In this article (and video above), I talk about what you can expect after you have taken your PE Exam and what you should do after you pass the PE exam. We talk about how long you will have to wait for your results to be available, how you can obtain your license if you passed, and when you will be able to start practicing as a licensed engineer. Information for this post was referenced from these articles (PPI, NSPE, and NJSPE).
NCEES
NCEES PE Exams Are Moving to CBT – This Is When & How It Affects You
This week’s PE exam article (and video above) is in response to many questions we have received from engineers about when their specific FE or PE exam will be going to the computer-based testing (or CBT) format.
What are the Benefits of CBT Exams?
The CBT format offers many benefits, such as enhanced security for exam content and more uniformity in testing conditions. For most exams, it also provides greater scheduling flexibility. All CBT exams are offered at approved Pearson VUE test centers and reasonable accommodations are available for examinees who meet certain eligibility criteria and sufficiently document their request.
Some CBT exams are administered year-round. NCEES constructs these exams using a linear-on-the-fly (also known as LOFT) algorithm. This means that all examinees for a particular exam are required to answer the same number of questions in the same topics; however, no examinees will have the same set of questions. The algorithm will assemble a unique exam within the same specification framework (for example, the same number of questions per topic area) and the same relative level of difficulty.
Other CBT exams that have a smaller examinee population use a different high-stakes testing model and are administered on a single day each year. All examinees taking these exams receive the same questions. The question formats used on both types of exams are the same, independent of the statistical model employed.
Let’s take a look at the CBT Schedule:
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A Step by Step Guide to Apply For the PE Exam (Part 1 of 2)
In the previous article, I covered the requirements needed to apply for the PE exam. In this article, I will take you through the first 5 steps of a 10 step process of applying for the PE exam, and show you how to complete your application in an easy-to-follow step-by-step process.
There will be slight differences in the process depending on which US state you are applying to. Most states provide application process checklists on their respective state board websites, so be sure to check with your State Board for specific information. Please note that the information in this article was taken from various sources including PE Exam Coach.
The General Process to Apply for the PE Exam (in Most States) Is As Follows:
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Qualifications Required To Apply For the PE Exam in October 2021
In this article (and video above), which is the first in a two-part series, I take you through the requirements and qualifications needed to apply for the PE Exam.
Registration for the October 2021 pencil-and-paper PE exams opened on June 14 and will close on August 26th at 3:00 pm EST. Registration for the computer-based PE exams is however open all year-round.
States regulate professional engineering licensing in the US. Each state’s requirements are different, but the application process is generally the same. Each state has an engineering board that regulates the practice of engineering in that state. They are who you will apply to for your engineering license and are the ultimate authority on the specific rules and requirements of your state.
The first step, before you officially apply for the PE exam, is to make sure you meet the qualifications to be eligible to be licensed. The next step will be to submit all documentation and information to your state board for approval, and that second step I will cover in the next video.
Minimum Qualifications Required To Apply For the PE Exam:
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How to Get Your PE License in Another State
As a licensed professional engineer, there are certain situations where you may need to obtain a PE license in another state. In this article (and video above), I talk about if, and how, you can get licensed in states other than the one where you passed the PE exam.
You worked hard and passed the PE exam, and now, you want plan to use it in states other than the one in which you took the exam. Can you receive permission to do so? The answer is yes you can, but unfortunately, earning a professional engineering license in one state does not automatically make you eligible to obtain the license in other states.
Why You Would Need To Become Licensed in Other States?
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How To Organize Your 4 Years of Progressive Engineering Work Experience
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
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…
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3 Mistakes To Avoid When Taking the FE Exam
In this post (and video above), I talk about the 3 most common mistakes people make during the FE Exam and how you can avoid making the same mistakes. Thinking about what you shouldn’t be doing can give you a better idea of what you need to be doing during the exam.
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How to Prep the Week of Your FE Exam
After weeks of studying and preparing for the FE Exam, the final week before the exam has arrived. You’re ready to ace your upcoming exam, but you might be feeling stressed out and not sure if you prepared well enough. The last week prior to the FE exam is extremely important and that is why in this week’s Pass the FE Exam video, you will be provided with five actions you should take during that last week that might be the difference between you passing the FE Exam or not.
How to Answer Difficult PE Questions During the Exam
The biggest challenge in passing the PE exam for most people is not having enough time to answer difficult PE questions. You can be proficient in every technical concept on the exam, but if you’re not fast enough, you may not answer enough questions to pass the PE exam. The best possible way to feel less anxious about the PE exam is to be prepared.
My wife is a licensed professional engineer, and she struggled with this. She was really good at the technical concepts, and could answer any question if she had unlimited time, but when she got into a pressure type exam situation with limited time, she really struggled. So I helped her to create a process for tackling the exam questions with a focus on time management and I want to share that process with you in this video.
With regard to tackling difficult PE questions, I have to acknowledge that some of the PE exams, depending on discipline, have already gone to the CBT or computer based testing format. And the biggest change with CBT is that you cannot bring in personal reference materials, you can only use the digital handbook that NCEES provides. So the approach in answering questions may be different depending on whether or not your test is computer based. However, if your exam is CBT, it should go without saying that you must know the NCEES reference handbook inside-out.
How To Approach Exam Problems From Both a CBT and Non-CBT Perspective?
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