School of PE Blog

Work. Study. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

Studying for any exam can be hard and stressful- especially for an exam that your career is relying on, so it makes sense that some individuals obsess over studying and study too much.

For individuals who are preparing for an NCEES exam such as the FE, PE, or SE exam, the average time spent preparing for an individual's chosen exam is 200-300 hours.

Are you preparing for an NCEES exam? If a large amount of your day consists of just working and studying for your chosen exam, you may be spending too much time of your day studying.

We get it. Studying for an NCEES exam is stressful, and you probably want to spend as much as time possible as you can studying. But, did you know there is such a thing as studying too much? Although this differs for everyone, many people have a threshold of how much information they can take in each day. To ensure that you do not waste your time studying too much in a day and to ensure that you get the most value out of all of your study sessions, below are some signs that you may be studying too much:

1. You aren't getting enough hours of sleep.

Make sure to always get seven to eight hours of sleep for optimal memory consolidation. Although coffee may seem like a better alternative, coffee can only do so much to keep you awake.

2. You aren't giving yourself enough time to consume a healthy meal.

Are you living off of hot pockets, potato chips, or fast food? Yes- convenience is great, but constantly eating fatty and unhealthy foods really does hinder your overall brain functionality. When you eat foods such as eggs, broccoli, and fish, you feel better when compared to eating unhealthy foods. Make sure to give yourself enough time in the day to eat brain-powering food!

It's important to have a social life! During the time you are preparing for your exam, make sure to dedicate time to spend with your friends outside of studying and work. Giving yourself breaks within your study session is always a good idea, as it lets your brain relax.

Studying is really important if you want to pass your chosen NCEES exam- but make sure you aren't overdoing it.

Think about it- if you study eight hours a day for three months, that equates to over 700 hours of studying! If you begin studying three months out, you only truly need to dedicate two hours a day for studying based on the average reported study times mentioned earlier in this article. Likewise, if you begin studying six months out, you need to study one hour a day. A great way to set a consistent study schedule is to take an online exam review course that has an average of two hour class sessions.

For more FE, PE, and SE exam advice, make sure to check out our Facebook page for weekly tips.