School of PE Blog

Preparing for and taking the FE exam can seem like a daunting task, but thinking about taking the FE exam after being out of school for several years or more can be quite intimidating. Although it may have been awhile since you have had to study for exams and you may not remember all of the engineering information you learned while in college, don't give up on your dream of becoming a professional licensed engineer. Our list of FE exam tips to help those who have been out of engineering school for a while should get you started on the right track to prepare for and pass a NCEES FE exam.

1. Create a Study Schedule

Before you start studying, you need to come up with a plan. Create a schedule of how long you want to spend studying each day and when you plan to review certain topics. When you are planning the specific topics you are going to review, be sure to look at the exam specifications for your FE exam, which can be found on NCEES' website.

2. Use the FE Reference Handbook

The FE Reference Handbook is the only reference material that can be used during the FE exam, so make sure you are familiar with it and that you are practicing with the most up-to-date version. You can download the reference handbook for free from NCEES' website.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice

Practice as many problems as you can when you are preparing for the FE exam. Solving problems will help you understand which topics you have mastered and which ones you need to spend more time reviewing. It's also important to practice problems that are similar to the style of questions that can be found on the FE exam, which is a computer-based test (CBT). Remember, CBTs include multiple-choice questions as well as alternative item types, such as multiple correct, point and click, drag and drop, and fill in the blank.

4. Take a FE Exam Prep Course

If you feel like you need additional assistance passing the FE exam, a review course is a great way to prepare. School of PE offers FE Chemical, FE Civil, FE Electrical, FE Environmental, FE Industrial and Systems, FE Mechanical, and FE Other Disciplines (General) exam review courses. These review courses will give you a refresher of the main topics that will appear on the exam and will provide you with workshop sessions that will focus on solving problems. School of PE's FE exam review courses include access to a Question Bank, which will provide you with even more problems to test your knowledge.