Mechanical PE Exam 2017 Major Changes
Mechanical PE Exam 2017 Major Changes
(OP)
Hello,
I have been studying to take the April PE exam. I just read that they have eliminated the morning AM breadth section and instead the entire exam is specific to the chosen subject matter (whelp ... so much for all that studying). Anyone in the same boat? What is your study syllabus and strategy?
I have been studying with the PPI2PASS problems and MERM book but the study strategy is out-of-date now. As far as I can tell none of the online or in person classes have updated their materials yet so I feel a little blind on how to best prepare. I'm putting together a new syllabus for myself tonight and will share. Curious as to others thoughts...
-M
I have been studying to take the April PE exam. I just read that they have eliminated the morning AM breadth section and instead the entire exam is specific to the chosen subject matter (whelp ... so much for all that studying). Anyone in the same boat? What is your study syllabus and strategy?
I have been studying with the PPI2PASS problems and MERM book but the study strategy is out-of-date now. As far as I can tell none of the online or in person classes have updated their materials yet so I feel a little blind on how to best prepare. I'm putting together a new syllabus for myself tonight and will share. Curious as to others thoughts...
-M





RE: Mechanical PE Exam 2017 Major Changes
I took the test the year that it changed from long-form questions to multiple choice. The first MERM I bought was for the old test. About January before the April exam there was an update for the new format and I had to buy it to restart my study strategy. It sounds like you are probably in the same boat. I'd start looking for an update.
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist
RE: Mechanical PE Exam 2017 Major Changes
It seems the new exam format should cut down on the number of resources you will need to bring.
Good luck!
I used to count sand. Now I don't count at all.
RE: Mechanical PE Exam 2017 Major Changes
RE: Mechanical PE Exam 2017 Major Changes
I agree with SandCounter about using the exam specification to break down which topics to study and prioritize based on the high yield topics. I took the ME exam and the MERM seemed to prepare me very well for the format as it was then. I also took practice exams several times to get used to working problems at speed. I don't think any of that should change with the new format, just the material you need to focus on looks to have shifted.
I took the ME Mechanical Design section and spent a LOT of time having to relearn HVAC, thermo, and heat transfer--it looks like you wouldn't have to worry about now. I would think the decrease in breadth would make studying easier, because you have a lot fewer topics to worry about being quizzed on. It also reduces the number of sections you need to be familiar with and the number of reference books to bring.
The downside is that I think relearning all the other subjects was a great refresher and has made me stronger as an engineer, so future PEs might be missing out on that. If I wasn't forced to learn it I wouldn't have bothered, but I'm glad now that I did.