Tips for Repeaters in FE Electrical and Computer Exam
Wasim Asghar 
September 15, 2023The FE Exam is one of the milestones of any engineer’s career. Engineering students try their best to attempt the exam in their senior year. The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination conducted by the NCEES® is the initial examination out of the two assessments that an engineer must clear in the US to hold the title of a licensed professional engineer (PE).
In this blog post, we have explained the tips for repeaters in the FE electrical and computer exam so that when you re-take the exam, you clear it with flying colors.
Before taking the PE exam, final-year engineering students or engineers who are already employed must clear the FE exam and have a minimum of 4 years of relevant working experience under their belt. After clearing the PE exam, the candidate officially becomes a licensed professional engineer (PE) and can use the title of PE with their credentials.
Therefore, to become a licensed professional engineer(PE), a title that not only comes with skill but also commands professionalism, you must first clear the FE exam. If you were unable to do so, you must re-appear in the exam until you do so.
Before we explore the tips for repeaters in FE electrical and computer exam, one thing you must keep in mind is that in case you or someone you know was not able to clear the exam on the first attempt, that does not mean that they are not skilled enough to become a licensed engineer.
Apart from other factors, the passing rate for the FE Exam is low, and usually, it keeps decreasing yearly. Therefore, take this setback with a pinch of salt and restart your FE exam prep with renewed zeal and zest while remembering the following tips.
Let’s look at these tips and suggestions in detail so that you can benefit from them for re-appearing in the FE exam and the long run.
Top 6 Tips for Repeaters in FE Electrical and Computer Exam
1. Understanding the Exam Format
The first and foremost step you must remember while repeating the FE exam is to have complete knowledge of the exam format itself. The FE exam is a computer-based exam conducted at Pearson VUE test centers that NCEES® has approved.
The exam has 110 questions and is conducted across a duration of 6 hours. The split for the 6 hours is as follows:
- Non-Disclosure Agreement (2 minutes)
- Tutorial (8 minutes)
- Exam (5 hours and 20 minutes)
- Planned Break (25 minutes)
Once you have genuinely understood the exam format, you will realize that not only is it about having the proper knowledge and skills to attempt the exam, but it also depends on how you handle this computer-based testing methodology and time management within the exam itself.
We recommend that you take an FE exam prep course that offers practice questions to be well-versed in the exam format.
2. Creating a Study Plan
The FE exam requires a proper study plan to be in place. This is because if you start preparation without any structure or guidance, you will lose your way in between, and the results will be poor.
Use the FE exam preparation planner to help you create a comprehensive and balanced study schedule. Not only that, to ensure that you have an effective study plan and you stick to it.
It would help if you made sure that you are not overburdening yourself for clearing the exam and that you take out some time to help relax and unwind. Take adequate breaks during the FE exam prep to ensure the study plan is not disturbed. This will help you resume the prep with a fresh mind.
3. Improving Time Management
As mentioned earlier, time management in the FE exam is crucial and should be given its due weight. Given that the exam has a computer-based format, you must familiarize yourself with it to ensure that time is well-spent in understanding how to access the test on the computer or the exam questions.
When practicing these sample problems in your FE exam prep course, you should time yourself accordingly. Then, with further repetitions of the practice problems, try improving that time further to give you a cushion in the examination.
We recommend that while taking the examination in real-time, keep a check on the clock, and if you feel like one question or section is taking more than its requisite due, then try to wrap it up and move on to the next part and return to it in the end to complete.
Do not spend time on a question you don’t know or feel you don’t know the answer to, as this will impact the overall efficiency.
4. Focusing on Weak Areas
One thing that repeat takers of the FE electrical and computer engineering exam usually miss out on is identifying the areas in which they could have done better. One must reflect on the exam experience and questions and then identify and write down the areas in which the candidate feels they did not do well or are difficult, to begin with.
Once those areas have been identified, they should be incorporated with greater emphasis in the study plan to cover them as part of the overall preparation and be paid extra attention to so that the same mistakes are avoided in the reattempt.
It would help if you put extra effort into practicing sample problems relevant to the weak areas or topics that are hard or you find difficult. This will help you prepare for the exam and add confidence while attempting the FE exam once again.
5. Taking Practice Exams
It is necessary, especially for repeaters, to attempt practice exams and questions. Many candidates for the FE exam practice using sample questions. Not only do they gain confidence, but they also learn about their weak areas and strengths.
Practice exams help you visualize the exam day itself, thus giving you the experience of attempting the questions. It also helps in familiarization with the paper pattern and mode of examination, which can prove to be the main difference between success and failure.
6. Staying Motivated
Staying motivated, especially in the face of adversity, is not only challenging but difficult as well. But what one must know as an FE electrical and computer engineering exam repeater is that you have to channel motivation across mental barriers and emotional challenges.
Unfortunately, you could not clear the FE Exam, and you must make a reattempt. But this is not failure. Instead, it is likely that your preparation was not up to par or included some external and internal factors, which meant that you could not give your best performance in the exam.
You must focus on the end goal to overcome these emotional challenges. Envision yourself becoming a licensed professional engineer, clearing the FE exam, and getting your EIT certification.
This will translate not only as successful in your professional life with a possible promotion or salary increase but also in your personal life, where you can view this as your hard work and individual achievement.
So, start the exam prep and take the exam with a positive mindset, confidence, and total motivation. Your emotional and mental state can make or break your attempt at the FE exam. Hence you must ensure both excellent preparation and mental well-being.
Conclusion
We hope that as you have gone through these tips for repeaters in FE electrical and computer exam, you will have felt a sense of motivation and a realization of professional guidance.
These tips are not only time and tested, but their practical application has also benefited professionals in the PE exam. But one must know that these tips are not all there is; you must put in your effort, hard work, and a sense of responsibility to ensure that your reattempt of the FE exam proves fruitful.
Therefore, clear your mind of relapsing thoughts and focus on your professional aspirations. Then, take on the FE exam prep with renewed zeal and passion and with a specialized FE exam prep course along with these suggestions and tips. We assure you that you will clear the FE exam and achieve a sense of accomplishment.
We wish you the best of luck on your FE exam journey! Please keep visiting our blog to find more relevant tips and suggestions.
Licensed Professional Engineer in Texas (PE), Florida (PE) and Ontario (P. Eng) with consulting experience in design, commissioning and plant engineering for clients in Energy, Mining and Infrastructure.