Reddit reviews Mike's Civil PE Exam Guide: Morning Session
We found 5 Reddit comments about Mike's Civil PE Exam Guide: Morning Session. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
For the CERM I kept each chapter a different color (water - blue, geotech - orange, transportation - green, etc). Working through enough practice exams I got pretty quick identifying what I needed where. I tabbed anything that helped me while taking a practice exam. I'd tab on the side. You should buy Mike's practice exam. https://www.amazon.com/Mikes-Civil-PE-Exam-Guide/dp/1453716343
That'll give you a start for tabbing.
Read the CERM cover to cover. Do the illustrated sample problems in each section. Tab that sucker. Find sample tests - take them every few weeks on a weekend morning at 8 am just like the test. Buy ear plugs, wear them when testing (no airbuds or music).
If you can swing it, buy a few practice problem books. I found this one very simple and helpful for the morning problems - Mike's Civil PE Exam Guide: Morning Session https://www.amazon.com/dp/1453716343/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Wc0.zb2XHGVHB
Good Luck!
The below books are what I used for lots of practice problems (I am Civil Transpo based), I did practiced timed tests for both AM and PM. I also changed the same problems to solve for the opposite it was asking, to try and match any variation the PE can throw at you. They were very helpful and about the right difficulty.
a) Civil Engineering PE Practice Exams: 2 Full Breadth Exams
b) Mike's Civil PE Exam Guide: Morning Session
c) Civil PE Practice Exam: Breadth Exam Version B
d) Transportation Depth Practice Exams for the Civil PE Exam
I didn't make one actually.
But I suggest buying all three versions (A, B, C) of the PE Prepared Breadth workbooks Link as well as the two versions (A, B) for Water Resources Depth.
In addition to that I did Mike's workbook which was really good for the breadth section.
Lastly I did the NCEES practice exam to get a feel for the actual test, which proved to be useful.
This guy's tips were extremely helpful and everything he said was entirely true:
https://medium.com/@kolkena/six-tips-to-pass-the-civil-pe-exam-breadth-section-56304405be5
As you work through all those problems, tab the heck out of your CERM. You can be sloppy with the tabbing at first and then at the end of all your studying, maybe a week before the exam go back through and re-tab everything nice so it cascades, etc. I LIVED in the CERM during the test. Even though I made two 3-ring binders containing all my example problems, I did not use them at all. The CERM was my go-to.
Also, the sub-topics that I felt weren't addressed enough in the PE practice books were some of the more intricate open channel stuff i.e. hydraulic jumps, drops, conjugate depths, alternate depths, culvert flow types, etc. so make sure you deep dive in that stuff too. I went into the test thinking "I know Manning's really well so I'll be fine" - wrong. There is much more to open channels than that one equation. And like that guide says, know the CONCEPTS behind things. What IS hydraulic radius? We know it's cross-sectional flow over wetted perimeter but what does that mean? Why is it important? - Well, it's an indicator of flow efficiency; how much of the channel flow is affected by friction because it's a ratio essentially of how much flow you're getting vs. how much of the flow is in contact with the channel walls (friction).
They want to make sure you aren't just a plug and chug machine and that you understand the principles. It is called the Principles and Practices of Engineering exam for a reason. Good luck.
The six minute solutions books are the best IMHO.
Do not buy the Lindberg practice problems book. I repeat do not by the Lindberg practice probelms book.
I also really liked this book in the link below. There are four sample exams each increasing with difficulty. I found that the first test was generally easier than the exam, two and three were pretty dead on, and the forth generally harder than the exam.
Link
Also I will throw this book out there. This is not a practice problems book. This book will teach you how to study for the exam and the mindset you need to have while studying for the exam.
Link 2
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