Tips for Passing the FE Exam After Being Out of School

Posted by Wasim Asghar on May 10th, 2022

Overthinking about how to study and cover all the courses to pass the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam might feel like a nightmare for many students as it is the most important exam that will lead you one step nearer to your professional engineering (PE) career. Everyone wishes to excel in the FE exam but only wishing will not help you in scoring good results.

Many experts and teachers advise that it is better to take the FE exam as soon as you graduate.

But what if someone wasn’t able to take the FE exam right after graduating?

What if some decided to take the FE exam after a few months or years?

Can they get a good score?

Is it still possible?

Yes, it is possible.

Success truly depends upon the efforts you put into acquiring your desired goal.

Are you the one who has been out of school for many years, but is now serious about pursuing an engineering career? If yes, then you must be ready to prepare for the FE exam.

Don’t worry, we are here to share your burden and ease your FE exam preparation..

Consider the following tips and suggestions to ensure your success in the upcoming NCEES® FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam.

1. Make a schedule

Everything starts with good planning. So, make sure you start by making a written plan of how you are going to divide your time for studying. Write about how much time you can spare for studying every day. Try to spend at least 3 to 4 hours a day on the FE exam preparation.  This time period is ideal if you are left with 2.5 or 3 months before your exam.

However, you will need to spend more time daily, at least 6 to 7 hours a day, studying if you only have one month left in the exam.  Moreover, spare at least one to two weeks for revision of the entire course before the exam date. During these two weeks, focus on the specific topics regarding the FE exam that are mentioned on the NCEES® website.

2. Take good care of yourself

Health is one of the most important factors that one needs to care about. If you are mentally healthy, then you are ready to work at your maximum potential. To achieve good health, start your day with exercise or meditation. Add vegetables and fruits to your diet plan and try to avoid having junk food. You can also check out our blog on how to improve mental health for the FE and PE exam.

“Early morning exercise will keep you active for the entire day.” _ Laila Gifty Atika

Furthermore, take a nap of 20-30 minutes between your study hours or when you feel exhausted. Making these small changes in your daily routine will enable you to stay more active and focused throughout the day. Remember that you can not fulfill your dreams if you stay sick. This is why take extra care of yourself when life gets tough.

3. Focus on active studying

There are many challenges you’ll face when preparing for the FE exam. Your success doesn’t necessarily depend on the number of hours you serve studying. Because if you stay distracted and unmotivated during those study hours, then they will do no help in increasing your knowledge. Due to this fact, it is important to learn how to study actively. This way you can make the most out of your time.

You can do active learning by making sure that no element of disturbance or distraction is around you during your study hours. Switch off your cell phone, keep a water bottle, and everything else you need near you.

Write your motive behind passing the FE exam and paste it on your cupboard or wall. It will be beneficial in keeping you motivated and also provide you with the hope of a successful future. After all, hope plays a vital role in keeping us strong and ambitious. Hope is what helps us in moving forward despite the hardships.

4. Follow the FE reference handbook

The only reference material that you will be permitted to use while your FE exam is the FE Reference handbook. This is why it is significant to go through the FE reference book thoroughly before your FE exam. Get familiar with this book as it will help you a lot in your FE exam preparation.

The good thing about the FE reference book is that it is available for free on the NCEES® website. So, download this book easily from the NCEES® website and start practicing today, according to its latest version.

5. Practice as much as you can

What will help you the most in the FE exam is your practice. Write all problems and questions related to the FE exam in one place and try to practice them as much as you can.

By doing this, you will get to know how many topics you have completed and how many are left. You can then use the rest of your time in revising the topics which you find tricky while solving problems. Always remember, “practice makes perfect”

6. Take guidance from experienced people

There is no shame in asking for help. Meet and talk to the people who have already given or passed the FE exam. Take guidance from them on how to manage time and what topics need more focus. They will tell you about the type of questions they encountered. Once you get an idea, try solving the similar problems or questions that they told you.

The FE exam is a computer-based test (CBT), so it will contain a few different questions along with multiple-choice questions.

7. Take the online FE exam preparation courses

There are a number of online review courses to assist the students appearing in the FE exam. They’re great as they make students feel more confident after completing online courses. FE online courses contain overviews of the main topics along with some sample online tests.

Our FE exam preparation course offers 150+ lectures and 70+ quizzes, effectively covering the syllabus.

8. Mark the tough and easy topics

Once you start preparing for the FE exam, keep marking the topics that you find difficult as well as easy. This will help you a lot at the time of revision. These markings will give you a clear picture of which areas require more of your effort.

Conclusion

Preparing and passing for the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam is not an impossible thing for students who have been out of school for several years. Remember that success comes with consistency and untiring efforts. So, stop worrying and start studying.