12 Dec SEAU Presentation: “Rock the PE Exam”
I recently spoke to the Structural Engineers Association of Utah (SEAU) during their monthly meeting. I decided to talk to them about the different ways that they can ROCK THE PE EXAM (as well as the FE and SE). The following is a brief summary of what I covered.
There are so many ways that you ROCK THE PE EXAM, but here are 5 ways that I wanted to emphasize.
#1 – Choosing Study Materials
You want to succeed on the exam, and the first thing that you need is study materials. They are your lifeline for content, practice problems, and confidence during the exam. With so many options, I thought that it would be nice to have all of the resources listed in one place. I recently put together these lists together for the FE, PE and SE exam where I recommend materials for those who are preparing to take the exam. Check it out through the links below:
(Remember to always check NCEES’s website for the latest codes and standards for your specific exam)
#2 – Set up a Study Plan
Once you have your materials, then it is time to set a study plan. That study plan may include signing up for a prep course or it may be your own plan (more on that in item #4). If you are setting up your own plan, here are a few tips:
- Start studying for the exam early
- Set aside time for each section for your exam based on the NCEES requirements
- Be consistent and diligent with your studies
- Find a good place to study that you can regularly use
- Put away all distractions and focus when you study
- Highlight and tab your books as you go… spend time now to save time later
#3 – Practice, Practice, Practice
There is nothing more valuable than working through practice problems as you prepare yourself for the exam. As you work through practice problems, you will begin to notice trends for areas of your study materials that you reference more than others. Use this time to tab your resources as you go! Then don’t forget to use practice exams (from NCEES and others) to assess your needs and see where you need to focus your studies leading up to exam day.
#4 – Pros and Cons of a Review Course
You might think to yourself, “Should I take a review course?” and the answer to that is it depends.
It is not necessary to take a review course to pass the PE exam, BUT it would be helpful depending on your current situation. If you don’t have time to create your own study plan, or it has been a while since you worked through some topics, or you just want a good refresher, then a review course is for you. Review courses provide a great all around review for breadth and depth topics. By choosing to take a review course, you are letting somebody else lead the way on your journey towards licensure. It helps to take the guesswork out of choosing the important topics to study.
If you decide to go your own route, you will save money and you can cater your studies directly to your own needs. I think that there is value to both options and I would never discourage anybody from choosing a review course or choosing to do it on their own way. I chose to go my own way due to my financial, time and life constraints at the time. Instead, I used some of the recommended products that I list on RockThePEExam.com (as well as the FE and SE).
If you decide to take a PE Civil Breadth or PE Structural Depth review course from PPI, I hope that you choose me as your instructor! I am teaching classes for both sections.
If you have any questions about review courses, please reach out to me to ask me any questions.
#5 – Test Taking Strategies
There are a lot of test taking strategies out there, and I will post a more complete list soon, but here are some highlights:
- Use your calculator NOW
- KNOW THY “CERM”
- Time awareness is crucial
- Skip problems that you don’t know
- If guessing, pick one answer
- Don’t forget brain food snacks for breaks
- Meditation… it’s okay to breathe
- Review answers if you have time
Stay tuned for more tips and tricks!
If you have any specific questions about how you can ROCK THE PE EXAM, please reach out to me via email or social media!
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Keep on keepin’ on.
Life’s a garden… Dig it!
If you have any additional topics or subtopics that you would like me to cover, please contact me at josh@thehipsterengineer.com
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