FE Exam... 5+ years out of school?

[gtc]

I got out of college (mechanical engineering) in 2004/5. Is passing the fundamentals of engineering exam feasible at this point?
I'd appreciate any input from those that have taken it.

Thanks,

[ChkbookMechanic]

I'm an EE so I don't really have a need for the FE exam, but from my friends in other engineering disciplines (civil and mechanical) who have taken it have said it is passable if you've been out of school for a while, but you'll need to brush up on physics.

It might be worth checking out some of the FE test prep books to see if you'll be able to do it.

Good luck!

[gtc]

Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear.
I figured the prep books would be a must.

[red-beard]

I'm a lot further out than you and I'm taking it this fall...

Class of '88

[BReif61]

And make 100% sure you bring an approved calculator. Someone brought the wrong one when I took my test and had to take the test w/o any calculator at all.

[HarryD]

I am a ChE ('75). Took the FE in college but I know of many that took/passed it 10+ years out of school.

There are books and cram classes out there. I like the "Professional Publications" books.

[red-beard]

BTW, do a search on Ebay. You can get the DVDs for cheap. I'll sell mine afterwards.

[IROC]

Is there a statute of limitations on how long the FE is valid? I passed the FE in college (we were required to take it to graduate), but never took the PE because it was of no value in my previous industry. Where I am now it carries some more weight. I have toyed with studying and taking the PE, but I passed the FE exam in 1986.

[red-beard]

I don't think there is. You are supposed to take the FE/EIT at the end of college. But you STILL have to take the PE exam.

[red-beard]

Well, at least in Texas. Each state is different.

[HarryD]

I know 30 years after I passed the EIT the Oregon PE board had no issues with it being ok.

[vash]

i honestly thought it was more difficult than the PE! seriously. so much chemistry on that darn test, and no amount of skills in balancing equations seemed to help. waiting for the results was the most stressful thing ever. one by one, all my friends received passing scores. i jumped to all sorts of conclusions..like..maybe they send out the failing results last!!. my mind was all over the place! then typical of my life, i got my passing score LAST! i was then like, "pffft! test was no big deal"..

i couldnt imagine taking it now. i would hit the books hard, but from where? oooff!, daunting. i took it my senior year, and i really studied.

[mikester]

Originally Posted by red-beard

i'm a lot further out than you and i'm taking it this fall...

Class of '88

1988?

[vash]

red beard..i thought after so many years, you can get an exemption and jump straight to guessing on the PE?

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by mikester

1988?

Well, it's not 1888

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by vash

red beard..i thought after so many years, you can get an exemption and jump straight to guessing on the PE?

Not in Texas....

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by vash

i honestly thought it was more difficult than the PE! seriously. so much chemistry on that darn test, and no amount of skills in balancing equations seemed to help. waiting for the results was the most stressful thing ever. one by one, all my friends received passing scores. i jumped to all sorts of conclusions..like..maybe they send out the failing results last!!. my mind was all over the place! then typical of my life, i got my passing score LAST! i was then like, "pffft! test was no big deal"..

i couldnt imagine taking it now. i would hit the books hard, but from where? oooff!, daunting. i took it my senior year, and i really studied.

Dozens of DVDs

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by red-beard

I'm a lot further out than you and I'm taking it this fall...

Class of '88

Too bad you didn't get yours under Texas's old (no PE Exam) system. Much easier and no testing woes.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by vash

red beard..i thought after so many years, you can get an exemption and jump straight to guessing on the PE?

That was the old way when I got mine in the early '80's.

[MarKoBrow]

Originally Posted by gtc

I got out of college (mechanical engineering) in 2004/5. Is passing the fundamentals of engineering exam feasible at this point?
I'd appreciate any input from those that have taken it.

Thanks,

I took mine 5 years after I graduated , I took a 5 year stint in the armed forces, it was not the easiest but very doable after lots of study and brushing up, I also found it helpful to sit in on classes with the permission of a Dean here at Drexel Univ. It was another 3 years before the PE, after all that have not used either professionally...