Structural 1 Exam 7

[zam08]

I passed my P.E. Civil and want to take the S.E 1 exam in April 2008. Is there any review course available in Houston or Austin. Any help in preparing for the exam would be useful. Thanks!!!!

 

[JLNJ]

I was able to sit for the SEII without having taken the SEI, but that might have been because when I took the PE there was no structural option.

 

[nutte]

frv-

There is no "SE" in Texas. You can take the Structural I exam, and have your designation be structural (as opposed to civil, electrical, mechanical, etc), but you are still just a "PE." Even if you take the Structural II exam, or any of the various state specific structural exams, you're still just a "PE" in Texas. The Texas board web site has the laws and rules document posted, which elaborate on this further.

Legally, your barber could put "SE" after his name and not run afoul of the law (in Texas). You see a lot of engineers (in Texas) sign their name "PE, SE." Presumably, these people have passed the Structural II exam, but again, who knows for sure, since there are no rules to using the unrecognized (by Texas) "SE" suffix.

 

[frv]

nutte-

I work in Texas- I know there is no legal "SE" designation. However, I wasn't aware of the lax laws concerning the use of the title. I think that would fall under the "legal but unethical" designation if one were to use it without qualifying for it.

It is my understanding, however, that the SEII exam is only required in a handful of states; as a result, I would argue that passing the SEI exam should be sufficient to ethically use the title "Structural Engineer" (albeit for advertising purposes only).

 

[akastud]

ppi2pass.com has provided me with excellent (although a little pricey) study and reference books for both the S1 and S2 exam. I recommend the package deals where you get all 3 books.

akastud

 

[structuralaggie]

Why would you want to take the SE1 exam if you have already passed the Civil? That doesn't make any sense. You should just take the SE2 exam.

 

[zam08]

Please correct me if I am wrong, as I believe that by passing the SE1 Exam that I can get Str listed as my branch in addition to Civil in Texas. Moreover it will help me in getting SE in states other than Texas.

 

[structuralaggie]

I don't think you have to go to that length. I know people that took the civil and are listed as structural. Like said above, there really isn't a SE in Texas like in other states.

In California, you do not have to take the SE1 exam to become an SE. After becomming a civil, you have to pass the SE2 and their state specific exam to become an SE.

I know other states (Nevada and Hawaii) say you need the SE1 and SE2, but I suspect that they may waive the SE1 part if you have already passed the Civil, but I am not sure.

 

[frv]

I believe someone already alluded to this in response to something I posted, but the SEI exam replaces the PE exam. In other words you only have to take the SE exam instead of the PE.

I know that the pass rate on the structural 1 exam is abysmal since they changed the test a few years ago, but I still think it's preferable to take the SE1 instead of the civil. If structural is all you do, why on earth would you want to go back and study all those courses you don't remember and will never use again?

Having said that, however, I knew an engineer who was licensed in Texas and was attempting to get a license in another state through reciprocity (can't remember the state, but it wasn't any state that required the SEII); since the state required its own engineers to take the civil before the structural, he had to go back and take the civil exam even though he had been practicing as a structural for years.

 

[structuralaggie]

I would agree that taking the SE1 over the civil would probaly be best if you are just doing structural. I would have a hard time getting motivated to take the SE1 if I had already passed the civil, though.

FYI - California did not make me go back and take the civil exam. They recogized the SE1 exam as the national exam (if you take it there you have to take the civil) and I just had to take the seismic and surveying exams.

 

[frv]

Surveying?

Really?

That seems like a waste of time and money.

 

[Calif]

I just did a quick check at the

http://www.ncees.org

website. It seems that you have to know bridge design according to AASHTO, ACI, PCI specifications. This makes things difficult to those who only work on either bridges or buildings. How would study for the other?

calif

The resisant virtues of the structure that we seek depend on their form; it is through their form that they are stable, not because of an awkward accumulation of material. There is nothing more noble and elegant from an intellectual viewpoint than this: to resist through form. Eladio Dieste

 

[Qshake]

Surveying for california is not what you'd think. For example, when you're terra firma is moving in two different directions (pacific plate and north american plate) what do you do with your boundaries and monumnets and benches? I think it is necessary.

Regards,
Qshake

Eng-Tips Forums:Real Solutions for Real Problems Really Quick.

 

[frv]

I guess I can see that; but I'd still say hire a surveyor

 

[Qshake]

You can hire a surveyor all right but you still must know what's going on....

Regards,
Qshake

Eng-Tips Forums:Real Solutions for Real Problems Really Quick.

 

[JLNJ]

Calif

For the SEI you choose to take either the bridge or building portion. Once you choose one for the morning session you must choose the same one for the afternoon. If you choose the buildings you don't need to worry about AASHTO for the exam.

 

[zam08]

JLNJ

The choice between the bridge and building portions is not for the SE1 Exam as this is all objective with 2 sessions of 40 questions each. Do you mean SE2 instead?

 

[JLNJ]

I apologize, I was indeed referring to the SEII.