Episode 07 – Winning Strategies For Your PE Exam Day

In this episode we provide some test taking strategies for the PE Exam.

Show Notes:
1.  Plan your test day
What to bring -

• Get your exam kit started – references, bound materials, calculator, stopwatch.  Get the free checklist for more info.
• Sleeping arrangements/ hotel

2.  The night before

• get to bed at a reasonable time

3.  Eat a good breakfast
4.  Before the exam

• Don’t cram the day of
• don’t talk about the exam.

5.  Relax – breath deeply and remember the 3 C’s

• Cool Calm and Collected
• This test is important, but
• you can take it again
• it is  really OK if you do not pass!
• Have fun!
• Ensure your personal info is correct
• Discipline info is correct
• Start your clock. take a deep breath and a sip of water.
• This is a eight hour exam in 2 parts
• 6 minute average, some will take more, some less
• Relaxed but methodical and on schedule
• Keep up with your time
• Skim the exam and think about your strategy.  (5 minutes)

6.  3 pass system

• Take the exam with 3 passes
• Easy  – Problems that you know “cold” with no resource
• 10 or so
• Medium – Problems that you know, but will need to come back to
• Hard -
• Then go through and skim the problems again, massaging problems that you are not sure about.
• With 5 minutes left, make sure all answers are bubbled

7.  Other things to keep in mind

• Bubble carefully – try to only enter 1 time
• Ensure your units are correct (psf, psi)
• Think through the problem carefully and then work it.
• don’t get bogged down.  If you are stuck on a problem longer than 7 or 8  minutes, you may need to move on

8.  After the exam

• Go out to dinner and relax!  You deserve a break
• Take your family out!

9. Summary

• Prepare & Plan ahead
• 3 C’s
• 3 Pass system
• Think!