2 answers
Jessica
Student
Lewisville, Texas
2
Questions
Asked
725 views
What are the best strategies for passing the FE CIVIL exam?
For those who have passed the fe civil exam, what strategies best helped you become successful in taking it? What should I focus on? #fecivil ##civilengineer
Login to comment
2 answers
Faisal Awad
Civil Engineering Intern at RSG
1
Answer
Updated
Faisal’s Answer
Nick Carlson
structural engineer
8
Answers
Rockaway, New Jersey
Updated
Nick’s Answer
The FE exam is a "breadth" exam, which means you'll need to be familiar with (but not an expert at) everything the test covers. Since you'll be provided with a reference handbook that contains most (but not all!) of the outside information you need to use to answer the exam questions, the most important steps are to know what your discipline's exam covers, and where in the reference handbook to look for each type of problem.
If you can, take the FE while you're in your senior year of college, or immediately after graduating. The longer you've spent away from school, the more time you'll have to spend reviewing the fundamentals of things like statics or calculus.
Buy a review manual (I used the PPI review book by Lindeburg, but others are out there). If you've got the cash (or a school that offers it as a course, or a job that'll pay for it), a prep class is a good idea.
Take the sample tests and take them seriously -- set a time limit, only use the provided reference book for help and don't cheat.
If you're studying on your own, set a daily/weekly study schedule and start preparing for the test well before you need to take it.
Know how to use your calculator; only specific models are allowed, so you will probably be using a different calculator from the one you're used to at school/work.
Prioritize solving the easiest problems first, then come back to the harder ones. The most common reason people fail the FE is because they get stuck on a problem early in the exam and run out of time before they get to the rest of the questions.
While the provided reference book has the majority of the information and equations you'll need for the exam, it's not completely exhaustive. Don't skip studying a certain subject because you'll think you'll be able to wing it by just using the reference book to figure it out.
At least half of the problems on the exam use SI units. Make sure you know both unit systems.
Eat a healthy breakfast and get plenty of sleep before the exam, pack everything you'll need for the exam the night before, and give yourself plenty of travel time to get there. The last thing you need is for unnecessary day-of stress to wipe out all the effort you put into preparing.
If you can, take the FE while you're in your senior year of college, or immediately after graduating. The longer you've spent away from school, the more time you'll have to spend reviewing the fundamentals of things like statics or calculus.
Buy a review manual (I used the PPI review book by Lindeburg, but others are out there). If you've got the cash (or a school that offers it as a course, or a job that'll pay for it), a prep class is a good idea.
Take the sample tests and take them seriously -- set a time limit, only use the provided reference book for help and don't cheat.
If you're studying on your own, set a daily/weekly study schedule and start preparing for the test well before you need to take it.
Know how to use your calculator; only specific models are allowed, so you will probably be using a different calculator from the one you're used to at school/work.
Prioritize solving the easiest problems first, then come back to the harder ones. The most common reason people fail the FE is because they get stuck on a problem early in the exam and run out of time before they get to the rest of the questions.
While the provided reference book has the majority of the information and equations you'll need for the exam, it's not completely exhaustive. Don't skip studying a certain subject because you'll think you'll be able to wing it by just using the reference book to figure it out.
At least half of the problems on the exam use SI units. Make sure you know both unit systems.
Eat a healthy breakfast and get plenty of sleep before the exam, pack everything you'll need for the exam the night before, and give yourself plenty of travel time to get there. The last thing you need is for unnecessary day-of stress to wipe out all the effort you put into preparing.