Anthony Fasano, P.E.

I Failed the FE Exam 2 Times Until I Did This: Secrets to Passing the FE Exam

March 23, 2022 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this video, I talk with Chris Siwczak, a project engineer at Colliers Engineering & Design who failed the FE exam 2 times but then passed it the third time. He talks about what he did differently the third time around and how he built accountability into his study schedule.

Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Chris:

How many times did you take it, and what made the difference in finally passing the FE exam?
Did your company support you when taking the exam and if so, how did they support you?
What did your study schedule look like?
What tips can you share with the listeners that helped you in passing the exam?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed in This Episode:

Are you TOO Old to Take The PE Exam?

March 15, 2022 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

I get so many listeners that ask me whether they should bother taking the PE exam after the age of 30, 40, or even 50. Does age really matter? And when are you too old to take the PE Exam? You are never too old for professional development, especially adding the PE license to your resume, and in this article, I talk about the benefits of studying towards your engineering license when you are older.

If you have been practicing as an engineer from some time now, and for whatever your reason, you never pursued your PE license, or maybe you couldn’t pass the exam earlier in your career and now you’re considering pursuing your license, but you’re unsure whether or not it is the right choice for someone your age, then the video above is the right video for you.

Although a lot of people believe that obtaining a PE license is for early career engineers, obtaining your PE license can be beneficial to engineers of all ages. Whether you’ve never studied before or you’re looking to add to your qualifications, there are some incredible reasons to obtain a PE license.

Here Are Some of the Benefits of Seeking Licensure When You Are Older:

Environmental Engineering Exam: FE Exam Prep

March 9, 2022 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this article (and video above), we solve the value of an interior angle that forms part of the Civil and Environmental Engineering section of the FE Exam to give you a better understanding of what you can expect during the exam.

Question:

The interior angles of triangular traverse were measured as: angle A 63 +- .01 degrees. angle B 41 +- .03 degrees, and angle C 77 +- .03 degrees. The most probable value for angle B is:

Solution:

Self Study vs. Review Courses for the PE Exam

March 1, 2022 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this article, (and video above), I discuss the difference between self study and review courses when preparing for the PE Exam to help you decide which option would work best for you.

There are usually two ways people go about studying for the PE exam. Either they purchase materials including a reference manual and prepare on their own, or they take a structured review course, either online or locally. Both options can be effective, but you should consider your goals and circumstances to choose the best option for you.

Here are Some of the Factors You Should Consider:

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) | FE Exam Review

February 22, 2022 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this article (and video above), we calculate the BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) of wastewater that forms part of the Civil and Environmental Engineering section of the FE exam to give you a better understanding of what you can expect during the exam. This problem was solved by Enrique Ivers, an Engineer in Training.

Question:

A sample of wastewater is incubated for 7 d at a temperature of 20°C. After this incubation period, the BOD is found to be 211 mg/L. The reaction rate constant is 0.14 d-1 (base e) The ultimate BOD of this sample is most nearly:

A: 225mg/L
B: 310 mg/L
C: 340 mg/L
D: 560 mg/L

Solution:

What to Bring to the CBT Exam

February 15, 2022 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

Bring This to the CBT Exam:

Appointment confirmation letter
Your ID
Your Calculator
A sweater or sweatshirt and/or eyeglasses (if needed)

For all CBT (Computer Based Test) exams, the testing center will provide pencils, papers, erasers and ear plugs. For more information, review each one of these items in detail:

1. Appointment Confirmation Letter

Steps to Take When You Pass the FE Exam

February 8, 2022 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this article, (and video above), I explain all the steps you need to take right after you pass your NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam to make the most of your achievement.

Here Is What You Will Need to do After Passing the FE Exam:

You will need to send your transcript to the state board where you want certification, and then wait to receive your EIT certificate in the mail. Here are some things we recommend you do once you receive your EIT certificate.
Place these credentials after your name wherever you can. For example, add EIT after your name on your LinkedIn profile. This is important because it shows potential employers that you are on track to receive your engineering license.
While it may be too early to start studying for the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam, it’s not too early to create an experience log and keep it up to date between now and when you take the PE exam, logging all of your experience. This is critically important, because when you go to apply for the PE exam, they will ask for a list of all of your experience which will include the projects and tasks that you worked on and which professional engineers you worked under. These professional engineers will need to sign the application for you. Too many engineers wait to try to prepare this list when they are applying for the exam and they forget all of the details of what projects they worked on.
Last but now least, you must gain engineering work experience as soon as possible. Get out there in the field and start working as soon as you can to build up your experience which will help you to be able to sit for the PE exam sooner in most states.

How Soon Can You Take the PE Exam After Passing the FE Exam?

How Hard Is the Civil PE Exam?

February 1, 2022 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

Is the Civil PE Exam Difficult to Pass? After completing a college degree, passing the FE exam, and getting at least four years of experience working in engineering (in most states), candidates can sit for the PE exam. The PE exam is one of the last steps in becoming a licensed professional engineer. But how hard is it? In this article (and video above), I answer that question and also take a look at the PE Pass rates.

FE Exam Prep: Strength of Materials

January 25, 2022 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this article (and video above), I solve a strength of materials question, similar to one you might encounter during the FE Exam, to give you a better understanding of what you can expect during the exam.

Question:

A steel bar (E = 200 GPa) is stretched with a force of 50 N. If the bar is 4 m long and has a cross-sectional area of 0.5 square meters , what is the approximate elongation?

(A) 1 nm
(B) 2 nm
(C) 3 nm
(D) 4 nm

Solution:

Does a Master’s Degree Help You Take the PE Exam Quicker?

January 18, 2022 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

Does a master’s degree help you take the PE Exam quicker? In this article (and video above), I answer that question and also cover some of the other benefits of getting your master’s degree.

To get right to the point here, in many states, you reduce the amount of qualifying engineering experience, which is typically 4 years for a PE license, by one year with a Master’s Degree in engineering. However, you will likely need to complete your degree before it will count, you will not get credit for a degree that you are working towards. It is very important that you check your state board’s website to be certain, though, because every State has their own requirements related to the Master’s degree credit.