This guide is exceptional. I previously failed the PE exam after prepping with one of the Kaplan PE prep courses. I am currently half-way through The Essential Guide, and I already feel much more prepared than I ever did using PPI. The problems require multiple steps, critical thinking, and familial navigation of the civil NCEES manual. I am also learning a lot of subject matter from the thorough solution write-ups (my degree is in mechanical engineering, so civil and WRE are both new subjects for me). I had a question regarding a solution, so I sent an email to the support address provided in the book. To my surprise, Dr. Petro himself responded immediately after hand checking the calculations and solution himself. I've never received that level of support from any product. If you are sitting for the Civil WRE PE exam, this is the book you need.
This book is by far the best resource I have come across for preparing for the Civil-Water Resources and Environmental PE Exam. I did not have this book prior to my first attempt at the exam, and instead paid for one of the expensive online courses. The course, while providing a lot of material, was not conducive to my learning style. The course was essentially hours-long lectures followed by practice problems similar to those presented in the NCEES practice tests but not the actual exam. I used this book as my primary resource for my second attempt which I passed.
This book gives practice problems in the format similar to how problems are presented on the actual exam (real-world scenarios where you need to use the right theory/methodology to get the answer). The solutions for each problem were given step-by-step with detailed explanations on the theories and methodologies behind it. This was for EACH solution, not just for the first few problems like I've seen in other study resources. The book structure also suited my learning style where the problems for each section are presented first allowing me to think about how I would go about solving it, and then the detailed solutions after so I could learn how my initial thinking was either right or wrong. This was of great value to someone like me who got their undergrad degree in chemical engineering but now works in water treatment, as this was my first time being exposed to some of the topics covered in the exam.
Finally, the author was very responsive and replied quickly when I reached out with questions and encountered a misprint with one of the solutions. He quickly provided me with the correct solution and periodically would check-in during my study process. I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone preparing to take this exam.
Finding an updated guide full of problems that equip you for both the exam and your professional career is challenging. Many references are outdated or full of typos, but "The Essential Guide" stands out. If you study this book in detail and review all references, your chances of passing the exam will increase significantly. The Third Edition, updated to the 2024 NCEES Exam Specifications and Design Standards, is an essential resource for PE Civil-Structural Exam preparation. It includes 160 all-depth questions, updated design codes, and an NCEES Handbook version 2.0. This Print 3.5 edition is refined to eliminate typos and errors with additional references based on reader feedback. Key strengths include comprehensive exam topic coverage, structured question presentation, detailed explanations, and alternative solutions using both LRFD and ASD methods. The questions vary in length and difficulty, often surpassing the complexity of the actual exam, providing thorough preparation. Topics covered include structural loads, cross-sectional analysis, temporary structures, material properties, and component design. Users appreciate the rigorous problem-solving focus and the author's responsiveness to queries and continuous updates. I plan to take the exam soon and will update my review based on my experience.
So far so good, some questions are tough and can look confusing, but the author makes sure that you pay attention to code references and handbook provided. Some of the questions are longer than usual, but you feel like you are learning. No questions feel out of reach, they feel tough, I like to try them, I answered some of them correct, some I was close, I am in the last Part of the book so far. If I can' figure them out I ended up learning new things when looking at the answer. The professor was nice enough to send me an updated version with no errata, he answers questions through e-mail if you are lost
Excellent resource to review different topics for the PE Civil-Structural Exam. Most concepts are relevant but in a more difficult format than on the actual exam. Author is very responsive in answering questions about the book. Questions are fairly difficult (even for good engineers) but well worth the effort. Do yourself a favor and use these concepts as a guide to feel confident for test day!
Amazing book !!! I would give more then 5 star if I could. I just finished load application questions 1-25. I realized this is one of the best book I ever had for the PE exam structural depth especially for the CBT effective April 2024 and NCEES handbook V2.0. All solutions are step by step and so clear with references. Thank you so much for providing such a great book in the market.
I passed my PE Exam two weeks ago, and about 50% of the problems on the exam were covered in this book. I highly recommend it!
The Petro book proved to be an invaluable resource in my exam preparation journey. Its comprehensive approach to problem-solving not only challenged me but also thoroughly prepared me for the exam.
Throughout the book, I found a rigorous focus on problem-solving that covered every piece of information needed for a thorough understanding of concepts. The problems presented were tough, often requiring me to solve for every single piece of information required. This approach really prepared me for the exam, because typically all variables are provided except one that needs to be solved for. By tackling such challenging problems, I felt well-prepared to handle any scenario that might arise on the exam day.
As the exam date approached, I intensified my study efforts, dedicating time to grind through the book's problems. I even took a day off work before the exam to ensure I could finish going through all the problems in the book. The intensity of the book's problems exceeded that of the actual exam, providing me with a solid foundation for success.
This is the best review book on transportation PE preparation. I passed in August, 2024. Will apply for licensure soon. Green book portion of this book is unparalleled. Simply too good to be. Good coverage on geotech and water. I think I correctly answered 32 out of 35 questions in the afteenoon section in the actual exam after a horrible morning section. A big credit for my afternoon sectiom success goes to this book. Decent on MUTCD portion. The only drawback (I shouldn’t say drawback) is that the HCM related problems in this book are too lengthy and tough. I only practiced this book and NCEES official practice exam two times each for the last one and half month before my exam. This literally saved me from failure.
I used this product along with other study materials to study for my 2nd attempt on the PE Exam. I will say that a lot of the problems are more difficult than actual exam problems but if you can understand the concepts it helps a lot on the exam. This book is definitely one of the reasons I passed my PE exam. It’s perfect for the project management section. Every question I was asked in project management I was able to get through with ease because of this book. I feel like I got a perfect score on that section. The book also forces you to use almost every section of the manual, which helps a lot.
I am using this book to study for my PE Transportation exam and it has been the best resource to use. The book has a variety of questions and it covers every section of the exam, which is exactly what I need!
The solutions are easy to follow and to understand. Some solutions also have the topic explained with more details, which has helped me a lot in solidifying my knowledge in a certain topic and understand other pieces of it that I was not aware of.
If you are looking for a study material for the PE exam, look no further!
I'd have to say this is the single best resource I have found for studying for the P.E. exam. The questions are good and well thought out. The solutions make sense and are explained well. All of the sections of the resource materials are cited so I can go into the resources and review the material as I work through the problems to get a thorough understanding of the concepts and where to find them at the time of the exam. I also love that all of the resources I need are listed, so I was able to search and find those resources and have been reviewing them.
Highly recommend others to use this to study for the civil PE transportation exam. I felt ready and confident strictly with the material in this.
Two days before my real exam, I realized that I have not practiced nearly enough questions for depth, so I used The Essential Guide to Passing The Transportation Civil PE Exam Written in the form of Questions: 160 CBT Questions Every PE Candidate Must Answer. This is a huge help for my depth part. It has it several categories, I practiced 3 to 4 questions per category. TBH, this book is the best purchase among all purchases/classes I’ve made/ signed up. Strongly recommended!
This practice exam entails essential concepts pertaining to transportation engineering.
The author’s approach to highlight critical concepts is great. There has been a lot of thought and time put into the development of this book. The book helped me master various concepts. 10/10 would recommend.
An excellent guideline to deeply understand what you need to pass the exam. A must read book for the exam.
The solutions are easy to follow and to understand. Some solutions also have the topic explained with more details, which has helped me a lot in solidifying my knowledge in a certain topic and understand other pieces of it that I was not aware of.
If you are looking for a study material for the PE exam, look no further!
I recommend this book for anyone preparing for the geotechnical exam. After failing the exam last year, I realized how important it is to know what to focus on and to have a solid understanding of the different subjects. I read great reviews about his publisher's other material and PE exam guides, and I was looking forward for this book to be released as it was not available until recently. Once I bought it I found exactly what I needed. This book covers all the important topics in the geotechnical engineering and gives a clear guidance on where to look in the required references. The explanations are clear and they are also detailed and easy to follow and easy to understand. I wish I had this book last year when I first took the exam and failed it would have made a big difference then! overall, this is a fantastic resource to prepare for the exam.
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