PE EXAM

[jackboot]

Could anyone give me a brief run-down on how rough the PE examination is?

I live in Texas and the study book for the exam doesn't look that different from the E.I.T I took a few years back. The EIT- which was difficult - was taken when I was fresh out of school.

I was under the impression that since the test takers had been out of school for a while that the exam wouldn't be very cut-throat.

Looking at the materials: either everyone is pretty smart; or the degree of difficultly has be tightened up a bit.

Any advice from anyone who has taken the Mechanical PE exam.

jackboot.

 

[Mandrake22]

It has been 20 years now, but I have never passed a test that I felt so poorly about. I started studying for the EIT 10 years after graduating and the PE the next year. It seemed like each time I was cramming 4 years into about 3 months. My advice is to minimize the wait.

 

[arto]

The NCEES has some practice tests/ sample questions at a reasonable price. I took it way back when [~16 yrs ago]& found the test to be pretty much just like the practice tests - also it's a good confidence builder.

http://www.ncees.org/exams/study_materials/pe_mechanical_materials.php

The test was 8hrs for 8 problems - kinda like the sample problems in your Machine Design Book.

Way back when they were open book - I almost got a hernia bringing every book I owned - [check your state to see if they're still open book] - all I really needed was a good machine design book i.e.,Shigley's; Stress [Budynas]; & maybe Marks' Hdbk & Mach'y Hdbk. [or Roark].

Get new batteries for your calculator too.

If you've been doing REAL engineering for the past 4-8 years, you'll find it not too bad - just a bit faster pace than at work. [Though if you've only been going to meetings & tweedling the computer - you may get smoked - that's when you may want a review course]

The best part about being a PE is when you can tell the Marketing types "In my Professional Opinion....." ;-)

Indeed, it makes "the buck stop here" & you may find yourself writing memo's to the company president telling him how certain poorly designed products must not be sold because they are unsafe, that you are required to notify him pursuant to the State Regulations that require you to "hold paramount the safety health & welfare of the public...." [ah well that's a long story from my previous job]

Anyhow, good luck on the test!!

 

[jackboot]

Thanks,

I currently do real engineering work - but that can vary based on the product line of the business. So, I don't know nor do I ever work with Thermo problems or other HVAC senerios.

I appreciate the advice.

jackboot

 

[plawrence]

I, too, took the EIT right out of college seven years ago. I took the mechanical PE exam this past October. I started studying in June. The "breadth" part in the morning wasn't too bad. I felt very comfortable going into the afternoon "depth" part. That was a lot tougher. I took the fluid and thermal systems concentration. The three books I ended up using the most out of the box I took with me were Marks' Standard Handbook for MEs, Crane's Technical Paper 410, and my college thermo book. I passed, but it was a long 10 weeks waiting for the results.

I don't think the exam was cut-throat but I don't think it was a cake walk either. I think it really depends on what you've been doing since college and how "second-nature" the work is to you. A couple of people I saw leave early were HVAC guys that I spoke with during lunch. They had been doing that kind of work for years and the HVAC portion was like a day at work for them. You have to know what you know, you know? You're becoming a licensed professional and the state just doesn't hand out certifications. Decide on your "depth" part and start studying. You have plenty of time unil the fall exam.

Patrick

 

[brad]

I took the PE 4 years back (in Michigan). Both morning and afternoon for me were "depth". 10 questions to choose from each session, and you had to choose 4/10 each case. I took it at the first available opportunity when I became eligible (5 years out of school).
I got blown out of the water in the morning because only 2/10 questions were in my field. Afternoon was a piece of cake, as I found 6 questions in my area so I could choose the four easiest. However, this was specific to my situation; I'm sure others taking the same test found morning easier (as their particular problems showed up in the a.m.).
Brief description of the test--I would describe each problem as being the equivalent of 1/3 of a final exam question from the respective category in an undergrad course.
Study a lot, bring EVERY book you can (if they still allow it)--I brought 15-- and pick and choose during studying what subjects you want to study.
Brad

 

[plasgears]

My advice is that an engineer should secure his PE sooner or later to not only prove competency but develop confidence to provide engineering analysis to support his designs. This is classical engineering. To bypass analysis is to be a draftsman or designer by cut and try.

The PE is best prepared for in a classroom setting with other experienced engineers. You will be surprised by the wealth of experience found in a diverse group of 30 experienced engineers. They will know the shortcuts to the professional exam that will enlighten you. You can't accomplish this on your own, I'm afraid. Some have done it, to be sure, but engineers many years out of school need to study in forum.

 

[chicopee]

I took both parts of the examination back in the early 80's when I had been out of school for nearly ten years. I took a refresher at RPI in Hartford, Ct. and I also concentrated on both part for six months before taking the tests. Every night I reviewed all of my textbooks, spent tons of hours on solving as many problems in these textbooks as humanly as possible. I also studied and replicated many of the excercises in the Perry and Kent engineering hdbks. I also manage to get engineering manuals from air handling manufacturers and perform their examples. A word of advice is that no matter how smart you may think that you are, if you have not sufficiently prepared you will fail. I passed both tests in the high 80's the first time. Good Luck!

 

[zdas04]

Some of the earlier posts are a tad out of date. A couple of years ago NCEES went to an "objective format" for Mechanical Engineering which means that all questions in both the morning and afternoon are multiple choice (the morning is still breadth and the afternoon is depth--for mechanical you chose your afternoon subject).

I started studying for last October's exam last March. I didn't use a course and avoided study groups. I bought Potters study guide and worked through the first 1/3 of it until I got too frustruated with all the wrong answers in the answer guide. Then I bought Lindeburg's MERM 11 and started over. While this was VERY expensive, the first 1/3 of Potter was a much better review of the first 2 years of college and it got me into the right frame of mind (none of this stuff was on the exam). In the test (Thermo and Fluids depth) I used MERM, Cameron Hydraulics, Crane 410, and Marks. I passed the first try after being out of school 22 years. It was a much tougher exam than the EIT (which I took 5 years ago), but it sure felt good to get it behind me.