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.
These 10 Must-Have PE Exam Resources should be at the top of your PE Exam Test-Day Checklist
These resources are specifically listed for those taking a Civil Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Exam but some are applicable to every test. Refer to the NCEES Examinee Guide for a list of approved and not approved items allowed in the exam room. Check out the links – the pictures are links, too – to find related information.
1 – Acceptable Form of ID
Acceptable forms of ID must be government issued and must include:
- a valid expiration date
- your name
- date of birth
- a recognizable photo
- your signature
Valid U.S. military IDs that do not include a signature will be accepted.
2 – Exam Authorization
Bring a printed copy of your exam authorization to prove that you’re registered and approved to take the exam. This will help in avoiding delays at check-in.
3 – International Building Code
We recommend purchasing a copy of the International Building Code. After the exam, you can either use it in your practice or attempt to resell it.
4 – Approved Calculator
Review the Approved Calculators List on NCEES.org.
- Don’t try to outsmart the system on this one.
5 – Timer
- read the question
- determine what the question is asking for
- find your resources
- solve the problem
- mark the answer sheet
For the majority of questions – hopefully – this will be plenty of time, but there is always a certain percentage of the questions that will take you more than six minutes to solve/answer. By using a timer, you can stay on schedule, picking up a few precious minutes here and there to use towards those more difficult questions. The last thing you want on test day is to be well short of finishing when the proctor indicates you have 30 minutes left.
Note: Cell phones are NOT allowed in the exam room at any time. Do not plan to use your smart phone app as your timer or else …
6 – Resource Library
In addition to the International Building Code, you need to have those resources that are specific to your particular exam. A good rule is that if you used a resource – code book, handbook, chart, graph – when solving practice problems during your preparation, then include them in your Test-Prep Resource Library©*
If you used something once or twice, make a copy of that particular resource only. Your Resource Library is not intended to be every notebook, textbook, study guide, Post-It Note®, scrap of paper you can find. You will see people hauling in so much material you might feel under-prepared.
Don’t!
There is no way they can use all that stuff in the limited amount of time available. The good news is you’ll be amused by the fact they spent a lot of time and effort getting their collection to the test site while you waltzed in carrying a box of binders.
7 – Binders of Solved Example Problems
If you’ve taken any of the Crash Courses we offer, then you are well aware of our endorsement for working example problems. You can take all the review courses you can find, read all the study guides you want, and use any number of other preparation routines, but you still won’t beat the benefit of working problems. We built our Test-Prep Resource Library©* by finding example questions for each of the topics shown for the specific exam. Working through the problems will allow you to add to the supplemental materials you found helpful. Then, assemble everything into your five-binder library. These five binders, plus a few Code books, are all you will need to pass your PE Exam.
8 – Equations, Formulas, & Conversions
9 – Engineering Economics Resources
Almost all the PE Exams have an Engineering Economic analysis problem or two. During your preparation time, determine the most typical type of analysis problems – depreciation, present worth, future worth, equivalent uniform annual benefits – and find applicable tables and charts to solve these problems.
10 – Snacks and Nonalcoholic Drinks
Make certain your snacks (i.e. hard candy, candy bars, gum) and drinks can be opened and consumed with little or no noise that would disturb the other examinees. There is nothing more annoying in a testing room than someone attempting to quietly open a candy wrapper. In their efforts, they usually make considerably more noise than if they would have just opened it normally. Your goal is to quickly have a snack without anyone noticing.
That’s it … our 10 Must-Have PE Exam Resources!
10 Must-Have PE Exam Resources
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