“Success is stumbling from failure to
failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”Winston Churchill Failure is without
doubt a bitter pill to swallow. Ideally, we all want to cruise through life
from one success to another success.
However, sometimes failures are encountered
and they need to be dealt with appropriately. Probably the worst response to
failure is quitting on your dream because once you stop pursuing your dream
that’s when you truly fail. In this blog we have talked about a detailed
discussion of the FE electrical and computer exam failure.
5 Common Reasons of FE Electrical and Computer Exam Failure
Here are the five reasons for FE Electrical and
Computer Exam Failure you should be aware of:
1.
Underestimating the challenge
2.
Procrastination
3.
Exam Preparation Resources
4.
Exam Preparation Strategy
5.
Fear of failure
1. Underestimating the challenge
There’s no doubt about the fact that
the FE Electrical and Computer exam is challenging. You are tested
quite literally on all 4 years of ECE undergraduate coursework.
The exam tests you on 17 categories including
Mathematics, Probability and Statistics, Ethics and Professional Practice,
Engineering Economics, Properties of Electrical Materials, Circuit Analysis,
Linear Systems, Signal Processing, Electronics, Power Systems,
Electromagnetics, Control Systems, Communications, Computer Networks, Digital
Systems, Computer Systems, and Software Engineering.
The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is not a walk in the park for most students which means
you might face failure. It is even more challenging if you are not a recent
graduate.
Based on the latest stats provided by NCEES®,
the failure rate among first-time exam takers who graduated within 12-24 months
is 23% and that for repeat takers is as high as 35%.
2. Procrastination
Time management for FE Electrical and Computer exam preparation can be difficult. There are 17
exam sections to prepare and these individual sections don’t necessarily complement
each other. For instance, Digital Systems will have little to no overlap with
Signal Processing similarly Circuit Analysis will have little to no overlap
with Electromagnetics.
This is mainly because of the nature of
Electrical Engineering which is by far the most diverse field. As you progress
through your FE electrical and computer exam preparation you will actually be
climbing lots of small mountains (each topic is a new challenge) rather than
climbing one big mountain.
But the bigger challenge is ‘procrastination’.
A lot of students keep putting FE electrical and computer exam off again and
again because of failure. The truth is that the more you delay it, the harder
it gets.
In addition to the obvious reason i.e. being
out of school for a long period of time, personal commitments and job
responsibilities also come into the way. So if you ever plan on becoming a PE
then don’t delay this exam – start preparing now!
3. Exam Preparation Resources
Arguably the most precious investment that
you make in preparing for FE Electrical and Computer exam is that of your time.
A vast majority of candidates preparing for this exam also work full-time and
many of them also have other commitments that demand their time and attention.
Therefore, it is crucial to use effective
exam preparation resources otherwise you’d not only be wasting your money but
also your time. An effective exam preparation resource is one that helps you
become exam ready in the least amount of time and does not overwhelm you with
irrelevant details.
4. Exam Preparation Strategy
FE Electrical and Computer exam results are
binary – Pass or Fail. You don’t receive any grades on your performance. Some
students study very hard but are not necessarily smart. In many ways, trying to
ace this exam can be counterproductive because it will take a lot of your time
and require intense effort which can impact other areas of your personal and
professional life.
In order to pass comfortably, you need to
study hard and smart. For example, rather than suggesting whether to focus
on their strengths or weaknesses, I recommend students to first focus on the
top 5 sections that carry the highest weight i.e. Mathematics, Circuit
Analysis, Electronics, Power Systems, and Digital Systems. Similarly, the first
5 sections of the FE Electrical and
Computer exam
are relatively easy and account for roughly 25% of the exam weightage.
Students should aim to score A+ in these
sections i.e. Math, Probability & Statistics, Engineering Economics,
Ethics, and Properties of Electrical Materials. Last but not the least, even if
you get bored by some sections or find them challenging, try not to skip them
altogether because that will guarantee a 0 or very low score in those sections
and sabotage your chances of passing the exam.
5. Fear of failure
“He who fear being conquered is sure
of defeat.”Napoleon Bonaparte Fear of failure is one of the reasons why students
procrastinate in the first place. Even after mustering up the courage to
prepare for the exam for several months, some of them never feel 100% ready for
it.
They go into the exam without
confidence and lose composure quickly during the exam. If that sounds familiar
to you then remember that it’s not uncommon and there are some tips and tricks
that can help you to avoid failure. First of all, it is very improbable for
someone to ever feel 100% ready for such an exam because of the range of topics
and variety of ways in which one can get tested.
So if you are not feeling 100% ready
even after doing everything you possibly could, then don’t worry because a lot
of other hardworking and diligent candidates are in the same boat.
Secondly, it is better to reschedule
the exam and take it when you have confidence in your own self rather than
walking into the exam room telling yourself that you are not ready. As Napoleon
said, “He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat.”
Finally, remember that in the grand
scheme of things even if you fail the exam it won’t be a big deal. You can
always retake it so don’t compromise your performance by imagining and
reimagining failure continuously.
Go into the exam room with full
confidence after preparing as best as you can to give it your best shot and
maintain your composure while facing tough questions.