The PE Exam Survival Guide

T

E H

PE EXAM

L A V I V R U S E D I GU

PROVIDES GUIDANCE, CHECKLISTS, AND TIPS TO PASS ACE THE PE EXAM...

“REALIZE YOUR DREAM OF BEING A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER “ A Free eBook by @andyrichardson of AceThePE.com • Version 1.1 • Monday, July 7, 2014 • [email protected]

Table of Contents The PE Exam Survival Guide!

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With Information on the FE Exam!

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Will this Book Help Me Pass the PE Exam?! Who is this Guy, and Can He Help Me Pass the PE?! Why I Created this Book, and How to use it!

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1. Quick-Hitting Points About the PE Exam!

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(...for those Too Busy to Read it all...)!

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The Secret of Getting Ahead...! Keys to Passing the PE Exam - A Quick Overview!

2. The Road to the PE License! What is a ‘PE?’ (PE Licensure in the US)! Why do I Need a PE License?! What is the PE Exam?! Pre-Requisites to Take the PE Exam! Wait...What is the FE Exam?! How Do I Register for the PE Exam! Universities Outside of the U.S. - Getting Accreditation!

3. What Is the PE Exam Like ?! What is Covered on the PE Exam?! Scoring for the PE Exam! Some Exams have Breadth and Depth Formats!

4. Discipline-Specific Exam Information! Links to Exam Requirements and Study Materials for Each Discipline:!

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5. Study Materials & References!

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6. Items to Take Into the Exam!

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A Note About Loose Papers, Tabs, Flags, and ‘Stickies’! Notes Regarding Exam Materials:!

7. Preparing For the PE Exam! Get Your Study Materials Together! Best Study Strategy! Five Ways to Fail the PE Exam! How much do I need to study for the PE Exam?! Writing Your Goals! Developing a Study Schedule! Tips for Getting Motivated to Prepare for the Exam! Study Tips!

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Final Preparations for the PE Exam!

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8. Be a Test-Day Hero!

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Exam Day Supplies!

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9. More Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)! Are Review Courses Really Worth it?! What is the PE Exam Schedule for Upcoming Exams?! What is the pass rate for the PE Exam?! Is the PE Exam Really Difficult?! Do I need any paperwork when I get to the exam site?! Getting references!

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11. (Bonus Chapter) Special Offers! Discounts and offers on Reference and Review Materials! 32 Ways to save on Reference Materials! Civil PE Review Course Savings! Save on PPI Reference Materials!

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12. (Bonus chapter) - Life After the PE Exam! When do I find out my results?! Mulligan - What Do I Do When I Fail?! Congratulations! You Passed!! Getting an NCEES Record! Taking on Responsibility and Liability! Ethics and Engineering! Maintaining Your License - Continuing Education! A Final Word!

copyright notice (Or Lack Thereof)!

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AceThePE.com 2

The PE Exam Survival Guide With  Information  on  the  FE  Exam

“Reach Your Dream of Becoming a Professional Engineer” Let’s face it, the PE Exam is tough. The April 2014 PE exam had about 30% fail rate for the Civil PE Exam first time examinees, and as much as 59% failure in other disciplines. This means in a group of 100 engineers, 30 of them will FAIL the exam. This is not an easy pill to swallow. For the ones that passed the exam, they worked hard to reach that goal. What gave them the push to keep working at it when they were tired, sleep deprived, and just burned out? Most of them had focus on a vision to become a Professional Engineer, and all of the advantages that go along with that. To paraphrase a Proverb “Without a vision, the people perish”. The point, without getting too philosophical is to understand what you are up against, and for you to keep in mind the reason you are doing all of this hard work. But every dream carries with it built-in stumbling blocks, barriers, and those "Murphy's Law" type moments that can keep us from realizing even the most powerful dream. This guide is intended to help you survive the challenges that will come your way so that you can in fact reach your goal, or dream, to become a Professional Engineer. We will begin with the basics of the PE Exam in general, then move into getting the right materials, preparation and study tips, and also test taking tips. Before we get into the meat of the subject, though, I would like to introduce myself. It is true that I am not a famous person nor am I a well-known guru, so I understand that you may have questions about my credibility. Let’s go ahead and address that and a few other questions, and then we can get you on your way to being a professional engineer.

• Introduction Will this Book Help Me Pass the PE Exam? The answer is Yes! Though I do not provide any technical advice for your particular discipline, this eBook will give you guidance on how to approach your exam review. I begin the book by providing three keys to passing the PE Exam; which include focus on the correct subject matter and motivation to put in sufficient study time. In this book, I will also share topics such as study strategies, creating a study schedule, the AceThePE.com

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registration requirements, and frequently asked questions about the PE Exam itself. Finally, I will cover some exam-day tips to give you an edge on the exam and to help you score your best.

Who is this Guy, and Can He Help Me Pass the PE? You may be asking yourself, ‘Who is this guy, and can this book really help me pass the PE Exam?‘ I do not have a PhD, and I am not a part of a major publishing company. However I do feel that I have the credentials to help guide you through the maze of taking the PE Exam in an “ordinary” kind of way that a PhD or major publisher could not necessarily deliver. In reality, I am just someone who passed the PE Exam who wants to help you do the same. My name is Andy Richardson, PE, and I passed the PE Exam twice. I enjoyed taking the Civil PE Exam so much that I decided to take the Structural PE Exam as well. Of course I am kidding about enjoying any PE Exam. Though I would not choose to take the PE Exam for fun, I do enjoy learning and improving myself as an engineer. Most importantly, I remember what it felt like when I passed the PE Exam and I thought I could help other people pass the PE Exam as well. That is why I decided to create the PE Exam Survival Guide - to help people realize their dream of becoming a Professional Engineer. If you are still nervous about my credentials, hopefully this abbreviated Curriculum Vitae will ease your nerves.

Curriculum Vitae for:

Andy Richardson, PE

EDUCATION: Clemson University; Clemson, SC; Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Magna Cum Laude, 1998; Calhoun Honors Society; Environmental Systems Minor NCEES PE Exams: Civil PE Exam- 2003; Structural I PE Exam 2005 LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS; SCPE No. 22824; NCPE No. 036442; GAPE No. 031369; NCEES National Council Record AFFILIATIONS; American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); Structural Engineering Institute (SEI); Structural Engineering Association of SC (SEA of SC) PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Structural Innovations, LLC., Owner 2009 – present PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING EXAM REVIEW EXPERIENCE Civil Engineering Online Review Course Instructor for the 36 hour review course covering the five sub-disciplines of civil engineering. Was hosted by Professional Publications, Inc. (PPI) (2012-2014) Ace The PE Exam Developed a website and podcast to provide information and resources to help people prepare for and pass the PE Exam. (2009- present). Civil Engineering Solved Problems Provided an update to the structural chapters of the well-known publication of PPI (2209) Masonry Chapter Update - Civil Engineering Reference Manual Provided an update to conform to the 2009 IBC. (2010)

Hopefully, now you see that I have the credibility to provide suggestions about the PE Exam, and more importantly the knowhow to help you pass the exam. If there is anything that I can do to help you, or if you AceThePE.com

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have any ideas for this guide or my website, please do not hesitate to contact me using the contact information on the cover.

Why I Created this Book, and How to use it If you are wondering about how this book came about, then keep reading. Otherwise, jump to Chapter 1 and let’s get started on your review! In 2009 I started a website and podcast called Ace the PE Exam (AceThePE.com) to help people pass the PE Exam. At that time I created a basic checklist of materials (mostly for the Civil PE Exam) that had over 800 downloads from my website. In addition, I have developed numerous tips and resources on the website to help people pass the exam. So I decided to provide even more value to my users, and to organize many of the tips and resources on my website into a user-friendly reference for anyone taking the PE Exam. The site now has information for all 24 sub-disciplines of the PE Exam. This was quite an undertaking and hopefully you will find this to be useful. Admittedly some of the exams that occur once a year have less information provided. And if you are interested in helping update some of the relevant pages, then please do contact me via my website (www.acethepe.com) and let me know. I trust that you will find this document a useful guide to properly prepare for the PE Exam. So that is a bit of the background of this guide for those that were curious; now you can quit wasting time reading this page and start finding out what you need to do to pass the PE Exam... Sincerely,

Andy Richardson Professional Engineer

Helping you “Reach Your Dream of Becoming a Professional Engineer” --Andy Richardson

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1. QUICK-HITTING POINTS ABOUT THE PE EXAM (...FOR THOSE TOO BUSY TO READ IT ALL...) I decided to write a chapter for those of you who just can’t make time to read the entire thing. If that is you, then please at least read this chapter. I believe it will help you develop your own framework to pass the PE Exam. Of course, if you can find the time, I believe reading the entire guide will give you the most benefit. I am working on developing an audio version of this guide, but in the meantime you must read it ;)

The Secret of Getting Ahead...

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one." --MARK TWAIN

If you are reading this, then you probably do want to get ahead. You want to have the benefits of PE Licensure, and have the credentials of of being a PE. You have worked hard for a long time, and you finally want to realize the dream of becoming a Professional Engineer. You may very well be on the last leg of the journey of getting your PE License, which is passing the PE Exam. This book will provide guidance to you to be successful in that endeavor and help you to get started. By getting this eBook and following the advice in it, you are well on your way to doing exactly that.

Keys to Passing the PE Exam - A Quick Overview Before I get into the details of study tips, and review materials, let me take a second to cut to the chase, so to speak. I realize that you probably just want to get the quick scoop on how to pass the PE Exam. Ok, fair enough. I will give you an overview, and ‘quick tips’ on how to pass the PE Exam and I will start with my keys to passing the PE Exam. Of course, I will get to the other important information in this eBook, but let me just share this secret to passing the PE Exam. In my opinion, if you master these three keys, you will have a 100% chance of passing the exam.100%? Yes, 100%. If you follow these three keys and do not pass the exam, please let me know, and I will refund you the cost of this ebook.

• Key #1- Become Proficient at Working Problems The PE Exam mostly consists of problems that must be solved with some equation or other analytical method. There are some theoretical questions on the exam, but the majority of questions on the exam involve some sort of solution. Further, if you understand the engineering concepts to solve problems, then AceThePE.com

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you can get the correct answer for the theoretical questions as well. During your review, you will need to work a ton of problems in order to cover the possible questions that the exam may throw at you. Of course, you will need to skim and/or briefly read chapters from a reference in order to get refreshed on the subject and to help you through the problems, but your focus should be working problems (a ton of problems, that is).

• Key #2 - Be Motivated Let me take a second to clarify a common question that may be rolling around in your head. Many people ask me ‘Is the PE Exam hard?.’ Yes, the PE Exam is hard. The passing rate for the PE exam averages about 67%. This means that 33% of people fail the exam. Many of these people worked pretty hard at the exam and still came up short. So, yes the PE Exam is hard, and if you do not properly prepare by working a ton of problems, you will fail! In summary, the PE Exam is hard, and will take focus, a plan, and following through with the plan. If you take it lightly, you will fail!

"Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude is how well you do it."  -Lou Holtz

That is why I believe that motivation is one thing that sets apart those who pass the PE Exam from those who unfortunately do not pass. Why is that? Well, as I mentioned before, the PE Exam is hard, and to pass it you need to put in the time, work problems, and prepare. You are juggling a job, your social life, and possibly a family and now you have to study for the PE Exam... how will you do it? Somehow you have to motivate yourself to stay on track with a study schedule over a period of several months. Some of the things that will help you stay motivated include being accountable to others, joining a study group or review course, and setting goals along the way. Chapter 6 provides more information on preparing for the PE Exam, and how to stay motivated during your PE Exam review.

• Key #3 - Be Sharp on Exam Day Once you have adequately prepared, the only thing left to do is actually master the art of taking the exam. You have worked hard for weeks, or even months to take this exam, so you want to get the most out of this one day. Some things that will help you get an edge on exam day include being confident, being physically and mentally sharp, being organized, and having a good exam-taking strategy. The first thing that will help you on exam day is to have the right mindset. Being confident and calm during the exam will really help you focus and get an edge on the final score. Of course much of the confidence will come when you have adequately prepared and that comes from doing the hard work before the exam. You also need to be organized and ready physically in order to have the right mindset for the exam. Some things that you need to have organized include your exam-day references and materials as well as travel and sleep arrangements. Knowing where to go and what to do will calm your mind, and allow you to focus on killing the exam. AceThePE.com

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And of course, as with any test, you need to be prepared physically. This means treating your body well, especially the few days leading up to the exam. If you have been burning the midnight oil studying, then take it easy the last few days before the exam.

"Ninety-eight percent of success is in the head and the heart." -Cathy Ferguson, Olympic swimming

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2. THE ROAD TO THE PE LICENSE Prerequisites and Registration for the PE Exam Note: If you have already registered for the exam, you may want to skip to Chapter 3 to save time. Otherwise, keep reading. The road to getting your PE license begins well before taking the PE Exam. This chapter provides a detailed explanation of the pre-requisites to taking the PE Exam, discusses why someone should take the PE Exam, and provides instructions on how to register for the PE exam.

What is a ‘PE?’ (PE Licensure in the US) PE is an abbreviation for Professional Engineer. To practice engineering in the United States, you must be licensed through your local state. Those licensed under these requirements may use the title Professional Engineer, or the abbreviation ‘PE.’ To obtain the Professional Engineering license, you must meet multiple requirements, the final of which is to pass the PE Exam.

Why do I Need a PE License? Engineering is a challenging field that comes with several rewards. For most in this field, the ultimate goal is to obtain the engineer’s license, also known as Professional Engineer status. This status allows you to be in charge of projects and to certify that work was done correctly. Working at this level of responsibility, one needs to be sharp and able to make good decisions, which is why there is a system of licensure in place. Also if you are able to meet the requirements and become a Professional Engineer then you may enjoy better pay, better job positions, job security, and at that time you could even open up your own engineering company. For more advantages of PE Licensure, refer to the article and podcast episode on this topic. See also:http://acethepe.com/podcast for list of podcasts.

What is the PE Exam? The PE Exam is the final requirement needed to obtain engineering licensure, and become a Professional Engineer. The PE Exam is written by the National Council of Examination of Engineers and Surveyors (NCEES). You will register to take the exam through your local state as well as the NCEES. The PE Exam is an 8hour multiple-choice exam, is in open book format, and for the most part you can take virtually any reference into the exam, though some states do have limitations on certain references.

Pre-Requisites to Take the PE Exam As I said earlier, in order to ensure that competent persons practice engineering, the United States has a system of licensure. This bears repeating because you actually apply for your license through your state of residency and the requirements are slightly different from state to state. But there are some requirements

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that are consistent in all states. This information will apply to anyone who is planning to take the PE exam college student, potential engineering student, as well as PE Exam candidates taking the exam shortly.

Generally, There are Four Main Pre-Requisites for Taking the PE Exam. (Check your State for Specifics on Prerequisites !!!) You can find this information from NCEES.org.

Step 1 - Get a Four-Year Engineering Degree from an ABET* Accredited University If you are unsure whether your university is ABET Accredited, Go to ABET.org and do a search. See also the section on evaluating your education if your university is not accredited. "ABET accreditation is assurance that a college or university program meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it prepares its students. For example, an accredited engineering program must meet the quality standards set by the engineering profession." From ABET.org *Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology

Step 2 - Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (FE Exam) • • • • •

A reference book is provided to use during the exam. Morning session is general engineering (breadth exam) Afternoon can be discipline specific or general in focus. A waiver for a lot of experience and education is possible. See also section on FE Exam

Step 3 - Experience Requirement: Work under a PE for 4 years • • • •

Required experience depends on your local board Usually required to work under another PE Allowed to take the FE right before the PE in some cases (although it is recommended to take the exam earlier) Some states are permitting PE Candidates to reverse the Experience and Exam requirements such that they take the PE after graduation, and then get the experience requirements later.

Step 4 - Take the PE exam... and pass it. • • • • •

This is an 8-hour exam 80 multiple-choice questions (SE Exams have some essay questions) PE civil and mechanical have breadth and depth format. Exams are generally held in April and October Exams are open-book, but certain devices are restricted (See Chapter 6).

Step 5 - Congrats! You did it! 8 Hours ago you couldn’t spell Professional Engineer! Now you are one!

Wait...What is the FE Exam? The FE Exam (Fundamentals of Engineering Exam) is another exam that is required prior to taking the PE Exam. The Fundamentals of Engineering exam is also an 8-hour exam written by the NCEES. You are not allowed to bring references from the outside into the exam, but they do supply you with a workbook including key formulas. Once you have passed the FE Exam, you may get an Engineer in Training Certificate, and also refer to yourself as an Engineer in Training (EIT). Sometimes an EIT is also referred to as an Engineering Intern. It is unethical to simply refer to yourself as an engineer until you are actually a licensed engineer.

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How Do I Register for the PE Exam Once you have met the requirements and have decided to take the PE Exam, you are ready to register for either the April or October exam. (Some exams are only administered once a year; see chapter 8 for more information.) Here are the things you need to do to get registered for the exam:

Ensure You Have Met All Pre-requisites Check the State and NCEES prerequisites for taking the PE Exam. I just want to underscore that you need to check your State-Specific Requirements for PE Licensure to ensure that you meet any requirements that may apply. Some states are more stringent, and do not permit you to bring in certain things such as handwritten notes or sample exams.

State Application: • First apply through your state of residency to take the exam, providing required documentation: • Fill out the personal information and experience. • Provide the character and experience references - up to five references are typically required and usually three are required to be licensed engineers. • Transcripts sent from your University Registrar • Pay a State application fee.

Pay the Exam Fee at NCEES • Go to NCEES.org to pay for your exam fee for your state. This exam fee is different than the application fee. • You should get an authorization notice from NCEES emailed to you. Print this out, and hang onto it for exam day. • You will also get a link to the NCEES Candidate Agreement. Sign this and bring it with you also.

Universities Outside of the U.S. - Getting Accreditation As I previously mentioned, one of the pre-requisites to taking the PE Exam is to graduate with an engineering degree from a University that is accredited by ABET. Accreditation just simply means that a particular university has been approved as meeting certain standards and guidelines. For most people that get a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering in the US, the program is accredited. If your education was outside of the US, then your University may not be accredited, though there are some Universities outside of the US that are accredited by ABET. If you want to look up whether your University or particular degree program was accredited, then confirm it at this link: http://main.abet.org/aps/ Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx If you find that your degree is not accredited by ABET, then in order to meet the education requirements of the PE Exam, you will need to work with the state board through which you are getting licensed. Each state will approach the review of your education differently. The NCEES has a program to assist with this review. To have them review your education credentials, you can go to this link and follow the instructions. AceThePE.com

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http://ncees.org/Credentials_evaluations.php. The cost of the initial review is $400. The evaluation consists of a comparison of your education to their standard by the state board. The engineering education standard used by the NCEES consists of three parts: 32 hours of Mathematics & Science, 16 hours of Humanities, and 48 hours of the core engineering curriculum. Bachelor’s courses are included along with the Master’s and Doctorate work in the evaluation. Any advanced placement work done during high school will also be included in this evaluation. For thesis work or independent studies, only six hours will be granted. Work experience and co-ops do not contribute to the accreditation in any way. Finally, degrees earned exclusively as work-experience based learning are not considered. In some countries, you will find that your education meets and exceeds the technical requirements, but you may be deficient in non-technical humanities classes such as sociology or literature. While you may feel these standards are not ideal, the best approach is to work with the board and accept their review. You may need to take an extra few classes to meet the requirements. In the end, you will learn something that will make you a better person and in fact a better engineer. Remember, in the long run, reaching the dream of getting a PE License really is worth it, so keep that goal in mind while you are working through what seems like a tedious mountain of requirements at times!

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3. WHAT IS THE PE EXAM LIKE ? It is important to understand the Format and content of the PE Exam in order to develop a study strategy and do your best on the exam. Here I will cover the overall format, scoring, and content of the disciplinespecific exams.

What is Covered on the PE Exam? One good thing about the PE Exam is that it allows you to choose a discipline which your exam will cover. This discipline, or area of practice, will likely match your education or your current area of practice. For some disciplines, such as the Civil PE Exam, there are additional sub-disciplines covered. The subject material covered on the PE Exam, then, will depend on which discipline-specific exam you take. The disciplines that you may choose from are as follows:

PE Exam Disciplines There are actually 25 exams administered by the NCEES (that is, if you count the depth exams on the mechanical, civil and SE exams separately). The exams are as follows: •

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Civil PE Exam • Civil with Water Resources and Environmental emphasis • Civil with Transportation emphasis • Civil with Structural emphasis • Civil with Geotechnical emphasis • Civil with Construction emphasis Mechanical PE Exam • Mechanical with Thermal and Fluid Systems emphasis • Mechanical with Mechanical Systems and Materials emphasis • Mechanical with HVAC and Refrigeration emphasis Electrical PE Exams • Electrical and Computer with Power emphasis • Electrical and Computer with Electrical and Electronics emphasis • Electrical and Computer with Computer Engineering emphasis Structural (SE) Exam • Structural (SE) Exam with Bridge emphasis • Structural (SE) Exam with Building emphasis Industrial PE Exam Petroleum PE Exam Nuclear PE Exam Naval Architecture and Marine PE Exam Mining and Material Processing PE Exam Metallurgical and Materials PE Exam Fire Protection PE Exam Environmental PE Exam Control Systems PE Exam Chemical PE Exam Architectural PE Exam Agricultural PE Exam (New in 2013) Software PE Exam

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More information about the discipline exam specifications can be found in Chapter 4, on the website, or directly from the NCEES website. It is very important to review those specifications and use them as a study guide.

Scoring for the PE Exam The PE Exam is a multiple-choice test and is scored using Scantron technology. A cut score is established for each exam by each exam administration. So, the cut score will vary between two disciplines of engineering taken on the same date and it will also vary between two different dates for the same discipline. The cut score is established by a committee that votes whether each problem on the exam should be answered correctly by a reasonably competent engineer. This process of voting is used to determine the cut score for each exam. Because of this process, the cut score for each exam is actually different. It is not really important to understand the cut score, except to know you have to get as many right as possible.

Some Exams have Breadth and Depth Formats Some exams have a breadth and depth format, which means that the morning covers a more broad range of topics while the afternoon covers depth-specific information. The exams with a breadth and depth format include the Civil, Mechanical, and SE (Structural) Exams. More information about the discipline exam specifications can be found in Chapter 4.

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4. DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC EXAM INFORMATION To find the study materials and exam requirements (specifications) for your exam go to your exam and then click on the link provided (AceThePE.com). There you will find you discipline-specific information. (For now, this external linking keeps the book slim). See also chapter 5 on guidance on getting the right reference materials.

Links to Exam Requirements and Study Materials for Each Discipline: Civil PE Exam

Civil PE Exam (Main Page) l Civil Exam Specifications l Civil Exam References Civil PE Exam Sample Questions

Other PE Exams FE Exam

FE Exam (Main Page) l FE Exam Specifications l FE Exam References

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5. STUDY MATERIALS & REFERENCES I believe the most important materials needed to prepare for the PE Exam, regardless of discipline, are good reference materials, plenty of practice problems, and a sample exam. If your discipline has a core reference manual that covers the majority of topics, then that will be beneficial to use. These Core reference manuals helped me on my PE Exams. The core reference manual provides a quick method of finding formulas and solutions for the majority of the problems during your review and on the exam. Since the PE exam is open book, much of your study materials will be the same materials you use as references on exam day, so begin to learn your way through those references early and often. Working problems is the key to mastering the materials, so a good collection of problems is vital. I suggest that you take two sample exams during your review. Definitely take the one from the NCEES website (if available in your discipline), and at least one more sample exam. Take the NCEES exam a couple weeks before the exam and take the other sample exam a month or so before the exam. In addition to these references, your discipline will likely have some required design standards that are referenced in the NCEES specifications for your exam; those will need to be included in your preparation arsenal. Finally, for each topic on the exam, I suggest that you have no more than one reference for that topic. Pick the best reference for that topic, and begin to use it when you come to a a question on that topic. For me, most (roughly 80%) of my questions were answered from one core reference, and the remainder of the questions (roughly 20%) were answered from a few other texts. Of course your discipline may be different, so you will need to consider that in gathering your review materials. While studying, you will want to purchase an NCEES approved calculator and begin using it early to get accustomed to it.

Discipline-Specific Requirements For your discipline-specific requirements, refer to you can just go straight to acethepe.com/pe-exam/ and click on the exam you are taking in the menu. There you will find exam specifications and suggested study materials for your exam. Use this checklist along with the specific requirements to gather your materials together.

Checklist of materials For a printable checklist of study materials, as well as a step-by-step process for preparing for the Civil and other PE Exams, go to AceThePE.com and signup for the newsletter.

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6. ITEMS TO TAKE INTO THE EXAM This is an open-book exam, allowing you to bring any hardbound books into the exam room. The administration of this varies from state to state, so check the requirements. Generally speaking, you will want to take your study materials and design standards as well as bound problems, notes, and sample exams (if allowed by your state).

A Note About Loose Papers, Tabs, Flags, and ‘Stickies’ The NCEES has a policy about how you should flag, tab, and place stickies on your books. It is okay to put such accessories to quickly find pages. Here is the NCEES policy:

Candidates may bring printed reference materials as long as they are bound and remain bound during the exam. Loose paper may be bound with ring binders, brads, plastic snap binders, spiral-bound notebooks, and screw posts, but not with staples. Sticky notes and flags are permitted only when they remain attached to book pages.  --NCEES Website

Notes Regarding Exam Materials: Strike a balance between bringing too much and too little information into the exam. I follow the “2-box rule” - Fill up two banker boxes with books and materials. Anything more than that is likely to be excessive. You will need to know where the info you need is during the exam, so there is no need to bring references that you have never opened. Start collecting your stash of references early! Here are a few additional recommendations to throw into your box of materials (albeit not technical). First, include a watch, (if allowed by your state). This will help you keep track of time during the exam. If you get cold easily, then you may want to wear layers of clothes so you are ready for different conditions. Consider also bringing a spare calculator or fresh batteries. I brought a few ibuprofen which came in quite handy when I got an afternoon headache. Yikes! Bring something to eat for lunch and leave it in the car - just in case. During one exam I took, they served pizza for lunch. I am no dietician, but I am pretty sure that is not ‘brain food.’ As far as things that you should leave at home, here are a few things: Do not bother bringing in nontechnical or obsolete textbooks. State codes and ordinances are not going to be tested, so those can be left at home also. Also, you will have to use the pencil from the NCEES so leave your pencil in the car.

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7. PREPARING FOR THE PE EXAM Once you have gathered your materials and registered for the PE Exam, it is time to hit the books. Let me share with you some recommendations to help you pass.

Get Your Study Materials Together Chapter 5 provides the details on the materials that I recommend you use for studying for the PE Exam, which for the most part are the same materials that you will use to take into the exam. Start using these materials as early and often as you can to get accustomed to them. Don’t be afraid to highlight, write, and tab the books! These references are intended to help you pass the exam not be a coffee table display!

Best Study Strategy The best strategy is one that gets you prepared for any possible questions that might be asked on your exam. So, you will need to put in the time and preparation to study, which mostly includes working problems. You have a degree in engineering, and have also passed the FE Exam, so you obviously know a thing or two about preparing for tests. But there are some unique challenges to the PE Exam, including the fact that you have been away from the material while working on your career and the vast amount of material on the exam. We will get into the specific “How-To’s” but first let’s review some things that are NOT recommended...actually, they are sure-fire ways to fail the PE Exam.

Five Ways to Fail the PE Exam One good way to find out how to pass the PE Exam is to find out how others have FAILED the PE exam. Here are Five Sure-fire Ways to fail the PE Exam. I don’t Recommend using any of these methods.

•

Sure-fire Failure Method #1 - Take the Exam Lightly

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Sure-fire Failure Method #2 - Procrastinate

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Sure-fire Failure Method #3 - Make No Study Plan or Schedule

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Sure-fire Failure Method #4 - Don’t Work Enough Problems

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Sure-fire Failure Method #5 - Freak Out on Exam Day

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Bonus Failure Method - Don’t Coordinate Your Work and Family Life

Now that we know what does not work, lets go over some ways to be successful at taking the PE Exam.

How much do I need to study for the PE Exam? Hopefully, from my introduction and the previous section, I have made it clear that preparation is a big key to passing the PE Exam. The PE Exam is a broad in scope - an eight-hour exam covering several topics within your area of practice. One glimmer of hope is that NCEES does provides an outline of what is to be expected. These Exam Specifications (see Chapter 4) are different for each discipline. The bad thing is that there is a lot in those specs, and there is a lot of ground to cover if you want to be ready on exam day. AceThePE.com

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Sure, I know it is an open-book exam, but with 80 problems to work in 8 hours, you only have an average of 6 minutes to work each problem. As such, you don't have time to re-learn material during the exam; rather you need to be solid on the questions asked. When I took the PE Exam, my goal was to study for 300 hours. I did the best I could to meet that goal, though I probably fell a little short. With work, family, and your personal life I know that it can be difficult to prepare for this exam.

Writing Your Goals Did you know that people who write down their goals have a better chance to succeed? A goal to ‘Pass the PE Exam’ is a good start. But you also need smaller goals to meet along the way, which will lead you to the end goal of passing the PE Exam. Here are some “stepping-stone” goals that will take you to your main goal of passing the PE Exam.

Overall Goal: Pass the PE Exam

Goal 1: Make changes at work and home to adequately prepare • Discuss with Boss/Manager about your hours. Perhaps you can work four “tens,” or four “nines” and a “four” each week. • Limit hours to 40 hours a week during study time. • Cancel all volunteer obligations during prep time. • Discuss with family the amount of time you will be spending studying nights and weekends.



Goal 2: Create a Schedule and Follow it. • Work Problems and Review Theory in Reference Manual(s) a) Week One b) Cover Three Chapters c) Work Problems in Three Chapters 2. Weeks Two to Thirteen...Continue reviewing and working problems in 3 chapters in Weeks Three to Twelve and 4 chapters in Week Thirteen



Goal 3: Study 300 hours





(Adjust this number downward if you feel particularly confident)

• Study 24 hours a week for 13 weeks. (This assumes that you will miss a couple hours.) 1. Study 3 hours M-Th (1 hour during lunch and/ or before work; and 2 hours in evenings). 2. Study 6 Hours on Fridays (12:00 pm to 7:00 pm). 3. Study 8 Hours on Saturday (7:00 am to 3:00 pm).

Goal 5: Find Help From Others



Goal 6: Take Sample Exam 1. Take Sample Exam and assess where you are. AceThePE.com

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2. Retake if necessary. Once you write your goals down, it is important to review them periodically. Post your goals to your bathroom mirror, refrigerator, or on your computer desktop. By having your goals visible each day, you will be reminded to stick with it and continue to improve!

Developing a Study Schedule Know The Subjects to be Covered on The Exam The outline for each discipline specific PE Exam is covered here. It is imperative that you review that outline, and use it as a guide to prepare for the PE Exam. Remember that the outline provided by the NCEES is not exhaustive, and they may select a few subjects in your field for the test that are not specifically listed on the outline.

Create a Plan, and Follow It The adage of 'if you fail to plan, you plan to fail' is true in taking the PE Exam as well. It is important to develop a schedule to follow for the PE Exam, and then follow it. Most people allocate about 12 weeks to studying for the PE Exam. While I would like for you to study even more, I am suggesting at least a 13week schedule, as noted under the goals section. This will be the core of your Plan.

Tips for Getting Motivated to Prepare for the Exam Now that I have made it clear that you need to take this exam seriously, let me give you some advice for motivating yourself, and passing this exam. Here is why the motivation section and goals section might be the most important sections I have to offer... I believe that motivation is one thing that sets apart those who pass the PE Exam from those who unfortunately do not pass. Why is that? Well, as I mentioned before, the PE Exam is hard, and to pass it you need to put in the time, work problems, and prepare. You are juggling a job, your social life, and possibly a family and now you have to study for the PE Exam... how will you do it?

Focus I know this stuff sounds really hard. You are busy with your job, family, perhaps kids, and your social life. In order to meet your goal of passing the PE Exam, however, you are going to need to find a way to focus your attention on just this exam and put everything you can into preparing for, taking, and passing it. The time you spend may seem like a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, it will be a short period of time that will be well worth it. A laser beam is just a light that is focused intensely on one thing. When focused in that way, a laser can do some amazing things. So can you when you get focused!

Accountability Most people cannot maintain a high level of intensity and focus for extended periods of time. Some engineers do excel at this skill and you may have no issue motivating yourself to study and prepare. If you do have a hard time motivating yourself, consider getting some sort of partner or system of accountability to help you stay on track. The next section lists a few resources that will help you study and also stay motivated. AceThePE.com

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Time Management We all have the same amount of hours in the week; the only difference is how we use them. There are 168 hours in the week. If you take 13 weeks to study for the exam, then you only need about 23 hours per week to reach the suggested 300-hour mark. Twenty-three hours seems like a lot of time at first, but it is less than 15% of your time throughout the week. Is the PE Exam important enough for you to put in 15% of your time for 13 weeks in order to pass it?

Resources for Studying and Staying Motivated Forums/Bulletin Boards Forums such as engineerboards.com and blogs such as acethepe.com can be great tools to stay connected with what others are doing.

Study Groups If possible, try to connect with a some people who are taking the same exam as you and study together as a group. This will provide an opportunity to work through problems which are not clear to you and you can teach each other the problems that you may not have time to go through alone. I actually did this with a co-worker when I took the Civil PE Exam. We would work a few different problems, and then we would teach each other the problems the other did not work. There is no better way to learn and remember something than to teach it to someone else.

Review Courses Review Courses, such as the one that is offered by PPI or Kaplan, not only help to review the course material, but they also provide a means of holding you accountable. People that pay for such courses have indicated that the schedule and the organization alone were helpful in encouraging them to stay on track with their studies.

Non-Engineer friends and family Go ahead and share with your friends and family that you are taking the PE Exam and request that they regularly ask you how things are going. Have someone to whom you can ‘submit’ a weekly time record or homework. Even if they are unable to check the work technically, they will know how much effort you put into the work and if you fail to turn in your papers, they can call you to account.

And Last but not least... The Ace the PE Exam Podcast is a great resource for staying motivated and on-track for the PE Exam. You can find the podcast in iTunes by searching for Ace the PE Exam, by clicking on this link, or by clicking on the iTunes icon on any page.

Bonus Motivation Tip - Turn off the... I sincerely want you to do the best that you can on the exam, and not have to take more than once. So please forgive me for sounding preachy. But If you want to pass the PE Exam, you might need to get unplugged! That’s right. For three to six months of your life, you may need to turn off some of the distractions in your life such as TV, games, or whatever normally takes up your spare time... Now, I will get off that soapbox ;)

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Study Tips • Study Each Day. The old adage that Rome was not built in a day is true with your PE Exam studies as well. With the business of life it is almost impossible to expect to find 6, 8, or even 10-hour increments to study. Of course, those times are important, but try to study each day to keep the continuity and habit of studying. In addition, I believe that sometimes you learn more in the shorter increments than in the longer ones.

"We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." --Aristotle

• Build your endurance. It is one thing to work an eight-hour engineering work day with coffee breaks and other interruptions throughout the day. It is another thing to take an eight-hour exam with just a one-hour break for lunch. Make sure that you have built your endurance up so that you are able to sit and focus on the exam. Taking a sample exam can be useful in helping you build your endurance to sit for long periods of time.

• Communicate with Family and Work. It is very important to communicate with your family about what it will take to prepare for the PE Exam. Explain to them that you will be studying for about three months, and this will take much of your free time after work. Make sure that you have their support; otherwise it could make it difficult for you to effectively focus on studying for the exam. Regarding your employer, you will want to get their support as well. Some employers will pay for or reimburse you for the cost of exam registration, books, and review courses. If you are not sure whether they will pay for these things, then I suggest that you ask them. The worst thing they can do is tell you no; so it does not hurt to ask. Similarly, you may find that your employer may give you some flexibility in your schedule, enabling you to spend more time studying. Some ideas that are worth exploring include working half days on Fridays or even cutting back your hours some. Keep in mind that your passing the PE Exam will benefit them almost as much as it will mean to you.

• Stay Healthy While Studying for the PE Exam In order to get the most out of all of your hard work on exam day and in order to maximize your preparation, it is important to stay healthy for the PE Exam. Here are some ways to stay healthy while preparing for the PE Exam. Manage your stress. Lets face it, preparing for the PE Exam can be stressful. Try to manage your stress through taking breaks, exercising, and spending time away from studies. AceThePE.com

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Snack Attack. Be cautious about overeating (or drinking) as a way to cope with the stress of taking the exam. It is far to easy to overdo on the snacks while you are studying. Of course, sometimes it is the only motivation you have to keep studying. I know I used to look forward to my cappuccino at the coffee house while I studied. Take a Break.There is plenty of time to study and to take a break. By taking breaks, you can actually get more out of the time you are cracking the books. Taper down the week before the exam. I ran my first marathon in November of 2011. From that experience, I learned that you need to taper your training the week before the race in order to get the most out of your body. I believe the week before your exam, you need to begin to focus less on studying and more on relaxing and getting sharp for exam day.

Final Preparations for the PE Exam Okay, it is the last week before the PE Exam, and it is “game time.” By this time, you have done your studying, so your focus will now 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.

• 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 early enough to check into the exam room 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.

• Double Check Your Materials In case you haven’t done so, double check your materials to be sure you have everything you need to get into the exam, and to be successful.

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8. BE A TEST-DAY HERO You have finally made it to exam day, and you want to execute well once that day arrives. Of course, being prepared is the ultimate way to execute, and you should do all you can to properly prepare. but let me first share a few things the day before and day of the exam to ensure that you will be a Test-Day hero.

The Day Before - Remember to Get Your Mind and Body Ready Hopefully, once exam day arrives you will have prepared, but there are some strategies that can help you be efficient and as effective as possible on exam day. A few suggestions include: be prepared with all of your materials and your entrance; sleep well the few nights leading up to the exam; relax; be confident; and remember to keep track of your units! I have a complete article and podcast that provide strategies to give you an edge on exam day. Just remember the three C’s and that you need to be Cool, Calm, and Collected in order to perform at your best. You want to be at your best on exam day, so that you can obtain the highest score possible AND survive the whole ordeal. Of course, by then you will have put in many hours of review and you will be wellprepared for the material, but you also want your mind and body to be at their best on exam day. Here is some advice to ensure that your mind and body are at their sharpest to pass the PE Exam.

Exam Day Supplies To be a test-day hero you have to have the right materials in the exam room. Chapter 5 covers an overview of what to bring to the exam.

Get a a Good Night's Sleep Please do try to have a schedule in place the night before where you eat dinner and go to bed at a reasonable time. Don’t do anything out of the ordinary, such 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 at 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 night’s 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.

Protein is Brain Food; Carbs Make You Tired Yes, it is true that breakfast is in fact the most important meal of the day. So eat some breakfast with protein before you take the exam and avoid a lot of carbs. This holds true during your preparation, and will help you in your career. Eggs, fruit, and maybe some oats or yogurt on exam day would be great choices. 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. AceThePE.com

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Don't Make This Common Mistake Just Before the Exam It is natural to think about the exam too much or especially to cram for the exam early on the day of the test. This is a huge mistake for several reasons: 1. If you don’t know it by then, you’re not going to know it. 2. Stressing yourself will only reverse the benefits of the brain food and the good night’s sleep and can even result in the test-taker’s worse nightmare “drawing a blank.” The best strategy is to arrive a bit early so you can register and still have a bit of time before the test begins. But, while you’re standing around and waiting (which will tend to ratchet up your anxiety), my recommendation is to socialize a little bit, meet some folks, and talk about things other than the exam. If you begin to talk to others about what they studied for, 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.

Exam Day - Advice on How to Approach the Exam Having the a strategy for the exam and having the right mindset for the exam can be the difference between passing and failing. Let me share those with you, along with a few other things that can help on exam day.

The Mindset for Taking the PE Exam Having the right mentality can 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.

• The Fear of Failure I believe there is incredible pressure to pass the PE Exam. This is something that you have been working on for a long time. College, FE Exam, 4 years of experience are under your belt. Now you must take this final exam to achieve the goal of becoming a professional engineer. And it all depends on this one test. You feel like your friends, family, and co-workers will think poorly of you if you fail. Let me address that. First of all, I doubt that anyone will think less of you for trying to take this exam. Secondly, who really cares what they think? You are doing more than most people just by being able to take this exam. That is an accomplishment in itself. Right now you just need to conquer the fear of failure by knowing that you have adequately prepared for the exam, and secondly that even if you do not pass, it will be okay. Knowing these two things can really help conquer your fear of failure and help you perform better. Being cool, calm, and collected is really a huge part of passing the PE Exam. Let me clarify what I mean.

• Cool, Calm and Collected 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 so led to my passing the PE Exam. Once test time gets here, take a moment and remind yourself to follow the three C's: Cool, Calm, and Collected. Just don't say 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 will actually help you do better and not be stressed AceThePE.com

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and uptight during the exam. Realize that, although this is an important exam, even 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 need to be efficient at working through the problems as well. As I noted earlier, given the number of problems on the PE Exam, 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 time 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. Next, let me offer you even more practical tips to help you master your test day.

The 3-Pass System of Taking the PE Exam There are different ways to approach the PE Exam. One way that I recommend to actually go through the problems what I call ”The 3-Pass System.” The basic idea is to go through the problems on each portion of the exam 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.

• First Pass For the first pass, go through and do the so-called 'easy problems.’ These are problems that you know cold or that 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 in about 20 minutes. That’s 25% of your morning exam. So, you can focus the rest of the three and half hours or so on the remaining 75% of the problems. So, that gives you a leg up and gets you kind of moving and grooving into the exam.

• Second Pass The next pass involves 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. With your books properly tabbed you will be able to go through and just - boom - pick that formula out and do that problem. Also, having an index is very helpful because you can go 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 is when you will complete problems on the medium level of difficulty. After completing this pass you will have probably 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.

• Third Pass At this point, you should have about an hour or so left to do the remainder of the problems on the morning or afternoon exam. These questions are the hard ones to which you knew you would have to return. Either you weren’t clear about the subject, or you knew they were going to take a lot of work. AceThePE.com

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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 are 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. This way you will be ready to lay down your pencil when it’s time. I found that the success and momentum of answering the easy questions early provided the momentum to answer the harder questions later in the exam. In addition, I felt like I was ahead of the clock which gave me confidence as well. Other people prefer to just work through each problem sequentially until they complete the exam. But the ”3-Pass System” is the one that I have used to get through the PE Exam, and it could be beneficial to you as well.

A Few Little Things That Add Up to a Big Success on Test Day As the PE Exam is an 8-hour exam, it 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 actually taking the PE Exam. 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.

• Tab it up During your review, you hopefully tabbed the sections you have used to work problems as well as the sections that have a high probability of coming up on the exam. Having these tabs and using them during the exam will make you more efficient and will just help things to go more smoothly for you. I used the color coded tabs created by 3M for my tabs. Some states ask that you have no loose-leaf papers, so make sure the tabs are attached sufficiently for your State’s requirements.

• Manage Your Time During the Exam The Professional Engineer Exam is a timed exam. You have 4 hours to take each section of the exam one in the morning and one in the afternoon. So, that gives you about 6 minutes on average to do each problem. If you take your time and pace yourself, 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 Most Important Question The first thing you have to do when you sit down to take the PE Exam is fill out your personal information. Just make sure all of that is correct and obviously, be certain that the information regarding your discipline, and/or what depth module you will be taking in the afternoon are all correct. If you get that question wrong, then I can assure you that you will not pass the PE Exam.

• Be a Morning Hero Remember that 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 going 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.

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• 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.

• Guess Away Make sure that you fill in all bubbles for the portion of the exam you are taking. The PE Exam is a multiplechoice 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. Guessing is better than leaving them blank.

• 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. 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 just 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 to 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 and note the time, if you have a stopwatch mode that is even better. The morning and afternoon exam both allocate 4 hours, 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 then 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 “little” may not seem like much individually, but they can really add up, and could even be the difference between passing or failing.

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9. MORE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S) Are Review Courses Really 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 these Exams Really Worth the Money?” 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, you will want to explore the benefits of taking a PE Exam review course.  There is evidence that taking a course may help you pass the PE Exam but this is a decision you have to make yourself after due diligence. Chapter 11 has links for discounts on some Review Courses.

What is the PE Exam Schedule for Upcoming Exams? The last PE exam was held on Friday April 14, and the next one will be held October 24, 2014. See below for the full PE Exam schedule for the next several years. Hopefully you will only need one year to pass it!

April PE Exams*

Fall PE Exams**

- - -



October 24, 2014

April 17, 2015

October 30, 2015

April 15, 2016

October 28, 2016

April 21, 2017

October 27, 2017

April 13, 2018

October 26, 2018

April 5, 2019

October 25, 2019

April 17, 2020

October 23, 2020

April 23, 2021

October 22, 2021



Unless noted otherwise, all PE Exams are given in both the fall as well as the spring. * Architectural Engineering, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering,and Industrial Engineering will be held only on the April Dates. ** Petroleum Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Mining and Mineral Processing Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Fire Protection Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, and Agricultural Engineering are held only on the October Dates. AceThePE.com

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For the SE Exam, it is a two-day exam held in both the spring and the fall, with the first day exam listed as above and the second day of the exam being held on the following Saturday. The Friday exam has a Vertical and Gravity emphasis while the Saturday exam has a Lateral emphasis. The SE Exam dates can be found on the NCEES.org website.

What is the pass rate for the PE Exam? The pass rate for the PE Exam varies based on the discipline of engineering and from exam to exam. The average pass rate usually hovers around the 65% to 70% mark, with some variance here and there. I believe that motivation is one thing that sets apart those who pass the PE Exam from those who unfortunately do not pass. Why is that? Well, as I mentioned before, the PE Exam is hard and to pass it you need to put in the time, work problems, and prepare. When you are juggling a job, your social life, and possibly a family and also have to study for a very difficult PE Exam... motivation is the key. Acknowledging the high level of difficulty will help you to get motivated to study and prepare.

Is the PE Exam Really Difficult? Whether the PE Exam is difficult is somewhat a matter of opinion. For me, it was quite a difficult exam, though thankfully I passed. After eight hours of solving challenging engineering questions over several subdisciplines, my brain was hurting, even though I was well prepared. From this, I know that the better you are prepared, the less difficult the exam is. So devise a study plan, and then follow through with it, and then the exam will not be as difficult for you.

Do I need any paperwork when I get to the exam site? The NCEES will send you an exam authorization a few weeks before the exam. You will need this paperwork, along with a photo ID with your signature to get into the exam. Some states may send you a separate notification as well.

Getting references If the PE Exam is hard, then getting your paperwork and references together seems even harder at times. Here are a few tips for getting your paperwork turned in on time. * Make a list of the character and experience references you wish to use. * Contact your references by phone and ask them if they would be a character or experience reference (as applicable). Tell them that it is important that it be completed within within one week in order to expedite the application process. * Print the forms and fill out as much information as you can in order to save your reference time. Include postage and addresses on the mailing envelopes. * Hand deliver the forms to your references, if possible. * If you can get the form filled out on the spot, that is ideal. You may need to have them place it in an envelope for you to mail.

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* After you deliver the form, follow up by email in one day to find out the status. If necessary, call after two days to see if the form is filled out. If it is not filled out after a week, then you might want to get a new reference.

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11. (BONUS CHAPTER) SPECIAL OFFERS! DISCOUNTS AND OFFERS ON REFERENCE AND REVIEW MATERIALS The expenses for taking the PE Exam can add up quickly once you combine the registration fees, review materials, travel costs. Not to mention the cost of review courses, should you choose to take one. Here are a few ways to save on those costs.

Ways to save on Reference Materials Civil PE Review Course Savings The Civil PE StudyCast provides video and live review for the Civil PE Exam. If you sign up early, you can get a 20% discount. Check the product page to signup early. If you miss that date, you can still use the promo Survive to save 5%.

Save on PPI Reference Materials  Professional Publications Inc, provides a variety of exam materials and courses for the PE Exam. The Civil Engineering Reference Manual (CERM) has been a mainstay for numerous engineers. As an educational provider, I am able to provide a discount to you when you purchase materials from PPI. PPI References - Save 15% If you choose to use 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. Also, If you use the code FREEUNIT4 when purchasing PPI courses, you will get a free engineering unit conversion book for free.

acethepe.com/getppi PPI 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.

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12. (BONUS CHAPTER) - LIFE AFTER THE PE EXAM When do I find out my results? Your State board will send you your results. Typically, you will hear back within 12 weeks, so you may want to sit back and try to relax. Note, for those of you that are taking multiple exams, or state-specific exams (such as California) you will receive separate results for each exam.

Mulligan - What Do I Do When I Fail? So you work extremely hard studying and preparing for the exam, only to find out you came up just a little bit short. You have worked hard for months only to get the result you most feared. Let me say from the outset that failure is never easy when we are going through it. People will probably tell you that this will make you stronger and that you will learn a lesson from it. But these kind of clichés won’t really help at this point. At first you will just feel a combination of anger, frustration, and disappointment. The most important thing to keep in mind is that this exam does not define who you are. You are a success, regardless of the result of this test. And besides, whenever you do pass the test, this setback will no longer matter anyway. So try to keep these things in mind and take some pressure off of yourself. The first thing that I suggest you do is just take a deep breath and let it sink in slowly. Take some time off from thinking about the PE Exam altogether. Instead, I suggest that you focus on something else for a while. Time will take the sting out of this result and you will begin to feel better. Go to the beach, watch a movie, or just spend time with the family or friends. Eventually you will need to get back in the saddle, but take a short time to pick yourself up off the ground. Of course you will need to overcome this challenge. You will need to sign up for the next exam and work even harder to pass it next time. And I trust that you will, in fact, pass it the next time around. So for now just remember these two things. First, I just want you to let it sink in and try to somehow relax. Secondly, after a couple of weeks off, I want you to make a plan to pass the exam - and follow through with it. Focus in like a laser beam on this goal, and dominate the exam this time around. But please learn from the mistakes you made the first time. Not just the technical mistakes you made on the exam, because you will not likely get the same questions twice. But it will help you immensely to make a note of things that you could have done better during the preparation as well as while you were actually taking the test. And focus on the things you did well the first time around and build on them. I admire that you are willing to keep trying, and I trust that your efforts will pay off with a passing grade this time. When you do get that passing grade, the feeling of accomplishment will be even greater. In the end… this will indeed make you a stronger person.

Congratulations! You Passed! Passing the PE Exam is an awesome experience. It is the result of a long period of hard work that has finally come to an end... From High School physics, through 4 years of engineering school (or more), to AceThePE.com

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passing the EIT Exam was hard enough. Then there were those three months of hard work, which my family also had to endure. When all of that is followed by passing the PE Exam, it is a great benchmark in any career, and I will be happy for you to be successful in this regard. I know that I still look back on the day I passed the PE Exam with great joy.   One thing I want to mention about getting the results of the PE Exam - it can sometimes feel anti-climatic. This is because normally you will just get a simple letter in the mail or you will view the results online. While it seems like there should be some kind of bells and whistles going off, the reality is that the result is either a pass or a fail and the board issuing this decision doesn’t assign it a value. Only you can enjoy what this time means so when you pass, celebrate, have a party, and mark this occasion. If you have an opportunity to go to a ceremony, I would encourage it. My state board held a ceremony for the new engineers at the state capital, and it kind of stamped the day in my mind forever. After all of the hard work you put into getting your license I believe that the occasion should be marked with some sort of ceremony. Either way, I am sure you will be a great engineer and I am proud that you will be a fellow 'PE' with me. If there is anything I can do in the future to help you in your professional or personal endeavors, please let me know.  You may contact me via the form on http://acethepe.com or directly at [email protected].

Getting an NCEES 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 difficult 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 your experience references, your PE License information, and of course a completed PE Exam application. If you have an 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 any day! 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 it looks pretty impressive on a resumé). 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 that second license.

Taking on Responsibility and Liability One thing about getting your PE license is that you will now have the opportunity to take on more responsibilities. This is a great thing for your career because it often means promotions and eventually benefits from a monetary standpoint as well. I remember the first time I had to sign off on a set of plans. I think it was a small house addition for which I worked on plans. I recall being quite nervous about putting my name on those drawings. At the same time, there was a feeling of authority that went along with that. Though it was a mere house addition, I felt somehow more important for doing the work. But I also knew this: now that my name was on the drawings, liability was now a larger concern. In fact, anytime you place your seal on something, you are stating that the work was done under your supervision, AceThePE.com

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and it meets the requirements of your jurisdiction. If something goes wrong with that project, people will come after your company first, and then you. As an employee of a company, you should discuss liability with your manager and/ or boss and find out what will happen if something goes wrong. Usually your employer will carry an insurance policy that includes error and omissions insurance. If you will be signing off on work, I encourage you to check with them to find out about the insurance policy and if you will be included specifically in the policy.

Ethics and Engineering I wanted to take just a moment and discuss the topic of ethics in engineering. Ethics is a topic that is not covered in most engineering curriculum anymore, but that does not downplay the importance of it. As engineers, we are one of the last truly objective professions out there and I hope we can maintain that integrity individually and as a profession. Remember that each project you work on and each decision you make as an engineer slowly accumulate and build on each other like bricks are stacked to make a wall. Eventually you will look back at the collection of decisions you have made as an engineer and I hope you are proud of that edifice that you call your engineering career. Whether you have passed the PE Exam or not, today you can begin to make good engineering decisions based in solid ethics.

Maintaining Your License - Continuing Education Most States require some form of continuing education requirements. If not required by your state, it is still obviously a good idea to stay sharp and up to date regarding current theory and practices in your area of engineering. Make sure that you meet your State’s requirements for continuing education. You will want to keep a folder with the certificates or other evidence of workshops and seminars you attend. In addition, you will want to track the hours you earn in a worksheet or spreadsheet.

A Final Word Thanks for taking the time to read this eBook. I hope it is truly useful in helping you to maximize your potential and to realize your dream of becoming a Professional Engineer. As I have said earlier, I really care about your success, so if there is anything I can do to help you pass the PE Exam, or get ahead in your career, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached by email at [email protected], and I try to answer all emails within 24 hours (except maybe on the weekends!).

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE (OR LACK THEREOF) Pass it forward - Many people have helped me get to where I am today, so I only hope to help others get a step ahead in their careers as well. If you want to do the same, then please feel free to pass this guide along to anyone you think might benefit from it. Gimme, Gimme - Whether you purchased this guide, downloaded it on AceThePE.com, or another website, I am happy it provided some assistance to you. If you did get this guide from someone else at no charge, then no problem. But please do consider making a donation to the site by purchasing this guide or another product from AceThePE.com as a way to support the site. Site Owners and Sellers Take Notice- Feel free to distribute this work free to your users as a complete work. If you would like to publish parts of it, that is cool too. I just ask that you attribute the work by appending http://acethepe.com/ to the work. If you want to sell the guide for a profit, you will need my permission for that (sorry). But I have a great and easy program that will allow anyone to make a buck from this eBook. So contact me at [email protected], and I will give you the details of how to promote this guide and other products.

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