Recommended Miscellaneous Materials…

(Please verify with the NCEES website for the latest restrictions of items that are not permitted in the exam area)

** As an affiliate for Amazon (Amazon Associate) and PPI2Pass I earn a mild kick back from qualifying purchases made from the use of these links and the promo code, but I would not promote anything that I did not believe in fully **

Have you seen “THE” Exam Day Packing List yet?

If not then go check it out! It is my personal packing checklist which combines all of the different recommended materials that I used as I prepared for my exams. Don’t stress about packing and leaving anything behind… This packing list has you covered. 

For additional Exam Helps, check out the things that I have been cooking up HERE.

There are a lot of ways to pack and get ready for your exam. Here is a taste of the different set-ups that I have had for the PE exam and the SE exam. Every person is in a different circumstance, so take that into consideration as you prepare the miscellaneous items for the exam.

From humble beginnings (PE Exam Setup)…

To a life of luxury (SE Exam Setup)…

Oh and don’t forget the snacks…

Now to the recommendations…

Wagon/Buggy (or similar) – Use this to transport your materials, make a sandwich, store two beverages and maybe even take it to the beach… after the exam is over. Other options include suitcases, boxes on a dolly, etc.

PPI / AMAZON
★★★★★ This is a MUST HAVE!!

Boxes/Crates (or similar) – Use this to hold your books, snacks, or just as a way to organize your reference materials. Other options include apple boxes, plastic bins, etc.

PPI / AMAZON
★★★★★ This is a MUST HAVE!!

Civil Engineering Dictionary (or similar) – Use this to look up various words as you are taking the exam. (I never used this myself, but I have heard of others using a dictionary during the exam. It’s a nice, cheap safety net if the glossary of your reference materials do not cover the word that you are looking up. (If you are looking for a dictionary with a little bit more ummpf… check out this other dictionary at PPI or Amazon)

PPI / AMAZON
★★★✰✰ This can be helpful!!

Various Tabs (or similar) – Use these various tabs when marking important information, equations, tables, etc. There are many reasons to choose these tabs wisely. Consider using bigger tabs for major topics, then smaller tabs for sub-topics, and white durable tabs for frequent reference points.
       
PPI / AMAZON
★★★★★ This is a MUST HAVE!!

Texas Instruments TI-36 Pro Calculator (or similar) – This is one of the ONLY things that you can take into the test, so buy it and start using it now! (Double check the NCEES Calculator Policy to make sure that it is still on the approved list)


PPI / AMAZON
★★★★★ This is a MUST HAVE!!
(THIS IS MY FAVORITE CALCULATOR)

Earplugs (or similar) – Use this to get in the zone and not be distracted by your neighbor chomping on some snacks, coughing, or anything (ie. rodeo) that may be happening outside of the exam area . Other options include not using earplugs.

PPI / AMAZON
★★★★★ This is a MUST HAVE!!

Watch (or similar) – Use this to track your progress during the exam, especially if you are too far away from a clock elsewhere. Remember that smart watches are not allowed! So use a cheap watch that just tells you one thing… the time.

PPI / AMAZON
★★★★★ This is a MUST HAVE!!

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Keep on keepin’ on.
Life’s a garden… Dig it!

Josh Ogle, P.E.
aka ‘The Hipster Engineer’

* Do you want to get a 15% discount off of all of your quality exam prep materials?!! Use this link to get 15% OFF automatically when you buy your materials –> hpstr.in/PPI

** As an affiliate for Amazon (Amazon Associate) and PPI2Pass I earn a mild kick back from qualifying purchases made from the use of these links and the promo code, but I would not promote anything that I did not believe in fully **