The Principles and Practice of Engineering exam is the examination required for one to become a Professional Engineer (PE) in the United States. It is the second exam required, coming after the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. Upon passing the PE exam and meeting other eligibility requirements that vary by state, such as education and experience, an engineer can then become registered in their State to stamp and sign engineering drawings and calculations as a PE. The PE Exam is created and scored by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). NCEES is a national non-profit organization composed of engineering and surveying licensing boards representing all states and U.S. territories. Learn More about the PE Exam.
Three.
Based on the latest published pass rates from NCEES, all three disciplines are about the same, with approximately two thirds of first time exam takers passing, and just over half of second time exam takers passing. View Pass Rates.
The cut score varies from one test to the next and is not published by NCEES.
You should take the exam that is most relevant to your education, experience, and future work expectations. If any of these are in conflict, experience should be the primary driver.
Refer to the Exam Specifications published by NCEES:
Spend about 10 hours brushing up on the Fundamentals to re-establish your foundation, especially if you have been out of school for a while, then practice solving as many example problems as you can, carefully and gradually uncovering the nuances along the way.
Enroll in the Full Access Bundle and go in order:
Even though you can’t bring it with you since the exam is closed-book, the Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual is a helpful learning aid. There is no need to purchase the 14th edition. A used copy of the 13th edition will suffice as an occasional study reference.
The NCEES Practice Exams books are useful for a trial run a few weeks before your exam, when you are nearing the end of the study process.
Not at this time, but I may create a program in the future. Click here to sign up for updates.
Yes!
We have the course: 300 Practice Problems for the Mechanical FE Exam which will enable you to pass with confidence on the first try. Click here to watch free previews or enroll.
I recommend starting 4-6 months before your exam date. Any less tends to be rushed, and when life or work inevitably gets in the way, there isn’t enough slack in the schedule to accommodate the delay. Candidates often end up taking the test before they are fully prepared, or pushing their exam back, which carries a cost. On the other hand, allowing much more than 6 months leads to a casual, unfocused approach to studying which doesn’t shift into high gear until the exam date is approaching. The danger of too much time is a false sense of confidence. 4-6 months is the ideal balance. Read more of my thoughts on this.
As of April 2020 the Mechanical PE Exam has flexible scheduling because it is a computer-based test (CBT).
It depends on your state. Learn more here.
If you are a highly motivated engineer with a detail-oriented learning style, you may not need a formal review course with live instruction. With the right program, you can get yourself well-prepared and pass on the first try. If your life is busy with work, family, and other commitments and you are looking to be more efficient, I’ve created on-demand review programs that bypass the conventional study models and cut to the chase with focused practice problems in clean modules organized by topic. In addition to solution PDFs, I’ve recorded a clear concise solution video, typically 5-10 minutes, walking you through every single problem. My goal is to give you a way to study on your own and be confident that the process is going to bring you to your ultimate goal – passing the PE Exam!
You can check out my YouTube channel and all the Free Previews for my courses. If you really want to make your process more efficient, you can save 100+ hours by using the Full Access Bundle, which represents a savings of about $4,000 worth of time for the average engineer, and a lot less stress and frustration.
All content is available to you immediately upon enrollment.
Yes, most of the problems have been written to be as hard as exam problems or slightly harder. My goal is to challenge you, but not distract you or waste your time with hour-long problems. Every problem has at least one key insight embedded within it, and very often two or three.
Yes, all problems are solved using the NCEES Mechanical Reference Handbook PDF. The companion Practice Problems book calls out specific search terms from the handbook to help you quickly find what you need.
Yes! By covering the Fundamentals first, I give you the background and context you may have forgotten (or never fully grasped back in college) before we start solving example problems.
Yes, for each of the main practice Modules, you get all the PDFs: Problem Set, Answer Key, Complete Solutions, Key Formulas, and Key Search Terms.
Email me and I will give you a link with a credit for any course(s) you already purchased. My email address is Dan@MechanicalPEexamprep.com.
The HVAC & Refrigeration Full Access Bundle and the Thermal and Fluid Systems Full Access Bundle both include Lifetime Access. You can take the courses at your own pace, and return to specific topics in the future if you need a refresher. I update the material periodically, and all future updates are also included.
Most of the courses are not offered individually. Topic-specific modules/chapters are exclusive components of the respective bundle. The reason for this is that for most candidates, what really matters is the final outcome: Passing the PE Exam! In my experience, cherry-picking topics tends to lead to partial understanding of key concepts, confusion, frustration, and disappointment with the exam results. The program is truly a comprehensive system and takes every measure to make sure you are fully prepared. The Fundamentals course is offered a la carte, since many candidates like to get the lay of the land and gain a sense of my teaching style before enrolling in the Full Access Bundle. The practice modules (which make up the main content of the program) are written specifically for the CBT exam and will help you find the key search terms quickly as you’re studying.
Yes! As of December 2023, the HVACR Full Access Bundle and Thermal and Fluids Systems Full Access Bundle include our Pass Guarantee. As long as you use the program as intended and take the exam, you are guaranteed to pass or you are entitled to a full refund.
