For all engineers to become professional engineers, they must pass the FE test (PE). The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES®) is the organization that oversees the licensing examination. You can lawfully use your technical expertise after passing the FE exam.
Engineers frequently ask themselves, “How long should I study for the FE Exam?” and the answer is not as easy as you may think. Because of this, I’ll describe how long I think you should spend studying for the FE Exam in this article.
Things to Consider Before Taking the FE Exam
There are a few things one needs to consider before taking the FE exam and they are as follows:
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When are you taking the exam?
It will have a significant impact on how much time you will need to study while taking this exam for the first time. Not all of the ideas on the exam will be fresh in your mind if you are a college student currently pursuing an engineering degree, but many of them will. Since you are now in a study or instructional state in your life, it is simple to pick up notions that aren’t brand new.
However, if it has been more than a few years since you graduated from college, you will likely need more study time—possibly much more—since the concepts on the exam won’t be as fresh in your mind and also because you haven’t studied for examinations in a while and aren’t used to doing so.
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Determine your test-taking style
You should take into account the kind of test taker you are. We can all recall engineering students from our undergraduate days who could stay out late the night before an advanced structural engineering exam, party until three in the morning, and then ace the test. We also know individuals, like me, who must work very hard to perform well on tests. Exactly who are you? This is a crucial factor to take into account when estimating the amount of time you will need to study for the FE Exam.
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Communicate with others
Do some research on previous test takers. Inquire about the study habits and time commitment of those who took the test and passed or failed it. This is what I did for you. I’ve talked to a lot of engineers about this, and most of them claim that they studied for the FE exam for about 3 to 6 months, for about 3 to 5 hours per week. Yes, there were a few who claimed to have just studied for a month, but they were the exception.
How Long Does It Take to Prepare for the FE Electrical and Computer Exam
We advise scheduling your study time at least two to three months prior to the date of your FE exam. You’ll have a better notion of how much time you need to devote to studying after you begin working on questions from each of the several areas presented. This might vary significantly depending on whether you are recently out of school, finishing up your degree, or several years from graduation.
One thing to keep in mind is that there are differences in the curriculum and the number of engineers taking each FE exam, so preparation times can differ depending on whether you’re taking the FE exam in civil, mechanical, electrical and computer, environmental, chemical, industrial and systems, or other disciplines. Keep in mind that it will take you atleast 3+ months to prepare for the FE Exam.
How To Study Properly for the FE Electrical and Computer Exam
If you want to study properly for your FE Exam, then make sure to go through these tips carefully:
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Keep away from distractions
As little as feasible should be your distractions. During this time of study, try to spend as much time as you can at home with your family. It’s best to avoid crucial phone calls, mail pickup, walks outside, and meetings with friends or coworkers during this time.
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Commitment
Time management and dedication to studying are also important components of FE Electrical Exam preparation. However, you will need to commit a specified period of time to study in order to advance your job. Making a schedule and determining how much time you will devote to studying each day will be necessary for you to do this.
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Make a schedule
Make an appointment with yourself to conduct a review. Depending on how serious you are about passing the test the first time, schedule it on your calendar and treat it with the same level of importance as a meeting with the company’s president, if not greater.
FE Exam Passing Score
The NCEES® only grades proper answers; incorrect or void responses are not taken into account. This is the first thing to understand. The result is then changed into a scaled score, which takes into account minor differences in difficulty between various exam versions. The NCEES® FE exam assigns the same scores to first-time and repeated test takers. This provides repeat candidates an extra advantage. Due to the strict standardization that the NCEES® has mandated, there is no danger of bias. Experts in each of the specific engineering principles have created these standards.
Want to know about the FE Exam Passing Score? On average, 70% is required to pass the FE exam. It is critical to keep in mind how quickly these numbers might change. This is because the benchmark score was determined by the board using the test-takers’ lowest ability score as its base. The test complexity may not be accurately reflected by the variation of the passing result. Be sure to carefully plan how you will address these factors.
Each discipline has different pass rates, which are revised annually. This explains why the passing score on the FE exam changes every year. The Electrical and Computer is taken by 6424 people on an average and it has a 57% pass rate.
Conclusion
A person can prepare for the FE Electrical Exam in a variety of ways, including by reading, practical experience, and answering sample exam questions. Making a schedule depending on the amount of time you have available for your study is one strategy I would suggest.
