How Long Does It Take To Prepare for the FE Electrical and Computer Exam?
Wasim Asghar 
March 17, 2023The preparation process for the FE Electrical and Computer Exam is difficult and long. Although every student varies in how much time they spend preparing for the exam, we have compiled average lengths based on the estimates of many of our students.
The average passing student studies around 200-400 hours, which is usually distributed as around 3-4 hours per day for 3 months. In contrast, the average failing student studies around 100-300 hours, or around ~2 hours per day for 3 months.
It is important to note, however, that what matters far more than the number of hours you spend is how you spend those hours studying. Actively studying and doing practice questions will get you far more return on every hour than if you spent those hours re-reading notes or textbooks.
At StudyForFE, we advocate for active learning and have numerous resources for you to learn more actively. In addition to the study guides which have hundreds of practice problems, we also have computer-simulated practice exams which aim to be identical to what you will face on your actual test day.
Additionally, you can view many of our tips on maximizing your study efficiency. For example, it is recommended that you divide your study sessions into 30-minute blocks, where you study for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break. This is known as the Pomodoro technique and can help you maximize your focus.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1 - How many hours a week should I study for the FE exam?
You should dedicate at least 14 to 21 hours a week to studying for the FE exam, and that is roughly two-three hours per day. Reading the reference handbook, going through an exam preparation course, and practicing multiple problems should be the focus of your study hours.
2 - Can you pass the FE without studying?
Though it is rare, yes, you can pass the FE exam without studying if you apply the Pareto Principle appropriately. Pareto Principle can help you give 80% results if you only put in 20% effort. It implies that you can clear your FE exam even if you only concentrate on a limited number of topics during your preparation.
3 - What is the pass rate for the FE exam?
The FE exam does not have a fixed pass rate, and you will only get your result as a pass or fail. Generally, a curving passing score of 70 percent is obtained by answering approximately 50 percent of the exam’s questions. The exact percentiles will fluctuate from year to year, though.
Conclusion
How long to study for the FE exam depends on each individual’s capacity to absorb information in a particular amount of time.
It also relies heavily on certain factors like the type of test-takers when you are taking the FE exam, i.e., right after graduation or after being out of school for a few years.
However, the average study time to prepare for the FE exam is three to five hours of studying per day for about two to three months.
The FE exam is challenging, but not hard enough that you can’t ace it – you just need to devote time studying for the exam as per your capability and have a strong mindset.
We hope reading this article gave you a thorough insight into how much time you should dedicate to studying for the FE exam.
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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.