Top Study Tips to Pass the FE Electrical Exam
Wasim Asghar 
March 17, 2023Have you ever encountered an engineering student boasting that they are a phenomenal test taker? What does this imply? Can this help them ace the FE exam if they are knowledgeable about the FE exam topics? Well, not always.
Even if you are a top engineering student, can clarify complicated concepts to others, and perform practical work, being a good test taker is very different from genuinely comprehending the subject matter.
So now, you might be wondering how to pass the FE exam. To help you out, we have written this comprehensive article to provide you with the best study tips to pass the FE exam.
So without any further ado, let’s have a look at them.
12 Best Study Tips to Pass the FE Exam
Here’s a list of the twelve study tips to pass the FE exam:
- Know The Topics For The Exam
- Know Your Weak And Strong Subjects
- Follow The Fe Exam Prep Source
- Make A Schedule
- Take Help From The Calculator’s Advanced Features
- Solve Every Problem
- Leave Subjects You Didn’t See In School
- Try To Solve Each Problem From Scratch
- Grasp The Concept But Avoid Going Deep Down Into A Practice Problem
- Using The Latest Version Of The Fe Reference Handbook
- More Sleep Is Recommended Before The Exam
- Don’t Waste Time Studying With Out-Of-Date Textbooks
1. Know the Topics for the Exam
You might know that most of your engineering college subjects, such as mathematics, are included in the FE exam. However, it is also essential to know that NCEES®, the organization that designs the FE exam, also provides a list of the specific FE exam topics that could be addressed on the FE exam.
In this way, you can avoid being startled by the FE exam by being aware of the specific FE exam topics that will be tested, such as state machine design, rather than solely the general category, like digital systems.
2. Know Your Weak and Strong Subjects
Each of us possesses both strong and weak points. Some students may excel in economics yet struggle in statistics. Hence, it’s critical that we actively analyze, determine the subjects that need more improvement, and devote more time and energy to those FE exam topics to master them.
Practice and make sure that you are proficient in all subjects. However, you should also strive to refine your expertise in the knowledge areas you do well while putting in relatively less effort. You can increase your chances of passing the FE exam by paying enough attention to your shortcomings and strengths.
3. Follow the FE Exam Prep Source
Indeed, you undoubtedly have many FE practice engineering questions lying around. There are certainly a few more you can find online. These approaches may be effective, but skipping the FE review book or online exam prep course by Wasim Asghar risks having knowledge gaps in your prepping with 150+ lectures, 70+ quizzes, and 10+ mini-exams to help you fast-track your exam preparation.
By using a structured and comprehensive FE exam review course, you can avoid spending so much time preparing for subjects that won’t even be on the examination or, worse, failing to cover those topics essential to passing the FE exam.
4. Make a schedule
The next FE exam tip is to create a daily or weekly schedule to study for the FE exam. This should include concise outlines of the subjects you must grasp and the intended number of practice hours.
Once you’ve developed a solid FE exam study schedule, don’t deviate from it – instead, stick to it religiously and let it guide you since keeping a written record of everything will keep you on track.
5. Take Help From the Calculator’s Advanced Features
Calculators are an essential part of an effective study plan for the FE Electrical examination. They have the potential to enhance timeliness significantly and help you solve questions more swiftly.
Therefore, it is imperative that you maximally take benefit from your NCEES® approved FE examination calculator by comprehending its fundamental and advanced features, such as those listed below:
- Solving a variable-dependent equation.
- Creating a layered display for lengthy equations.
- Inserting the value from one step into a variable and using it in the following step.
- Solving derivatives and integrals.
- Solving vector questions.
- Converting binary, decimal, hexadecimal, and octal numbers.
6. Solve Every Problem
It takes a lot of effort to complete the FE exam in the allotted time. You must know the solution methods, equations, and valuable information available to pass the FE exam. This is only doable if you practice extensively. Set a goal of solving a certain number of questions per day.
Don’t skip out on any practice questions. Instead, aim to solve every problem to boost your agility and effectiveness. Try to read and comprehend each question as thoroughly as possible. This will strengthen your memory and enable you to solve the questions in the least amount of time.
7. Leave Subjects You Didn’t See in School
The FE examination may include questions on one or two knowledge areas not covered in your undergraduate engineering degree. You might be able to comprehend and learn enough about these FE exam topics on your own to tackle them on the exam. But, you will undoubtedly have to put in more time and effort to study those topics rather than prepping for the ones you covered in the class.
We’re not implying that you should entirely skip these areas; instead, it’s our FE exam advice for you to save your review for last. Prioritize solving the problems that you have a higher prospect of answering correctly.
8. Try to Solve Each Problem From Scratch
Our next best FE exam prep tip is that if you fail to solve a practice question correctly, do not just peek through the solution, concluding “this makes sense,” and immediately turn to attempt the next practice problem. Instead, analyze the solution and figure out what the question is asking.
Then, re-attempt that question from square one, but this time don’t look through the answer. Doing so will build some “muscle memory” for that kind of problem, and you will be prepared to react accordingly if you encounter it on the FE exam.
9. Grasp the concept but avoid going deep down into a practice problem
Most FE problems will be “plug ‘n chug,” but not all of them. Additionally, the FE exam likes to surprise you with a few curve balls. To deceive you into believing you solved the problem perfectly, they will purposefully work out a question wrong and then provide that answer as one of the potential solutions.
You will be able to decipher any trickery the FE may use if you comprehend the core logic underlying the practice problem. As there are several topics to study for the FE exam, avoid delving too deeply into the intricacies of the theory to the point where it becomes challenging for you to dedicate time to other FE exam topics.
10. Using the Latest Version of the FE Reference Handbook
As you know, the sole reference item permitted during the FE examination is the NCEES® FE Reference Handbook. It comprises a plethora of exam-relevant equations, formulas, terminologies, and information that can assist you in answering problems rapidly without having to memorize any of those nuances.
That’s why you must use the latest version of the FE reference handbook to study for the FE exam, as it often changes over the years, impacting your preparation and results. It is also essential for you to study from the PDF version rather than the printed copy because you will be only allowed to use the electronic version of the Reference Handbook during the FE exam.
11. More Sleep Is Recommended Before the Exam
On the off chance that you want to cram the night before the FE test, don’t. It’s not worth the effort. Don’t put your months of diligent studying at stake by remaining up all night. Allow your mind to recharge so you can wake up the morning of the FE exam refreshed and all set to go.
There’s nothing more awful than sacrificing weeks or months of studying for the FE exam because you stayed up all night studying a subject that might only appear in one of the 110 exam problems.
12. Don’t Waste Time Studying With Out-Of-Date Textbooks
The NCEES® has updated the list of the FE exam topics in July 2020. Several textbooks are available to study for the FE exam; however, many of them comprise information that is no longer accurate or pertinent because it hasn’t been revised in years.
So, it is always advisable to keep checking your studying resources, as not prepping from the latest ones will only let your efforts go down the drain.
Conclusion
These 12 study tips to pass the FE exam can make your dreams come true. All your hard work aside, some strategies are necessary to study for the FE exam. We hope this article has guided you on how to pass the FE exam. And those intending to take the FE exam: Good work on stepping up and bettering your profession, and best of luck in your future endeavors!
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.