The official name of the exam
you will take is the Fundamentals of Engineering, or FE, exam. Until recently,
however, the exam was called the Engineer-in-Training, or EIT, exam. This name
goes back many years, and many engineers still refer to the test as the EIT
exam. You'll see and hear both names used interchangeably.
The FE exam is given on the
same date, always a Saturday, in every state. The forthcoming dates are:
April 21, 2007
October 27, 2007
April 12, 2008
October 25, 2008
April 25, 2009
October 24, 2009
April 17, 2010
October 30, 2010
April 09, 2011
October 29, 2011
The FE exam consists of two
four-hour sessions administered on a single day. The MORNING session includes
120 multiple-choice questions worth one point each. Each question has four answer
choices. The following subjects are represented (per NCEES):
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Chemistry (9% of the total questions)
Computers (7%)
Dynamics (7%)
Electricity and Magnetism (9%)
Engineering Economics (8%)
Engineering Probability and Statistics (7%)
Engineering Mechanics (statics and dynamics) (10%)
Ethics and Business Practices (7%)
Fluid Mechanics (7%)
Materials Properties (7%)
Mathematics (15%)
Strength of Materials (7%)
Thermodynamics (7%)
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Here's a description of topics
covered in each morning subject area.
In the AFTERNOON session, you have a choice of taking one of seven tests. Your
choices are:
- Chemical
- Civil
- Electrical
- Environmental
- Mechanical
- Industrial
- General
The first six tests focus on a single discipline--hence they are called the
"discipline-specific" exams. The "General" test covers the same range of subject
areas as the morning session.
Here's a description of topics
covered in each afternoon test.
Each of the afternoon tests has 60 multiple-choice questions worth two points
each. Each question has four answer choices.
The questions are grouped
by subject. This is helpful in that it allows you to focus on a particular area
without distraction.
Ideally, you should take the
FE exam while you are still in engineering school, or shortly after graduation.
The longer you wait, the harder the exam will be. Most states permit you to
sit for the exam as a college senior, and some states allow juniors, as well.
Much of what the exam covers is basic information that you learn in the first
two or three years of your undergraduate engineering education. The farther
away in time you get from these basics, the easier it is to forget them (especially
those that apply to fields you don't regularly use).
If you missed the opportunity to take the FE as an undergraduate, however,
don't despair. Many engineers take the exam well into their careers and pass
on their first attempt. With the right review, you will too.
The only reference you may
take into the exam is the official NCEES FE Supplied-Reference
Handbook. This publication contains equations and data that you will
need during the exam.
A few states provide the Handbook
to you when you register to take the FE exam. If your state doesn't do this,
and you want to obtain a copy of the Handbook before the exam, you can order
online. You owe it to yourself to become familiar
with the contents and layout of the Handbook before you need to use it during
exam.
Please note that when you actually enter the exam room, you will be given
a new, pristine copy of the Handbook to use. You may not use your previously
acquired copy.
NCEES states they are moving
toward an all-metric (SI) FE exam. Currently, at least 80% of the AM session
quantitative problems must be solved using SI units. The remainder may
be solved using either SI or US customary (USCS) units. On the PM exams, metric
units areused exclusively except for the Civil and Environmental discipline-specific
modules. These two modules have problems in both metric and USCS units, depending
on the subject area.
First, find out whether your
state requires you to take the exam for your major or working discipline. Some
states do. If not, the choice is yours. The advantage of taking the General
exam is that you have to study all the same subject areas anyway to prepare
for the morning session. Many engineers, however, will be most comfortable with
an afternoon exam that focuses on their own field.
NCEES tracks the performance, by discipline, of examinees who take the General
afternoon exam. Here's a comparison
of the pass rates of engineers who took the exam for their discipline versus
those in the same discipline who took the General exam.
At the beginning of the afternoon
session, you may look at all seven exams in your test booklet to determine which
one you want to take. However, the time alloted for this is part of the four
hours you have to solve the problems, so don't deliberate too long!
This assumes, of course, that you are sitting for the exam in a state that
allows you to choose which exam to take. Not all states do--some require you
to take the afternoon exam in the your college major discipline. Check with
your state
board to find out whether you have a choice.
You must use the mechanical
pencil that will be provided to you by NCEES at the test site. No other pencils
are allowed. The supplied pencils use .7mm lead. Some states allow you to bring
extra lead and your own eraser; others do not. Check with your state
board about this.
No. Cell phones, pagers,
beepers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc., are NOT allowed in the exam
room. Leaves these at home or in your car. If you try to bring them into the
exam, the proctors will confiscate them.
Always guess! No points are
subtracted for incorrect answers, so be sure to leave time at the end of the
exam to go back and fill in bubbles for any questions you skipped.
The advice given by recent
examinees is virtually unanimous: work practice problems, find out where your
weaknesses lie, study those areas, and then work more practice problems.
Taking a timed practice exam (or a partial exam) is a popular strategy. This
not only gives you more practice solving problems but also lets you find out
how well you perform under pressure.
Review texts, sample exams,
software, videos, and other materials to help you prepare are availablehere.
Misconception #1: It's possible to get copies of actual FE exams and
problems to study.
Fact: The FE has been a secure exam for many, many years. Although NCEES
has published a few sample problems to illustrate the exam format, there are
no complete sample exams or collections of actual exam problems available from
any legitimate source.
Misconception #2: The FE exam is biased toward some disciplines.
Fact: There are hard topics for everyone, but there is no intentional
bias built into the exam format. Electrical engineers struggle with mechanics
of materials; civils struggle with thermodynamics; and mechanics struggle with
electricity. Everyone struggles with control systems. But there is little or
no difference in passing rates among the different disciplines.
Misconception #3: The FE exam is very difficult.
Fact: Questions on the FE are quite basic, and an adequately prepared
examinee should have no trouble whatsoever passing the exam. There are no long,
complex, or tricky problems. There are no proofs or derivations. The passing
rate for the exam speaks for itself.
Misconception #4: I've been out of school too long to take this exam.
I've forgotten everything.
Fact: While it is true that it is easiest to take the FE exam when you
are still in school, a substantial fraction of the examinees have been out of
school for 5+ years. Engineers with 10 or more years of work experience routinely
take the exam and pass (with preparation).
Misconception #5: I'd have to study for a year to prepare adequately
for this exam.
Fact: With targeted review materials, the average "zero-to-full-preparedness"
time is about 4 months.
Misconception #6: The FE exam has (1) proofs, (2) derivations, (3)
lots of higher-level math, and (4) questions on nonengineering subjects such
as accounting, economics, and psychology.
Fact: There are no proofs or derivations on the exam. The need for higher-level
math of all types is limited to a few (i.e., less than 10) questions. The only
subjects you'll find on the FE/EIT exam are engineering, mathematics, chemistry,
physics, computers, engineering economics, and ethical behavior.
Misconception #7: I never had a course in thermodynamics (or dynamics,
or electricity, etc.), so I'm doomed.
Fact: Many people who graduate with BS degrees in engineering do so without
having taken one or more of the core engineering courses. Because you have to
answer fewer than 50% of the problems on the FE/EIT exam correctly to pass,
there is plenty of room for you to skip questions in areas you are unfamiliar
with.
Misconception #8: I don't need to prepare for the FE exam.
Fact: To be prepared, you must know the subject material--but that's
not all. You must also be familiar with the NCEES Reference Handbook (a nearly
200-page reference that is the only resource you can use during the exam). You
must be capable of answering test questions quickly, under pressure. And to
avoid "reading things into" problems and making the test more difficult than
it actually is, you must have exposure to the types of problems on the exam.
Everyone needs to prepare for the FE exam in one way or another.
Misconception #9: Only civil engineers need to take the FE exam to
advance their careers.
Fact: The need to have a PE license is a function of your career and
professional responsibilities, not necessarily your field or discipline. For
example, ALL engineering consultants need PE licenses, regardless of
their field. An increasing number of government and industry positions require
a PE license. Even when immediate job opportunities may not require licensing,
future opportunities may. So, because the FE is easiest to pass while you are
in school or recently graduated, it makes sense to go ahead and get that step
out of the way.
Misconception #10: The FE is an open-book exam.
Fact: The exam was once open book; now it is not. It is a "limited reference
exam," which means that during the exam the only reference material you can
use during the exam is the NCEES handout. You can't bring any other reference
books into the exam.
Fundamentals of Engineering (FE/EIT) Exam FAQs (Professional Engineering Licensing)
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