EIT after graduation 10 years ago,

[irfan08]

Am I insane or just paranoid. I think I can do it but what do you guys think, is it a good decision or bad.

 

[SWComposites]

Took the FE ~18 years after graduating. Took a refresher class at the local university, used the Lindeberg reference manuals and study guides, worked lots of sample tests, passed with no problems. Then forgot most of it within 24 hours of taking the test

Took and passed the ME PE 6 months later after a bunch more studying. Nothing on the test related to what I have done for 20+ years, so the whole process was, to be frank, rather silly and pointless, but keeps one out of trouble with the bureaucrats.

 

[irfan08]

http://books.google.com/books?id=xVnkAAAACAAJ&dq=FE+preparation

is this the book you guys have referred so far.

Refresher course? I gotsa look up here in GA.

 

[rheim]

irfan08,
it is always a good idea to take your career to the next level. I took the FE ~ 25 years after I got my MSCE (back in Europe) after moving to the US. Studied quite a bit, still felt uncomfortable, but passed somehow. Similar to SWComposites, I forgot most of it next day.
The PE test 6 months later was way easier, as it was related to what I had done for years. Minimal study (~2 days), felt like a walk in the park, was fun to do.

If I remember it right, they send you a booklet a coulple of weeks before the test. It covers everything. Of course it is not a sustitute for practice questions, but you find all the required information there. Probably your most valuable reference book.

 

[ischgl99]

I took the FE 13 years after graduating and found it much harder then the PE and I studied for a few months for the FE and only a week for the PE (had a new baby at home and planned on using the test as a practice session but passed instead).

If you don't pass the first time, you will at least have a much better feel for what you need to study further. Many people like to cram the night before, but I find I am better at taking a test if I relax the night before. Might help you as well by not obsessing over what you may not know or forgot to study. Failing is not the end of the world, look at it as a learning experience and you might be surprised at the outcome. As with the others, I used Lindburgh and found it to be a big help.

I am glad I got the PE, I don't need to stamp anything yet, but I do find when talking with customers about projects that it brings a higher level of respect.

 

[frv]

I guess they must have changed the exams in recent years. I found the FE to be a joke; but from what I hear, the PE (the SE 1, specifically) is a killer.

The FE (I took it 2 and a half years ago) was essentially plug and chug. All you really need to know is where to find the correct equations (and, obviously, figure out which ones applied). There were even some problems on there that if you didn't know what you were doing, only had one possible way to combine the information given in order to obtain an answer in units that made sense.

The SE, on the other hand, is supposed to be evil. It's multiple choice and they give you several answers that one might arrive at if one were to make common, simplifying assumptions. The test is NOT meant to determine whether you can safely, efficiently, design something. It's meant to test whether you have the technical skills to rigorously apply first principles when called upon.

The pass rates also suggest that the FE is substantially easier. FE pass rates for graduates from my University was around 90-something percent. The pass rate for the SE1, I believe, is around 45% for first-time takers and drops significantly for repeat examinees.

 

[irfan08]

I am in process of buying books from amazon, and I am thinking if I should buy Mechanical discipline by Lindeburg or should i just take general test in afternoon.

 

[plasgears]

Irfan,
Find an organized refresher course; it will make all the difference.

 

[Pipeline1972]

agree. A review course will "make" you do the homework. Lots of problem solving is the key to the exam.

Process - Piping
ing - EiT

 

[cry22]

I'll add my two cents on this one.
I took the PE 25 years (yep, 25) after college, and I originally studied in a foreign language with a diferent units of measure, etc..
1.5 years of studies and three tries later, I did it.

You'll be proud of yourself. "Just do it" as tehy say.

As for books, take books from three different authors, some subjests are better explained by some authors than others. One of them will get it into your brain.

Good luck.

 

[Truemanator]

Coming from a Canadian, we have the title of P.Eng (very similar to a Chartered Engineer, from my understanding).

If your country is a member of the Washington Accord (google it), your engineering education is recognized by all member nations and you can go through their license process as smoothly as a local engineer can.

Personal thoughts on a P.Eng. from my student experiences and workplace: it's very valuable if you are getting the experience anyway or your job requires it. Project managers don't need a P.Eng. in most cases, but it almost always means better wages and higher value with the company.

My old boss has been a project manager for 15 years and just now is trying to get together his work experience to get his P.Eng. It's just a good designation to make if you're already done the time.

 

[GregLocock]

I owuld beinteretsed to hear from anyone who is a UK Ceng who was able to parlay that into a usable PE (a state based closed shop) via the Washington Accord (a Federal piece of legislation), and in which states they did it.



Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[KENAT]

Well Greg, when I looked into getting EIT in California the regulations appeared to make it quite clear that there was no immediate recognition of my UK degree as being equivalent to a US one.

I wasn't yet a CEng in the UK though I was a member of the relevant institution.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?