Are You Calm And Confident?
Do You Have The Reference Material You Need?
Are You Ready?
Have You Adequately Prepared?
It has been recommended that an engineer-in-training (EIT) would need to prepare for at least two hours a day, for six months, to be ready for the PE Exam. He was also informed that one year would be even better.
Really?
A year to prepare for the PE Exam?
That’s 364 hours to 728 hours.
CRAZY!
If you are sitting for the PE Exam, then you already have four or more years experience performing engineering tasks. Why in the world would you need six months, nine months, or a year to prepare?
The only reason someone would need that much time is because they haven’t really been practicing engineering or they are attempting to take a test in a discipline totally unrelated to their field. Either of these scenarios is reason enough to not take the PE Exam.
But, since this is not you, your preparation time should be much less.
Preparation Time
Your preparation time should be spent refreshing your specific area of expertise knowledge. You can then brush up the topics that aren’t in your everyday activities. For example, if you practice mechanical engineering as an HVAC engineer, you should spend some time going over sample problems in electrical, plumbing, fire protection, structural and project management. And during this preparation, putting together your reference resources on each of the different problem types outlined at NCEES.org.
Whatever discipline you are planning to test in, the majority of your time should be spent assembling your Test-Prep Resource Library* and becoming extremely familiar with the location of the different test topic examples. This way, when you are actually in the PE Exam, you will know exactly where to go to find the information you need to answer the question at hand.
NOTE: As per the NCEES Examinees Guide, books, notes, notebooks, etc. are no longer
permitted in the testing room. This does not diminish the importance of these Test-Prep
Resources as a method of study and preparation. For example, taking the time to
assemble a resource library will naturally help you categorize and document your
study materials, help you determine what’s essential to pass the exam, and keep all
your resources in one, easy-to-access tool.
The last thing you need – in terms of both time and sanity – on test day is an overload of material that you have to rifle through in an attempt to answer a question. This practice will frustrate you, waste your time, and ultimately derail your chances of passing the PE Exam. But, on the bright side, you will provide entertainment to others in the room watching you furiously searching for answers.
Steps To Success
Well that’s it … our guidance to preparing for the PE Exam. We believe these four steps are all you need for success:
- Take the time necessary to prepare for the exam.
- Assemble the “right” resources for the test.
- Get adequate rest and give yourself enough time to arrive early to the exam.
- And relax … you’ve been a practicing engineer for at least four years … you know this stuff.
We wish you the best of luck on the PE Exam and in your career!
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