Favorite Strategies for Passing the PE Exam

The PE exam is quite possibly one of the most important and hardest milestones in an engineer's career. As such, it is important to spend time preparing strategies as well as studying for the exam.

Your strategy for passing the exam should begin months or even a year before the exam date. Early completion of your exam application and selecting a good exam prep course are very important and should be started well before you sit down at the exam table.

While studying for the exam, it is essential you use the same reference books and material you plan to take into the exam. Check the exam regulations to ensure you can bring into the exam what you're studying with. Use the reference books during your prep course, and when you come across key information, highlight the info and place a labeled sticky tab on the page. This way during the practice exams and PE exam you can quickly find what you're looking for.

Practice exams are a great way to gauge how prepared you are. Take the practice exams in as similar an environment as you can expect to take the PE exam. Go to a quiet room with a table you can sit at. Turn off your cell phone, don't listen to music, and try to find a place where people and pets won't interrupt you. Only take into your practice exam what you will have with you for the real exam (pencil, approved calculator, water, etc.). Set a timer for the morning practice exam and afternoon practice exam (this time could vary depending on whether you take a paper or computer-based exam, so make sure you know your time constraints). Treat the practice exam like the real thing and you will find it is much more beneficial.

Several days prior to exam day, make sure all of your reference material will be allowed in the exam, and that it is tabbed and highlighted sufficiently (too many tabs and highlights may mean you spend more time than needed finding the right information). If you are taking several books into the exam, figure out a way to move the books easily into the exam room. People use methods like suitcases, hand carts, and boxes. Make sure you have two approved calculators, ear plugs (the exam room can sometimes be noisy from external factors), an approved digital watch (you may not be able to see a clock), and a water bottle. There are also some required items for the exam (registration confirmation, approved identification). Ensure you have these items with your other exam material. Check which other items are allowed and not allowed, and plan accordingly.

The exam location may not be held near where you live. People often had to drive several hours to the city of the exam. It's not a bad idea to stay in a hotel the night before. This will allow you to get a good night's sleep (if you're lucky) and avoid leaving the house at 3 AM.

Make sure you know what time you are supposed to check in to the exam, and plan to get there 30 minutes to an hour before the check-in time. You don't want to be looking for a parking spot when check-in starts! On exam day, wake up with enough time to enjoy a cup of coffee and a light breakfast before you head to the exam site.

One of the best tips I have seen for taking the exam is to skim through all the questions at the beginning of each session. Mark the questions 1 through 4, one being the quickest to complete and four being the longest. Then, start solving questions starting with one and working your way to four. This allows you to get the most points before you spend time on more difficult questions. Remember, every question is weighted the same regardless of difficulty. If you're like me, you'll run short on time at the end of one or both sessions (depth and breadth). Solving the easy questions first means you don't miss easy points, and if you run out of time you can guess on the questions which would have been hard anyway.

On your drive home, try to relax and enjoy the relief of having completed a very important milestone. You won't find out results for several weeks most likely, so try and enjoy life in the meantime. With plenty of preparation, be confident that you performed well.

Importance of Continuing Education for Professional Engineers

Continuing education is important to engineers for many reasons. Not only can it help to keep things interesting and keep you engaged in your profession, but it can also help you to contribute in more meaningful ways to your team. The practical importance for engineers, of course, is that these continuing education seminars are required for the renewal of their engineering licenses. But let's discuss a little further, how these can boost both your job satisfaction and your technical competence.

Job Satisfaction

There is substantial evidence that says one of the top ways to avoid burnout, enjoy your job, and get promoted is to teach younger engineers the skills you've developed. Teaching is important for many reasons. One obvious one is then being able to delegate certain tasks, so you can focus on others. One less thought of benefit, however, is that it engages you in the material in a new way. It's been shown that this mental stimulation increases job satisfaction and interest.

Similarly, learning new material can lead to the same mental stimulation and result in higher job satisfaction. Maybe a seminar allowed you to think about a concept differently or clarified some confusion you had on a section of the Code. Maybe it inspired you by showing complex analysis of a recently building failure, or the way technology was implemented into the world's new tallest building.

In my experience, I've found that seminars can be both informative and inspirational. These are just two of the reasons I find them to be an important part of my career.

Technical Competence

Engineering is a constantly evolving industry, which requires its engineers to grow along with the technical developments. The clearest example of this is the building code. Most building codes and standards are updated every three years, and engineers need to be up to date with the changes and implement them into their designs.

To illustrate this, I'll use the example of seismic engineering. There have been so many updates to the building code with regards to seismic engineering in the last forty years. If an engineer retiring today, had been engineering buildings the same way as he was when he graduated from college, those buildings wouldn't be safe. More reinforcing is required in the ends of concrete shear walls, moment frame connections have been completely redesigned, and the connections between roofs and concrete tilt-up panels have been significantly upgraded -- just to name a few. It's important for engineers to learn the why and the how behind these changes, and continuing education is the best way to share that knowledge.

Finally, continuing education can also prepare you for a career change - whether it's within the industry or a change to something completely different. The seminars you watch for continuing credits may not directly influence your work but may instead open your eyes to a new direction in which you can take your career. I know, I've definitely watched presentations that were a little out of my professional scope and, at the very least, daydreamed of what that career would look like!

How to Become a Civil Engineer?

Civil Engineering is a time-honored and noble profession. We solve problems in the built environment in order to make the world a better place to live. Becoming a Civil Engineer is not an easy task. It requires years of hard work, discipline, and motivation.

Civil Engineers are most commonly defined as people who have earned at least a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and have passed the FE exam or earned their PE license. Those that have passed the FE but have not earned a PE license are often titled Engineering Intern (EI) or Engineer-in-Training (EIT).

A bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering is not an easy degree to obtain. Advanced college courses in math, physics and chemistry are required, and those are the courses outside of engineering! Students will take courses in material mechanics (how materials behave under different circumstances), hydraulics and hydrology (how water behaves both in closed and open systems), statics and dynamics (the physics of objects at rest and in motion), as well as courses in other engineering disciplines like electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

Typically, a student will spend many nights and weekends studying outside of class. It is not uncommon for students to need to retake some of the more challenging courses, or to extend the time in school to 5 or 6 years for a bachelor's degree. Advanced degrees involve more challenging courses as well as research. Often students spend their time outside of school as engineering interns (both public and private sector). While this takes up time which could be used for studying, it gives the interns valuable experience learning the profession. Interns also have an advantage after graduation in finding their first engineering job, as they have spent months or years networking in the industry.

Months before graduation, students begin to look for positions as entry level engineers. Students will start these jobs after graduation and most often after passing the FE exam. The jobs are entry level and are often a small step above the work they did as engineering interns. They may be working on teams developing designs or performing construction inspection duties. It is a crucial time where engineers develop the skills needed for Civil Engineering. As it turns out, what you learn in school sets the framework for your profession, but the place where you really learn how to be an engineer is in your profession.

Earning a PE license is often considered the most significant milestone in an engineering career. To qualify, you need a minimum amount of experience as an engineer, and you need to pass the PE exam. Your education doesn't stop after school or even after earning your PE license. Many states require continuing education to maintain and renew a PE license. Even if not required for a license, being a good Civil Engineer involves lifelong learning. New regulations, safety studies, construction techniques, etc. are constantly being developed. Responsible and successful engineers need to constantly keep themselves apprised of this new information.

Becoming a Civil Engineer is not easy, and it is not quick, but for those who desire to improve the world through technical problem solving it is definitely worth it.

5 Tips for Preparing for the CA Seismic PE Exam

Table of Contents

1. Understand the type of exam you are taking

2. Take your time with studying and make sure you have a clear understanding of the material

3. Make a cheat sheet for quick reference in the exam

4. Tab your notes and your codes

5. Do as many practice problems as you can

1. Understand the type of exam you are taking.

I say this all the time when people ask me about the exam - it is not the same type of exam as the national P.E. exam. It is not long. It is not slow. You do not really have time to look things up in your review book. Finally, it is much more problem and calculation oriented than definition oriented.

When I took the national exam (which, to be clear, I am not saying is easy), I remember feeling like the biggest thing I needed to know was where to look for the answers. From there, assuming a basic understanding, I would have time to read a paragraph or two to gain some specific knowledge and then answer the question.

This is not the way the seismic exam works. You won't have time to gain any knowledge during the exam -- You just have time to identify the proper equation, write it down, and plug it in to your calculator.

2. Take your time with studying and make sure you have a clear understanding of the material.

Unless you are already working in seismic engineering, this may be the first time you're really learning about seismic loading. It is completely different than gravity loading, so make sure you take the time to truly understand it. As I said above, you won't have time to learn new things during the exam, so don't set yourself up for that expectation.

3. Make a cheat sheet for quick reference in the exam.

When I was studying, I realized I was using a lot of equations equal to "F". Diaphragm forces, story shear, wall anchorage forces, base shear - the list goes on. One of the most valuable things I took into the exam was a list of all of those equations in one place, so I could easily reference them.

I would strongly urge you to pull together a cheat sheet with definitions and key equations. If you don't have the time or aren't sure what to include, you can one pre-made online. They actually sell some that will fit in to a binder, so that it can be considered "bound" per the board rules. I borrowed one of these from a co-worker for the exam and used it countless times.

4. Tab your notes and your codes.

This is my number one tip for all open-note exams, especially this one due to the speed of the exam. You can save a lot of time by having organized notes and tabs.

5. Do as many practice problems as you can.

This tip is last on this list, but it does not mean it's the least important! Doing as many problems as you can is key to discovering "tricks" and common errors, as well as being able to quickly identify which equations and parameters to use.

What are PDH Credits? How do I get them?

PDH stands for "professional development hour" and PDH credits are simply that - an hour spent on developing skills or knowledge for your profession.

PDH credits are currently required in 42 of 50 states for renewal of your P.E. license. In this case, it is easier to list the states where they are not required, which are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Washington. If you are not seeking license renewal in one of those states, check with your local board since requirements vary widely.

In my opinion, these credits are important for both your ongoing technical competence in the industry and your overall job satisfaction. In my experience, I have found them to be both informational and inspirational - for example, a seminar that can count as a PDH credit can be about a new piece of technology that was implemented to assist in the design or construction of the new world's tallest building. To me, both teach me about a new technique, potentially at my disposal, and inspire me to dream big in my structural engineering career. Even though I live in a state where PDH credits are not required for license renewal (more on that shortly), I am always eager to attend seminars for these reasons.

The only catch to the "simple" PDH definition written above is that to obtain PDH credits for use towards a P.E. license renewal, the PDH hours must be provided by an accepted source based on the state specific requirements. If you're wondering what sources are accepted in your state, the best thing to do is to check with your licensing boards website.

So now that we've covered what they are and why you need them, how can you get them?

The most common way to gain a PDH credit is to attend a seminar. Sometimes it's enough to just attend a seminar, but sometimes there is a quiz you must fill out to gain the credit. There will usually be a sign in sheet passed around with your name, email, and P.E. license number so the presenter or presenting organization can make sure you get the credits.

You can attend seminars hosted by a wide variety of engineers. Some sources I've used in the past include in house seminars at a large engineering firm, a monthly meeting through a local Structural Engineering Association chapter, a webinar through a national organization such as ASCE or ACI and attending a conference. That last one is a good way to get several credits all at once!

I'll close with one final note, which is important if you live in a state where PDH credits are not required but want to maintain licensure in another state. You will have to be vigilant about chasing down these credits! I was licensed in both New York and California for a while after moving from NY to CA, and I noticed that no one ever passed around the sign in sheet or asked if anyone needed to get PDH credits in California. So, I just want to remind you that if you need to log those credits, be active and ask for them!

Hopefully, this cleared up some of your questions on PDH credits!

5 Types of Questions to Expect on the CA Seismic PE Exam

While the Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists provides a list of six primary content areas, I thought it would be helpful to talk specifically what types of calculation-based questions you can expect to see on the exam.

Keep in mind that I am not in any way associated with the writing of the exam, and my opinions are solely based on my experiences with preparing for and taking the exam.

Table of Contents

1. Diaphragm Forces

2. Deflection

3. Story Shear

4. Load Combinations

5. Seismic Design Category

1. Diaphragm Forces

Diaphragm forces make up a huge part of the exam (at least in my experience). When I was preparing for the exam, I remember a coworker telling me to be sure I was comfortable with all diaphragm calcs, and I have to say I really appreciated getting that advice!

Diaphragm force calculations can come in many forms - the actual force calculations for both one-story and multi-story buildings, as well as chord and collector calculations. From a definition standpoint, be sure you know the differences between flexible and rigid diaphragms and the calculations that go along with that.

2. Deflection

Deflection is a big one, as it ties so many pieces together. There are a few key words you'll need to look out for on this topic.

First, drift vs. deflection. Reread the problem and make sure you're answering the right one!

Secondly, elastic vs. inelastic story drift. This can make a huge difference to your answer, so again, make sure you're reading the problems closely.

Beyond those basic definitions, be prepared for questions on the P-Δ effect, the stability coefficient, and separation (on the same property vs. two separate properties!)

Deflection problems may seem basic at first glance - and you're right, the calculations are basic- but it sure is easy to misread the problem when you're in a rush and accidentally answer the wrong question.

3. Story Shear

"Story Shear" is one way of saying, make sure you're comfortable with the vertical distribution of forces method and the Equivalent Lateral Force Procedure. This is definitely one of the most quintessential Seismic P.E. question styles, so practice these! Once you get the hang of it, these are easy problems to get right during the exam.

4. Load Combinations

Seismic load combinations are one of those things that will trip you up if you've only been working with gravity load combinations in the past. There are a lot of small rules such as only count snow load if the flat roof snow load exceeds 30 psf, regardless of the slope of the roof, and then only include 20% of the snow load. There are rules for live load, partitions, and equipment loading too, and it's important to make sure you're comfortable with them. These can be easy points to get on the exam if you're prepared!

5. Seismic Design Category

While the exam may not come out right and ask what seismic design category a given building should be classified as, I am certain that the calculations that lead to this conclusion will be instrumental throughout the exam. These are a basic test of your knowledge of the importance factors, tables in ASCE 7-16 Section 11.4, and site class definitions. There are lots of factors here that need to be multiplied together in various ways. These values would be a great addition to a cheat sheet!

I hope these can help you focus your study efforts, or to act as a final checklist in your week-before-the-exam-self check-in. If you're comfortable and confident with each of these problem types, I think you'll do well on the exam.

5 Easy Ways for Engineers to Earn PDH Credit

Professional Development Hours (PDHs) are required in 42 of 50 states to maintain or renew your P.E. license in that state. Obtaining and tracking these hours may seem daunting, but there is actually an abundance of places to obtain these. I hope the list below helps you to get started.

Table of Contents

1. Seminars at Work

2. Your Local SEA Committee

3. National Member Organizations

4. Attending a Conference

5. Self-Study Online

1. Seminars at Work

Many engineering firms offer seminars (typically with lunch included!) every so often that can count as a PDH. Sometimes, this means an external consultant or sales representative will present to the company, and other times it will be an internal engineer, presenting on lessons learned from a project they've completed. When I used to work at larger engineering firms, I always looked forward to these. An easy and productive way to spend a lunch hour! These are almost always eligible for PDH credits, but be sure to ask, especially if you live in a state where PDH credits are not required for license renewal.

2. Your Local SEA Committee

Most cities and states have a local chapter of Structural Engineering Association (SEA). If your chapter is active check out their events, which are typically eligible for PDH credits. From my experience, these events typically include a seminar that will range from a local engineer on lessons they've learned from a project to updates they've made to the building code. In addition to gaining knowledge and PDH credits, these events are also a great way to network with local engineers. I personally can't wait until these events can be held in person again, but I've been enjoying them in their virtual format in the meantime.

3. National Member Organizations

Looking a little broader, national member organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Institute of Steel Construction (ASIC), and American Concrete Institute (ACI) all offer on demand seminars for PDH credits. I'm sure these are just the tip of the iceberg for national organizations offering these services. I found that ASCE offers 10 free PDH credits with an annual membership, and AISC offers all of their webinars for free, but there is a fee to have them counted as PDH credits. These are great resources for learning more about specific topics!

4. Attending a Conference

Attending a conference is a great way to get a bunch of PDH credits quickly. With the ongoing pandemic, most conferences have gone online, so now you can attend without the potentially expensive travel costs. Even with online seminars, conferences typically charge a fee to "attend" though. One benefit of attending is that the presentations are curated from engineers across the country, so the quality is typically really good.

5. Self-Study Online

With a quick google search, you can find several websites offering a multitude of seminars for varying prices. Check with your state board before purchasing these, as different states have different requirements for approved PDH providers.

The bottom line is there are a ton of ways to obtain your PDH credits at a variety of price points. After reviewing this list, I hope you have a good idea of where to start!

8 Quick Tips About the Mechanical PE Exam

Table of Contents

1. Understand units

2. Practice

3. Sleep

4. Check the specs

5. Have a support system

6. Know your calculator

7. Plan your lunch accordingly

8. When in doubt, make the units match

1. Understand units:

The PE exam is administered in both metric and US customary units. It is important to know the pound mass and pound force and their relationship.

2. Practice:

Practice exams are your best friend. Various sources produce practice exams and there is a lively debate about which is best. Most test takers do agree that the NCEES provided practice exam provides the closest experience to the real deal. It's also important to treat practice exams like exams and do them under as close to real world conditions as possible. That means, don't do them in your bath robe and slippers.

3. Sleep:

Get a good night of rest before the exam. Know where you need to be and arrive with plenty of time to spare. Work backwards from that time to determine when to go to bed and get the right amount of sleep for you.

4. Check the specs:

Always check the most up to date version of the exam specification. Sometimes you might be studying topics that have no chance of being on the exam or overlooking others that are extremely important.

5. Have a support system:

The PE is not an easy exam and its best not to go it alone. Tell your family of your significant other about your plans for study. Make sure they realize how important this exam is to you. Look for communities online that can help prepare you or work our problems with you if you are struggling.

6. Know your calculator:

For those that have only known the TI-83 or the old TI-30 calculators from their university days, the calculators allowed on the PE are a bit less powerful for the former and more powerful for the latter. Though you can use a TI-30 calculator for the exam, you would be forgoing some increased capability by not using a TI-36 of Casio FX-115. Also importantly, you should practice and become knowledgeable on the workings of whatever calculator you choose to use for the exam. Getting through a problem only to realize you had the calculator set to radians would not make for a good day.

7. Plan your lunch accordingly:

The exam is a full day affair and it's important that if you eat on your lunch break, you do not suffer any nap inducing aide effects. You know your body best and it's important to plan what if anything you will eat for lunch to ensure you can be at your best for the second half of the exam.

8. When in doubt, make the units match:

Sometimes the exam will give you a question on a topic you are not familiar with. If the question is quantitative in nature, your best bet is to see what you are given and the units for the answer and work out how to go from one to the other. Be sure not to devote too much time to such problems unless it's your last one or two before being done.

How Long Does It Take to Study for the PE Mechanical Exam?

This is a common question that many people who have passed the FE exam often ask when they make the commitment to embark on the road to passing the PE exam. Many who have passed the FE exam will recall taking it during their senior year in college, being well versed in all of the concepts, and waltzing through to a passing score with little to no preparations.

Sadly, PE is not such an exam, and those lucky or gifted classmates of yours that never studied but got straight A's won't be so lucky. It's important to note that while the PE has moved to a single reference handbook, there is still considerable content that must be known from memory both in terms of basic concepts and industry experience/knowledge.

Before the CBT version of the exam, the paper and pencil exam was administered two times per year. A good baseline of study time was to study for at least one 6-month exam cycle. This would usually break down to 3 months of review of the materials and 3 months of practice problems. You may choose to pace yourself differently based on the time available to you. Use the exam specifications and determine what you do and do not know well. Make a plan and study around this. You must also do practice problems and attempt to take a full-length practice exam so you can judge your time management and gauge your weak topics. It's very important to know how to use your calculator and the PE handbook to find the right answer. Knowing where information is located is critical to getting through the exam in a timely fashion. You should also try and commit a few of the more basic formulas to memory so that you do not need to look them up for each question. Basics for stress and strain as well as motion and force equations are highly recommended.