Taking the P.E. exam is always a milestone in an engineer’s career that will test their mental capacity. There is a special discipline one must embody to be successful. Many times, they are not successful on the first try. Fortunately, when it comes to Dillon, Matt, and Gabe, they were.
These guys spent countless hours studying for this exam. On weeknights after a full day of work, they were in the conference room watching videos and computing practice problems. On weekends, instead of spending time with friends and family, they would be right back in the conference room watching more videos and computing more practice problems. They estimated that they spent more than 300 hours studying for the exam. Three hundred hours of their free time. During this time, Dillon was not only studying for his P.E. exam but also completing the final semester of his master’s degree in coastal engineering. The most difficult aspect of studying for him was that it was during hunting season. Gabe and Matt agreed that although some of the technical material can be tricky, the most challenging aspect is sticking to a consistent study schedule.
Although it can be taxing and downright stressful at times, studying for the P.E. exam does more than move an intern closer to qualifying for a license. It allows them to understand how much an engineer’s brain can absorb and delve deeper into professional resources such as the AASHTO Greenbook and MUTCD. The most interesting aspect of this process for Matt was being able to learn different areas of engineering outside of his day-to-day water resources. The time spent learning the ins and outs of engineering would eventually benefit these guys.
When Matt and Dillon found out they passed their exams they immediately felt the accomplishment of FREEDOM! Freedom to do whatever they wanted after work and on weekends. Gabe was relieved to check his NCES account and see “PASSED” on the exam. He celebrated with a camping trip over Memorial Day weekend! All their dedicated time spent preparing for this exam had finally paid off.
With the help of BDI, these guys were assisted every step of the way. They did not have to worry about the expenses that come with helpful study plans and programs, and they always had a place to study any day of the week. BDI was and continues to be the biggest cheerleader for employees’ educational success!
