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How I Studied for the Civil PE Exam and Passed

The Professional Engineering license is essential in a Civil Engineer's career. People who desire long-term career growth in Civil Engineering should pass the Civil PE exam and get their PE license. But acing the Civil PE exam can be tricky. I recently passed the Civil PE exam, and in this blog post, I will be sharing some prep strategies and tips that can help you ace the Civil PE exam.

PE Civil Exam

1. Form a Study Schedule and Adhere to it

Taking the PE exam without a good prep plan is futile. So, come up with a study schedule and ensure you are not straying away from it. To devise a study plan, visit the NCEES website and check the exam specifications and covered topics; break down the syllabus into manageable sections and spend more time on your weaker subject areas.

Once you have set up the schedule, make sure there is absolutely no room for distraction. Notify your friends and family that you will be busy for the next few months, and you will have little to no time to socialize. Inform your employer of the exam date so that they do not assign any big projects or deadlines when the exam is approaching. Some employers will go the extra mile and offer to pay for your review course or give you a few days off to prepare for the exam.

2. Prep Time

Starting the prep early is crucial to passing the Civil PE exam. I started my preparation 5 months before the exam and studied for at least 2 hours each weekday and half-day on weekends during this 5-month period.

3. Study Materials

The PE Civil exam is an open-book test. In many states, there is no cap on the number of books you can use. But only the best reference books can help you solve the problems quickly, so purchasing the best reference books is crucial to passing the exam. Here are some of the best books for the PE Civil exam:
  • PE Civil Exam Review Guide: Breadth by School of PE.
  • PE Civil Reference Manual, Michael R. Lindeburg.
Tab (use color codes) the important sections in these books and maintain a cheat-sheet of equations, questions, conversions, practice problems, etc. for easy reference.

4. Register in a Review Course

Signing up for review courses can help you to understand complex concepts easily. I enrolled in School of PE's Civil review course, which helped me pass the PE exam on my first try. The course material is good, and their course consists of refresher notes, recorded video lectures, workshop sessions, practice problems, and time-based practice tests. Overall, I had a good experience with School of PE and would recommend it to anyone planning to get their PE license.

5. Practice Exam, Practice Exam, and More Practice Exam

On average, you have a little less than 3 minutes to solve each question on the exam. So, take up time-based practice tests to improve your calculation speed. There are several practice exams available on the internet, the NCEES practice exam is the closest thing to the actual exam.

Solving many practice problems can help you to sharpen your problem-solving skills. Grade your performance in these practice tests to identify your areas of strengths and weaknesses.

6. Test-Taking Strategy

If a problem takes more than 3 minutes to solve, flag and move to the next question. You do not get extra marks for solving the questions in sequential order. Moving on to the tough problems, at last, can ensure you do not miss out on the easy questions.

Be confident and go for the kill. Believe you have the technical knowledge to pass the exam. Maintain a checklist of items you should carry to the exam hall, do not forget to bring your photo ID.

Hope these tips help in your exam preparation!
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