Going through all the topics 1 by 1 only have 4 left: Dynamics, Heat Transfer, Measurements, and Mechanical Design (Just started Thermodynamics). Looking to take this by either the end of summer or end of the year. Do you guys think I am on the right track?
Hello everyone, I have been browsing here in order to help get my questions answered. I didn't find much talk about this so I'd like to ask it here:
I was wondering about which calculator is best for the FE Civil exam?
Here is the policy straight from the website: https://ncees.org/exams/fe-exam/#california
Hi all, I just made an appointment to take the FE Civil on Sep 18. Right now I'm doing summer classes, which will end on Jul 29, so the rest from August to Sep 18, I'll have 100% purely for studying and prepping for the FE exam. I'm a structural engineering major at UCSD, so some of the concepts like statics, mechanics, structural analysis, and materials are familiar to me, but things such as geotech, transportation, environmental, water resources, or surveying are completely fresh and new to me
Hey team, any advice for someone who is struggling to study after work due to exhaustion? I plan to study 1-2 hours everyday, but after work, eat, shower, and boom - it’s already 8-9pm and I gotta get ready for work the day after.
Just got out of the exam. Lmao why do i feel like exam gets tougher and tougher with every attempt
11yrs out of school. Work, toddler and lots of commitments. First attempt. I did it, I actually did it. Today I'm proud of myself :)
Thank you community! And a special thank you to rethirded's YouTube playlist!!
If I can, you can too!
I took the FE Mechanical on 6/26/26. Today 7/1/26 I recieved the email that the score was available at 7:12am CST-passed, and the Credly badge email at 7:44am CST.
Wasn't sure I'd pass, realized there were 45 seconds remaining with ~15-20 questions left. I began clicking next and C for every question. Each question took 2-3 seconds to load, thus eating up enough time to prevent me from even clicking through the last 7 questions.
I approached with this mindset: if the 1st half is easier, then I definitely want to spend time solving a problem I know I'm on the track toward solving. If the points are this hard to get in the easy half, then I know the 2nd half will demand more time per question for fewer net points. In conclusion I aimed to crush the 1st half doing every problem I could, and grab enough points from the harder 2nd half to limp over the finish line of the pass point threshold. I went into the 2nd half with only 1h40 min remaining.
I used the PPI2Pass live prep course but stopped attending live sessions about halfway through. If I didn't have time to go through the book material the lectures weren't very helpful in solving problems I was too lost to even begin to understand. If I did read the material so many people asked such basic questions that we didn't get to that many useful questions. I skipped many of the later chapters of the subject areas of review e.g. rotating machines in the electricity and magnetism review, and the combustion chapter for the thermodynamics review. Those latter covered areas of subjects did come up, and at a higher rate than expected. Reading a pump power chart came up in 3 questions.
Lastly I found that many questions needed more than 2 steps. Personally I can't algebraically manipulate 5 terms in a single step to isolate the relevant unknown, which is how solutions can often be presented. Perhaps if I could then the minimum steps to solve would decrease.
I am 9 years out of undergrad.
I'll try to check in tomorrow 7/2/26 to review any questions in comments.
Good luck, and hammer the practice problems.
Passed 6 years out of school.
Studied for 9 months:
First 6 months i used the PPI2Pass Kaplan self study package. It helped me get back into the groove of studying but honestly it was too much information to digest and did not help me with the handbook. I wish i used it just for questions then to study each category instead of going through all of it, i ran out of time and was not able to get through all if it. Overall it was too much and i would not recommend it.
What really helped me:
Youtube: all Mark Mattson FE Civil review videos and specific videos on struggle areas from Genie Prep, Gregory Michaelson, Direct Hub, and The Efficient Engineer. The Calculator Guide videos really helped me get quick with the TI-36X Pro calculator he has a whole playlist.
Islam 800 PDF: grind questions from trouble areas.
NCEES Practice Exams: A MUST!! Did both practice tests twice. 52% and 58% first attempts then 70% and 62% the second time. Review all the problems even the ones you got right.
Cheat Sheet: make a cheat sheet of all the info that is not in the handbook. Memorize easy unit conversions and formulas you will not find! This is all i studied the day before and the morning of to be able to regurgitate all the information as soon as the disclosures were signed on test day. Examples: specific weight of water, mph to ft/s, pascal units, newton units, cm^3=mL, 1000g/cm^3=1kg/m^3, Centripetal Force = mv^2/R, stress-strain diagram analysis.
Good luck to all keep grinding you can do this!
I just need one person to use my referral link: https://www.prepfe.com/?referral_token=bbfac9f7-8445-4f0c-89a1-a1b98b1dd032
I'm taking the FE civil exam early next month, but they're increasing the prices. Using my link will give us both one free month.
It's been a good resource for studying, so I hope it helps you as well!
Just passed first try after being out of school and industry for seven years! Started studying for it in January and really sank a lot of time into it the weeks leading up to the test.
Study materials used:
Would love to answer questions about it!
Im originally from Philippines and already graduated 4yrs ago. It’s been difficult for me to look for engineering jobs here thats why I decided to take the take FE Civil. Do I need to my Transcript to be evaluated for the EIT registration considering I am not from ABET Engineering university?
I am concerned, because due to the nature of being left-handed, almost anything I write gets smudged to begin with 😅 for this reason I’m very particular about to pens & paper I choose. I’m worried that a marker & dry erase board will get rubbed off by my hand faster than I can even write it; and on a test where time is imperative, I don’t want to be stuck rewriting my work over and over ☹️ Can any lefty’s speak to their experience, was it hard to work with, or nothing to worry about?
Taking the mechanical exam today. Tossed and turned all night and only slept about an hour if that. Any last minute tips on how to keep myself awake and focused are appreciated.
It was kind of a rush to study because I’m currently in an internship. I spent 3 weeks in the NCEES practice exam volume 1 & 2 and scored high. PDF book from NCEES and finish all Mark hip
Mattson Videos. So here we are. This was my first attempt, I’m a rising senior in college.
after i graduated in may i gave myself 5 hours a day for 5 days a week for 6 weeks to study for my second attempt. i used mark mattson’s videos, prep fe, islam, and the ncees practice exams. i am about to start my full time job on july 13th so that’ll decrease the study time. idk i felt so confident on this second attempt and right now i am feeling really discouraged. i just need any help i can get with encouragement and any other tips that will help. thank you guys
This was my third attempt. 4 years out of school. Felt better leaving the exam, but I spent way too much time on the first half so had to guess on the second.
I just passed the FE Other Disciplines exam today—first try! Thank God. After 20 years away from school, I accepted the challenge and succeeded. Here is my best advice for anyone preparing:
Just went rlly hard for studying for two weeks. About 4-6 hours each day. Watched all mark mattsons vids on YT (didn’t watch dynamics). Then also did all of ISLAM800 questions. Then took one practice test where I got about a 60% on. All the resources for the Islam and practice exams are here:
Reach out to me bc they keep banning it.
I honestly walked out of the exam unsure but it’s hard to feel good about an exam that has such a variety of topics. I am strong on the structural problems and there were barely any of those questions on it. The questions on practice exam were pretty similar difficulty to the practice I took.
