Pass the PE Chemical Exam | Study Materials (2023)

FAQs

What is on the PE chemical exam? ›

PE Chemical exam topics covered: Mass/Energy Balances, Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Chemical Reaction Engineering, FluidsMass Transfer, and Plant Design and Operation.

Which PE Exam is the Hardest? According to NCEES® stats, the structural depth and geotechnical exams are the hardest of civil PE exams. Only 64% and 55% of students managed to clear it in the first attempt. You will have to consistently prepare for the PE exam for 3 to 6 months to clear it, no matter which exam.

Truthfully, the PE exam really is not that difficult. The exam is more a test on your organizational skills and prior preparation. Being organized is the most critical element on exam day. As you know from the FE exam, you are on the clock with a set time limit for both morning and afternoon sessions.

We recommend that you study for approximately 100-120 hours. A solid study plan that worked for several of our engineers is to spend approximately one half day each Sunday studying for the three months leading up to the exam, and then study every day for a few hours the week before the exam.

As a general rule, PE Civil examinees are eligible to retake the PE Civil Exam once per testing window, and up to three times per year.

The rule of thumb is to invest 2-3 hours in your exam preparation daily. The approximate time frame for in-depth preparation and promising success comprises 200-300 hours. On average, students can easily pass the PE exam after studying for 3-4 months. But that may not be the case for everyone.

Don't study the day before your exam.

Put the books away and let your brain rest right before exam day. As mentioned, consider taking the day before the PE exam off of work if you can. Just relax, do a mindless activity, and eat some good food. Exam day is a long day, so the break beforehand is well worth it.

Is a PE worth it for chemical engineering? ›

Advancement Opportunities

A chemical engineering license sets you apart as a top performer in the chemical engineering profession. A PE receives more respect from both coworkers and bosses because a license demonstrates expert knowledge and a commitment to the profession.

There are many benefits of becoming a licensed professional engineer. Considered the highest standard of competence for the engineering profession, Professional Engineering certification not only raises one's stature in the field, but also shows that the individual has higher levels of authority and responsibility.

The NCEES PE exam is an 8-hour exam with 80 questions, with the exception of the PE Chemical CBT exam and the PE Electrical and Computer CBT exam. See the NCEES website for more details.

Percentage of Engineers with a PE License

According to the National Society of Professional Engineers, an estimated 20% of engineers in the U.S. have their Professional Engineer license. The percentage is higher for structural, geotechnical and other sub-disciplines of Civil Engineering.

The FE exam is actually harder than the Professional Engineer (PE) exam, simply because it is much more broad. It's best to take it as close to graduation as you can, with all that schooling still fresh in your mind.

The examiners take special measures to identify flawed questions before scoring takes place. They look for ambiguity, gender or ethnic bias, technical accuracy, and unusual statistics. The PE Exam is not graded 'on a curve' and so there is no set percentage of candidates who pass each time.

There can be several reasons for failing at something. The PE exam is no different. We have compiled a list of some common reasons that can result in a failed PE exam attempt and these include: not preparing sufficiently, not knowing the material well enough, or simply not being able to perform well on the exam.

If you passed the NCEES Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam: Submit a complete application for licensure to the Board through BPELSG Connect once you have the required qualifying experience. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

The PE exam is not a "tricky" exam. Students manage to fail even when questions are straightforward. The NCEES organization doesn't sit in a room and think of ways to trick you. You will find, however, that they do list answers to questions with very common mistakes made.

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.

How many hours a day should I study for exam p? ›

If you have a busy schedule, I recommend you start studying for Exam P about 4 – 5 months before you plan to write. That will give you sufficient time to be fully prepared while only spending about 1.5 – 2 hours per day studying.

Your Chosen Exam Does NOT Determine Your Career

From a licensing standpoint, it is actually not relevant which version of the PE Civil exam is taken. For example, you could pass the construction depth version of the exam and go on to practice in transportation engineering.

Effective Beginning January 1, 2022

The exam is computer-based. It is closed book with electronic references. The NCEES PE Civil Reference Handbook is included in the exam along with the design standards shown on the last two pages. Examinees have 9 hours to complete the exam, which contains 80 questions.

However, for the PE Mechanical exam, it is generally believed that the cut score is around 70% (56 out of 80 multiple choice questions). If you fail the exam, you will receive a diagnostic report identifying areas of deficiency so you can improve and refocus for retaking the exam.

PE Civil Exam Review Course | 90% Pass Rate | School of PE.

Timeline: the results are released from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) between eight to 10 weeks after the exam date. However, this is when the results are received by the state's licensing board.

By beginning the studying process now rather than later (in March or April), you'll be thanking yourself when you aren't forced to cram hundreds of hours of studying into the two weeks before the PE exam. A great way to study for the exam is to take an exam review course.

PE exams offered once per year.

Make sure you take a shower.

You want to be clean, fresh, and happy when you walk into your exam. Countless studies have shown that people who shower in the morning are more productive, more alert, happier, and less stressed.

Should I hit the gym before an exam? ›

' If you find yourself becoming overwhelmed by pre-exam stress, or unable to focus after hours of reading, exercise is one of the simplest things you can do to stay mentally sharp. 'Exercise helps release dopamine, which is like your motivation molecule to stay focused, more attentive,' Assoc.

It is advised to get at least 7.5 hours of sleep and to set your wake up time so you have two to three hours before the exam to feel awake and focused during the exam. It is important that you get enough sleep whilst having plenty of time to eat breakfast and revise if necessary.

❒ No personal items, including cellular phones, hand-held computers/personal digital assistants (PDAs) or other electronic devices, pagers, watches, wallets, purses, hats (and other head coverings), bags, coats, books and notes are allowed in the testing room. You must store all personal items in a locker.

To maximize performance, you should try to get at 8 hours of sleep before a big exam, and no less than 6 hours.

Good sleep can pay off even the night before an exam. Some studies have found that getting a full night's sleep before taking an exam is correlated with better grades and higher overall GPA.

The second-hardest college major and hardest engineering major is chemical engineering; students in this field spend an average of 19 hours and 40 minutes a week preparing for class. Chemical engineering is a broad subset of engineering that involves the design, production, use, and transportation of chemicals.

The BLS also projects the demand for chemical engineers to grow at an average rate of 9% between 2020 and 2030 .

Chemical engineering is a bit harder tha any other courses , the student has to spend an average of 19 hours and 40 minutes a week preparing for class it involves a lot of physics and maths and is likely to involve a high number of exams at degree level. .

Caution: The tips below assume that you have already applied to take the PE exam and that you have sufficient time to prepare for it. We recommend at least three months of study time.

The PE exam is a standardized test administered nationally. The state boards determine PE exam eligibility requirements and, as you can imagine, they vary among each state. Typically, you'll need at least the following: Meet the education requirement.

What are 5 behaviors that NCEES consider exam irregularities? ›

Exam Irregularities

Fraud, deceit, dishonesty, unprofessional behavior, and other irregular behavior in connection with taking any NCEES exam are strictly prohibited.

However, for the PE Mechanical exam, it is generally believed that the cut score is around 70% (56 out of 80 multiple choice questions). If you fail the exam, you will receive a diagnostic report identifying areas of deficiency so you can improve and refocus for retaking the exam.

A “PE” is the acronym for a Professional Engineer. The PE designation is required to prepare, sign, seal and submit certain engineering plans and designs for public, government and some private authorities.

The PE Exam is not graded 'on a curve' and so there is no set percentage of candidates who pass each time.

The FE exam is actually harder than the Professional Engineer (PE) exam, simply because it is much more broad. It's best to take it as close to graduation as you can, with all that schooling still fresh in your mind.

Percentage of Engineers with a PE License

According to the National Society of Professional Engineers, an estimated 20% of engineers in the U.S. have their Professional Engineer license. The percentage is higher for structural, geotechnical and other sub-disciplines of Civil Engineering.