how many course need to take in fe

The Fundamentals of Engineering

(FE) exam is a beast. Six hours long, 110 questions, and up to 18 separate subjects to study for, depending on your discipline. It scares most people just thinking about studying for it, and some quit before they even start.

Full Answer

How much time should I put into studying for the Fe?

However, you don’t have to work on everything; you need to address your weaknesses. The time and effort you need to put into studying for the FE exam will depend on your starting point. If you graduated last week with a 4.0 GPA, you’ll need less time than someone who graduated 3 years ago with a 2.1 GPA.

What degree do you need to take the FE exam?

For most states, you must have completed or be close to completing an undergraduate bachelors or graduate engineering degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program. A few states will allow you to take the FE exam without a bachelors or graduate degree in engineering after many years of experience.

How many disciplines does the Fe offer?

The FE is offered in seven disciplines. Specifications for each discipline are as follows: The computer-based FE contains alternative item types (AITs). AITs are questions other than traditional multiple-choice questions.

What percentage do you need to pass the FE exam?

The current FE exam pass rates as of July 2020 are: 1 FE Chemical: 74% 2 FE Civil: 73% 3 FE Electrical and Computer: 73% 4 FE Environmental: 79% 5 FE Industrial: 70% 6 FE Mechanical: 79% 7 FE Other Disciplines: 75%

How long should I study for my fe?

We recommend planning to study for at least 2 to 3 months before your FE exam date. Once you get started practicing problems from all of the different topics covered, you'll have a better idea if you need to spend more or less time preparing.

How long do you have to take the FE?

6 hoursExaminees have 6 hours to complete the exam, which contains 110 multiple-choice questions. The 6-hour time also includes a tutorial, a break, and a brief survey at the conclusion. The actual exam time is 5 hours 20 minutes.

What are the requirements to take the FE exam?

The FE exam is open to anyone who has a degree in engineering or a related field, or is currently enrolled in the last year of an ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accredited engineering degree program.

How many Fe exams can you take?

NCEES allows examinees to take the exam once during each two-month period and up to three times per 12-month period.

Can I take PE exam without Fe?

Can I apply for the Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam without taking the FE exam? Yes. You may apply directly for the PE exam, if you have at least 12 years of engineering work experience that is acceptable to the PE Board, with five of those years in "responsible charge" of engineering work.

Is the FE exam open book?

The NCEES FE Reference Handbook is the only reference material that can be used during the exam. You will be provided with an electronic reference handbook during the exam. For access prior to your exam, you may either purchase a hard copy or download a free electronic copy.

Can a non engineer take the FE exam?

A few states permit individuals without degrees who have four or more years of engineering experience to take the fundamentals of engineering examination. However, the number of states permitting non-degreed individuals to take the FE examination is dwindling.

Does FE exam help get job?

Step 1: Take the Fundamentals of Engineering FE Exam Passing the test shows potential employers that you are qualified to be an engineer and that you are serious about your career. It is the first step toward becoming a licensed engineer.

How long is FE exam valid?

indefinitelyEngineer intern accreditation merely means you passed the national Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, which is valid indefinitely.

Can you take 2 Fe exams?

The FE exam is offered each year during four testing windows: January - February, April - May, July - August, and October - November. You can take the exam up to three times in one year.

How many times can I fail the FE exam?

How Many Times Can You Take The Exam? The NCEES allows you to take the exam once during any 2-month period, and three times in a 12-month period.

What is a passing score on FE exam?

70%The FE Exam Passing Score The passing score of the FE exam on average is 70%. It is imperative to remember that these numbers can change very quickly. This is due to the board basing the benchmark score on the minimum ability score of the test takers.

What is the FE exam?

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is generally your first step in the process to becoming a professional licensed engineer (P.E.). It is designed for recent graduates and students who are close to finishing an undergraduate engineering degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program. The FE exam is a computer-based exam administered year-round ...

How long does it take to get FE results?

FE exam results are typically available 7–10 days after you take the exam. You will receive an email notification from NCEES with instructions to view your results in your MyNCEES account. Results include information specific to your licensing board regarding how you should proceed based on your performance.

How much is the NCEES exam?

A $175 exam fee is payable directly to NCEES. Some licensing boards may require you to file a separate application and pay an application fee as part of the approval process to qualify you for a seat for an NCEES exam. Your licensing board may have additional requirements.

What is the NCEEs FE reference book?

The NCEES FE Reference Handbook is the only reference material that can be used during the exam. You will be provided with an electronic reference handbook during the exam. For access prior to your exam, you may either purchase a hard copy or download a free electronic copy.

Does NCEEs have practice exams?

NCEES offers practice exams. These practice exams contain questions that have been used on past exams and questions written just for study materials to give you extra practice. The NCEES practice exams now come in paperback print copies. Online practice exams are no longer available.

Is NCEES online practice exam available?

Online practice exams are no longer available. If you have already purchased an online practice exam, you will have access to the exam until the exam is completed or until your purchased time expires. Learn more about NCEES exam prep materials.

What is the NCEEs FE exam?

The NCEES FE exam (Fundamentals of Engineering exam) is the first exam you will need to pass in order to become a professional licensed engineer (PE). You can take the FE exam as early as your last year in an undergraduate engineering degree program. Many exam candidates take the FE exam right after graduation.

Why is FE exam important?

There are many benefits of taking the FE exam, including better pay, more career opportunities, and showing potential employers that you have a high level of competency and drive. Passing your FE exam sets you apart from other engineering grads when applying for jobs or graduate programs.

What is the NCEEs Handbook?

For all practical purposes, the NCEES Handbook will have everything that you need to reference during the exam. For example, if the NCEES Handbook covers only rectangular concrete columns, you won’t be asked to design a round concrete column. If the NCEES Handbook covers only the Rankine earth pressure theory, you won’t be expected to know ...

How wide is the NCEEs exam?

NCEES provides its own searchable, electronic version of the NCEES Handbook for use during the exam. Computer screens are 24 inches wide so there is enough room to display the exam questions and the NCEES Handbook side-by-side.

How many times can you take the NCEEs exam?

NCEES’s policy is that examinees may take the exam once per testing window, up to three times per 12-month period. However, you should check with your state board to see whether it imposes any restrictions on the number and frequency of retakes.

Does the NCEES cover Coulomb?

If the NCEES Handbook covers only the Rankine earth pressure theory, you won’t be expected to know the Coulomb earth pressure theory. If you take your preparation seriously, the NCEES Handbook is pretty much a guarantee that you won’t waste any time learning subjects that are not on the FE exam.

Who administers the FE exam?

The FE exam is administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying ( NCEES ). This national nonprofit organization requires all potential examinees to read the NCEES Examinee Guide, which can be found here, before registering for the exam. To register for the exam, start by creating a MyNCEES account.

How long is the NCEES exam?

The exam is a 6-hour computer-based test that includes: Closed book with an electronic reference which includes data and equations; and. NCEES publishes the topics and the number of questions that will be on FE (shown below is the weighting starting in July 1, 2020).

What are the two exams for engineering?

The two exams are: Fundamentals of engineering (FE) exam - in college when you have 20 or fewer credits remaining including courses in progress. Principals and practice of engineering (PE) exam - after only 4 years of experience. If you were not enrolled in an ABET-accredited B.E. program, you would need 6 years of experience to take ...

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As an additional check on our data, we asked the community at r/FE_Exam on Reddit how long they studied for the FE exam, and the poll results we got there aligned well with our data.

Plan to study for 2 to 3 months if you've been out of school for 2 years or fewer

We recommend planning to study for at least 2 to 3 months before your FE exam date. Once you get started practicing problems from all of the different topics covered, you'll have a better idea if you need to spend more or less time preparing.

How do I study for the FE exam in 1 or 3 months?

Don't just work hard. Work hard and smart. Familiarize yourself with the different topics asked on the FE exam. Take a brief look through this list just to make yourself aware of what's on the FE exam for your engineering discipline. You will keep this information on the back of your head as you start strategizing your FE exam prep.

How many years of work experience do you need to pass the PE exam?

You then accrue four years of work experience until you’re eligible for the final step, passing the PE exam. In general, you must gain four years of engineering experience as an EIT before you’re eligible to take the PE exam. However, some states such as Kentucky will allow you to take the PE exam before the four years of engineering experience, ...

What is the EIT exam?

A licensed professional engineer is someone who has the legal right to stamp and seal engineering documents that go out to the public. The NCEES FE (EIT) exam is a ~5.5-hour, 110-question long, multiple-choice test that covers the majority of the courses seen in an engineering undergraduate curriculum.

How long does it take to get a PE license in Kentucky?

However, some states such as Kentucky will allow you to take the PE exam before the four years of engineering experience, but your actual licensure won’t be effective until the four years have passed. Taking the PE exam soon after taking the FE exam can be very advantageous as the topics are still fresh in your mind.

Do civil engineers have to pass the FE exam?

It depends. If you are a civil engineer, it is expected for you to pass the FE exam from the very beginning of your career . It's likely your employer will hold off on giving you a promotion solely based on the fact that you are not an EIT yet.

Can I take PE exam after FE?

Taking the PE exam soon after taking the FE exam can be very advantageous as the topics are still fresh in your mind . You can then request to transfer your professional licensure from Kentucky to your home state. Transferring professional engineering licensure has a lot of technicalities both states must agree on.

Can I take the FE exam without a degree?

For most states, you must have completed or be close to completing an undergraduate bachelors or graduate engineering degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program. A few states will allow you to take the FE exam without a bachelors or graduate degree in engineering after many years of experience.

Do you have to pass the FE exam before your first day of work?

If you are a mechanical, electrical, or chemical engineer ....the value of passing the FE solely depends on how much your employer values it. Unlike civils, other engineering disciplines are not expected to have passed the FE exam before their first day of work. Passing the FE exam will impress your boss and likely become a contributing factor in ...

How to prepare for FE exam?

Before you begin the 12-step FE Exam prep process, you’ll need to collect the following: 1 A copy of the official FE Reference Manual. 2 The approved calculator you will use for the actual exam. 3 Scratch paper. 4 Your undergraduate notes. 5 Your undergraduate textbook with post-it tabs for quick reference. 6 A computer with Excel.

Do I have to work on everything for FE?

You must undertake a concentrated FE Exam prep. However, you don’t have to work on everything; you need to address your weaknesses. The time and effort you need to put into studying for the FE exam will depend on your starting point.

How long is the FE exam?

The exam lasts five hours and 20 minutes and is administered during four testing windows ...

Why don't engineers take FE exams?

The reason the majority of engineers don’t take the FE Exam is that there is no immediate benefit that is correlated with it, which makes it a tough sell for some. We’re talking about a lot of time and effort for something that is tough to quantify in the short run. However, there is a reason why the FE Exam exists, ...

What is the drop rate for passing the second attempt?

As we can see above, there is a 36% drop in pass rates on the second attempt from 71% for first time exam takers to only 35% for repeat exam takers. So basically, if you fail the first time, your probability of failure on the second attempt increases exponentially. However, a first time pass rate of 71% indicates passing to be very doable if you put in the time to prepare.

What is the first time pass rate for engineering?

The first time pass rate across all disciplines is 71% and 35% for repeat exam takers. Environmental & Mechanical had the highest first-time pass rate Industrial & Systems had the lowest. Exam takers with engineering degrees have a 9% higher pass rate than exam takers who don’t have a degree, or aren’t working towards one.

How many different exams are there?

There are seven different exams you could take depending on your area of focus, and the pass rates change with each discipline. So looking at your specific discipline above will give you a better idea of what your chances are. The good news is that there are study materials available tailored to each specific discipline.

Do you need a degree to take the EAC exam?

There is no rule that you need to have a degree or be working toward one in order to take the exam, so there are exam takers with no college experience. It is worth noting that Takers with a EAC / ABET bachelor’s degree pass at rates higher than those without one.

What is FE Other General?

FE Other (General) If you are unsure of which FE Exam to take, check out the FE Other (General) exam . This exam is PERFECT for those who do not know which specialty they want to go into. While the other six exams have very topic-specific exam specifications, the FE Other (General) exam combines topics from the other disciplines.

Is FE exam prep good?

If looking at the pass rates makes you nervous, taking an FE exam prep review course can significantly increase your chance of passing the FE exam of your choosing. The FE Other (General) exam is great for those who are unsure of which engineering discipline they want to focus their career on.