PE exam

tim_redd

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Mar 29, 2006
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Yep. I passed the electrical. Congratulations.

Talk about anxiety between getting that email and logging on to the website...
 

terryleebr

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Apr 10, 2006
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Smuggle in one that your kid already whizzed in. Works every time it is tried.
 

Clonehomer

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Apr 11, 2006
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PE or FE? I didn't think the FE was all that hard, it was just a grinder. After the morning test went quick, I thought the afternoon would go by easily as well. The ME section took me the full four hours and I was just exhausted afterwards. Now I come to find out that it doesn't really matter where I work so unless I go into contract work, I doubt I ever apply to get my license.
 

CyinCo

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Mar 24, 2006
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PE or FE? I didn't think the FE was all that hard, it was just a grinder. After the morning test went quick, I thought the afternoon would go by easily as well. The ME section took me the full four hours and I was just exhausted afterwards. Now I come to find out that it doesn't really matter where I work so unless I go into contract work, I doubt I ever apply to get my license.

I've had my license for 10 years and will likely never use it. BUT, it is a big differentiator my you are looking for a job AND it establishes instant crediblity to others in the industry, especially when you look young. For me, it has been a great thing to have even though my stamp is collecting dust.
 

Doc

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Aug 6, 2006
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anyone else get email from NCEES yet? Just found out I passed the civil-struc. Pretty pumped for that.

Congratulations! I'm taking the civil-structural in the fall, and then celebrating by going to the Baylor game the day after (all those poor FE takers will be taking it the day of the homecoming game).

Took a depth practice exam to kick off the studying this past weekend. I think I only knew how to do about 15 of them. Masonry, plastic analysis, loads dropped from height...I have some learnin' to do... :err:. I took a couple of grad-level structural courses, but have never even seen some of this stuff.
 
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aauummm

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anyone else get email from NCEES yet? Just found out I passed the civil-struc. Pretty pumped for that.
Congratulations! That's a professional milestone, even if you don't ever use it! Mine was critical to me as I worked on government funded projects and thus all plans and specs had to be signed and sealed by a Professional Engineer. My number is pretty low as I got mine in Nov., 1975.

In addition, a lot of the projects needed permits from the Corps of Engineers and the Corps requires all submitted plans to be signed and sealed. Being registered makes life a bit easier even if you don't need to be.

Congrats again.
 

BleedCycloneRed

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Sep 1, 2009
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Congrats. I am another one who has never used my PE to actually stamp anything (PE in construction engineering, 1980). But the major benefit was twofold.
1) The instant creditablity it provided, especially with reviewing/discussing the design work of other PE's. You immediately gain their respect when they find out that you also are a PE.
2) It looks good on a resume and again, it offers immediate respect.

I would strongly recommend anybody who put in all the work to obtain their engineering degree to strongly consider talking the tests to obtain the PE license. Just being able to say you past the test boosts your ego enough to put the effort.
 

JSmoove

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Congrats to the original poster and anyone who has passed it previously.

Can anyone describe how difficult the regular Civil Engineering PE test is compared to the FE? Isnt the structural test 8 hours longer?

I took the FE last April and will be taking my PE here in 3 years or so and wanted to pick the brains of those who have passed it already.
 

cycloneworld

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Mar 20, 2006
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They now email out the results of the PE? I passed it in 2008 and waiting 3 months for that stupid letter to come was terrible.

Can anyone describe how difficult the regular Civil Engineering PE test is compared to the FE? Isnt the structural test 8 hours longer?

Regular Civil PE exam covers a lot of stuff. I took the Water Resources & Environmental and it wasn't too bad...but I studied a lot. Depending on which CE discipline you will take, here are the exam outlines from NCEES:

NCEES: PE exam
 

CtownCyclone

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Was on a cruise in the Gulf when the results came out. Once I got into 3G range, I found out via email. Passed, Mechanical Thermal Fluids! 92%!

Like others have said, I'll never use mine to stamp anything (I don't think) but I'm looking forward to getting new business cards! :cool:
 

cycloneworld

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Was on a cruise in the Gulf when the results came out. Once I got into 3G range, I found out via email. Passed, Mechanical Thermal Fluids! 92%!

Like others have said, I'll never use mine to stamp anything (I don't think) but I'm looking forward to getting new business cards! :cool:

Since when do they tell you what % you got?
 

DurangoCy

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Jul 5, 2010
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Congrats to the original poster and anyone who has passed it previously.

Can anyone describe how difficult the regular Civil Engineering PE test is compared to the FE? Isnt the structural test 8 hours longer?

I took the FE last April and will be taking my PE here in 3 years or so and wanted to pick the brains of those who have passed it already.


The morning was easy, as in couldn't believe it was the actual PE test easy. I estimated that I had a 50/50 on 2 questions and a complete guess on another, otherwise I figured that I had all the other right.

Unfortunately, the afternoon was terrible enough that I wasn't sure if I'd gotten the 70 (or whatever it is) to pass, which made the day that I got the results terrifying then exciting.

Advice: Brush up on the general basics, and spend a couple days digging into the emphasis that you'll be tested on an you'll be good.

Congrats to the OP!