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So, you've signed up for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Mechanical test, and you are starting to think about studying - great! The FE is an important step in getting your professional engineering license, and for many schools, it is a requirement that you at least attempt the FE before graduating. Of course, you want to pass on the first try and avoid paying for the exam a second time! This post will share some of the tactics that I used when I studied for and passed the FE Mechanical exam.
1. Background
Statics is the first of the "meaty" topics in the FE Mechanical exam and was likely one of your first real engineering classes. This is a good thing because statics has been fundamental to all your studies! However, this can be a bit daunting too since it has probably been a while since you took the class.
The exam specification from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) shows us that the exam will have 9-14 statics questions1. Given that the test is 110 questions in total, statics will likely be around 10% of the total material you will face on exam day. Personally, I think it feels like more than 10% once you include any statics involved in problems for other sections like Mechanics of Materials. Since many mechanical engineering classes build statics right into the subject matter, this will be a good section to score some quality points!
2. Statics Sections
NCEES says that the statics portion of the test is broken into the following subtopics:
A. Resultants of force systems
B. Concurrent force systems
C. Equilibrium of rigid bodies
D. Frames and trusses
E. Centroids and moments of inertia
F. Static friction
I thought that it was helpful to categorize my study questions as I was preparing. This kept me from over-studying one subtopic and neglecting another. If you happen to know that you are proficient with calculating moments of inertia or concurrent force systems, focus on the subtopics that are harder for you. The goal is to go into test day with an overall comfort with statics, not mastery of just a couple subtopics.
The other thing to keep in mind is that statics problems are generally among the more simple and straightforward problems on the test. The advantage to this is twofold. Firstly, it makes it easier to practice a wide variety of problems in less time. If you are confident going into the test, you will be able to quickly solve at least a few of the statics problems. This is important because it can free up time for you on the back end of the test when the topics are more specific and take a little longer to solve.
3. Study & Preparation Ideas
I used a few different ideas to keep me on task and organized when studying for my FE. Hopefully these can also help you!
The first piece of advice is to get familiar with the FE Handbook, which is available free from NCEES once you have an account. The handbook has all the information and equations you will need to solve FE problems. The book is going to be your best friend when studying and during the test. At the time of this writing, the statics section of the handbook is only seven pages long. You will want to know how to get to these pages quickly using the search pdf function, which you will have access to on test day. You will also want to practice identifying which category your practice problems fall into and navigating quickly to the right section. This will help you for any section of the FE, not just statics.
The statics section of the handbook has information to find areas and centroids, moments of inertia, and other geometrical properties for a variety of shapes. Some of this information can even be useful in other sections of the exam like Mechanics of Materials. You will also see information for solving systems with trusses, friction problems, and force resolution into x and y components. Most of these topics only have a handful of equations associated with them, which will make life easier for you under the pressure of the exam. Remember to identify which section in the handbook applies to your practice problems. On test day, you will know exactly where to look for information!
The second method that helped me study for the statics section was something that may or may not work for you. I like to see as many problems as possible before an exam, and I am confident in my arithmetic skills. With this in mind, I will sometimes practice problems until my equation only has one variable left. At this point, you know that it is all just algebra and arithmetic to solve for your answer. In order to save time and get more practice, I will often move on to the next problem at this point. Not everybody likes this method, but it is something that I have used judiciously in the past. Give it a try if you feel comfortable with your algebra and arithmetic skills!
The final piece of advice for studying is time management. I would recommend signing up for the FE well ahead of the test day if possible. This will put it on your schedule and force you to start thinking about the test. You will be more likely to be motivated for studying if you are registered. The other aspect of time management is how you handle time during the test. Timing yourself is a great way to simulate a little pressure like on test day. It also helps you see which problems you struggle with and which ones are easy - plus you can notice improvement over time. Not all your studying needs to be timed, but I like to mix in some timed problems. The final tip for time management is to be sure to set aside a fixed time to study in advance. It takes discipline, but studying 1-2 hours a week for two months will yield better results than 8 hours of study the day before the test.
4. Resources for Exam Preparation
The number one resource for preparing for the test is the FE Handbook. It is the one thing you will be guaranteed to see during the test! Again, I recommend becoming very familiar with the handbook layout and using it during all of your practice. For practice problems, NCEES sells a practice booklet, which can be useful and shared among a group of friends to make it more cost effective. School of PE offers many resources that can be useful for your preparation too. Overall, it is a good thing to gather up a pool of practice problems and resources from several different sources. Many universities also offer FE review sessions or tutoring, which can be a great way to get more one-on-one assistance.
5. Test Day Tips
So, you have studied hard and are headed to the testing center - time to put all your practice to use! When I took my exam, I did some "light" review beforehand. I looked over solutions to several problems that I had worked out but did not attempt any new ones. It is a long exam, so make sure to eat ahead of time and bring a snack for your mid-exam break. Try to stick to your normal routine and activities. It can also help to plan a fun activity for after the exam as extra motivation. You should be able to relax when you see the statics questions pop up on the exam - you know exactly where to find equations and are well prepared!
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