How do you study for the FE exam?
Start with a diagnostic practice exam, then study the subjects that carry the most questions on your discipline's specification. Work practice problems from scratch instead of rereading. Learn to find formulas in the NCEES FE Reference Handbook, the reference you use in the exam, and learn your approved calculator. Then take timed full-length practice exams.
The Fundamentals of Engineering exam is computer-based, with 110 questions in about 5 hours and 20 minutes of exam time, and you take the version for your discipline, such as civil, mechanical or electrical. The specification on the NCEES site lists the topics and how many questions each gets. Use it to put your hours where the points are.
During the exam you only get the searchable FE Reference Handbook, so studying means learning where things are, not memorizing every formula. Practice each problem with the handbook open and an approved calculator in your hand, and time yourself at roughly three minutes a question.
Redo missed problems a few days later without looking at the solution. In later weeks, mix topics so you practice choosing the method, not only applying it.
- 1Find your discipline's exam specification on the NCEES site and note the topic weights.
- 2Take a diagnostic practice exam to find your weak subjects.
- 3Download the free FE Reference Handbook and practice searching it.
- 4Study by topic, solving problems from scratch and checking solutions afterwards.
- 5Learn your approved calculator for integrals, matrices, units and statistics.
- 6Take two or three timed full-length practice exams and redo every miss.