PE exam - October 2011

[JagdishRawat]

Hello all:

I recently came to know about this forum while searching for the tips on PE exam in metallurgical engineering. I have following questions for this exam -

1) Is anyone taking the exam in October 2011?
2) Is it really tough exam?
3) Historically, passing rate is between 50% to 65%. Is it because that it is a tough exam or because examinees take it lightly?
4) Is Transport Phenomenon still part of the exam? If yes, which book will you recommend? Does it come with solution manual?
5) I am going through the chapter on casting, forging, machining etc. Do i have to know the positives and negatives of different methods e.g. drawbacks of open die forging and/or types of hammer used in forging etc?

Thanks for your time.

Met1CO

 

[Ron]

I'm not a metallurgical engineer, but in general, all PE exams are the same in context...

Now for your reality check.

Thousands of people in these forums will be taking the exam.

Yes, it is hard.

No, the pass rate has nothing to do with how seriously the exam is taken by the examinees....they all take it seriously, they all know it's hard and they all try their best. They fail for two primary reasons:

1..they are not prepared and do not have adequate experience, even though they have met the "paper" requirements (vast majority of the "failures")
2..they fail to take the exam seriously and do not adequately prepare for it (a very small percentage)

I can't answer your last two questions, but suffice it to say that the exams change so be prepared for anything.

 

[JagdishRawat]

Thank you Ron.

I got the answer of my question # 5 by searching on the subject online. There are some really nice videos posted online on casting, forging etc.

Would love to hear from folks taking PE in metallurgical engineering...

Thanks

Met1CO

 

[JagdishRawat]

Ron:

Could you please elaborate this line -


1..they are not prepared and do not have adequate experience, even though they have met the "paper" requirements (vast majority of the "failures")

Thanks

Met1CO

 

[metengr]

Met1C0;
Search on this subject using the ET search feature button above and you will find answers to #2-5.

Key Word - PE exam or PE Metallurgical Exam

Good Luck

 

[racookpe1978]

You will NOT learn enough from any number of "on-line videos" to pass any part of the PE exam.

There is a very real reason for the years of "apprenticeship" as a practicing PE under the direct management of a PE. Trying to shortcut those years of experience and practice in the equations and references and terminology will likely be reason you too face a greater chance of joining those who fail the test.

I applaud your care, your foresight in looking for references and studying ahead of time. You will get a selection of topics in your field, and from those topics, a series of questions. You ,must choose wisely which to answer, but you are not required to answer all of the questions. On the other hand, you will not be able to pass by selecting questions from only one topic.

 

[Maui]

I took this exam in 2004, and as I walked out of the exam room I was certain that I had failed. It was very hard - easily one of the most difficult exams that I have ever taken. As I thought about the answers that I had given, I realized that most of them were probably right, but there were also some obvious mistakes that I had made. So I did stand a chance of passing after all. Months later I finally got the test results verifying that I had in fact passed. Amazing!

Don't be surprised if you feel the same way when you walk out of the exam room. This is a particularly tough exam to study for because there are no review manuals available for it. So deciding what to study is a real shot in the dark. I did some review about two weeks before the exam using books I had never read before, but realized that studying was essentially futile at this point because I didn't know what I should be reviewing. So I pretty much walked into the exam cold. And I distinctly remember seeing at least three questions on my test that covered topics in metallurgy that I had never even heard of. The funny part is that I felt myself start to panic at this point, and remember thinking "just breathe". That brought me back to my strategy, described below.

The best way to prepare is to have a strategy in hand and stick to it, no matter what they throw at you. I answered the questions that I felt confident I could do right off the bat. But there weren't as many of those on the exam as I had hoped there would be. On the second round through the test, I discarded the answers for certain questions that could be readily identified as wrong, thus reducing the number of possible correct answers. I was often able to reason my way through which of the remaining answers was the correct one. And on the remaining set of questions where I had no clue, I simply guessed at the answer. Based on statistics, I probably got 25% of those answers correct. And my strategy worked, because I did pass.

I hope that you do well. But remember no matter how dismal you may feel when the exam is actually over, you still might have passed.

Maui

 

[cloa]

I don't know whether you had your PhD at the point to PE but I'm just interested what topic in Metallurgy had you neve heard of. Not that's any value to OP.

 

[JagdishRawat]

To Maui:

wow, so you just studied for two weeks? And you passed. AMAZING !!!

Could i please know your work history at the time you took your exam?

Thanks

Met1CO

 

[Maui]

Cloa, it was so long ago that I don't remember what the unfamiliar topics were. Some additional reflection may stimulate my memory. But I do recall looking each of them up after I left the exam. I did get two of those three questions right by reasoning my way through to the answer. The surprising part is that I had earned my Ph.D. in the early 1990s, and didn't take this exam until 2004. And I was a seasoned Senior Metallurgist working in a steel manufacturing plant for nine consecutive years when I sat for the exam. I didn't expect to be blindsided like that, but it happened. I suppose that one person can't be expected to know everything.

Met1CO, the following thread contains some very useful links:

thread330-248008

I suggest that you go through each of the links that appears in this thread, especially the ones provided by Corypad. You will find some worthwhile information there.

Maui

 

[EdStainless]

I took the test years ago and the format has changed.
I had worked in three different industries with a wide range of processes and alloys.
I wasn't sure if I had passed or not, fortunately I did.
An advanced degree does not help you with this test since breadth and not depth is the real key.

To study for this test you need to re-familiarize yourself with your books.
Knowing where to find key equations and relationships is what will get you through the test.

There are lots of unknown subjects.
Do you know how to rate a benificiation process in a mine?
Brazing of Al alloys?
How about high temp weld overlay alloys?

The questions are hard and the scope if frightening.
Keep a cool head and check carefully and you have a good chance of passing on the first try.


= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Plymouth Tube

 

[JagdishRawat]

Thanks to Ed, Maui, Racookpe and Metengr on your invaluable feed back. It is going to be one exciting exam.

I went through the TMS provided sample exam and you are right ED. It is not the depth but the breadth and a clear understanding of fundamentals.

Thank you folks.

Is there anyone from state of Colorado taking this exam in October 11?

 

[JagdishRawat]

Need suggestions -

I was flipping the pages of the book 'Transport Phenomena in Materials Processing' by Poirier and Geiger.

So all you guys who were able to crack the PE exam, did you go through all the chapter in this book?

What about the chapters in Gaskell (Thermodynamics) and Dieter? Did you go through all the chapters in these two books two?

And if you did, how were you able to finish all these within 2 weeks, 1 month or in 3 months?

Either you folks are genius or just pure lucky...

Your suggestions will be helpful.

Thanks

Met1CO

 

[JagdishRawat]

I am getting worried just by looking at the size of the books i have to read.

Please comment on my earlier question.

Thanks

 

[Maui]

Met1CO, as I stated in my prior post, I only studied for about two weeks before the exam. And a good deal of the material that I reviewed wasn't even on it. Since there are no review books for this exam, it is especially difficult to prepare for. If you haven't done it already, I suggest that you click on the link I provided above and read through each of the links in that thread. You will find some very useful information that will benefit you in preparing for this exam.

Maui

 

[JagdishRawat]

Maui:

I have gone through all the links related to PE exam in metallurgical engineering in this forum. Here is the summary -


Before exam -

1) Study as much as possible. More is better. Usually people with a bachelor degree in metallurgical engineering can pass the exam if they study at least 3 months prior to the exam at a rate of 30 hours per week. (don't quote me on it so study as much as possible)

2) Read and absorb the metals hand book as much as possible. This is the most important book among all.

3) Work on as many problems as possible on the following books - Dieter, Gaskell, & Geiger. Expect a lot of problem in the exam on Transport Phenomenon, Thermodynamics, and Mechanical Metallurgy.

4) The TMS study guide has several questions. The questions are easier than the actual exam.

5) If time permits, try to solve the homework assignments provided on several university website (e.g. MIT etc). One guy and his study partner from CA did not use reference books but he searched the home assignments online.

6) One guy took the exam twice but he failed both the times. On the other hand, there are people who went to the examination hall cold and were able to pass it.

7) Common sense or general knowledge type questions will make up to 25% of the total questions.

8) Although, there is no difference between AM and PM sessions. But some examinees reported that PM session is tough.


During exam -

1) Don't expect the exam to be easy and straight from the book. But ASM metals handbook will be of great help.

2) Don't panic. If don't know the solution, use the elimination process.

I am nervous because i want to pass this exam and i want to leave no stone unturned for it but the scope is frightening.


Met1CO

 

[Maui]

I can verify that the afternoon session was much more difficult on my exam. But this may have changed since I took it. I would add some items to your list above:

1.) Get a good night's sleep the two days before the exam.

2.) Do NOT cram the last few days before you sit for the exam. If you don't know it by now, you won't learn it the last two days.

3.) Bring in a lot of reference books. I brought in too few when I took the exam, and even though I knew exactly how to solve one of the problems, I got it wrong because I didn't have the appropriate reference table in any of the books that I brought with me. During the lunch break you will have the opportunity to leave the test site. I used this time to go back to work and get more reference books. And it was a good thing that I did this.

4.) Breathe. You will likely get very stressed when you read some of these questions and realize that you don't have a clue how to figure them out. Don't let that kill your strategy.

5.) Walk into the test with a clear-cut strategy. Without this, you will likely fail. See the one I used above.

Good luck!

Maui

 

[JagdishRawat]

Why is the name of the book by Gaskell is 'Introduction to the Thermodynamics of Material'?

It should be more like 'Thermodynamics of Material - The basic understanding can be found elsewhere'

lol.

I am lucky that i have the book 'Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach" by Cengel and Boles.

Met1CO

 

[salmon2]

I don't have PE yet but donplan to take it in couple years if having time.

I took the eit exam in 2006 and did some research before. Wondering if the same strategry applies to PE or not but would to share it. The am session is always a mix or general session but pm is optional between each subject or again gerenal. Choosing A subject is harder than general for pm session. I did this for my eit, general also for pm, but never has experience to verify the difference.

I do see the point that is why I took the strategy.

 

[JagdishRawat]

Salmon2:

Were you finishing your undergrad when you took the EIT exam? What was your strategy for EIT exam?

There is no general session for PE exam (if i am not wrong).