Preparing for PE Mechanical Exam to Early?

[BoeingJets]

I will have the 4 years experience required to apply for the PE Mechanical Exam in October 2007 and plan to take the exam in April 2008. When I took the EIT I started studying 5 months in advance and took an EIT Review Course through my college - but that was when the material was still fresh in mind. I have not used a lot of what I learned in college at my job such as thermo, fluids, dynamics, and machine design.

1. I am considering getting a PE Prep book and devoting several hours per week to working problems and studying. And then 6-8 months before the exam start studying more intensely and taking a PE Prep Course. I want to be well prepared and to pass it on my first try. Is it overkill to start studying now so far in advance? Should I wait another year or so?

2. Does anyone have a recommendation of books to study with for the PE? I liked Fundamentals of Engineering Review by Merle Potter but a similar book for the PE does not have a recent edition.

Thanks for your assistance.

 

[SlideRuleEra]

For study material, see the NCEES website (the folks who define the exam) at this link

http://www.ncees.org/exams/study_materials/#mechanical

and Professional Publications, Inc., at this link

http://ppi2pass.com/ppi/PPIShop?ct=MECHANICAL

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

 

[CRG]

I used “Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam,” by Michael Lindeburg. I believe that a PE prep course if of limited value. There is no substitute for self motivated hard work.

 

[HVACctrl]

I just passed this April. I was gonna test Oct. '05 so I started studying in July '05 by working through the NCEES example problems. After about 2 weeks of this and with other things going on, I realized I wasn't going to make the Oct. '05 exam, so I decided to wait. In mid-January '06 I really began studying for the April '06 exam. That totaled about 4 to 4-1/2 months.

I think maybe 6 months might be a little better. I was so nervous going in and I think I did poorly, but somehow passed anyway (1st try, too).

You definitely need to get the Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual (MERM) by Lindeburg. It was 90% or more of my reference material. I would get the solutions manual for that as well. I also recommend the NCEES Practice Problems. Also, start getting involved with discussion boards where people are preparing for the PE exam. Try

http://www.engineerboards.com

. You can also discuss actual problems, etc... with people in the same boat as you.

But I do believe you will get burned out and lose interest between now and '08. I also don't think its necessary.

BTW, which PM section would you choose: HVAC, Fluid/Thermal Systems or Machine Design? Have this decided wholeheartedly before-hand. I was torn between HVAC and Machine Design. In the test, I looked at Machine Design and thought, "Gosh, that looks ROUGH". I started working HVAC problems and realized, "Man, that's even MORE rough". Then I went back to Machine Design. I wasted a lot of time and confidence doing that.

Good luck.

Ed

http://www.engineerboards.com

 

[johnsmith2]

Personally, I suggest the publisher, Kaplan. I found they are good.

 

[JStephen]

I don't think there is any point in setting a certain number of hours or time schedule to study. Get the NCEES material with sample tests, sample questions, reference booklet, or whatever they have. Go through that and see what you remember and what you don't and work on the stuff you don't remember so well. That may be a few hours work or many.

 

[prost]

My personal experience: Bought “Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam,” by Michael Lindeburg with the practice exam, started studying 6 weeks before, passed it. In 1998, you could pick from a list which problems to do, of course concentrated on the ones easiest to solve for me. Passed, though they don't tell you what your score is, so I don't know how well my strategy worked!

 

[BelspringKen]

If you need 6 months to get ready, then do it.

Take a look at the problem types from NCEES and see what you need to review. Perhaps you don't need 6 months. Most people take about 3 or 4, but some take more and some less.

Make sure you have an approved calculator to use while studying - check the NCEES site.

I am a repeat taker - was using CERM, have ordered Kaplan's material to fill in some gaps. My wife liked the Kaplan program for the GMAT.

Back when I took the FE/EIT, PPI had a Rapid Prep book for that exam - I wish they had something similar for the PE.
That book really helped a lot on the FE - text and problems were in one book, and not a lot of superfluous material.

 

[Maui]

Bring a watch and TWO calculators to the exam, with fresh batteries. If one calculator dies on you, you won't have a problem. I saw one fellow who had his only calculator confiscated before the FE exam began because it had some features that weren't allowed. I can't imagine how he could have the passed the exam without it. Don't let this happen to you on the PE.

Maui

 

[Ashereng]

Why don't you start now? This way, if you are done way ahead of time, you know when to start brushing up.

If you start too late, then you may run out of time.

Given the two, I'd rather be early, and then refresh again rather than run out of time.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[BoeingJets]

I appreciate all of the recommendations for study materials and websites. I plan to start reviewing the material sooner rather than later. HVACctrl - I am planning on thermal/fluid systems for the PE afternoon but I have not seen the practice test problems yet to make that determination.

 

[HVACctrl]

Good luck.
If you think you can keep the motivation up for the duration, like Ashereng said, its not a bad idea to star early.

Keep up with the site in my signature and you can communicate with others and ask questions, etc... throughout the process. That site is much more in tune with PE testing.

Ed

http://www.engineerboards.com

 

[chadl]

I personally started about a year before the test. I got a review book from my boss, and started taking it on trips (I work out of town for one or two nights a week), I'd work for an hour hear and there, never really serious until about a 3 months before the test, this worked good for me, an hour or two a week for nine months was good to refresh my mind on things, then an hour or two a night for three months of really studying. If you start early and find you remember most of the stuff your a lot better off than starting late and realizing you don't

The funny thing is, two years after passing the test, I still find my self spending a couple of hours a week learning or re-learning fundamentals...

Chad

 

[TDAA]

One question to ask is how well you normally do on these types of things? Also, to do well do you have to do way more work than most? If you need the time / practice, start early, if not, have fun, go on dates, etc.

It is easy to say you passed the first time because you studied like a mad man, but it is hard to admit you wasted so much of your life rehashing things you already know.

I did a couple hours about every other day for 2 months and took a review class. I knew the information I needed to know, I was just refreshing, and relearning my way to seldom used areas of my reference books. Passed the first time.

 

[HVACctrl]

Another thing:
I would rather way over study and pass the first time than go through that form of hell more than once- even if I didn't spend much time studying.

Ed

http://www.engineerboards.com

 

[electricpete]

Depending on your perspective, it's not necessarily wasted time if you study more than is needed to pass the exam. I studied quite a bit and got a 98%. I consider it professional development.

=====================================
Eng-tips forums: The best place on the web for engineering discussions.

 

[BoeingJets]

I did good in school but I always assumed that I didn't know the material well rather than being overconfident. Therefore in college I studied more than most students but always felt that I understudied. Chad - that's a great idea to study for the PE on trips as I fly a lot and have idle time that I could put to good use. I am ordering the Lindeburg books and will definitely check out the engineerboards.com website. Thanks.

 

[bradpa77]

I think that you should wait a LOT longer to start studying. I'm not sure that things you study a year before the exam will still be fresh in your mind by the time the exam comes around anyways. It might just be wasted time and energy. Plus you'll probably burn yourself out way before the exam comes around. But if you have the will power and stamina to do it, and you think you'll still remember what you learned a year before the exam, then go for it. I guess it doesn't hurt to keep yourself brushed up on engineering skills anyways. It would be WAY too early for me though. But we all are different. So do what you think will work best for you.

I haven't taken my PE test yet but when I do (probably April of 07), I will probably start studying in January 07. I guess it's all personal preference though.