The FE exam, also known as the Fundamental of Engineering Exam, is one of two examinations (the other being the PE exam) that all civil engineers must pass to become licensed. Here are 8 tips to help you prepare and pass the FE Civil exam on your first try. 

1. Get familiar with the comprehensive list of subjects included in the FE exam.

You're undoubtedly aware that the FE test covers the majority of your engineering undergraduate courses, such as statics and mathematics, but did you know that NCEES, the exam's creator, releases a list of the specific topics that could be asked on the FE exam? Understanding the specific topics asked on the FE test, such as mass moment inertia, rather than just the broad category, such as statics, can guarantee that the FE exam does not surprise you.

1. Start with your weakest, most weighted subjects.

Depending on which FE you are taking, the FE test has roughly 14 different topic categories/subjects, such as statics, math, dynamics, and so on. There may be more questions in some of these categories than others on the test. For example, civil engineers should expect 4-6 dynamics problems in the exam but 10-15 geotechnical engineering questions. We recommend that you look at the different exam topic categories and decide which ones you need to study first based on the number of possible questions on the exam and your current level of preparation in that category.

1. Register with a comprehensive and organized FE Test prep resource.

You surely have a few Practice engineering problems lying around. There are certainly a few more to be found online. These approaches may work, but you risk having knowledge gaps in your preparation if you don't use a FE review textbook or an online FE test prep service like PrepFE. Utilizing a systematic and comprehensive FE test review source assures you aren't wasting time studying for topics that aren't even on the FE exam, or worse, you end up skipping studying for some topics that are crucial for passing the FE.

1. See the final subjects you did not cover in school

There may be one or two areas on the FE test that weren't covered in your undergraduate engineering degree. When discussing subjects like dynamics for civil engineers or engineering economics for mechanical engineers, this can occasionally happen. It's possible that you could learn enough about these topics on your own to answer questions about them on the test, but it will undoubtedly take more time to prepare for these topics than for the ones you did see in class. We're not suggesting that you overlook these matters entirely; rather, we recommend that you save their analysis for last. Start with the questions you have a better probability of answering correctly.

1. Practice

You can only become familiar with exam-style questions by practicing, so study some of your previous exams in preparation for your next test. Another effective strategy is to take practice tests from several sources—these practice tests will give you a better idea of which areas are weighted more strongly on which exams, allowing you to customize your studies accordingly.

You should not only practice test questions but also become familiar with each exam format you intend to take. It's essential to understand how long each segment of the exam will last and the kind of questions that will be asked. You will be more assured when taking your FE if you are more familiar with exam-style questions, both in terms of content and organization.

1. Backward work-related issues

Engineering problems are typically inefficiently solved by using a trial-and-error method. With trial and error, i.e. expressing what is supplied and then looking for various equations that might work together, you can travel down the wrong road to solve a problem and not realize it for a time.

Reverse engineer a solution by:

Identify which variable is required by the problem statement.

• In the FE Reference Handbook, look for an equation that has this variable as one of its variables.
• If there are multiple equations containing the desired unknown variable, choose the one with the fewest unknowns.
• Put the variables you are aware of into the equation, and then start finding solutions for the other variables.
• Once you've determined all of the unknown variables, return to the equation from step 2 and answer the problem statement's unknown variable. 

1. Use the most recent FE Reference Handbook PDF for practice and make sure you know it inside and out

You will consult the FE Reference Guide frequently while taking your exam. Keep these things in mind:

• The more familiar you are with the manual, the less time you will need to spend looking for calculations, tables, and other information.
• To get what you need quickly, press search (CTRL-F or CMD-F). Get used to searching things up on a digital version of the FE Reference Handbook since you won't have a physical copy of it during the actual exam.
• Some issues can be solved by just "looking them up" in the handbook. Some answers may have been simply listed there (such as an ethics problem and other conceptual problems), while others may have been a simple 'plug 'n chug' with only one formula used.
• The process of converting units takes time and is prone to simple mistakes. Use the unit conversion tables found in the FE reference manual.
• Ensure that you use the most recent edition of the FE Reference Handbook. The manual has changed significantly over the years (equations have been added and withdrawn) to the point where it can make a difference.

1. Make the most of your calculator's advanced features.

Purchase an approved calculator for the test right away. Before the test, get comfortable with it. Because it is inexpensive, packed with capabilities, and many of us are familiar with TI calculators from our high school years, we recommend the TI-36X Pro. Using these calculator capabilities will help you save a significant amount of time throughout the exam.

Conclusion

When planning your study, it can be beneficial to choose one key resource for each category to help you focus your efforts. For example, one such resource combination would be using the FE Civil Review Course, which includes lecture notes and practice problems, and the NCEES Practice Test for the full-length practice exam.

Spend some time getting to know which resources you appreciate and focusing on the ones that make FE test studying enjoyable. One of the top FE civil exam tips to remember in terms of FE study resources, in this case, is that less is more!