PE Exam

How to Study for the PE Exam When You Have Kids

April 14, 2021 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

Balancing work, school and parenting are challenging, to begin with, and it can be even more of a challenge during these times where many people work remotely, when one has to study for the PE Exam with kids around them.

In this article (and video above) Isaac Oakeson from Civil Engineering Academy provides some tips on how you can study for the PE Exam when you have kids or other responsibilities that take up a lot of your time. We have 6 kids between us, so we have some experience with this, and Isaac has been helping engineers pass the PE exam for years.

Here are 7 Tips to Help You Study for the PE Exam When You Have Kids:

What’s The Hardest PE Exam for Civil Engineers?

April 1, 2021 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this article (and video above), Isaac Oakeson, P.E. from Civil Engineering Academy talks about the difficulty level of each of the possible Civil PE Exams you can take. Isaac is a civil engineer himself, who has spent years helping civil engineers pass the PE exam, and in this the video he will rank the different exams, based on his opinion, from the hardest PE Exam to the easiest PE Exam. Below are questions I have posed to Isaac followed by his answers.

What’s The Hardest PE Exam for Civil Engineers?

Q: One of the first questions I get from EIT’s who are interested in taking the PE Exam is “How hard is it?” or “Which is the easiest to pass?”

A: Generally speaking, you’re better off taking the discipline that you do daily as you’ll be more familiar with the basic concepts and will have less to learn. The exam changes every time, so it’s luck of the draw on which one could potentially have easier questions. That said, every depth exam is hard and requires a high degree of effort; but let’s dive a little deeper, and highlight some things that might be easier for you.

How Much Money Does a Licensed Professional Engineer Make?

March 17, 2021 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

If you achieve your engineering license, will you get a pay raise? If so, how much can you expect and how much more does a licensed Professional Engineer make? You will get answers to all of these in this week’s Pass the PE Exam article (and video above).

It can be uncomfortable to ask your supervisor or company’s HR staff about a salary increase or raise, because you don’t want people to think you are only in it for the money.

The Real Secret To Pass the PE Exam (Q & A With Mason Mallard)

March 12, 2021 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

What is the real secret to pass the PE Exam? Is there a secret, or is it just good preparation? In this article (and video above), I ask that question to a practicing engineer Mason Mallard. Mason is a former professional baseball player, now a mechanical engineer who works for EMA Engineering in Texas and just turned 25 years old and recently passed the PE HVAC exam in January!

Here Are the Tips From Mason Mallard on How To Pass the PE Exam:

Do Not Make This One Mistake or You Will Fail Your PE Exam

March 3, 2021 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this week’s article (and video above), I share with you the biggest mistake that most engineers make, and if you make, might cause you to fail your PE exam.

The biggest mistake that engineers make in preparing and taking the exam is not realizing or remembering that the biggest obstacle that you face during the exam is TIME – PERIOD!

So, just as important, if not more important than studying all of the different problem types, is having a solid approach to the exam in terms of approaching the problems and using your time efficiently. [Read more…] about Do Not Make This One Mistake or You Will Fail Your PE Exam

How To Organize Your 4 Years of Progressive Engineering Work Experience

February 24, 2021 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this article (and video above), I explain how you can document and organize your progressive engineering work experience while applying for the PE Exam. You must detail your engineering experience in a very specific way to get accepted to take the PE Exam, and if you do it the right way, it will significantly improve your chances of being accepted to sit for the Engineering Principles and Practice or PE Exam.

Following are 5 tips to help you navigate the preparation of your PE Exam application, specifically how to list your progressive engineering work experience on the application. But you should remember that every state may review experience differently, and the following are general tips from my experience and my conversations with other engineers. Your State may require more or less than 4 years of experience. [Read more…] about How To Organize Your 4 Years of Progressive Engineering Work Experience

How To Beat PE Exam Nerves and Avoid Exam Anxiety

February 17, 2021 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this post (and video above), I discuss a challenge that many engineers struggle with, during the PE exam – NEVES. How can you try to overcome nervousness for the exam and avoid exam anxiety as it can truly cripple you?

It all comes down to practice and preparation…

Are You Eligible to Take The PE Exam?

February 10, 2021 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this Pass the PE Exam article, I explain how you can determine if you’re eligible and qualify to take the Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam also known as the PE Exam.

The Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam (or PE Exam) is administered by the (National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying), also referred to as NCEES, a national organization tasked with regulating the testing of engineers and surveyors. The PE exam is a standardized test administered nationally across the United States.

PE Exam Practice Problem: Water Resources Wetted Perimeter

February 3, 2021 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

In this Pass the PE Exam post, I am going to solve a Wetted Perimeter problem that is part of the Water Resources section that you will encounter on the PE Exam. The term wetted perimeter is common in civil engineering, environmental engineering, hydrology, geomorphology, and heat transfer applications; it is associated with the hydraulic diameter or hydraulic radius. The wetted perimeter is defined as the length of the line representing the interface between a fluid and a channel.

Here’s The Wetted Perimeter Problem:

Here’s The Solution:

What PE Exams Are Now CBT (Computer Based Testing) in 2021

January 27, 2021 by Anthony Fasano, P.E. Leave a Comment

Do you know that all PE Exams are eventually going to be CBT (computer-based testing) and what exactly that means for you?

You can find the details from NCEES here, however NCEES had always planned to move the exams to computer-based testing or CBT, however, it is now fast-tracking the move to CBT for some of the PE exams, as part of its response to COVID-19. Currently, PE exams are administered in either CBT format or a pencil-and-paper format depending on the discipline of the exam. Once an exam is moved to CBT, the biggest difference is that you can’t bring in your own books or reference materials anymore – you only get one reference book that they provide you with which is an online reference manual.

Computer-based testing or CBT exams include traditional multiple-choice questions as well as alternative item types (or AITs). AITs, provide opportunities to assess the technical knowledge of examinees using methods not available through traditional pencil-and-paper testing.

All questions, including AITs, are scored as either correct or incorrect. There is no partial credit. These AITs or alternative item types may include but are not limited to the following: