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As springtime approaches, our APWA Young Professional committee wants to highlight some of the newest Professional Engineers in our Minnesota chapter. See below information on each member and their tips and tricks to help guide our young professionals towards success. Feel free to reach out with questions from our members on their experiences at our Young Professional email, youngprofessionals@apwa-mn.org!

Chloe Weber (top left)
Company: Bolton and Menk, Inc.
Position: Transportation Design Engineer
PE Test Taken: Transportation
Tips to PE Studying: 

• Create a schedule and stick to it - build in buffers because life and work come up and you need the flexibility.
• Invest in a review course. It is helpful to be a part of a community studying for the same exam, and following a schedule to keep you on track. 
• Track you metrics for practice problems and take note of the problem types or sections where you are struggling and need more help.

References Used:

• EET Study Course Civil PE – Engineering Education & Training (eetusa.com)
• NCEES List of References Exam Prep · MyNCEES Account

Nate Kock (top right)
Company: WSB
Position: Professional Engineer - Municipal Services 
PE Test Taken: Water Resources and Environmental
Tips to PE Studying: 

• Study at your own pace. The exam can be rescheduled to a later date. Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need.
• Still enjoy your life outside of working and studying!

References Used:

• School of PE - Live Lecture and On Demand PE Exam Preparation Made Easy with School of PE
• Utilize classes if your employer will reimburse you.

Kolten Espinosa (bottom left)
City: City of Woodbury
Position: Engineering Project Coordinator
PE Test Taken: Transportation
Tips to PE Studying: 

• Do as many practice problems as you can! I purchased three (3) different paper back versions of the PE exam (newer than 2020) and went through those questions to better prep myself for the test format.
• If possible, stay in a room where all distractions are away from you while studying.
• Do not try to study the day prior to your exam. You will be as ready as you ever will be. Find a way to calm your nerves so the test day doesn’t feel intimidating.
• A week before the exam, time yourself with a fresh set of eighty (80) questions you haven’t done yet. Break up the timing between two days as well to not burn yourself out. From there, you can use the last week of time to focus on a section that gave you the most trouble on.

References Used: 

• NCEES List of References Exam Prep · MyNCEES Account
• Youtube Practice Problems - “Civil Engineering Academy” Civil Engineering Academy - YouTube

Sam Phillips (bottom right)
Company: WSB
Position: Professional Engineer - Water Resources
PE Test Taken: Water Resources and Environmental
Tips for PE Studying: 

• Figure out what helps you most - I got more out of doing practice problems than watching lectures. Once I realized that, I studied more efficiently.
• Work backwards from your test date to make a study plan. I planned in general “review time” to focus on sections needed to brush up on.
• Know your reference materials. Quickly recognizing what type of question you have and where to find relevant information can save a boatload of time and helps you build momentum.

References Used:
NCEES Practice Exam Exam Prep · MyNCEES Account
School of PE - Online Materials PE Exam Preparation Made Easy with School of PE