If your objective is to pass the PE or SE exam with the optimal amount of studying but without unnecessary stress, then you really need to consider taking a review course. In this post, I will provide you four reasons why you should take a review course from the unique perspective of someone who has taken review courses and also as an instructor that had taught both the PE and SE exam review courses.
Reason #1: Structure Your Mindset
The problem with taking an important exam when you are no longer in school is that this exam is not a priority in your life when it should be. Yes, work and family life are important priorities in the LONG term, but this exam should be your priority in the SHORT term. Remember, once you pass it, you can get back to MUCH more important things in your life and passage of this exam can go a long way in helping you achieve your long term goals. With this in mind, unless you are a super dedicated and organized person, it will be hard for you to follow a study schedule that prioritizes this exam over everything else in your life. A review course will give you the structure and schedule that you need to spend the right amount of time and energy studying. For the review courses that I have taught in the past with PPI, we had weekly lecture schedules, dedicated problem solving sessions to go over example problems, office hours where you can ask instructor questions, and homework assignment to help you keep your studying on track. The structure of the course will keep you on the right mindset and help you prioritize this exam with other important matters in your life.
Reason #2: Time is Finite
Time is something that we all lack, but time is what you need to study for the exam. If you want to be as efficient with your time as possible when studying, then the best thing you can do is sign up for a review course. The challenge with an exam like this is that it tests on you on a lot of topics/concepts that you might not know or remember because you are no longer in school and these topics/concepts are not part of your work. Do you really want to spend your valuable time digging through your old engineering books, spin your wheels, and relearn concepts that you might not use again for the rest of your life? Worst yet, you might run into engineering concepts and topics that you have not seem before and you would have to self-teach yourself. Time is finite, so let’s use it wisely.
Reason #3: Teacher is Better than Textbooks
How do you not waste valuable time spinning your wheels when studying? Well, the answer is to take a review course and have an instructor explain/refresh the topics/concepts to you and be available to answer questions for you whenever you need! As a student, I remember sitting in a review class marveling at how much I learned about masonry design in just one review session when the same amount of learning would have taken me days to comb through textbooks and codes. On the other hand, as an instructor these review courses, I remember getting tons of good questions from students during class and office hours. I was glad to answer these questions for them because I know how annoying it is not to understand something and not knowing where to turn for answers. In fact, in addition to classes and office hours, the PPI review courses also have an online class forum where students can post questions about class or anything related to the exam. As an instructor, I was required by PPI to answer all these questions within a day or two of posting so that the students don’t get stuck and can move along in their studies. There’s no textbooks out there that will teach you better than a live instructor!
Reason #4: Crowdsource Your Success
Misery loves company, especially when it comes to NCEES exams! All joking aside, it’s just great to be able to go through the trial and tribulation of this engineering exam with your fellow examinees. When I taught the PPI review classes, I saw a lot of camaraderie among the students. They were helping each other out by answering each other’s questions during the lecture and in the online forum. Not only that, but I also saw helpful tables and study materials that were posted or passed around among the students. It’s always nice to be able to find friends that are going through the same stressful situation that you are going through. Who knows, but you might even find a study buddy from your review course!
Right now it’s easier than ever to take an online review course for either the PE or SE exam. You can attend the review course from the comfort of your own home without worrying about any health risks. I know that cost is a big issue for a lot of us, so make sure you check with your company to see if you can get reimbursed for the online review courses since they are crucial for your professional development. In addition, PPI is now partnering with Affirm to let you pay for their review classes with up to 12 months for 0% APR. As someone who has taught review courses for PPI in the past, I can tell you that many students told me how important these review courses were in helping them pass the exam. You can check out PPI’s class offerings by clicking here and signing up today!
Even though a review course is very important, it is probably 25% of the level of effort you need to pass the exam. What kind of studying do you have to do for the other 75%? Click here to find out.