of problems will be asked on the exam, and so you must prepare for any number of questions.   The other issue is that you have likely been away from much of the subject area during the past four years or so while you have been specializing in your area of expertise.  While this specialization is good for your career, it can make the PE Exam preparation more challenging.

2. Know What’s on the Exam

Since there is such a wide possibility of questions that you can be asked on the PE Exam, the best way to prepare for this scenario is to be ready for anything the exam will throw at you.  You will want to know of course what it is that is expected on your exam.  Those topics likely covered on your exam are provided in the exam specifications.   You can find the PE Exam design standards for your discipline of the PE Exam at the link.

3. Put in the Time

I have read in Lindeburg’s manual, and validate from my own experience, that a a PE preparation program including 300 hours of preparation will increase your chances substantially.  I realize that is quite a bit of preparation, but this requirement only underscores the fact that this test is a challenge to pass, and the key to passing is preparation.  During your preparation, most of your time should be spent working problems, with some time allocated to studying and brushing up on theory.  Some of the test will have questions related to theory, but even more will be solving problems.

4.  Get on a Schedule

Once you find out exactly what you should be studying for on the PE exam, then you need to establish a study schedule in order to cover each of those areas.  Most people allocate three to four months to study for the PE Exam.  Over that period, identify when you will cover each section, and then follow through with that schedule.  Of course, you can adjust the schedule as you go, but the schedule is there to keep you on track.  The benefit of a schedule is that it allows you to break the exam down into components so that it is easier to digest.  Over 12 weeks you will need to put in about 20 hours or more in order to reach the goal of 300 hours.  Just think of it as a new hobby

5. Get Motivated to Work Hard! 

The work and time required to pass the PE Exam is hard.  So in order to follow through with the recommendations, you will need to be motivated to pass the exam.  Some things that will help you stay motivated include the following ideas:

Five Quick Motivation Tips to Help Pass the PE Exam

1) Write out three benefits of passing the PE and place that on your refrigerator

2) Connect with others taking the PE Exam

3) Write a Schedule and Follow It

4) Explain to your family the preparations will keep you busy over the next few weeks, and

5) Try to something each day to move you closer to being prepared.

The PE Exam is not easy, if it were the pass rate would be 100%.  I am a believer that in order to pass the PE Exam you need to prepare adequately and stay on track with a good study program.  Hopefully you this key to passing the PE Exam will help you unlock your potential of passing!

What do you Think? 

I would love to hear from you.  Please leave a comment! 

What do you think is the key to passing the PE Exam? 

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

This is an example post of theory for the PE Exam

Q = v *A

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Ten Reasons to Become a Professional Engineer

The road to becoming a professional engineer can be somewhat tedious, and takes some perseverance to finish.  Considering the amount of effort it takes, I find it helpful to remember the benefits of getting a PE license.  Those reasons for getting a license may help you during those difficult times such as preparing for the PE Exam or taking the FE Exam.  First let’s look at what it takes to become a Professional Engineer.

A Professional Engineer in the United States is licensed in their state of residency, and sometimes obtains lice sure in other states as well. The requirements of each state are somewhat different, but the following requirements are true of all states.  A PE is someone who has at least:

* Earned a four year engineering degree from an ‘ABET’ accredited university
* Passed the Fundamentals of Engineering, FE Exam
* Worked four years under a licensed PE
* Passed the Principles and Practice of Engineering, PE Exam, in their state.
* Maintains the continuing education requirements
After meeting those requirements, one may refer to themselves as a Professional Engineer, and place the letters ‘PE’ behind their name.  A PE is someone in “responsible charge” of work done.  He is the one who signs the plans and takes responsibility for the project being done right.

But the question you may ask is, why would anyone want to go through all of that in order to be a PE.  From my own experience, passing the PE Exam, and getting my license to practice engineering was a great benchmark of my life, and can be for you as well.

Here are some of the benefits of getting your license, and reasons to put yourself through the difficult process:

Ten Reasons to Become a Professional Engineer

* it can be a crowning achievement to your career
* There is respect by your peers in the engineering as well as non-engineering community
* It gives you credibility with your clients as well as peers
* The PE Seal is required to do work on many Public and Government projects
* It may help you to advance your career by giving you additional credentials
* Provides a measure of job security during company downsizes
* Allows you to own a company or be a principal in an engineering company
* Aides in the marketing of your services on your resume as well as business cards
* The preparation required during the PE Exam allows you to master the subject matter you are studying
* Of course, the answer we had all been waiting for – Money.  Yes, getting a PE license can in fact help you to get a raise, get a new job with more money, or make more as the owner of your own company.

Keeping these advantages of getting your PE License in mind can help you to remember why you are putting yourself through all of this hard work to prepare for and pass the PE Exam, or the FE Exam in some cases.  Take a moment to write out three reasons why you want your PE License, and then place that on the refrigerator as a reminder to stay on track with your preparations!

Take Action

You can also listen to the podcast episode that I did covering the Advantages of Getting your Professional Engineer License.

What do You Think?

…I would like to hear back from you, and get some feedback about the article.  Please leave a comment. 

What do you think is the most important reason, if any, to get an engineering license? 

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Using Video as a Tool to Prepare for the PE Exam – An Interview

The Civil PE Exam is quite a broad test to take, covering 5 sub-disciplines of civil engineering.  This episode provides some ideas on how to use video learning as a way to prepare for, and ultimately pass the PE Exam.  The resource that we discuss in particular is a website called engineeringvideos.net.  This site provides tons of video demonstrations on how to work specific engineering problems that you may be struggling with, or just need a refresher.  Enjoy!

Right-Click Here To Download

PE Exam Podcast Shownotes

Here are the notes and links mentioned in the show:

First we learned what EngineeringVideos.net is all about.  Then, we discussed the benefits of using video as a resource for studying for the PE Exam.  Tim discusses the secrets of using video, and how it can help you get an edge on the test.

We also discuss the Survey Practice problems book that Tim has developed.  For those of you taking the survey portion of the PE exam, or for those who are actually getting licensed as a surveyor, you need to check this book out.

To fid out about engineeringvideos.net, follow the link provided.

For the Survey Practice Problems book; go to this link, as mentioned.

http://acethepe.com/surveybook

Also, all of the videos are free to view on the Engineering Videos site, but in addition, you can get the DVD as well for a limited time here:

http://acethepe.com/engineeringvideos

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Hi, I would like to offer help to my audience.  I will be selecting some questions for the next episode to cover.  My area of expertise is mostly Civil and Structural Exam.  If I do not know the area, I will try to get some help from someone.  Do you have a technical question about a problem you are working on?  Do you need help on study strategy or what materials to use?  Are you concerned about exam strategy?

Please submit your questions below or via email.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Show Notes – Time and Motivational Tips

Priorities and Motivation-
I know it is difficult.  You have busy lives, families, jobs, etc.
What are your priorities? (Mine are Faith, spouse, kids, and then “everything else”)
How important is this exam compared to “everything else”
When you walk out of the exam, will you be able to say “I did everything I practically could to pass the exam.
Get a vision for something that motivates you  -
E.g.  for me fear of failure & retaking the exam.  I knew I could not do this 2x

Review -
How much study time is needed?
08- noted 300 hours per Lindeburg
(if you study 300 hours and do not pass please let me know…)
Gave strategies for what to do during your studies.
Today discuss creating time.

Today is 2/5/10 & the exam is 4/16.

10 weeks from today!
Need to study 30 hours per week.

Time budget
We all have 168 hours a week to work from
How will you budget that?
40 hours work
56 hours sleep
16 hours – sunday
Leaves 56 hours – I am just asking you to spend about half of that or 30 hours…

Think about your week and where your time is being spent.
Could you have studied during that time?

Some practical ways you can “make time” to study
1.  Go in to work 2 hours early    (10 hours)
2.  stay 2 hours late     (10 hours)
3.  Talk to your boss about working less hours (10 hours)
(It can wait 10 weeks…)
4.  Talk to your boss about working 4 10′s or half day friday
5.  Have a talk with your spouse
work on saturdays (8 hours)
study 2 hours each nigh after kids go to bed (10 hours)
6.  Ask if your spouse can make dinner for the next 10 weeks…
quick foods
7.  Do not go out on Fridays – (4 hours)
8.  Excercise – this will help you stay mentally alert
9.  Do have some balance in your life – take some breaks, do some things
10.  Get out your calendar and pencil in the times you will study
11. Get a study buddy
12.  Just because you get behind, do not let it discourage you
13.  Quit wasting time (facebook, TV, )

So that is some things that may help you to make time to study for the PE exam.  You do not have much time left, but if you effectively use what time  you have, then you should still be OK.

Action – sit down and decide where you will find 30 hours a week to study over the next 10 weeks.  Mark the time in your calendar and then follow it.

Then, go to my blog at acethepe.com and let me know 1 or 2 ways that you will find some time in your schedule.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

In this episode we provide some test taking strategies for the PE Exam.

Show Notes:
1.  Plan your test day
What to bring -

• Get your exam kit started – references, bound materials, calculator, stopwatch.  Get the free checklist for more info.
• Sleeping arrangements/ hotel

2.  The night before

• get to bed at a reasonable time

3.  Eat a good breakfast
4.  Before the exam

• Don’t cram the day of
• don’t talk about the exam.

5.  Relax – breath deeply and remember the 3 C’s

• Cool Calm and Collected
• This test is important, but
• you can take it again
• it is  really OK if you do not pass!
• Have fun!
• Ensure your personal info is correct
• Discipline info is correct
• Start your clock. take a deep breath and a sip of water.
• This is a eight hour exam in 2 parts
• 6 minute average, some will take more, some less
• Relaxed but methodical and on schedule
• Keep up with your time
• Skim the exam and think about your strategy.  (5 minutes)

6.  3 pass system

• Take the exam with 3 passes
• Easy  – Problems that you know “cold” with no resource
• 10 or so
• Medium – Problems that you know, but will need to come back to
• Hard -
• Then go through and skim the problems again, massaging problems that you are not sure about.
• With 5 minutes left, make sure all answers are bubbled

7.  Other things to keep in mind

• Bubble carefully – try to only enter 1 time
• Ensure your units are correct (psf, psi)
• Think through the problem carefully and then work it.
• don’t get bogged down.  If you are stuck on a problem longer than 7 or 8  minutes, you may need to move on

8.  After the exam

• Go out to dinner and relax!  You deserve a break
• Take your family out!

9. Summary

• Prepare & Plan ahead
• 3 C’s
• 3 Pass system
• Think!

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

In this episode we offer several tried and true study tips to help you prepare for the PE Exam.

You can listen to the show by clicking the audio player above.  In addition, I am copying my show notes below for your use.

Notes
How much study time is needed?
300 hours per Lindeburg
Break that down to 14 weeks
That is 98 days & 3 hours per day

This is a new hobby! But it is important for your career and development.   This is the most important way to pass the PE Exam.  There are no shortcuts!!!!  You must put in the time!  There is truly so much to cover, and you have to work problems and review the material.  Studying and knowing the material makes taking the exam so much easier.

Plan your strategy
Develop a schedule
When will you study?
Before work/ after work
Weekends
Find a quiet place
You may need to make some sacrifices (family, friends)
Determine what to study, and how long
five  parts to the exam
2 weeks for each breadth section
4 weeks for depth section
2 weeks to brush up after the exam is over.
Try to cover all of the sections, but focus on your strengths and make them better
Make sure you spend more time on the depth section material than the breadth.
Work 2-3 problems minimum each day.
Organize your worked problems
Lindeburg book has 90+ chapters.  read chapter a day.
Skim over theory, but know where to find it.
Highlight important concepts.
Place tabs on parts of the book you reference frequently
Follow your strategy
Write your schedule out & follow it!!!
“just do it”

Connect with others to hold you accountable
Consider joining an online forum
Get motivation from this podcast
Set a goal for how you will celebrate when you finish the PE
Think about how great it will feel when you pass the exam.

Take Action:
Write out a study plan, post it somewhere important and then follow it!

Find someone online or off that can hold you accountable to the schedule.

What do you think?
We want to hear your comments!

What is the most important key to studying for the PE Exam?

Get updates
Sign up for our email updates if you have not already done so.  This let’s you get  the free PE checklist as well as a promo code for a discount of of some of the materials.  Sign up below.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

In order to effectively study for the PE Exam, you will need to get some study materials.  Here are 2 items you will need immediately.  This particular episode is geared towards materials for the Civil Engineering PE Exam.

* Special Offer! -Get a 10% Discount off of materials bought from PPI.
Many of the products listed in this checklist are provided on the PPI Publications website, and we have been given a special offer to pass on to you.  Go sign up to get the promo code in the pdf checklist.  This offer is good until January 2010.

Study and Exam Resources

A brief listing of some of the materials mentioned in the show is provided below.  A more detailed listing is provided in the free checklist that you can sign up for on this page.

Books & Guides
Civil Engineering Reference Manual by Michael Lindeburg
Civil Engineering Quick Reference

Problems
101 solved civil engineering problems

Sample exams
Civil Engineering Sample Exam (by ppi)
NCEES Sample Exam ( on NCEES website)

Design Standards - The PE Civil modules of Transportation, Structural and Construction require you to have design standards.  You will need these for the afternoon session.

Structural –

IBC 2006  and referenced standards.
ASCE 7-05
ACI 318-05
ACI 530 – 05
AISC 13th edition
AISC Seismic
NDS 05
PCI 2004
AASHTO  LRFD Bridge Design Specifications

Transportation -
AASHTO  A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, 2004
edition (5th edition), American Association of State Highway &
Transportation Officials, Washington, DC.

AASHTO
Roadside Design Guide, 3rd edition with 2006 Chapter 6 Update,
American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials,
Washington, DC.

HCM
Highway Capacity Manual (HCM 2000), 2000 edition,
Transportation Research Board—National Research Council,
Washington, DC.

MUTCD   Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 2003, U.S.
Department of Transportation—Federal Highway Administration,
Washington, DC.

PCA  Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 2002, 14th edition,
Portland Cement Association, Skokie, IL.

ITE  Traffic Engineering Handbook, 1999, 5th edition, Institute of
Transportation Engineers, Washington, DC.

Construction -
ASCE 37-02 Design Loads on Structures During Construction, 2002, American
Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA, www.asce.org.

NDS National Design Specification for Wood Construction, 2005,
American Forest & Paper Association/American Wood Council,
Washington, DC, www.awc.org.

CMWB Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls During Construction,
2001, Council for Masonry Wall Bracing, Mason Contractors
Association of America, Lombard, IL, www.masoncontractors.org.

AISC Steel Construction Manual, 13th ed., American Institute of Steel
Construction, Inc., Chicago, IL, www.aisc.org.

ACI 318-05  Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete, 2005,
American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI,
www.concrete.org.

ACI 347-04 Guide to Formwork for Concrete, 2004, American Concrete Institute,
Farmington Hills, MI, www.concrete.org (in ACI SP-4, 7th edition
appendix).

ACI SP-4 Formwork for Concrete, 7th ed., 2005, American Concrete Institute,
Farmington Hills, MI, www.concrete.org.

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction
Industry, 29 CFR Part 1926 (US federal version), US Department of
Labor, Washington, DC.

MUTCD-Pt 6 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices – Part 6 Temporary
Traffic Control, 2003, US Federal Highway Administration,
www.fhwa.dot.gov.

Water Resources & Environmental & Geotechnical – resources & texts from college.  A more detailed listing is on the free pdf checklist that you can sign up for.

Note:
For people taking the Structural I exam:
Get the Structural Engineering Reference Manual by Alan Williams
Also the Practice problems by Alan Williams

What you do not need for the exam:
Obsolete textbooks, mathematics, or calculus, etc.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

It helps to know exactly what you are up against so that you can effectively prepare for and pass the PE exam.  This is an outline used for the audio show.

You can listen to the show right here or by downloading the podcast from iTunes.

General:

• 8 hour exam
• 80 multiple choice for most exams
• Structural II consists of 8 essay questions
• Environmental exam has 100 multiple choice questions
• PE Civil and Mechanical have  a breadth and depth module
  morning – breadth
  afternoon – depth

Open book exam

• bring own references
• wise to plan which references you take
• If you take a large stash, you may have your main books and then take a second box just in case
• references must be bound

Devices allowed in the exam:
particular calculators are permitted, and no other

• Casio:      All fx-115 models. Any Casio calculator must contain fx-115 in its model name.
• Hewlett Packard:     The HP 33s and HP 35s models, but no others.
• Texas Instruments:     All TI-30X and TI-36X models. Any Texas Instruments calculator must     contain either TI-30X or TI-36X in its model name.

Note: I recommend buying the calculator and using it at work. You can buy these at staples, best buy etc.

Prohibited devices (include but not limited to):

Qwerty devices, cameras, phone, laptop, calculator watches, reproduction equipment, electronic recorder, radio, headset

If such device is found after the exam, you will be dismissed and your exam not score

Some of the disciplines you can choose from

• Civil Engineering
• Electrical and Computer
• Environmental
• Mechanical
• Chemical
• Structural I & II

Civil PE Exam – Breakdown for the Breadth and Depth Format

Morning “Breadth” Portion – Covers 20% of each sub-discipline

• Geotechnical
• Structural
• Transportation
• Water Resources and Environmental
• Construction

Afternoon “Depth” Portion – You select a sub-discipline to work on

Geotechnical
Subsurface exploration and drilling
Engineering properties of soils and materials
soil mechanics analysis
earthquage engineering (liquefaction, etc)
Earth Structures
Shallow foundations
Earth retaining structures
Deep foundations
Other topics (groundawater and well fileds, aquifers, loads, construction methods, osha, temporary structures)

Structural
Loadings
Anaysis
Mechanics of materials
Materials Design (steel , cmu)
Member design
Design Criteria
Other topics

Transportation
Traffic analysis
Geometric design
transportation planning
traffic safety
other topics (25%) (hydraulics, hydrology, engineering properties of soils and materials)

Water Resources and Environmental
Hydraulics -closed circuit and open channel
Hydrology
Groundwater and well fields
Wastewater treatment
Water Quality
Water Treatment
Engineering Economics (2.5%)

Construction
Earthwork and Construction Layout
Estimating Quantities and Costs
Construction Operations and Methods
Scheduling
Material Quality Control and Production
Temporary Structures
Worker Health, Safety, and Environment
Other topics – to include groundwater well fields
Subsurface exploration
Earth retaining structures
deep foundations
loadings
mechanics of materials

Pass Rates for April, 2009
Civil PE:         66% (32% second time)
Structural I        48%    (25% second time)
Structural II        65% (36%)
Naval            100% (67%)

How is the PE graded?
Has a “cut” score to correlate with past tests.  This cut score varies from test to test.  The main thing to keep in mind is to try to get the best score you can!

Units
Most use a combination, but you can choose which units to work in.  The structural test is only US

Note: If you have not already done so, don’t forget to get your Free Checklist for the PE Exam.  It includes materials and tasks you will need to help you pass the exam.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

In this episode, we discuss the registration process for the PE Exam.  Click on the player to listen to the episode.

Notes are provided below for reference.

First, Go to www.NCEES.org to find out the schedule for your upcoming exam and determine when you will take the exam.

Next, apply for approval to take the exam through your state. You will be able to download the state approval form.  Go to the NCEES site, then click on exam registration on the left to download the form.

Then, fill out the state form:
You will need to get your references and experience filled out.  Also you will need to get your transcripts from the ABET acredited university that you attended.  The deadline to receive the state approval is usually over four months before the exam.  There will likely be a processing fee for your state approval.

Finally, pay for the exam fee at NCEES
Once you get approval to take the test, you will need to go back to the NCEES.org website and pay for your exam fee for the State you reside in.   $245 for most PE exam fees.  ($735 for Structural II).  The deadline for NCEES exam registration for the 2009 exam is September 4.

You will get an email from the NCEES that your exam authorization notice can be downloaded. You will need to print that out to take to the exam.

You also get a link to the NCEES candidate agreement.  You have to sign this before the exam.  It is a good idea to read it ahead of time so that you don’t have to worry about that on the exam day.

Once you get all of the registration out of the way, you can just focus on studying.  Of course, hopefully you will have already started your studying for the exam!

Do not forget to sign up on the top right of this page for the free PE Exam checklist.

Thanks for listening, and we hope the best for you onthe upcoming exam!

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

In this second episode, I will discuss the steps to get your PE license.  The process is straightforward, but will take some planning.

Listen to the show here or by subscribing in iTunes.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.

Welcome to the first episode of Ace The PE Exam.  Whether you are on the fence about taking the PE, or are getting ready to take the exam this yeat, this episode will give you motivation to get that PE license by passing the PE exam.

You can listen to the audio here or subscribe to the show in iTunes.

Andy Richardson is a professional engineer and owner of the Ace The PE Exam website. Visit his site for more articles like this.