Civil engineers who are planning to be licensed engineers in the United States must pass the PE Civil exam. The professional engineering exam is an NCEES-designed exam that tests a candidate’s overall skills. Every year many engineers apply for this test with the dream to be called a Professional Engineer. Are you one of them? Then don’t forget to go through this blog!
Whether you are applying for the PE Civil exam for the first time or have tried before and failed, we have the right solution for you. Passing this competitive exam is more than just studying for some time and heading to the exam room. You have to invest yourself completely and know what your PE exam prep needs.
If you are wondering if you could pass this exam by simply studying for a month, then you are only wasting your time. Here we will help you go through the ideal preparation process for the PE exam. Along with the preparation tips, we will also tell you about the reasons you must work hard and try to be a licensed engineer.
Find everything about the professional engineer’s exam in this comprehensive guide below:
Tips to Pass the PE Civil Exam
- Have a Plan!
Once you have registered for the PE Civil exam, do you know what needs to be your first step? Well, the first thing you should do is come up with a plan. Depending on how much time you have until the exam, you must assign yourself study hours for each day. Try to register for the exam on time so that you have at least 3, or 4 months to prepare.
Without a schedule, you will have no idea where your preparation is headed. You won’t be able to track your progress or figure out how you need to pace yourself. Planning your study hours allow you to be on top of your learning at all times and ensure that you get everything done well before the main exam. A candidate who plans out his PE exam prep is more likely to pass the exam than the one who didn’t.
- Make the Most of the PE Review Course
You probably have come across different PE review courses & FE review course providers online. But are you going to enroll in the course? We say you should. By joining a review course at a trusted academy you can enhance your preparation. They will help you complete the course and shape up your preparation in a way that suits the exam requirements.
Besides, you will have experts there who would know exactly what you might need to do to pass the exam. Along with the course learning, you can gain valuable insights about the exam by joining this course. When choosing a PE review course to join, always check for the team’s experience, what study resources they have for you, and whether or not they provide practice papers to work on.
- Solve Practice Tests
What are you planning to do when you complete the course? You might start the revision for the entire syllabus again. Instead of that, we say you start solving practice tests. It is the best way to prepare for any exam. The more of these you work on, the easier it will be for you on exam day.
When solving practice tests, make sure you set up an exam hall-like environment. Take the practice paper and time yourself as you solve them. With each practice paper you solve, you will realize where you can save time, what you are doing wrong, etc. Besides, when you can solve a couple or more practice papers on time, it also boosts your confidence which is crucial for such a high-stakes exam.
- Don’t Get Overconfident No Matter What!
It’s great if you have many achievements as a civil engineer or if you were a class topper in your college. But every engineer who enters the exam hall to take the PE Civil exam has the same challenge ahead. You shouldn’t get overconfident and think that you might have an edge over other candidates because you don’t.
Every engineer works hard and some might even work harder than others. So, it’s wrong to think that the PE exam is easier for you. A lot of candidates who take the PE Civil exam for granted end up failing the exam. This is why a key part of preparing for the PE exam is understanding how valuable this test is. When you give the PE exam the respect it deserves, you automatically work hard on your preparation.
- Allow Your Mind and Body to Rest
Another important yet commonly ignored tip to pass the PE Civil exam is for candidates to rest their minds and body. Many engineers keep preparing or revising for the test till the last minute without a break. In case, you think that is going to help you then you are wrong. A major part of your study plan should include dividing equal time for studying and resting. You need to give your brain the right amount of rest so that you can be ready to take on the exam, especially the day before the test.
You might find it strange but you shouldn’t study too much the day before the exam. Maybe just a little bit of overview and that’s it. Try to rest your mind by hanging out with your family, listening to some music, etc. Also, avoid engaging in conversation about the courses with other candidates outside the exam room.
Why Go After the Professional Engineer License?
The above-mentioned points will help you know how to pass the PE Civil exam or what you should try to do. However, not all engineers believe that a professional engineer’s license is the right thing for their career. Here, we are going to talk about some of the popular reasons why you must focus on passing the PE Civil exam to acquire the license so that you can decide better.
- Better Salary
The number one and most essential reason to go after a PE license is a better salary. As compared to an unlicensed engineer, a candidate with the PE title will get more opportunities and hence an increased paycheck as well. You will most likely be working on major engineering projects including some government construction projects too.
The salary increase is also because you might be leading these projects instead of being a part of the team. Civil engineers no matter how skilled they are will have to work under a PE in most cases. So, naturally, when you are a license holder, you get to be the project head and also earn higher than the whole team.
- Work Flexibility Across the United States
In case you are planning on moving to a different city with your family, it’s generally hard to find work. But not if you are a licensed engineer in the United States. The PE license is valid across the country and is proof of your capabilities as an engineer. So, you might not find it that hard to look for new and better jobs in a different state.
When you add PE to your resume, you already are a favorite for most of the companies looking for civil engineers. It doesn’t matter wherever you are in the country, you will always be recognized and appreciated professionally simply for having a PE license. Work flexibility is one of the main benefits of the PE license.
- Higher Reputation in the Industry
Once you pass the PE Civil exam and get your license, you are no longer a common engineer. You will be officially titled a Professional Engineer. This title doesn’t only come with a better salary and work flexibility options, but a great deal of reputation as well. Having a PE license means you are one of the best in the field.
Not just this, with a better reputation, you also enhance your credibility in the market. Companies would want to hire you and always prefer you over candidates without a PE license. You could work as a civil engineer all your life, but the reputation you get with the PE license is unmatched. As someone who wants their career to grow profoundly, you must give the PE Civil exam a chance.
Conclusion
Have you gone through this Professional engineer’s exam comprehensive guide? Then you might have a better idea of why to prepare for the PE exam and how to prepare for it. The PE Civil exam is not easy to pass but if you do everything that’s needed to prepare, you will give yourself a great chance.
Civil Engineering Academy is here to help you pass the PE Civil exam effectively. We have a PE review course, NCEES-based practice papers, and many relevant study materials to guide you. Check out and enroll in the course now & get the best opportunities after passing this exam with good marks this year. Keep studying & Good luck with the exam!
