PE Exam Advice

Today, I found out I passed the Professional Engineer (PE) License exam I took this past April. 

State Board: New Jersey
Exam Type: PE - Civil
Exam Date: April 2013
Exam Result: Pass

That's all I needed to read - "PASS". Some advice for the future PE exam takers with the afternoon portion in water resources & environmental (I will be general, you have to sign an oath when you take the exam and I do not want to jeopardize my license in anyway or fashion):

• Civil Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam (CERM) - This is a must have. Get very familiar with it, intimately familiar with your core afternoon subject chapters. Mine was obviously water resources and honestly, this book was all I needed. This is a great resource to have as a professional as well. Very thorough and detailed. I have already referred back to it a couple times to look up some equations. 
• Take a review course - I took the School of PE weekend courses. We have so many things going on in our lives from working 'til you drop, managing friends, family, girlfriends, weddings, best man duties, yourself, personal issues, etc. On top of that, you now have to set aside time to rigorously study for the PE exam. Personally, I probably benefited most from the transportation review course mainly because I was never really interested in transportation. I'm not recommending a review course so that you can re-learn everything because that's not the purpose of a review course (if you need to re-learn everything, you are in trouble). Instead, I am recommending it because it keeps you focused. It gives you an excuse to block out your weekends. It preps your body to sit through eight hour days and practice problems. Plus, the instructors will provide you with a plethora of tips and keep you on a schedule. 
• Schedule - Stick to some sort of schedule. I decided to focus heavily on my core area first for the afternoon depth portion. Afterwards, I did as much as I can to refresh and go through the materials for the morning subjects (geotechnical, transportation, structural, etc.). School of PE definitely helped me pace myself on the morning topics. 
• Pack light if you can - I brought the CERM, one water/wastewater treatment book, Review Course binder and a civil engineering dictionary. When I went to the exam site, I thought I was at an airport. You will know what I mean. Unless you are taking an afternoon subject that requires multiple, multiple codes, I would recommend packing light. At that point, if you don't know it, you don't know it. Time management is key and the CERM is extremely thorough and detailed. 
• Tab, Tab, Tab - Make sure you know where to flip to. Time management is key!
• Practice, Practice, Practice - Finding time to study was very difficult. So, I made sure when I did, it was effective. I went through my core subject areas and other areas that I could in the CERM Manual. Afterwards, I practiced as many problems as I could (not just solving to solve, but actually being able to think through and solve it). The Six-Minute Solutions, NCEES practice problems, CERM example problems, review course problems, etc. are all great resources. Also, when you practice, practice with the materials you plan to bring and in the same condition. For example, if you are going to bring materials binded, practice with the materials binded. You want to be extra comfortable with your materials.
• Exam mentality - Read and solve what the problems ask. The exam is testing you on your engineering fundamentals. You are going to be sitting through eight hours so stay focused  and read the problems carefully. I hate having to be on exam mentality, but you have to do it. There were plenty of times when I was studying and I would breeze through practice problems thinking it was so easy only to find out I was wrong. I did not read what the question asked for. Simple as that.
• Check your units and significant digits - Straight forward. Read the first couple pages in the CERM on significant digits. 
• CERM Index - Have a separate binded copy of the CERM Index. Much easier to look up during the exam. 
• Calculator - Make sure you are using an approved calculator from the NCEES website and purchase a backup. Use the calculator when you are practicing. I was so used to using TI-86 that I needed to get familiar with the approved Casio ones.
• After the exam -  Get some sleeeeepppp! Then, grab some drinks! You just sat through a grueling eight hour exam. I wouldn't think much about it afterwards and move on with your life until the results come in. 

Anyways, just my two cents! The exam covers a lot of material so don't be overwhelmed and have an honest self-assessment of where you stand. Believe and trust in yourself, only you will know when you are ready. 

Good luck to all the future PE examinees and congratulations to all the new April 2013 PE's!

The Knack

If an engineer loses the knack, results can be devastating...

Food for thought for our profession.

Peace

@ Lake Minnewaska

Courtesy of my iPhone Panorama