3 Tips to Pass the PE Power Exam on the First Try

One of the biggest secrets to passing the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam on the first try is that it won't actually be your first try! Find out why and other useful strategies below.

There isn't any shame in taking the PE exam more than once to pass. Of my three mentors that verified my engineering experience for the PE, only one had passed on their first try. It's not uncommon to end up taking the test two to three times in some cases. With that being said, you'll save immense time, money, and energy by passing on your first try. The following three strategies are foundational in a successful first attempt:

The blog covers

1. Build a study schedule

2. Utilize ALL of your resources

3. Simulate exam day

1. Build a study schedule:

300+ hours, 16+ weeks, 6+ months-you'll find endless opinions on how long it takes to study for the PE exam. No matter how long you decide to take, be sure you decide your course of action, build your study schedule, and get started! With the updated computer-based testing (CBT) format, the PE Power exam is available year-round. Start with the total amount of time you plan to study, carefully consider how much time you can commit per week, and then pick your test date based on how long it will take you to reach your total study time. Scheduling your test date as part of your study schedule helps hold you accountable to your plan.

It's also important to review study program options like the ones offered by School of PE. If you benefit from live classes, you can take advantage of their Live Online delivery method. Otherwise, the OnDemand courses allow you to go at your own pace. Pick whichever option you can accommodate and build it into your weekly plan.
Once you have your plan in place, start executing and evaluating. If after the first 2-4 weeks you find yourself falling behind, review your remaining schedule and update your plan to make sure you're able to cover all of the exam specifications before the test date. This step emphasizes the importance of flexibility in your weekly study commitment and being conservative with the total amount of time to study from the start.
2. Utilize ALL your resources:
It's important to acknowledge that you have many resources within your reach. Who do you know that has already taken the exam? With the experience you have accrued for the exam, (graduation from an ABET college, 4 years of work experience) you'll have at least a few peers either from college or your workplace that you should be able to ask for advice about the exam. Check with your current employer to see if they have saved textbooks or study guides in the company library. Ask newly certified PEs about their study and exam experiences. There are great lessons and tips to be learned from those who have already passed-all you have to do is ask.
Your personal contacts are a great way to establish which textbooks/study guides you should invest in. People will have great advice on what books worked for them, and you may be able to borrow textbooks instead of having to purchase. Some of the absolute staples include:

1. PE Electrical and Computer: Power Practice Exam (NCEES
2. National Electrical Code Handbook [most recent edition] (NFPA)
3. Electrical Machines, Drives, and Power Systems (Wildi)

Engineering forums are another fantastic resource to supplement formal study programs. For example, Engineer Boards provides discussion threads to official NCEES Practice Exam solutions. There are numerous great resources to gaining a much better understanding to how solutions are developed and learning tricks from individuals both within and outside of your personal network.

3. Simulate exam day:
It is difficult to pass the PE on your very first try. That' why ideally your first official exam will come after one or two unofficial exam simulations. Within 2-4 weeks before the official test, take a full day to simulate everything you need to do the day of: exact start time, your morning routine and what you're going to eat, similar testing environment, breaks (including lunch), and rules. This simulation allows you to become familiar with all the hurdles that will be in place during the actual exam. It's also an opportunity to understand and practice the stamina that will be required to maintain focus for a 9-hour day. While you won't be able to use the exact CBT system, NCEES and Pearson VUE offer resources and demos that explain what to expect in the testing environment. School of PE offers their Question Bank which simulates the CBT exam day experience.
As you can expect, there are many other steps that lead to a successful first attempt at the PE Power exam. But these three strategies are the best building blocks for creating a system that will help you pass the first time. Good luck!

About the Author: Mitch Hanson

Mitch Hanson, P.E. passed the Electrical and Computer: Power exam on his first *official* try in 2019 with the help of School of PE and practices electrical engineering in Colorado.

Three Things You'll Want to Do After You Pass Your FE Environmental Exam

Congratulations! It's time to celebrate, because passing your FE Environmental exam is a tremendous accomplishment. You just successfully cleared the first hurdle in your journey to becoming a licensed engineer. According to the NCEES, only about seven in ten pass this exam, an amount which is likely inflated, as low performers self-select out. Your next step after your celebration is to thank everyone that helped you get to this point: your significant other, teachers, friends you neglected while you were committed to studying and friends who helped you with studying, and anyone else that helped support your efforts. Then, if you can, take some time to relax and enjoy the moment before you think about any next steps. When you're ready to continue your journey, the following suggestions will help.

Things to Do After Passing Your FE Environmental Exam

1. Check out the licensing guidelines in your location

2. Gain engineering experience

3. Start building a working portfolio

1. Check out the licensing guidelines in your location. Once you're ready to start the next process, begin investigating the license-earning parameters established by the state, territory, province, or district in which you plan on becoming a licensed engineer. Although each location sets its own guidelines on becoming a PE, the general path is the same. If your state has an engineer in training (EIT) status, register for it. While an EIT is not a license, it can simplify the process of becoming licensed later or getting engineering jobs. If your state has decoupled the experience requirement from the PE exam, I would advise you to start studying and complete this test as soon as you can before you begin practicing. Practicing professional engineering in real life is not like taking an exam or studying for a test. As you fall into the professional engineering habit, you tend to fall out of the test-taking habit. Bits of esoteric knowledge fall away, and efficiency and accuracy may be reduced. Once you take this exam, you can spend more time strengthening your daily practical skills in engineering. It is also just nice to be done with the PE exam and relieve any conscious or subconscious anxiety over it.

2. Gain engineering experience. After taking and passing both your FE and PE exams, your priority should be gaining environmental engineering experience. Environmental engineering is too large of a field to fit into a four- or five-year undergraduate degree: regardless of what you specialize in, you will learn on the job and by working with more experienced engineers. NCEES requires you to have a few professional engineers vouch for your experience. The degree of contact required for a reference depends on the exact jurisdiction you are trying to become licensed in.

3. Start building a working portfolio. Keep an Excel file, Word doc, or physical notebook of professional engineers you've worked under with the following information:

•  The engineer's name, email address, and phone number
  
• Your responsibilities under their supervision
  
• The start and stop date of projects
  
• The supervisor's name, email, and phone number (if different from engineer)
  
• The client's name, email address, and phone number
  
• Calculations you performed
  
• Inspections and assessments you made
  
• Anything else related to the project

Don't forget to include important details in this log, like annotating which codes, standards, and regulations you followed as well as indicating which key foremen, tradesmen, and contractors/subcontractors were utilized. Maintaining a detailed and organized log will not only make writing your summary of engineering experience for the professional licensing board easier, but also future projects you work on. Remember to keep in contact with previous employers; a nice practice may be to send a winter holiday or birthday card annually.

In summary: celebrate, express gratitude, register as an EIT if you can, study for the PE exam, gain experience, document your experience, and start networking. Following these steps after passing the FE Environmental exam will make obtaining your professional licensure easier, even if you are not considering it currently. You will be grateful that you set yourself up to succeed easily if you should change your mind in the future. Why close off an opportunity to pursue additional career development?

How Does the NCEES Exam Scoring Process Work?

The blog covers:

1. NCEES Exam Scoring

2. CBT Grading

3. FE vs. PE Exams

4. All Exams Are Scored the Same Way

5. The Transition from Pencil-and-Paper to Computer-Based Testing

6. Pencil-and-Paper Grading

7. PE Structural Exam

8. Changes Since I Took the Exam

9. Outlying Questions Will Be Pulled from the Queue

NCEES Exam Scoring

The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) exam scoring process is not overly complex; like most exams, the key idea is that the more questions you answer correctly, the higher your probability of achieving a passing result! During the exam, this is all you need to worry about, since you, of course, cannot challenge questions to your proctor in the exam room. There are two exam types: computer-based testing (CBT) and pencil-and-paper. Historically, the exams were pencil-and-paper with the scantron sheet, and this was how I took both the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exams. Over the past few years, NCEES has been transitioning the exam format from pencil-and-paper to CBT as examination administration goes forward.

CBT Grading

CBT grading is based on the total number of correct answers, with no deductions for wrong answers. I found this to be easier than the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in high school since the SAT offered the option of leaving answers blank where you had to be more strategic about omitting certain questions to better preserve your score. You should answer ALL questions for both FE and PE exams, even if you must blindly guess without having the time to properly attempt a solution. NCEES does not award partial credit or dock points for showing your work (right or wrong); the exam scoring process only considers your actual multiple-choice answer. While in grad school, I encountered a similar situation with an accidental correct answer. My professor explained that I solved the question incorrectly and that the fact I still came to the correct answer was pure luck, but I was still awarded the points! So, you can still solve for the correct answer despite incomplete computations!

FE vs. PE Exams

Both the FE and PE exams for CBT are graded using the same format. All exams are scored first, then NCEES determines the Pass/Fail borderline (cut score); scoring at or above the cut score is passing, and scoring below produces a failing result. The raw score is converted to a scaled score, adjusting for differences in difficulty across the different exams. NCEES does not release exam scores, nor do they pre-determine a PE exam or FE exam passing score or passing percentage. However, for the PE Mechanical exam, it is generally believed that the cut score is around 70% (56 out of 80 multiple choice questions). If you fail the exam, you will receive a diagnostic report identifying areas of deficiency so you can improve and refocus for retaking the exam. If you pass the exam, there is no diagnostic report as a passing FE exam score or passing PE exam score indicates that you are generally proficient in all examination subject areas.

All Exams Are Scored the Same Way

First-time takers and repeat takers are graded to the same standard; NCEES does not discriminate whether this is your first exam or 20th exam! All exams are scored the same way, regardless of discipline (e.g., Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, etc.). CBT exam results are generally available 7-10 days after taking the exam nowadays. When I took the FE and PE exams, the wait period was much longer (but at least you could enjoy the anticipation!). Once scores are available, NCEES will provide a notification with further instructions to review your exam score and the next steps, whether that be for receiving your Engineer-in-Training (EIT) designation, professional licensure information, or information on retaking the exam.

The Transition from Pencil-and-Paper to Computer-Based Testing

NCEES is currently transitioning its examination administration format from pencil-and-paper to CBT. The NCEES FE Reference Handbook does not distinguish by engineering discipline; all modules are now fully CBT format. In the past few years, many PE exams have switched to the CBT format, but as of this blog post, the pencil-and-paper format is still in effect for the PE Structural engineering exam. I had taken the pencil-and-paper exam for both FE and PE exams, and NCEES will release those results to the respective state boards in about 8-10 weeks after the exam date. States have different ways of notifying examinees. I received my FE pass exam result from Professional Credential Services (PCS). Some state boards will release the results themselves to examinees while other state boards will utilize NCEES Exam Administration Services to notify examinees. Some state boards will also validate results at a board meeting to ensure agreement on the passing cut score and resolve any discrepancies before releasing results.

Pencil-and-Paper Grading

All multiple-choice exams for pencil-and-paper are machine-graded, with some scantron sheets manually checked to verify the machine process. I had a high school teacher who explained that the machine-grading was flawed while he was in grade school; you could simply fill in all answers on the scantron sheet to achieve the correct answer (back then, the machine-grading early on was unable to detect multiple answers filled-in for the same question!). Specifications can change for a particular exam; based on my own studying of past practice exams, I would say the topics and questions are adjusted approximately every five years. NCEES conducts a content review of each exam every 6-8 years. This also serves as a check and balance to ensure the content is fair and appropriate as exams are administered each year. Engineering is a dynamic industry, so you can expect change throughout your career due to economic, technological, and even political factors. If you have not taken the exam in a while, you will probably need to start fresh with your studying content and references.

PE Structural Exam

For the PE Structural exam (pencil-and-paper), the afternoon session contains essay items. The essays are graded by SMEs using a mutual scoring plan to avoid subjective opinions. Two experts will complete the essay scoring with a third expert available if necessary. Minimum competency is evaluated based on combined performance of both morning and afternoon sessions.

Changes Since I Took the Exam

I passed the FE exam in October 2013, and the examination format has changed over the past 8-9 years. I registered for the FE Chemical exam where the morning session was focused on general engineering, and the afternoon session was more geared towards the chemical discipline. But my understanding now is that both morning and afternoon sessions are more relevant towards your chosen discipline (this is good because I struggled with moment of inertia during the morning session!). My FE Chemical exam was 8 hours and 180 Questions total (120 morning, 60 afternoon), but now the FE Chemical is just 110 Questions in 6 hours. When exam topics do change, a committee of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) collaborate with statisticians to determine appropriate evaluation of comprehension for a particular subject. The PE exam first began in the 1960s and has undergone numerous changes since its inception. This reflects different testing formats as well as the evolution of the engineering industry over time.

Outlying Questions Will Be Pulled from the Queue

Some questions with unusual statistics can be flagged for further review. For example, if one question saw examinees with an overwhelming number of wrong answers, that question may be deemed inappropriate and removed from scoring consideration. It is not uncommon for examinees to challenge certain questions with comments after the examination; if further review reveals an error in a particular question, credit may be awarded for more than just the original correct answer. Keep this mind during the exam: you should not get discouraged if you are struggling with a few questions. Chances are that others are also struggling with those same questions! Remember too, the NCEES Examinee Guide is continuously updated; the most recent version is as of March 1, 2022, so be sure to keep checking for any examination updates - I am refreshing myself while writing this blog post!

Conclusion

The scoring process involves extensive statistical analysis to ensure adequate performance so individuals are ready for the next steps of the engineering profession, whether it be as an Engineer-In-Training or as a Professional Engineer. The process also upholds professional standards with an equal grading system across all engineering disciplines. You can also refer to the NCEES website for more information on the exam scoring process and official NCEES Examinee Guide. School of PE aligns itself with NCEES standards, so I would recommend checking both School of PE and NCEES frequently for the most recent updates on examination policy and procedures.

Consider partnering with School of PE to boost your chances of receiving a passing score on your NCEES exam! We offer exam prep courses in numerous engineering disciplines - register today!

About the Author: Gregory Nicosia

Gregory Nicosia, PE is an engineer who has been practicing in the industry for eight years. His background includes natural gas, utilities, mechanical, and civil engineering. He earned his chemical engineering undergraduate degree at Drexel University (2014) and master's in business administration (MBA) from Penn State Harrisburg (2018). He received his EIT designation in 2014 and PE license in 2018. Mr. Nicosia firmly believes in continuing to grow his skillset to become a more well-rounded engineer and adapt to an ever-changing world.

It's Never Too Late to Study for the PE Exam

My Journey to Becoming a PE

The statement "It's Never Too Late to Study for the PE exam!" certainly is true! I did not start studying for the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE)exam until a few months before my exam day. There were some different events leading up to my shortened study path. My undergraduate degree was in Chemical Engineering (BS, June 2014), and I started grad school a little over a year later (August 2015). I was enrolled in a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, so for the next few years, my schooling was removed from the engineering field. When I completed my business graduate school (May 2018), I briefly thought about leaving the engineering industry to focus on becoming a business professional. I had even applied for a financial position within my company to transition from an engineering role. The position was granted to another individual, so as Summer 2018 was approaching, I found myself looking for my next goal.

The Application Process

That was when the PE exam came about. I was not sure about completing my application at first, because I only had the bare minimum four (4) years of practical working experience. I passed the PE exam in Pennsylvania (PA), and I thought that I may not have been qualified by Board standards (State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists); my understanding was the application review process was like the college application process. The Board can approve you to sit for the PE exam (analogous to college "Acceptance"), the Board may request more information (analogous to college "Waiting List"), or the Board may deem that you are not eligible to sit for the PE exam at this time (analogous to college "Rejection"). Remember too, the PE exam application process is more involved than the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam application; while it is never too late to start studying, I would certainly recommend tracking your major engineering projects as well as keeping your PE references fresh so you are better prepared when completing your PE exam application. After some consideration, I decided to move ahead with the application process and see where I stood with the Board standards. But I was a little concerned that my background check and other items would not be completed in time for the July 1 Submission Due Date. In this case, I would have needed to wait until April 2019 to apply for the PE Mechanical exam in the Spring.

Compiling Work Experience and References

And as it turned out, it was not too late for me to start my application! I compiled my work experience and references before the July 1 deadline and received notification of my approval to sit for the exam just a couple weeks later. I was also encouraged by the fact that there is no real penalty for not passing the PE exam; there is not an additional timeframe where you must wait two years (or some other duration) before you are eligible to retake the exam. At the time, the PE Mechanical exam: Thermal and Fluid Systems was not computer-based testing (CBT) and was only offered bi-annually (April/October). I certainly remember from exam day needing to quickly (but still carefully!) bubble my answer choices on the Scantron sheet for grading by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). All PE Mechanical exams (HVAC and Refrigeration, Machine Design and Materials, and Thermal and Fluid Systems) are now offered year-round, so I will say again, "it's never too late to study for the PE exam!"

Previous Education at Drexel University

I was fortunate to have a good undergrad curriculum at my alma mater, Drexel University, so I only needed minimal studying for the FE exam to earn my Engineer-In-Training (EIT) designation (it should be noted that the EIT is a "designation" whereas the PE is the true professional license). However, the PE exam is a different beast, since it is a more practical exam that involves solving actual engineering scenarios compared to the more undergraduate theory that you would see on the FE exam. I began studying for the PE exam in July 2018, but only had a limited window for studying since I registered for the October 2018 exam. I cleared the first step of obtaining Board approval but now only had a few months to prepare and organize my reference materials for exam day. My engineering position in the natural gas industry was more related to the mechanical discipline, despite being a chemical engineering undergraduate. I originally considered the PE Chemical and even PE Petroleum exams, but after reviewing those exam topics and some discussion with my References, I decided on the PE Mechanical: Thermal and Fluid Systems exam. Both natural gas and utilities overlap amongst the chemical, mechanical, civil, and petroleum fields, so I would recommend discussing with your references to gain their input on the most appropriate exam when completing your registration. There is no true requirement on which exam you must take since the PE License is recognized by all disciplines (does not discriminate by specific subject), but the ethics aspect of being a Professional Engineer is about choosing your most appropriate field when stamping/signing associated drawings and documents.

Feelings of Intimidation

This all was a little daunting to me at first. I only had a limited window for studying and was not sure where to begin as I was now switching over from chemical to mechanical with new topics. There were a few overlapping topics, but I would mostly need to self-teach some of the new subject matter. I referred to a few undergraduate textbooks and a couple reference manuals but found myself largely overwhelmed in the beginning stages. The turning point was when I enrolled in a School of PE online review course.

Partnering with School of PE

A friend of mine had passed his PE Civil exam thanks to the School of PE, so he recommended that I try their course materials. School of PE provided excellent study material and was instrumental in helping me pass the PE exam on the first try. I would certainly recommend you sign-up for an online review course with School of PE, whether you are taking the FE or PE exam. School of PE review courses are aligned with the NCEES exam specifications, including topics such as fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics, so the reviews fit well with my preparation. This also helped expedite my learning on the shortened timeframe, since I needed an efficient way to study so I could learn quickly and have good reference materials available for exam day.

Before the Exam

I sat for the PE exam in October 2018, and at the time, you were also directed to bring your own reference materials (rather than be solely provided with the NCEES PE Reference Handbook for today's PE exam). With my School of PE Course Notes, I was well-prepared, especially considering that I had only started studying a few months before the PE exam date and was also balancing workplace commitments. I also found that studying for the PE exam helped to increase my practical knowledge, not just for passing the PE exam but also to help me better understand the engineering industry. Remember, the PE exam is more practical, so exam questions tend to draw on industry relevance that you would encounter in an actual scenario. And since the PE exam is timed, you must be decisive in your actions to resolve an issue in an actual situation before it could become a damaging incident.

Exam Day

On exam day, I already felt successful; I knew that even if I had not passed the PE exam that day, the expedited studying was worthwhile due to how much I had learned leading up to exam day. And it was thanks to the School of PE that I was able to learn so much in so little time. So again, it's never too late to start studying for the PE exam. Once you pass the exam, you will have the opportunity to further your knowledge and expertise through continuing education classes. Most states within the United States of America only require approximately 24 credit hours; these credit hours can also be completed by attending different industry conferences and seminars. There is no limit to how much you can learn and continue to grow, so it truly is never too late to start studying for the PE exam. Since NCEES is transitioning to year-round exam offerings, you also do not need to worry about delaying your application process for the next bi-annual exam date either. I would recommend you start pursuing your Professional Engineering License today!

School of PE has been offering engineering exam prep courses since 2004. If you are interested in becoming a professional engineer, a partnership with School of PE might be just what you need to help you prepare for your PE exam. Sign up for a course today!

About the Author: Gregory Nicosia

Gregory Nicosia, PE is an engineer who has been practicing in the industry for eight years. His background includes natural gas, utilities, mechanical, and civil engineering. He earned his chemical engineering undergraduate degree at Drexel University (2014) and master's in business administration (MBA) from Penn State Harrisburg (2018). He received his EIT designation in 2014 and PE license in 2018. Mr. Nicosia firmly believes in continuing to grow his skillset to become a more well-rounded engineer and adapt to an ever-changing world.