Episode 04 – Understanding the PE Exam Format

It helps to know exactly what you are up against so that you can effectively prepare for and pass the PE exam.  This is an outline used for the audio show.

You can listen to the show right here or by downloading the podcast from iTunes.

General:

• 8 hour exam
• 80 multiple choice for most exams
• Structural II consists of 8 essay questions
• Environmental exam has 100 multiple choice questions
• PE Civil and Mechanical have  a breadth and depth module
  morning – breadth
  afternoon – depth

Open book exam

• bring own references
• wise to plan which references you take
• If you take a large stash, you may have your main books and then take a second box just in case
• references must be bound

Devices allowed in the exam:
particular calculators are permitted, and no other

• Casio:      All fx-115 models. Any Casio calculator must contain fx-115 in its model name.
• Hewlett Packard:     The HP 33s and HP 35s models, but no others.
• Texas Instruments:     All TI-30X and TI-36X models. Any Texas Instruments calculator must     contain either TI-30X or TI-36X in its model name.

Note: I recommend buying the calculator and using it at work. You can buy these at staples, best buy etc.

Prohibited devices (include but not limited to):

Qwerty devices, cameras, phone, laptop, calculator watches, reproduction equipment, electronic recorder, radio, headset

If such device is found after the exam, you will be dismissed and your exam not score

Some of the disciplines you can choose from

• Civil Engineering
• Electrical and Computer
• Environmental
• Mechanical
• Chemical
• Structural I & II

Civil PE Exam – Breakdown for the Breadth and Depth Format

Morning “Breadth” Portion – Covers 20% of each sub-discipline

• Geotechnical
• Structural
• Transportation
• Water Resources and Environmental
• Construction

Afternoon “Depth” Portion – You select a sub-discipline to work on

Geotechnical
Subsurface exploration and drilling
Engineering properties of soils and materials
soil mechanics analysis
earthquage engineering (liquefaction, etc)
Earth Structures
Shallow foundations
Earth retaining structures
Deep foundations
Other topics (groundawater and well fileds, aquifers, loads, construction methods, osha, temporary structures)

Structural
Loadings
Anaysis
Mechanics of materials
Materials Design (steel , cmu)
Member design
Design Criteria
Other topics

Transportation
Traffic analysis
Geometric design
transportation planning
traffic safety
other topics (25%) (hydraulics, hydrology, engineering properties of soils and materials)

Water Resources and Environmental
Hydraulics -closed circuit and open channel
Hydrology
Groundwater and well fields
Wastewater treatment
Water Quality
Water Treatment
Engineering Economics (2.5%)

Construction
Earthwork and Construction Layout
Estimating Quantities and Costs
Construction Operations and Methods
Scheduling
Material Quality Control and Production
Temporary Structures
Worker Health, Safety, and Environment
Other topics – to include groundwater well fields
Subsurface exploration
Earth retaining structures
deep foundations
loadings
mechanics of materials

Pass Rates for April, 2009
Civil PE:         66% (32% second time)
Structural I        48%    (25% second time)
Structural II        65% (36%)
Naval            100% (67%)

How is the PE graded?
Has a “cut” score to correlate with past tests.  This cut score varies from test to test.  The main thing to keep in mind is to try to get the best score you can!

Units
Most use a combination, but you can choose which units to work in.  The structural test is only US

Note: If you have not already done so, don’t forget to get your Free Checklist for the PE Exam.  It includes materials and tasks you will need to help you pass the exam.