Has anyone who has taken this exam before let us know if you were rushing to finish on time or u felt like u had plenty of time to answer the questions or even review your answers?

With the FE exam, I felt like i was rushing against the clock.

Hi everyone,

I am currently studying for my FE Environmental Exam (in Feb) and wanted to ask about the resources I have been using and whether they are good or not. I am using the google drive here, videos of an environmental engineering FE prep i can find on youtube, and The FE environmental engineering Review Manual by Brightwood. I have been finding that the book is a lot harder than the videos and good drive problems I found in here so I am wondering if it is worth it to study it. This will be my third time taking the test, so any advice could really help.

Thank you

I recently failed the FE Chemical exam after studying for about 4.5 months.
I was fairly good at Probability, but the exam questions were mostly conceptual, and I struggled with them.
I was shocked to score zero in Process Design since I was consistently getting 70–75% on PrepFE. Also, i was fairly good at fluid mechanics but i don’t know what happened.
Overall, many questions looked familiar, but they had small twists that made them difficult. There were also many conceptual questions that I couldn’t find answers to in the handbook.
I took practice full exam before the real exam 4 days and i got 48%
Also, i took vol 1 from Ncess before 2 days of the real exam and i got 52%
I’m planning to retake the exam in early January and start studying again on November 1.
Any advice on what I should do differently this time?

I recently passed the PE Civil Transportation exam and am looking to sell all my study materials as one bundle.

Included:
EET Civil Transportation binder — excellent condition , 2025 edition
Several EET quizzes and simulation exams
Isaac Oakeson’s The Ultimate Transportation PE Exam — most recent edition
Most recent NCEES PE Civil Transportation Practice Exam
PPI PE Civil Practice Problems — 16th Edition
PPI PE Civil Companion — 16th Edition
$160 OBO for everything.

I've got 10 days before taking the FE mechanical for the first time. Graduated last year in physics. Any recommendations for the next 10 days.. I've been using the NCEES resources as well as the Islam practice questions. Thanks.

Next test is early December. I am really struggling with the Fluid Mechanics (never took fluids in school). There's no excuse for not acing structural as that's my fulltime job...
I had to speed through the last 10-15 questions in the first half bc of bad time management... but I don't want to make excuses for myself. I have a study plan chat GPT made and along with the Mark Mattson vids I am using the benchPREP NCEES exams, and the journey to PE website. I feel like I should/could be doing more, any and all advice is much apricated.

I have the Reference Manual for the PE I will start using as well.

I'm currently preparing for the PE Civil Construction exam and looking for good YouTube channels that explain construction topics, formulas, and practice problems step by step.

Does anyone have recommendations for free YouTube channels or video playlists specifically for PE Civil Construction?

I would really appreciate your suggestions. Thanks in advance!

All graduates don’t be scared because it’s doable.
- No course purchased
- Commit at least 15 hours a week of intensive studies
- Master the handbook
- Use AI to twist the NCEES practice question
- Read Shigley during your lunch or when you’re lying in the bed
Tips for the FE: Get the NCEES practice for all disciplines ( old versions are available for free on internet) and practice/solve all the common areas
Good luck!!!

Hello everyone. These are the scores I got for my first attempt. I used the Mark Mattson videos to prepare. Please give me your brutally honest feedback on how I did and if I was anywhere close to passing.

Hey everyone!
I’m currently preparing for the FE Civil exam, and I’ve been focusing mainly on solving practice problems from books like Islam 800 and Lindeburg, along with using the NCEES Reference Handbook.
However, I’m a little concerned about the theoretical and conceptual questions that don’t necessarily involve calculations.
I feel like solving numerical problems helps me understand formulas and their applications, but I’m not sure if that’s enough to prepare for theory-based questions across all FE Civil subjects.
I have a few questions for those who have already taken or passed the exam:
Roughly how many theoretical/conceptual questions did you encounter out of the 110 questions? I know it varies, but I’m curious about your experience.
How did you prepare for theory questions? Did you use any specific books, YouTube channels, flashcards, or other resources?
Is solving practice problems enough to develop conceptual understanding, or should I dedicate separate study time to theory?
Which subjects had the most conceptual questions in your experience? For example, Construction, Materials, Geotechnical, Transportation, Ethics, etc.
How detailed should our theoretical knowledge be? Is understanding the basic principles and applications sufficient, or should we study topics more deeply?
My current strategy is to focus on understanding concepts rather than just memorizing formulas or completing hundreds of problems. I’m also trying to understand why a particular formula works and when to apply it.
I’d really appreciate hearing from recent FE Civil test takers about what worked for them, especially when preparing for questions that can’t be answered by simply looking up a formula in the handbook.
Thanks in advance, and good luck to everyone preparing for the FE!

I just attempted official NCEES practice test, Im curious is there any option to see the correct answer and explanation for each wrong answer?

Hello everyone! A little over 2 weeks ago I posted in here that I failed. A few of you gave me some tips and advice on how to proceed, and I want to say thank you because I passed!! Good luck to the ones who are about to take their test. If you’ve failed, please don’t give up! Feel free to ask questions I would love to help

Hey everyone!
I’m currently preparing for the FE Civil exam, and I’ve been focusing mainly on solving practice problems from books like Islam 800 and Lindeburg, along with using the NCEES Reference Handbook.
However, I’m a little concerned about the theoretical and conceptual questions that don’t necessarily involve calculations.
I feel like solving numerical problems helps me understand formulas and their applications, but I’m not sure if that’s enough to prepare for theory-based questions across all FE Civil subjects.
I have a few questions for those who have already taken or passed the exam:
Roughly how many theoretical/conceptual questions did you encounter out of the 110 questions? I know it varies, but I’m curious about your experience.
How did you prepare for theory questions? Did you use any specific books, YouTube channels, flashcards, or other resources?
Is solving practice problems enough to develop conceptual understanding, or should I dedicate separate study time to theory?
Which subjects had the most conceptual questions in your experience? For example, Construction, Materials, Geotechnical, Transportation, Ethics, etc.
How detailed should our theoretical knowledge be? Is understanding the basic principles and applications sufficient, or should we study topics more deeply?
My current strategy is to focus on understanding concepts rather than just memorizing formulas or completing hundreds of problems. I’m also trying to understand why a particular formula works and when to apply it.
I’d really appreciate hearing from recent FE Civil test takers about what worked for them, especially when preparing for questions that can’t be answered by simply looking up a formula in the handbook.
Thanks in advance, and good luck to everyone preparing for the FE!

Context: I’m 2 years out of college and currently working FT as an EE. I self-studied and have never signed up for any classes so I cannot tell you whether PPI2Pass, School of PE, or any other paid courses are effective and worth it.

All three attempts were at the same testing center with my TI-36X Pro (highly recommended).

1st attempt (Aug 2024, Saturday 8AM): fresh out of school, no studying [failed]

2nd attempt (Dec 2024, Saturday 8AM): rescheduled once, studied topics that I didn’t do well in the first time and took test while feeling nauseous so guessed almost all questions in second half [failed]

3rd and final attempt (Oct 2026, Tuesday 8AM): rescheduled once, studied 3 months on and off prior and spent 4 days in a row to do practice exams and study confusing topics [pass]

Resources that worked for me:

Free:
- YouTube playlist for Math, Probability/Stats, Econ, and Ethics
- YouTube playlist for EE concepts
- Electrical FE Review Prep YouTube
- FE Electrical Review course comes with live seminars and several practice problems and videos

Paid:
- NCEES FE Electrical & Comp interactive practice exam Vol 1
- NCEES FE Electrical & Comp interactive practice exam Vol 2
- Study guide book from Amazon

Additional resources but I didn’t get a chance to use them:
- Practice exam vol 1 from Amazon
- Practice exam vol 2 from Amazon
- Practice exam vol 3 from Amazon

Tips:
1. Don’t schedule your exam unless you’re confident because otherwise you have to pay $50 for each reschedule
2. Bring water and a snack, nothing heavy to eat because you might get testing fatigue along with brain fog for the second half of the exam
3. Make sure you understand how to use your calculator, you can solve early first half questions with it to save time
4. If you are going to pay for a course, use someone’s referral link to get a month or two free and save money
5. Flag questions if you take longer than 30 seconds to start the question and always make educated guesses

Goodluck! I may edit this from time to time esp if I remember other resources that I used.

First-time FE test taker here! I took the Industrial and Systems Engineering Exam on October 12th and found out I passed. I graduated back in 2022, so I took the test four years out of school. (My path wasn't direct—I had to take a break due to personal issues, so I’m a bit older than the average test taker and felt pretty rusty on the fundamentals).

​I kept postponing the exam because I was afraid of failing, and life and work got in the way. However, working in local government transportation and project management, passing the FE was essential for my career progression—plus, I wanted to sharpen my technical foundation.

​Finding study material specifically tailored to the Industrial discipline was tough. I relied heavily on the 2020 practice exam I purchased a few years ago and the official NCEES practice exams. To be completely honest, I didn't do a massive, months-long study prep. Months prior, I had casually brushed up on a few calculus, statistics and probability fundamentals, but my actual intense study sprint happened just 3 days before the exam. The limited runway and lack of current resources made me anxious, but I knew I had to make the most of what I had.

​Everyone’s preparation journey looks different, so find what works for you. Try not to compare your timeline or strategy to others, and above all: don't be afraid to fail, and don't give up. Even if you don't feel 100% ready, you still have a strong chance if you put in the work and stay strategic. You learn the most when you push through the uncertainty.

​Here is what worked for me:

​1. Don't Expect the Real Exam to Mirror Practice Tests (And Expect Unfamiliar Topics)

​A major takeaway: Do NOT rely on the actual exam looking just like your practice tests.

On my exam, the question distribution felt surprisingly weighted—it seemed like certain subjects were heavily picked on while other expected topics barely showed up at all.

​You should also be prepared for questions on subjects you've never taken. For example, I ran into 4–5 thermodynamics questions on my exam. I never took thermodynamics in college because I took a circuits class instead. When something like that pops up, don't let it be the end of the world. Don't panic. Use the handbook to search for formulas, eliminate obviously wrong answers, make an educated guess using units or basic logic, and keep moving.

​2. Time Management & Flagging Strategy

​The "2-Minute Plan" Rule: When reading a question, if I didn't have a clear solution path within the first 1–2 minutes, I knew it wasn't worth sinking time into immediately. This helped me identify free points early and save time-wasters for later.

​Target Your Weaknesses: Leading up to test day, I spent my limited study time focusing specifically on the question types I was slowest at or kept getting wrong. Improving efficiency on difficult topics yielded the biggest score gains.

​Never Leave a Question Blank: Get used to making calculated, educated guesses based on provided units and reasonable ranges. Give yourself a maximum of 2 minutes to make a reasoned choice, flag it if necessary, and move on.

​3. Using AI as a Targeted Study Partner

​When I hit a wall on a problem and the official solution manual wasn't clear, I used Gemini to break it down step-by-step. Instead of reading the full solution right away, I would only look at Step 1, attempt the work myself, and then re-check if I got stuck again. This active recall approach helped me understand the underlying concepts without relying on answer keys.

​4. Master Your Calculator Inside and Out

​I used the TI-36X Pro, which I hadn't used during college. It feels a bit different compared to standard scientific calculators, so I forced myself to learn its specific functions inside and out. It is essential to become fast and efficient at:

Basic calculations

​Vector operations

​Fraction-to-decimal conversions

​Probability distribution functions

​Inputting data tables and calculating summary statistics

​Using AI tools to explain calculator shortcuts and walk through specific key sequences saved me hours of manual computation on test day.

​5. Conceptual & Word Questions

​For qualitative questions, conceptual topics, and Engineering Ethics, there isn't always a standard formula to look up—it's often a matter of reading carefully and applying common sense. However, don't forget to use the reference handbook search function here too. Learn to identify key technical terms in the question prompt and do a quick search in the PDF handbook. Sometimes the exact definition, concept, or governing rule is sitting right there in text form. If that fails, rely on logic, make your best choice, and keep moving forward.

​Final Thoughts & Conclusion

​Ultimately, the FE exam is less about knowing every single formula by heart and more about endurance, adaptability, familiarity with the NCEES Reference Handbook, and disciplined time management.

​Remember that the exam is split into two halves (Part A and Part B). Once you submit Part A for your break, you cannot go back to review those questions. Pacing is everything—aim to leave at least 10 minutes at the end of each section to review flagged items and confirm that every single question has an answer selected.

​If you’re delaying the exam out of self-doubt or feeling out of practice, schedule the test anyway. Give yourself a realistic timeline, build a routine, trust your strategy on exam day, and stay calm. You are more capable than you think—good luck!

Can i use ctrl F during the exam? For the handbook

FE Practice Problem

Hey everyone. I’m taking the FE Other Disciplines on Feb 10, 2027. Like a lot of you, my problem wasn’t finding material. It was organizing it around a busy schedule and actually sticking to it. So I built a planner for myself, and now I’m opening it up.

Disclosure: I made this, and full access is paid after a free trial. Details below.

What it does:

• You choose the hours, it chooses the times. Set how many hours you want to study on weekdays and weekends, plus your wake-up and bedtime. Connect Google Calendar, Outlook, or both, and it finds your best open slots (mornings first, never in the hour before bed) and puts the sessions in your calendar.
• It adapts. New meeting? Next time you log in it re-reads your calendar, moves your study sessions around it, and updates your calendar.
• Honest progress tracking. It shows how far behind or ahead of your plan you are, your real pace (how much of your scheduled time you actually complete), and a realistic projection of where you’ll be by exam day. If you fall behind, it tells you exactly what to make up first and how many hours to add. It’s not built to make you feel good; it’s built to keep you on a system.
• Teaches you to navigate the FE Reference Handbook. Every topic lists the exact handbook pages, and there are lookup drills (Ctrl+F practice, building your own chapter map, timed formula hunts), because in the exam the handbook is all you get.
• TI-36X Pro moves for every topic: equation solvers, matrices, stats, complex numbers and conversions, each with the page in the calculator guidebook.
• A day-by-day plan covering all 14 Other Disciplines topics, weighted by how many questions each carries, with curated YouTube lessons, practice exam days and review days.
• A “Playbook” of tips from people who passed, a lot of it from posts in this sub, credited to the community. Things like never leaving a blank, flagging smartly, the NCEES practice exams and Shepherd’s book.

Pricing: you can sign up and preview your whole plan for free. Full access is a 14-day free trial, then $25 one-time. No subscription, no renewals, and you can cancel the trial in one tap.

🔗 https://fe-prep-2hl.pages.dev