advantage of SE exam over the PE exam w/ Structural Depth 3

[hawkinjc]

I am sitting for the PE exam this October, and I am going through the great debate over taking the SE1 or the Civil PE w/ Structural Afternoon. I currently work out of Texas designing concrete formwork and other construction materials, and I don't think they distinguish between someone with an SE1 or PE. With the new SE exam format coming next October (2 day test), is there a reason I should take the SE1? Does taking the SE1 give me any advantage over the PE? I figured that if I need to get my structural engineering license I will have to take the 2 day test anyways.

Any advice or recommendations will help.

Thanks.

 

[jberg]

I believe that most states do not distinguish between passing the SE1 vs. the PE exam with the Structural PM section.

As someone who took the PE exam in April '09, I recommend taking the Civil PE with the Structural PM section. I did purchase the Lindeburg CERM and the Six-Minute solutions as well as the NCEES sample test. After working all those problems, I found the actual exam not that bad.

Just my $0.01 (adjusted for current economy)

Joel Berg

 

[JAE]

Do a search here in the structural forum - we've discussed this before.

Here's your options:

1. Take the PE exam
With this you would be able to perform structural engineering in Texas (and perhaps a few other states) but be limited in the future as many states seem to be moving toward an SE practice act where you will need an SE exam under your belt. You would still be able to take the SE-3 (the new 16 hour exam) in the future if needed.

2. Take the SE-1 exam
With this you would waste your time in my opinion since the SE-2 will not be offered in the future. You might be able to take the SE-1 this fall and the SE-2 this spring - but if you fail either - you are then stuck choosing between the PE exam and the SE-3 for the next go-around. If you pass the SE-1 now, and then don't get the SE-2 taken in time - you'd be back to taking the SE-3 to get your SE designation.

3. Take the SE-3 when it becomes available.
With this you would be in good shape for comity in most states in the future - the downside is you would have to wait to take it (not sure when it becomes available) and it is 16 hours long.

You can take the PE or SE-1 in Texas and probably be OK for a while, but many states are moving toward some kind of SE designation and Texas may be one of them. Limiting yourself to Texas only might be shortsighted in terms of your marketability, mobility, etc. in the future but only you can resolve that issue.

 

[neffers]

Just as an FYI...the NCEES website lists the new 16 hr. structural exam being administered for the first time in April of 2011.

October 2010 will be the last offering of the SE I and SE II exams.

https://www.ncees.org/news/index.php?release_id=47

neffers

 

[Jack1977]

How long has SE1 test lasted? I am afraid a few years later, another new SE test will come into effect(maybe in combination of SE1, SE2, SE3, Survey, with a 3 or 4days test) to replace the coming 2day test in 2011. And another a few years later, another new SE test with 7 or 8 days test will replace the 3 or 4days test and another a few years later...... What a ridiculous. I know current SE1 is already much more difficult than Civil PE with structural PM. I know many of my colleagues, friends, classmates failed SE1 1 time, 2 times, but passed civil PE at first try when they make a shift from SE1 to PE/structural.

 

[SteelPE]

I find this frustrating. Doesn’t it seem useless to even offer a SE 1 exam now if no one is going to recognize it in the future?

What about all the people who passed the SE 1 exam over the past 10 years or so… do they now have to rush out and take the SE 2 exam or risk not being able to apply by comity in the future?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for some sort of special test, just don’t keep changing the rules.

 

[Lion06]

Is there any discussion of state's requirements becoming more uniform in terms of education/experience with this new test?

 

[hawkinjc]

By not taking the SE1, will it prohibit me from doing any engineering work that cannot be done with a license by taking the Civil PE test? If not, then taking the Civil PE test seem like my best avenue for a good "base" and I can take the 2 day SE test when I am required to. However, I would hate to skip out on the SE1 while it is still offered and miss out on some advantage (if there is any) of having the SE1 over the Civil PE.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for all your replies.

 

[jberg]

Hawkinjc,

That is my thinking too. If my state requires the SE in the future, I can do that when they require it. For now, just having the PE does provide marketability.

Briefly looking at the Texas Board of Professional Engineers site, I do not see any advantage in your specific state. The one advantage I know of is in Illinois, where they require the NCEES SE1 and the SE2. In my case, I would need to pay for both exams (since I took the Civil PE, not the SE1). If I would have taken the SE1 I would have saved the fee for one exam.

When all was said and done, I am glad I took the Civil PE exam.

Joel Berg

 

[ARLORD]

This is a "no-brainer", take the Civil-Str. It is much easier than the STR-I. Also if you do plan to become a SE in the future, some states require the Civil-PE along with the two structural exams. At this point if you take the Str-I, it will be obsolete in two years, there is no advantage to taking the STR-I and it is more difficult and has mor bridge questions, approx 20%.

 

[JAE]

For me I thought the SE-1 was easier than the "PE" exam. I took both and found this to be true since I was a structural engineer and ALL the questions on the SE-1 were naturally structural while on the PE exam there was a mix of surveying, hydraulics, etc.

 

[archeng59]

I took the SE1 instead of the civil exam because all of my experience was buildings. I have become licensed in 4 other states by comity after getting my initial license. There appeared to be no distinction between having taken the SE1 versus the civil exam during the licensing in other states.

 

[jberg]

I guess it really does depends on your career experience. I spent a few years working for a large bridge contractor, designing temporary shoring, falsework, and laying out surveying data, etc.

So, compared to others, I had more of the "general civil" experience. Just within the past 2-3 of years have I been working on building design exclusively.

Joel Berg

 

[Whiffle]

hawkinjc, I'm in the same boat as you.
I'm debating whether to take the PE with Structural PM or take the SE-1. The general consensus I've found is that there is no distinction of whether or not you take the SE-1 or civil PE exam in most states. You get your PE license either way. I'm planning to take the civil PE exam this go round for a few reasons:

1. I've heard the SE-1 exam is very hard.
2. Eventually I would like to become licensed in CA and NV and both of those states make you pass the civil PE exam (and the seismic and surveying special exams in CA) to get licensed as a P.E.
3. I think it's a matter of time before more states license SEs seperate. The new 16 hour exam comes out in April 2011, but I imagine most states will not move over before then.
3a. Washington's licensure website says they will do away with the state specific SE-III exam that is currently required to become licensed as a SE at the end of 2011. They are going to move over to the new NCEES 16 hour exam.

http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/engineerslandsurveyors/elexam.html.

 

[Whiffle]

I just hope I get my S.E. license before that 8 day exam that Jack1977 is talking about!

 

[JLNJ]

I took the PE years ago - I don't even know if the SE1 was offered in my State back then. With purely structural exterience I would have preferred an all-structural exam.

I took and passed the SE2 recently just to get it under my belt. I am hoping (though it doesn't look good) that IL will accept my PE+SE2 for SE licensure. I think it's kind of lousy that they won't accept my PE with 20 years of structural engineering consulting experience in lieu of the SE1, but it's their State.

 

[JAE]

JLNJ, When I tried to get licensed in Illinois in 1993, they didn't accept anything but the SE-1 and SE-2 combination.

 

[JLNJ]

JAE

They still don't - at least that's the way the Act is written. The Act does provide the Board a little wiggle room to grant exceptions but the Board has no compelling to do so, even if it would be a minor exception.

I wonder how many of us out there have passed the SE2 without ever having taken the SE1?

 

[HgTX]

Texas doesn't even require you to take the Structural component in the afternoon. Your license doesn't reflect which afternoon component you took.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[scha2707]

If I take the PE / Structural and pass in the Fall of '09, will I be able to sit for the SE II in Fall '10?

Or do I have to pass the SE I before I sit for the SE II?