The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam is the first step to obtaining your licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE). It is designed for recent graduates and students who have or will obtain an engineering degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program.
If you are like me, the thought of preparing for and taking the FE exam came with mixed emotions: the joy of stepping out into the professional world and the fear of failure. When I started studying, I decided that I would cultivate a positive mindset and healthy study habits. In doing so, I did not burn out while studying and I ultimately passed on my first try! Here are 10 tips I've put together to help you on your journey.
P.S I will make a separate blog post discussing why I decided to take the FE exam and the overall process of becoming a PE.
1. START EARLY
When it comes to the FE exam, the earlier you start, the better. The exam material is directly related to course content from a standard undergraduate engineering degree:
- mathematics
- probability and statistics
- chemistry
- dynamics
- materials
- thermodynamics
- fluid mechanics
- etc....
You can take the FE exam as early as your senior year of college and it's actually recommended that you take the exam during your senior year (if your workload allows) or shortly after graduating. During this time, the material is fresh in your memory and you won't need as much time to re-familiarize yourself with certain concepts. If you are several months or even years post-graduation, it's still not too late. The most important thing is to start as early as you can.
2. GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME, BUT SET A DATE
Unlike the PE, the FE exam can be scheduled year-round. This can be both a good and bad thing depending on how you proceed.
- Good because you can schedule the exam as early or as late as you'd like
- Bad because you can schedule the exam as early or as late as you'd like
When I initially began studying, I didn't have a set date in mind. I decided I would study and wait until I felt "ready" to schedule the exam. This did not work out for a couple of reasons.
You will never truly feel "ready" Regardless of how many hours you study, there will always be a topic to improve on or review one more time. Being prepared to do your best is a better sign of readiness than your feelings.
Exam dates are filled on a first come, first serve basis If you wait too long, you'll be left with dates that are 1-2 months out from when you're "ready". This will only prolong the process for you.
I know you're still reviewing and it feels nerve wracking to commit, but you must pick a date. I officially started studying in early June (a couple weeks after graduating). Once I decided that August 8th, 2018 was exam day, I re-structured my studying in order to pace myself towards that day.
Depending on your starting point, you may need more or less time than 8-10 weeks .You shouldn't delay, but you don't want to be hasty either. Consider going through a few practice problems or a practice exam to get an idea of where you stand and how much time you need.
Feel free to schedule a free consultation with me to discuss this more in-depth.
3. TREAT IT LIKE A PART-TIME JOB
With every plan, there must also be a timeline for execution. It's not enough to know what you need to do. You also need to map out when you're going to do it. Try to think of studying like a part-time job. You are investing time (studying) to get something in return (licensure).
"It's not enough to know what you need to do. You also need to map out when you're going to do it."
I didn't want to study during the wee hours of the night and I wanted to enjoy my summer. With that in mind, my study schedule was Monday - Friday, 10am - 4pm. This left me with time in the morning to start my day off right and time in the evening to dedicate to other things. There were some nights where I would have additional review sessions, but it was optional. Having a schedule helped me maintain a healthy study-life balance.
4. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FREE RESOURCES
Say it with me: YouTube University!
There are ample free resources available to you and YouTube is one of them. You can check out my FE Exam Review playlist on Youtube. I used these videos to review for the exam and found them very helpful.
I specifically took the 'other disciplines' exam, but if you are testing for another discipline, you can search "FE Exam Review _______" and fill in the blank with the topic or discipline that you are looking for.
5. PURCHASE PRACTICE EXAMS
I love free resources, but some things require an investment. A practice exam is one of those things.
A practice exam gives you an idea of where you are in comparison to where you need to be. I purchased the NCEES practice exam for the discipline I signed up for. This practice exam features 100 questions (the actual exam has 110) that are similar in content to what you will find on the actual exam.
Take the practice as exam as if it is the real exam - timing yourself and using the FE handbook. I took my practice exam about 1-2 weeks before my scheduled exam date and used that to determine my focus for my last few weeks of studying. If you need several months to study, it would be helpful to take a practice exam as follows:
1. The beginning - get a rough idea of where you are and what you have / haven't mastered
2. Mid-way point - see what kind of progress you're making
3. 1-2 weeks before exam date - determine your areas of focus for your last few weeks of studying
NCEES practice exams can be purchased through the MyNCEES dashboard.
6. FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE FE HANDBOOK
Becoming familiar with the FE reference handbook is extremely important. In this handbook you will find:
- unit conversions
- derivatives
- formulas
- definitions
- material properties
- etc...
It is essentially a formula sheet, but on steroids. The handbook is about 500 pages long, however you only need to focus on familiarizing yourself with the formulas and properties that pertain to your exam discipline. If you are taking the mechanical exam, don't waste time sifting through the environmental engineering section.
Be on the lookout for not only what is included, but also what is not. Take note of any formulas or properties you encounter while practicing that are not included in the handbook. You will need to memorize these. It is also generally a good idea to memorize common formulas (i.e Bernoulli's Equation) as it will save time if you don't have to look them up during the exam.
The official FE handbook can be downloaded through the MyNCEES Dashboard under 'Useful Documents'. During the computer exam, you will have access to a digital PDF copy.
7. ACCOUNTABILITY
"Where there is no accountability, there will also be no responsibility"
You need people in your corner who are not only rooting for you, but also holding you accountable to what you said you would do. Without accountability, 15 minute breaks can easily become 60 minute breaks. First you're looking for your next review video and somehow you found yourself on Instagram laughing at memes. Yup... we've all been there.
Consider getting a study partner. When I was studying for the FE exam, my husband (then boyfriend) was studying for his physical therapy board exam. Although we were studying two completely different things, we regularly met up at Panera Bread to study together. We helped one another remain focused and motivated even when studying was the last thing we felt like doing.
If you don't have a study partner, you can inform your family members or friends of your plans. Let them know that you will need encouragement and check-ins from time to time.
8. PLAN AHEAD
You've probably heard it said before that "if you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail". Well... it's true. Through successful and unsuccessful endeavors, I've learned that planning is key. With a 6 hour exam ahead of you, you definitely want to set up your day for success.
"If you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail"
Exam-day policies and examinee guide
Take a few minutes to review the exam-day policies/examinee guide. The last thing you want is to forget to bring the right form of I.D or end up in a frenzy if you need to reschedule.
Exam-day policies/examinee guide can be accessed through the MyNCEES Dashboard under 'Useful Documents'.
Early is on time
Prior to exam day, do your due diligence to familiarize yourself with the testing location and parking arrangements. Plan to arrive at least 45 minutes early to account for traffic, parking, or having to detour.
Transportation
How many times have you found yourself in this scenario?
Me: *on the way home and notices gas tank is on E*
Me: "I'll get gas in the morning"
Me: *running late in the morning*
Me: "Why didn't I just do it last night?"
Don't be like me haha - don't wait until the morning.
If you are taking public transportation - whether that's the train, bus, Uber/Lyft - map out your route and pick up/drop off times in advance.
9. SAY NO TO FEAR
As I mentioned earlier, I decided to take the 'other disciplines' exam (due to the lack of an exam specifically for biological/biomedical engineering). Well, it so happens that the 'other disciplines' exam has the second to lowest pass rate of 69%. You may feel nervous if you are taking this exam or you may feel a boost in confidence if you are taking one with a higher pass rate; but the reality is that people pass and fail exams of each discipline despite the numbers. Taking an exam with a higher pass rate shouldn't cause you to study any less than you would if you were taking an exam with a lower pass rate.
Please hear me when I say that this: statistics do not automatically determine your outcomes.
"statistics do not automatically determine your outcomes"
Yes, it's good to acknowledge the stats in order to get an idea of what you are signing up for, but with every statistic there will always be outliers and anomalies. I encourage you to see yourself as the anomaly. Even if you are making a repeated attempt at this exam, choose to put your best foot forward and believe the best about yourself and your ability. Whatever the goal is, believe that it is attainable for you.
If you're feeling nervous or inadequate, here's a prayer you can pray:
"May the favor of the Lord [my] God rest on [me]; establish the work of [my] hands for [me]— yes, establish the work of [my] hands." - Psalm 90:17
10. TREAT YOURSELF
You put in the hours, you worked hard, and you sat through a 6 hour exam? C'mon, you deserve to treat yourself! Regardless of your score, you should pat yourself on the back. Many start the journey and quit before making it to the exam room - but you pushed through. Whether it's ice cream, a trip to your favorite restaurant, or that pair of shoes you've been eyeing for a while, do something nice for yourself.
Let's normalize celebrating the "small" wins.
Remember, there will always be opportunities to try again if don't pass on the first try. Do your best and let God do the rest.
Hoping you remain hopeful.
To you success,
Sarah
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