-
Episode 08 – For Such a Time as This…
Posted on February 5th, 2010 2 commentsShow Notes – Time and Motivational Tips
Priorities and Motivation-
I know it is difficult. You have busy lives, families, jobs, etc.
What are your priorities? (Mine are Faith, spouse, kids, and then “everything else”)
How important is this exam compared to “everything else”
When you walk out of the exam, will you be able to say “I did everything I practically could to pass the exam.
Get a vision for something that motivates you -
E.g. for me fear of failure & retaking the exam. I knew I could not do this 2xReview -
How much study time is needed?
08- noted 300 hours per Lindeburg
(if you study 300 hours and do not pass please let me know…)
Gave strategies for what to do during your studies.
Today discuss creating time.Today is 2/5/10 & the exam is 4/16.
10 weeks from today!
Need to study 30 hours per week.Time budget
We all have 168 hours a week to work from
How will you budget that?
40 hours work
56 hours sleep
16 hours – sunday
Leaves 56 hours – I am just asking you to spend about half of that or 30 hours…Think about your week and where your time is being spent.
Could you have studied during that time?Some practical ways you can “make time” to study
1. Go in to work 2 hours early (10 hours)
2. stay 2 hours late (10 hours)
3. Talk to your boss about working less hours (10 hours)
(It can wait 10 weeks…)
4. Talk to your boss about working 4 10’s or half day friday
5. Have a talk with your spouse
work on saturdays (8 hours)
study 2 hours each nigh after kids go to bed (10 hours)
6. Ask if your spouse can make dinner for the next 10 weeks…
quick foods
7. Do not go out on Fridays – (4 hours)
8. Excercise – this will help you stay mentally alert
9. Do have some balance in your life – take some breaks, do some things
10. Get out your calendar and pencil in the times you will study
11. Get a study buddy
12. Just because you get behind, do not let it discourage you
13. Quit wasting time (facebook, TV, )So that is some things that may help you to make time to study for the PE exam. You do not have much time left, but if you effectively use what time you have, then you should still be OK.
Action – sit down and decide where you will find 30 hours a week to study over the next 10 weeks. Mark the time in your calendar and then follow it.
Then, go to my blog at acethepe.com and let me know 1 or 2 ways that you will find some time in your schedule.
2 responses to “Episode 08 – For Such a Time as This…”
-
Andy,
Great website and podcast! I am currently in the middle of studying for the April 2010 PE Exam and your podcasts have helped me renew my motivation.
I have put in about 130 hours so far (read the entire CERM for 70 hours) and have been working Lindburg’s practice problems (for the other 60 hours). I am almost done with the practice problems and now I plan to use SmartPros PE Exam Reviews (on CD) and do that for 2-3 weeks. Finally, I will use the rest of the time (3 weeks) to study hard for the depth section and finally take the NCEES Practice Exam. Hopefully I will end up with somewhere north of 240-250 hours total study time, which I hope will be enough.
I also need to do the PPI Practice Exam in a few days in order to determine my best/worst areas.
One question though: My biggest problem currently is deciding what depth section to take (thinking Transportation, as that comes fairly easily to me, even though I have not hardly done any of that so far in my career – I have mostly done drainage reports/grading design and all other things associated with land development – and I currently work for a City and review plans for compliance). Do you think that using the practice exam to determine my best area is a good way to decide on which depth section to take?
I just have a feeling that making the right or wrong decision on the depth section can make or break my test score and that is causing me the most stress right now.
Thanks again for your website.
Charles
-
arichardson February 27th, 2010 at 21:55
Hi Charles,
Thanks for the feedback. It sounds like you have been studying hard, and are well on your way to being prepared. Keep it up.I have not heard of the SmartPros system. I would be interested to hear how that goes.
It sounds like you probably already have a good idea of which depth module will be best for you. But, taking the practice exam may be a good confirmation of that. If, when you take the practice exam, you do really well on the water resources parts and bomb the transportation parts, then perhaps you need to rethink your strategy. The drainage calcs you have done in your job will probably help you on both exams, since drainage is on the depth and breadth of both modules.
I would recommend that you make a decision fairly soon; though, so that you can prepare based on your decision. Having this decision ‘out there’ unsettled will only reduce your confidence, and hinder your performance. Take the practice exam, validate which area you are best in, and prepare according to what decision you made. That is my opinion on the subject!
I think both the PPI practice exam and the NCEES practice exam are good. I would go ahead and take the PPI one like you mentioned, and then take the other one in a couple weeks once yo have polished up on a few things – and also made a decision about the module you are taking…
And remember that there is a balance between healthy fear of failure and becoming absolutely crippled with fear (not that you are in this category). Just try to prepare, and give it your best. Remember, it really is not the end of the world if you have to take the test a second time.
Leave a reply
-
Get the Podcast
Recent Comments