FE Exam

Preparation

Last updated June 2022 (Still in progress)

If you’re a senior nervous about taking the Civil FE Exam, don’t be—as long as you’ve taken and mostly understood your CEVE classes at Rice, you’re in good shape to pass after a little refreshing. You’ve made it this far, and this test won’t stop you!

Summary

  • The exam  is a 110-question test taken over six hours, with an optional 25-minute break after the 55th question.
    • That means there’s more than 3 minutes per question, which is a LOT given that most of them are multiple choice, with a couple of matching/fill-in-the-blanks sprinkled in.
    • You’re given a really long pdf reference manual that includes most necessary formulas and the ability to ctrl-F
    • Honestly, you could probably walk in just with that knowledge and do well but don’t be tempted to.
    • You can also bring a calculator, but they only allow 3 types: Casio fx-115 and fx-991, Hewlett Packard 33 and 35, and TI 30x and 36x.
      • Casios and TIs are usually more cheaper depending on where you buy them.
  • You take the exam on a computer in a professional testing center, the closest to Rice being the Pearson Professional Center in Bellaire.
  • You have to make an account on the ncees.org website and register to take the exam at a specific center at a specific time and date– they’ll handle the setup and etc.
  • Spots are usually only available like 1.5 months in advance. Note that you pay for the exam BEFORE you set a time, date, and location to take it.
  • It costs $225 to register. 
    • However, the CEVE Department will subsidize $125 of the registration fee! 
    • Email your test scores to Caroline Leggett (cl185@rice.edu) as proof, and you will obtain the subsidy/reimbursement.
  • The testing centers require a pretty hefty anti-fraud procedure, so have an official ID on you.

You get the results back after about a week. If you reach a certain percentage (usually around 60-70%), you pass. Then, once you graduate, you can apply for an EIT license! The results are applicable in any state. The process might vary from state to state, but you’ll have to send in a transcript.

Material on the Exam:

  • Math: algebra, calc I and II, some multi, and maybe one or two basic linear algebra or diff-eq questions.
  • Stats: just the basic stuff. Make sure you know sample st. dev. from population st. dev.
  • Ethics: definitely read the pdf beforehand to get an idea of what this means. Higher on the code of ethics = higher priority.
  • Engineering Econ: if you’ve taken 301, you know how to use the table. If not, it’s very easy to learn. Some more complex problems as well, but if you have a basic understanding of money, you’ll be okay
  • Statics: 211, and some parts of PHYS 101 (but not as difficult as the latter).
  • Dynamics: the rest of PHYS 101.
  • Mechanics: 311. There will be a Mohr’s circle problem. I’m sorry.
  • Materials: 311 and some others. I can’t remember what this entailed but it was pretty easy
  • Fluid mechanics: 368. Mostly just the water pressure and flow continuity bits, but don’t quote me on that.
  • Surveying: I highly recommend you put in the effort to learn how this works, through Youtube or whatever. These are easy points to get if you know how to make a guess.
  • Water resources and environmental: 412 and 310, plus maybe 401. Very basic stuff. Manning’s equation popped up a lot. A little chemistry.
  • Structural: 311 and 325. Truss problems take a long time, so know shortcuts (like method of sections).
  • Concrete and steel: 431 and 441. There were not many questions on either of these.
  • Geotechnical: 471. A lot of questions involving soil-water-air proportions, density, and weight. Some soil classification. Could also be an easy extra point-getter if you put in the work.
  • Transportation: 452. There were a couple of traffic problems but it was easy to learn or even just pick out from the pdf. Make sure you use the correct road grading/sizing equations.
  • Construction: the estimating and project management parts are also easy ways to get points.

Study Materials

You can choose to pay for study materials, which I’d definitely recommend if you don’t feel like you’ve retained a lot of material during your time here.  Prepfe.com has a good resource that costs about $40 for a month of unlimited practice problems, which would definitely help you get across that finish line. If you have any other recommendations for paid material, please let us know and we can add it here!

Chi Epsilon put together a compilation of FE review sessions from 2021 that are extremely useful, taught by our very own Rice CEVE professors. Reach out to the professors if you have any questions on that material. The Marshall University review videos are also helpful and have a charming West Virginia quality to them. You can probably also find other YouTube videos and free practice material buried in the Internet, or try to pirate stuff (but we don’t endorse that!).

Tips

  • Review the pdf that you’ll be given during the exam, just to get an idea of what’s there. Solve practice problems with the pdf to establish a workflow. The pdf is technically only available after you make an account, but I believe there’s a copy of the 2021 version in this folder.
  • Know the assumptions of an equation before you go ahead with using it! Check if there are any caveats listed and make sure your info lines up.
  • Figure out how to use the exam calculator. There are some helpful functions buried in there that will solve equations much faster.
  • Take your time, or save hard questions for later! 6 hours is a LOT.
  • And because 6 hours is a lot, bring food for the scheduled break. I almost passed out 3/4 of the way in from low blood sugar and it was terrible.
  • If it comes down to prioritizing which unfamiliar topic you’re going to learn, I’d say eng. econ > surveying > soil density/phase stuff > traffic > project management/estimating > geotech and foundations > transportation grading/sizing > reinforced concrete/steel. This is purely opinion so take it with a grain of salt.
    • And if there’s anything that you should definitely review from your past, it’s math, especially if it’s not your strong suit.

Make Sure to:

  • MAKE AN ACCOUNT NOW and book the appointment at least a month or two before you plan to take the FE.
  • BUY THE RIGHT CALCULATOR
    • Casio: All fx-115 and fx-991 models (Any Casio calculator must have “fx-115” or “fx-991” in its model name.)
    • Hewlett Packard: The HP 33s and HP 35s models, but no others
    • Texas Instruments: All TI-30X and TI-36X models (Any Texas Instruments calculator must have “TI-30X” or “TI-36X” in its model name.)
  • Ask the CEVE department for a registration subsidy!
  • Prepare to take the exam the night before– pack a bag with your calculator, water, food, a printout of your registration, and your ID (preferably a driver’s license or something).
  • You can retake the FE.
  • As long as you make a certain threshold, you’ve passed the exam. Beyond that, it doesn’t matter whether you know the rest of the questions, so don’t stress about being less familiar with 1-2 sections of the exam (but where you can, don’t leave things to chance).

Best of luck! If you’ve taken it and see anything you’d like us to add or change, please let us know.