You can’t earn your Professional Engineer license overnight: two exams must be passed, and several years of work experience must be acquired. Step One: conquering the Fundamentals of Engineering exam.

PPI, A Kaplan Company, has sponsored this post.

Engineering licensure is a vital asset for an engineer. Like a lawyer passing the bar or a doctor completing their medical exam, earning your professional engineering license demonstrates your engineering knowledge, competence and commitment to the high standards of the profession.

Being a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) is necessary to sign and seal engineering drawings that will be submitted to a public authority, but that’s not the only benefit of licensure. Having a PE license also means being more likely to receive opportunities to manage a team or work on certain types of projects, be promoted and earn more money. Not interested in working for someone else? A PE license is required to open your own engineering firm.

However, you can’t earn your PE license overnight: two exams must be passed, and several years of work experience must be acquired. Step One: conquering the Fundamentals of Engineering exam.

Understanding the FE Exam

“The Fundamentals of Engineering exam is the first step towards your PE, after you complete your bachelor’s degree in engineering,” says Khalid Hachil, a Brentwood, N.Y.-based electrical engineer for Stantec Inc. and an FE exam prep course instructor at PPI, A Kaplan Company. “It’s required to pass the FE and become an EIT, or Engineer in Training, before being eligible to sit for a PE exam.” (In some states, the Engineering Intern (EI) designation is granted, rather than the EIT.)

The earliest an FE exam can be taken is during one’s final year of an undergraduate engineering degree program—and there are good reasons to take it then, or as soon as possible after graduation.

For one, earning a PE license typically requires three to four years (depending on the state) of progressive work experience under the supervision of a licensed engineer. Second, says Hachil, “Most junior engineering job listings or entry level job listings do have the FE as a requirement.”

Passing your FE early in your career can also lead to more early-career opportunities for advancement, and helps differentiate you from your peers, Hachil explains. “[It] shows your employer that you are serious towards obtaining your PE. So, they will have the idea of investing in you as an employee and helping you further your career. It’s also proof that you have a comprehensive technical understanding of your field.”

Licensure is sometimes viewed as optional for a career in engineering, but Hachil believes this is a misperception. While the FE or PE may not be required to work as an engineer, “in the engineering field, the PE is required to advance your career, regardless of what industry you’re in.” Without the FE and, later, the PE, there is a greater likelihood of being passed over for promotions and projects.

“Building your career and your success is like compound interest,” he says. “The faster you build your portfolio or your resume, the more growth you have over time. Having the FE will strengthen your resume very early on and open you to more career opportunities that you wouldn’t have had before. It will also result in raising your salary ceiling.”

The other reason to take the FE exam earlier rather than later is more practical. “A good portion of the material is still fresh in your mind, and you’re still in the ‘grind mentality,’” says Hachil. “[For] most students, when they take a break, it is very difficult for them to get back into the groove of studying.” The longer someone is away from school, the harder it is to find the exam-study mindset. “They think that it’s the material that is the hardest part, the part that is stopping them, but it’s actually the ability to sit down, to focus and open a book, and make sure they’re not distracted.”

Preparing for the FE Exam

The FE exam isn’t like sitting down for a midterm or final during undergrad; it is longer, more complex, and passing the exam requires not only a strong grasp of engineering but also an understanding of the exam itself. Significant preparation is required.

The FE exam is offered for seven different engineering disciplines: Chemical, Civil, Electrical and Computer, Environmental, Industrial and Systems, Mechanical and a general Other Disciplines option. Which exam to choose to take will depend on a student’s field of study and future career goals. Those who are uncertain which direction they want to go can take the Other Disciplines exam, which covers topics from all disciplines of engineering.

FE exam sessions are offered throughout the year at Pearson VUE testing centers across the U.S. Once candidates determine when they want to take the exam, they should develop a preparation schedule that ensures they’ll be able to commit adequate time to studying in advance of their exam date.

The FE exam is six hours in duration, including a scheduled break. The exam’s 110 questions are split between a breadth section, which covers general topics from all engineering disciplines, and a depth section, which covers questions specific to the candidate’s chosen discipline.

It’s worth knowing that the FE exam format is not paper-based and open-book, but rather is computer-based and closed-book. The content of the exam remains the same, but the computer-based testing (CBT) format includes questions other than the traditional multiple choice, such as multiple correct responses, drag-and-drop, point-and-click or fill-in-the-blank. Examinees should also be aware that they are not allowed to bring their own reference materials into the exam. Instead, access to a digital copy of the NCEES FE Reference Handbook for your exam discipline is provided at the testing center.

Given the difficulty of the FE exam, it isn’t to be taken lightly. As a general guideline, studying three hours a day for 12-14 weeks should be enough for candidates to hone their knowledge with practice exams and to familiarize themselves with the NCEES FE Reference Handbook. But the longer someone is out of school before taking the FE exam, the more studying they’re likely to need. It’s invaluable to follow a study plan that provides sufficient time to refresh one’s knowledge across the board, with additional emphasis on areas of weakness.

When it comes to buckling down to study, Hachil offers a few valuable tips.

“The number one tip is to constantly do practice problems,” he says. “[Practice questions] show you how theoretical you need to be, and how practical you need to be when you’re solving for these problems.” By the time students get to the exam, if they have done enough practice problems, they shouldn’t encounter any questions that will throw them off their game.

Examinees should also purchase and familiarize themselves with the NCEES FE Reference Handbook for their discipline, in concert with the PPI FE Review Manual if they are taking a prep course. Given that the Reference Handbook is the only material allowed in the exam, it’s vital that examinees know how to navigate the document and find the information they need. “Another tip is to always write down the page numbers of the reference manual [while studying],” Hachil says. This helps students get familiar with where to find information in the Handbook, and makes it easier to remember how to find specific equations or formulas.

Lastly, Hachil says, make sure you understand your calculator and all its functions. “Your calculator is your best friend. Learn everything you need to know for the exam, and let the calculator do the work.  Don’t worry about solving every single thing by hand.”

Some universities may offer FE Exam prep courses to students during their final year of undergraduate studies. For those who can’t access such courses or who’ve already graduated, there are FE exam prep courses available for all disciplines through PPI, A Kaplan Company, and other training providers.

Taking an FE Exam prep course has advantages over self-study. Prep courses help students stay on track, study the right material, discover the content likely to be covered by the exam and understand the types of questions posed.

PPI offers courses in a variety of online formats, including live lecture and on-demand options, as well as a self-study option using resources available through the PPI Learning Hub. Courses are taught by licensed professional engineers with experience and expert knowledge in their discipline. PPI also has a substantial quiz bank from which students can generate practice quizzes with questions covering all types and topics that could appear on the exam.

You can learn more about FE Exam preparation courses at PPI, A Kaplan Company.