Golden Ratio Publishing, LLC

Harry here – First and foremost, Thank You to all the men and women that serve and protect our great country. Happy Independence Day (otherwise know as 4th of July.) to all!

I wanted to share so kind emails I received after the Spring 2014 PE exam regarding A Dictionary of Civil, Water Resources & Environmental Engineering:

“Yes, I used your dictionary about 5 times. There were questions about bacteria in water and environmental terms I had never heard of.”

“My afternoon discipline was geotechnical. I did use a dictionary- your dictionary in fact. I can’t remember what I looked up, but I do remember getting two or three answers from the book.”

“I brought a dictionary. My feeling about the dictionary is simple, if there’s a 1% chance I can use it to get 1 question right I am taking it with me.  I will not get an easy question wrong because I was too lazy to bring it.  If I didn’t have one I would have certainly bought one.  Passing the PE will help me get a raise, which would have covered the cost of a dictionary anyway.”

“Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know I passed the PE..Hoorayy!! Anyways just wanted to thank you and feel your class was the force that was needed to get those extra points and pass the test.  Your book was used on a few questions and I’m sure those few questions helped me get to a passing grades.”

Here are some notes from others that didn’t bring A Dictionary of Civil, Water Resources & Environmental Engineering into the exam but wished they had:

“I did not use a dictionary, but I think it would have helped based on the increasing amount of qualitative problems.” 

“Your dictionary could have saved me some time. I took an Oxford dictionary. The most unfamiliar terms asked were those for the drinking water regulations.”

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Harry here – I just wanted to send a quick note of congratulations to everyone that passed the PE exam. I know some States have yet to release their results and the wait can be agonizing … Hang in there!

If you didn’t pass. I am sorry but Do Not Give Up! Just dig in and give it another try. I know you can do it.

To all my former students, thank you for remembering to send me an email.

If you passed and haven’t sent me a note yet – what are you waiting for?

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Harry here – sometimes I get asked by my class what is the best way to carry books into the PE exam?

Frankly, my answer is simple and probably won’t cost you anything: simply use your airplane carry-on bag. It has wheels (so you won’t break a sweat with heavy lifting,) is compact (so you can put it under your desk or behind your chair,) has a zipper (so nothing will fall out,) and can be left open (keeping book spines upright.) Odds are you already own one of these … so why spend money unnecessarily on some hokey contraption?

Anyway, a friend sent me this photo of a custom made wooden rolling cart for the PE exam. I joking told them they should have been studying instead of blowing off steam building this (sorry I am a teacher.)

Check out one of the books (circled in red) in the cart: A Dictionary of Civil, Water Resources & Environmental Engineering. Back to the cart, they estimated their books weighing 48 lbs. and the cart another 10 lbs. The cart even had a little rope handle to pull it. Oh, what I would have given to see them walking up to the PE exam pulling this little book cart (like a Chihuahua on a leash!)

That would have taken the edge right off and calmed my nerves for sure!

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Harry here – this is a special note to all my Spring 2014 students.

Several of you asked me to prepare a prep talk for tomorrows exam. However, I don’t think you need it an here’s why:

1. You have sacrificed 5 spring weekends dedicated to School of PE instruction. You have trained your minds (and rear ends – HA!) to stay focused for 8 out of 9 hours. Think of the leg up you have over those that did not take a review course and trained themselves to stay focused.
2. You have taken a dedicated review course that focuses on +90% of the material that will show up on your exam. Odds are very high that the question is covered in the notes. If not, consider that you may be confusing yourself or over-complicating the question. If too hard, simply step away and come back to it later.
3. You have already learned & practiced the technique of reading the exam first and ranking the problems. Remember to solving the E (easy) ones first, then the M (medium) and finally the H (hard.)
4. During your studying, you have already trained yourself to pay attention to what the question is asking you – especially the units!
5. You are prepared. This is not a Ph.D. qualification exam. It is an exam to test the basics of engineering. Yes, there will be challenging problems but there will  also be some easy ones to balance the exam.
6. You have the tools necessary to pass this exam. Bring your CERM, School of PE notes, reference texts, dictionary (A Dictionary of Civil, Water Resources & Environmental Engineering) and your calculator.

Remember to stay relaxed during the exam. You studied very hard, now approach tomorrows exam as a challenge. Remove all negative thoughts from your mind now! Remain positive until the final “pencils down” call Friday afternoon.

You should be very excited for tomorrow and not in any way timid. Be confident in yourself, you deserve to be. I believe in you, so should you! I’d wish you good luck but your so prepared you don’t even need it. Are your ready? Now go kick its A$$!

Please send me a note at harry at goldenratiopublishing.com after the exam and especially when you find out that you passed!

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Harry here – As an PE review course instructor I often get asked about the exam room. Questions vary from:

“How big is the exam table?” “How much room will I have for my books?” “How many people to a table?”

Well, if you are taking the exam in Delaware, you are in luck! Delaware recently posted a photo in their Winter 2014 newsletter of a previous FE exam in progress.

This is the same room for the PE exam, so this will give you a good idea of what to expect (at least in Delaware.) I assume similar States have similar exam rooms. Of course, every State and location will be slightly different.

Hopefully this photo will help reduce any anxiety regarding the PE exam conditions, chairs, table width, etc. – especially if this is your first time taking the exam.

Question: If you were seated in the back of the room, could you read the clock?

Answer: More on that in another post …

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Harry here – PE review courses are starting up.  It is still not too late to sign-up.  Take a PE review course online, in-person, study together with friends – just start studying!

Don’t forget, when you are practicing problems (#1 way to pass the exam) to be sure to practice using all your reference material.  So if you haven’t bought them, get them now.  Be sure to check out A Dictionary of Civil, Water Resources & Environmental Engineering. Other material can be found here.

If you haven’t started your review of your depth subject, get started now!

I will be teaching along the Atlantic seaboard this Spring and looking forward to it!

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