Took my PE Exam (Civil Construction) today and wanted to share my experience while it is still fresh. 1- I thought it was harder than the NCEES practise exam. 2 - I used every minute. 3 - The morning section had 42 questions, the afternoon section had 38. 4 - Lots of crane and formwork questions. I didn't have one of the formwork references while I studied and was unfamiliar with it. Wasted a bunch of time looking through the chapters. 5 - Some questions were actually fun. They packaged breath section concepts into depth section questions.
Thanks for sharing your experience! It's always helpful to hear about others' experiences with exams like these. If you would like to share your experience in the form of an interview, please reach out to us at content@engineeringmanagementinstitute.org
@dori90 Since the PE Civil Exam in April 2024 eliminates the general section, a 3-month study plan can be adjusted to focus entirely on your chosen depth area. Here's a modified plan: Month 1: Foundational Review and Breadth Building Week 1-2: Review core engineering fundamentals relevant to your chosen depth area (e.g., Statics, Mechanics of Materials, Hydraulics for Water Resources). Use textbooks, online resources, or review courses covering these fundamentals. Week 3-4: Start exploring the NCEES PE Civil Exam specifications for your depth area. Familiarize yourself with the exam content, breadth of topics, and reference materials allowed. Week 5-6: Begin practicing with breadth-based problems from your chosen depth area. Use practice problems from various sources, including review course materials, past exam problems (available for purchase from NCEES), and PE reference handbooks. Week 7-8: Focus on identifying your weaknesses and areas requiring more in-depth study. Analyze your performance on practice problems to pinpoint topics needing extra attention. Month 2: Depth-Specific Focus and Practice Week 9-10: Dedicate time to studying specific topics within your chosen depth area. Refer to recommended textbooks, design manuals, and codes of practice relevant to your discipline. Week 11-12: Increase the difficulty of practice problems. Aim for problems that resemble the format and complexity expected in the actual PE exam. Time yourself while solving problems to develop effective time management skills. Week 13-14: Take full-length practice exams under simulated testing conditions. This will help you assess your overall preparedness, identify areas for further improvement, and get accustomed to the exam format. Analyze your performance on these exams and revisit challenging topics. Week 15-16: Review and solidify your understanding of frequently tested concepts and problem-solving approaches within your depth area. Month 3: Exam Refinement and Confidence Building Week 17-18: Focus on reviewing key formulas, equations, and code provisions frequently used in your depth area. Consider creating formula sheets or flashcards for quick reference during revision. Week 19-20: Practice solving problems you found challenging in previous attempts. Review solutions and explanations to solidify your understanding of those concepts. Week 21-22: Take additional full-length practice exams under timed conditions. Focus on maintaining accuracy and improving your time management during these exams. Week 23-24: Review your overall performance throughout your studies. Identify any lingering knowledge gaps and address them with targeted review sessions. Week 25-26: Shift your focus to exam preparation logistics. Ensure you have all necessary documentation, familiarize yourself with the testing center procedures, and get a good night's sleep before the exam. Remember, this is a general guideline. You can adjust the schedule to fit your learning style, available time, and existing knowledge base. Utilize various study resources, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and prioritize areas that need more focus. By strategically preparing for the new PE Civil Exam format, you can increase your chances of success.
Took my PE Exam (Civil Construction) today and wanted to share my experience while it is still fresh. 1- I thought it was harder than the NCEES practise exam. 2 - I used every minute. 3 - The morning section had 42 questions, the afternoon section had 38. 4 - Lots of crane and formwork questions. I didn't have one of the formwork references while I studied and was unfamiliar with it. Wasted a bunch of time looking through the chapters. 5 - Some questions were actually fun. They packaged breath section concepts into depth section questions.
Thanks for sharing your experience! It's always helpful to hear about others' experiences with exams like these. If you would like to share your experience in the form of an interview, please reach out to us at content@engineeringmanagementinstitute.org
Hi Anthony, does this study schedule also apply to the updated depth-only PE exam beginning April 2024? Thanks
@PacMappy Yes, it does. Good luck with your exam preparations.
How would you modify this for the April 2024 format that eliminates the general section?
@dori90 Since the PE Civil Exam in April 2024 eliminates the general section, a 3-month study plan can be adjusted to focus entirely on your chosen depth area. Here's a modified plan:
Month 1: Foundational Review and Breadth Building
Week 1-2: Review core engineering fundamentals relevant to your chosen depth area (e.g., Statics, Mechanics of Materials, Hydraulics for Water Resources). Use textbooks, online resources, or review courses covering these fundamentals.
Week 3-4: Start exploring the NCEES PE Civil Exam specifications for your depth area. Familiarize yourself with the exam content, breadth of topics, and reference materials allowed.
Week 5-6: Begin practicing with breadth-based problems from your chosen depth area. Use practice problems from various sources, including review course materials, past exam problems (available for purchase from NCEES), and PE reference handbooks.
Week 7-8: Focus on identifying your weaknesses and areas requiring more in-depth study. Analyze your performance on practice problems to pinpoint topics needing extra attention.
Month 2: Depth-Specific Focus and Practice
Week 9-10: Dedicate time to studying specific topics within your chosen depth area. Refer to recommended textbooks, design manuals, and codes of practice relevant to your discipline.
Week 11-12: Increase the difficulty of practice problems. Aim for problems that resemble the format and complexity expected in the actual PE exam. Time yourself while solving problems to develop effective time management skills.
Week 13-14: Take full-length practice exams under simulated testing conditions. This will help you assess your overall preparedness, identify areas for further improvement, and get accustomed to the exam format. Analyze your performance on these exams and revisit challenging topics.
Week 15-16: Review and solidify your understanding of frequently tested concepts and problem-solving approaches within your depth area.
Month 3: Exam Refinement and Confidence Building
Week 17-18: Focus on reviewing key formulas, equations, and code provisions frequently used in your depth area. Consider creating formula sheets or flashcards for quick reference during revision.
Week 19-20: Practice solving problems you found challenging in previous attempts. Review solutions and explanations to solidify your understanding of those concepts.
Week 21-22: Take additional full-length practice exams under timed conditions. Focus on maintaining accuracy and improving your time management during these exams.
Week 23-24: Review your overall performance throughout your studies. Identify any lingering knowledge gaps and address them with targeted review sessions.
Week 25-26: Shift your focus to exam preparation logistics. Ensure you have all necessary documentation, familiarize yourself with the testing center procedures, and get a good night's sleep before the exam.
Remember, this is a general guideline. You can adjust the schedule to fit your learning style, available time, and existing knowledge base. Utilize various study resources, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and prioritize areas that need more focus. By strategically preparing for the new PE Civil Exam format, you can increase your chances of success.