Almost every student who takes up an engineering degree, dreams of being a PE license holder one day. However, the FE Civil exam is a challenge that many engineers in the United States are overwhelmed to deal with. This NCEES-based exam doesn’t just test your subject knowledge but your determination, skills, and more which makes it a lot harder than you think.
When you talk to other candidates who took this exam, you might get mixed feedback. But one thing that you will find common in everyone’s response, is the need to enhance your preparation level. Since this exam is not like any other basic test, the preparation for it demands higher value as well.
As someone who is taking the FE Civil exam for the first time, it is not easy to know how to plan out your preparation. You could be missing out on a major factor without even realizing which could eventually affect your results. What you should be seeking is a preparation guide that helps you understand what will work best for your FE exam prep so that you can go about it accordingly.
Find out your FE Civil exam preparation needs below:
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A Well-Planned TimeTable
Do not go about your preparation for the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam without creating a proper timetable first. After you register, make sure you work to create a study plan that ensures you effectively cover the course and also leaves ample time for revision. The timetable helps you know precisely what pace you need to follow to comfortably complete your preparation for the FE Civil exam.
If you don’t have a study plan and go about the preparation randomly, you won’t be able to track your progress. While drawing out the study plan, be aware of the hours you need to give to your preparation. And depending on that, divide the study hours for each day. Don’t forget to add resting sessions in the studying time to help keep your mind fresh.
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FE Reference Handbook
There is a lot of study material that will strengthen your preparation for the FE Civil exam, but none of them are as important as the FE reference handbook. This handbook is the ultimate guide that will get you close to passing this exam. You can download the latest copy of the FE reference handbook from the NCEES website.
This handbook is the only study material that you are allowed to carry with you to the exam hall. You must study this book inside-out and very carefully. The reference handbook will help you get a clear idea of how the main exam might be, the question patterns, etc. So, if you comprehensively study this handbook while preparing, you straight away get an idea over other candidates who haven’t.
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Latest Practice Exams
Do not keep your preparation limited to courses and study guides. Complete the course before time and then focus on solving practice exams. The more you solve, the better. When you complete a course, you don’t know for sure if you are well-versed with each concept or not. And revisions are not always the best way to know.
When you solve practice papers, you can effectively identify knowledge gaps in your preparation. Besides, solving practice exams lets you get a feel of the main exam and find out areas you can still improve on other than studying. You can pace yourself to improve your speed, find out which questions you can solve first, etc.
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FE Review Course
Once you register for the exam, you should enroll yourself in a FE review course as soon as possible. It is a vital part of your preparation that you shouldn’t miss out on. There are various course providers available online that you can choose from. Take your time and find a reliable FE review course for your exam.
The benefits of getting into a FE review course include effective subject learning, great insights from industry experts, extensive study material, and more. When choosing a FE review course provider, check if they offer NCEES-based practice exams as well. It’s better if your course provider has practice papers too so you won’t have to look for them elsewhere.
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Identify Your Strong and Weak Points
The preparation for the FE Civil exam involves vast learning, making it essential to identify your strong and weak areas. Besides, being aware of your weak zones is a rather strong preparation step. After you are done with the concepts you are confident about, you can completely focus on the remaining course. You can solve practice questions regularly to boost your preparation and find areas for improvement.
No matter how good you think you are, it is natural to not be perfect in everything you study. And when you accept it, you allow yourself to prepare smartly for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. Even during the exam, if you know which are your strong and weak areas, you can plan how to go about the test accordingly.
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Confidence in Your Abilities
Last but not the least, you need the confidence to pass the FE Civil exam. When you are preparing for this test, you might feel overwhelmed at first. But the more you keep learning, the better you will feel about this exam. Complete the course, solve as many practice papers as possible and you will surely grow in confidence.
When you are in the learning phase, forget that you are an experienced engineer or were one of the best students in engineering school. Try to study everything from the top and keep your mind open to the possibility that you still have a lot to learn about a particular concept. When you let yourself study from scratch, you will feel more confident about your process.
Conclusion
If you aim to be a Professional Engineer (PE) eventually, you have to prioritize your preparation for the FE Civil exam. Here, we have listed the important things that your FE Civil exam prep needs. From the course to study resources, and more, find everything you must have in this article.
For those looking to enroll in a FE review course, Civil Engineering Academy is one of the best options. Along with the course, here, you can enhance your preparation with NCEES-based practice exams as well.
