Fraud! “California Special Civil Engineering Exam Simulation Software 1,000 Questions” Do NOT Buy!

Fraud! “California Special Civil Engineering Exam Simulation Software 1,000 Questions” Do NOT Buy!

Why I Bought the Seismic Sample Test Software

Previously I have stated that I failed the special California seismic exam because I completely did not study. This fails to capture the truth. The truth is, I planned well in advance for my exam preparation. I allotted money to purchase up-to-date reference books, join ppi2pass, acquire a copy of CERM, and to purchase study manuals and software. After reading the testimonials, and enjoying the effectiveness of the practice tests on ppi2pass, I purchased ATI's seismic and surveying exam software.

After establishing my resources, I carefully researched all the required materials. I considered the import of each code book, exam preparation book, and other materials, including ATI Publication’s seismic exam practice questions “for both Seismic Principles and Surveying portions of the Exam.”

The software, in fact, has no seismic exam questions at all. Zero. Nada. Null. The limit of 1/x as x approaches infinity. There are only surveying questions, bizarre, unhelpful surveying questions. 

Reality of the Material 

The surveying questions, however, focus on aerial survey geometry. There were actually some of these questions on the exam. And, I was able to spend some time on those problems in calculations. However, I solved those using a library book I checked out the previous week from the Stanislaus County public library. The offered solutions and explanations for the surveying questions in the sample problems were bizarre, non sequitur and just plain made no sense. I have to provide an example to clarify the unique strangeness to you:

Q:4  In C-2-II order base error is 3.0 & allowable error ratio 1:20000. Following where it’s applicable?

You answered: A. Property survey

The correct answer was:  A. Property survey

Explanation: At property survey C-2-II order is applicable.

Let me rephrase the explanation, in case it is not obvious. The answer is “property survey” because C-2-II order is applicable. Umm… okay. And, what about the base error and allowable error ratio? What do those two data points mean? How do they help me know “property survey” and C-2-II go together? Thanks for nothing.

Here’s another one:

Q:11  Rapid static GPS surveying is same as static, except that one receiver always remains on the control point while the other is moved from one unknown station to another unknown station. Following where it may use?

You failed to provide an answer.

The correct answer was:  A.  Boundary survey

Explanation: Rapid static GPS surveying is applicable for boundary surveying.

This one just does not make any sense. Does anyone beside me think someone used “translate to English” software to convert these questions from foreign text?

The two above examples came from Exam 1. There are zero seismic questions in Exam 1. There are a total of 20 exams. I opened several, quit to the review and scrolled through all the questions. There are NO seismic questions. And, the questions are all very generic about aerial surveying and a few other minor things.

In the end, I passed the surveying portion based on my extensive surveying experience in California and as survey team leader in Georgia. Even the topics covered in this software availed nothing but a vague familiarity. The library book helped me solve additional problems on the cusp of my knowledge.

False Testimony

The Testimonies on the home page of the company’s site http://engineeringsciencesprep.com/ contains many testimonies. Each testimonial is attributed to an initial and a last name. I looked up 11 of these on the Board of Professional Engineers License Lookup page. For two of these, M. Dotty and D. Gotvald, no person with that last name has ever been registered. For 5 more, the last name has representatives. But, no person with the given initial has ever registered: X. Han, E. Faust, L. Washington, B. Sengupta, and W. Vargas. Four of the names matched and included a first initial. However, one of these was cancelled, and registered in Ohio. Another is in Illinois. R. Wong comes from a group of 602 registered Wongs. 42 of these successful Wongs have initial R.

In short, a reasonable person would consider that these testimonials are entirely fabricated. First, 64% of the names do not exist. Next, some of the testimonials mention seismic material which does not exist in the software. Here is one from the fictitious D. Gotvald:

"Good practice for the exam. Thorough explanations which helped me become more familiar with the seismic ca codes. Practicing on the computer as appose to paper and pencil helped also."

Note the phonetic spelling of “as opposed to”.

Basically, I cannot see any value in this product. Additionally, it is my conclusion that this product is a fraud.

Where to Find Quality Surveying PE Exam Study Materials for the California Seismic Exam: 


Update: December 1, 2013: Here is a list of current and top-rated CA Seismic Exam Review books and products. 

2016 PE Exam Results (How to get them early!)

Passing Letters Sent Out! 

I received notice from the Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors today: PASS!

If you have not received your letter, use the license lookup page on your state's professional board website.

The Secret to Finding PE Exam Results Early
Last week, another licensed engineer told me his nephew had not received a letter, but was able to find his number in the license lookup directory for California: Engineering PE License Lookup

[See list below for other states' license lookup pages.]

I searched for my own license number last week. I searched in the license lookup three times with different levels of completeness. I tried my city, name, and surname first. Next, just my last name. It was not in search results. Today, I got my letter. I also searched and found my new license number, which is not in the letter I received. Each state has their own license look-up.

I also learned my license expiration date. This was good information to know- it was set to expire in just a few months. So, I sent in a renewal payment. (In California, we don't have CEU's, we just continue learning because being a good engineer requires it!)

This method of acquiring the PE exam results should work for every state. It makes sense for the state boards to update their online license lookup databases before notices are sent. Otherwise, some ambitious engineer might get a stamp the same day, approve some plans, and submit them. Then, the public office reviewer checks on a name never seen before... and what if it's not there? So, it seems logical to expect the online lookup to be updated first. 

FYI
I also learned that A.B. 645 has removed the California requirement for engineers to include the expiration date on their stamp. It passed October 11, 2009. This bill alters Section 6735 of the Business and Professions Code to omit the requirement for the expiration date of the license of the professional at the time of stamping/sealing. Other states are likely to have followed this example. If your state does not require the expiration date, please post a comment with a reference so others can confirm. 

So, I am now off to order production of my stamp without an expiration date. I found the cheapest cost for the version I want here: PE self-inking stamp PE Self-Inking Stamps and Embossers

Best of hopes for all of you!


If You will Retake the Exam:
My personal theory as to why 60% pass and the others just get close is that the "close, but no cigar" examinees didn't have the right study tools. I waded through all the offerings, read all the reviews, and weighed in my personal experiences and recommendations on forums. Then, I compiled the best, current titles here:

PE Exam Materials - Best Only



Closing Thought:
Do you know what you call an EIT who takes three attempts to pass the PE exam?

A: engineer!

If you are not good at preparing for exams, you need "Pass the PE Like a Pro." It is an overview of how to prepare for the PE Exam. (Use the PE Exam Materials link above.)

License lookup for the 10 most populous states:

1. California
2. Texas
3. New York
4. Florida
5. Illinois
6. Pennsylvania
7. Ohio
8. Georgia
9. Michigan
10. North Carolina

Marking the ASCE7-05 for Quick Recognition & Use

California Seismic Exam Preparation

While you prepare for your California State Specific Seismic Exam (or any other PE exam component), you will face a learning curve in chapter applicability recognition. One of the most important differentiations is to pattern yourself to quickly move to chapter 12- for Building Structures, and to chapter 13- for Nonstructural Components.

The problem is: the ASCE is a very bland mix of uniform type and random equations (at a glance, at least.) When you are maximizing your time (rushing), this can frustrate, confuse, and waste your precious minutes. To break the power of black and white type on paper:

Break up the page by highlighting the Section Titles. 

 I used blue for chapter 12 and pink for chapter 13. As you practice, you will begin to associate the blue with building equations and the pink with nonstructural equations. Additionally, the unique positions of the pink horizontal bars gives each two-page open book layout a unique look. You will begin to recognize these pages as the pages containing certain information and equations. This will help you visually recognize the location of certain pages.

Of course, the most important pages for referencing should be tabbed. For about $3, you can get some packs of see-through tabs in Office Depot or Office Max. The sticky part is clear. The tab which overhangs the edge of the page is in four colors: green, red, yellow, and blue. You will want these in all your reference books. It really speeds up referencing tables.

Where to find great books for the PE Exam:

You will need several reference books for the PE exam. Most people also purchase the CERM, two or more practice exam books, and other study materials. The best of these are compiled here:

Best PE Exam Review Materials

Calculator Policy for California State Specific Seismic and Surveying Principles Exam:

The head proctor of the Seismic Principles Exam (April, 2011) surprised me when she said, "You can have any calculator, as long as it does not have QWERTY." Basically, they don't allow a calculator into which you can type-enter the questions.

It is still best to practice on the calculator you will use during the exam. Buy a compliant model as soon as possible in your preparation period. I used the Casio fx-115W. It is solar. This prevented any concern about dead batteries.

fx-115w - Allowed in PE Exam

Visit the page for the California Board of Professional Engineers. They specifically state,

"It should be noted that the Board's calculator policy for its state-specific examinations varies significantly from the NCEES calculator policy for the national examinations."

So, if you have a favorite calculator that NCEES disallowed, you can bring it to the California state-specific exams, as long as it is not one of the following "strictly prohibited" types (June 6, 2012):

1. anything with a QWERTY keyboard
2. palmtop
3. laptop
4. handheld or desktop computers
5. data banks
6. data collectors
7. personal data assistants
8. organizers

Calculators with other (non-QWERTY) alphanumeric keypads are acceptable.

Some of the strictly verboten calculators are listed on the bpels site. These are not allowed on the NCEES exam, but are permitted on California state-specific seismic and survey exams:

... the HP 39 series; the HP 41 series; the HP42S; the HP 48 series; the HP 49 series; the HP 50 series; the TI 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 89 series; the Casio CFX 9850; the Casio FX 7400; the Casio FX 9750; and the Casio FX 2.0.

Best Engineering Calculators

BPELS Calculator Policy 

Select the best engineering calculator, and price shop on one page. 

Starting in October, 2011, NCEES administration services will administer and proctor California State special seismic and surveying exams. Be sure to check the BPELSG site, and take an allowable calculator. 

ATC 20 - To Buy or Not to Buy?

Is ATC 20 Worth the Investment?

ATC 20 is titled “Procedures for Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings”. The Applied Technology Council produced this 152-page book in 1989. It is an analysis of safety evaluation procedures following an earthquake. It details methods of evaluation, ratings of evaluated buildings, and provides excellent sketches and photos of earthquake damage.

Will you need this during the exam? After my seismic test, a young lady next to me said she had been told at her firm (a traffic engineering agency) that she needed only “the Hiner book”. She felt she had done well. However, she seemed a teeny-bit surprised when I told her I had answered three questions using the ATC books.

There are three ATC 20 books: ATC 20, ATC 20-1, and ATC 20-2. ATC 20-1 is a small pamphlet, a “Field Manual”. Just 4.25” x 7.25”, it is hand held and designed to be used to quickly translate visible damage during rapid assessment into ratings of “SAFE”, “Potentially UNSAFE”, or “UNSAFE”.

In today’s world of tilting earth, shifting magnetic fields, plate tectonic weapons like HAARP, and massive earthquakes like Sichuan, Haiti, Chili, Indonesia, and Japan, we engineers need to be ready to provide emergency services. Safe buildings can reopen for business. Safe homes can provide shelter. In addition to engineers, city inspectors are permitted to perform inspections. However, the engineering profession should step up and meet the responsibility as best as possible. You will need this book on your shelf.

Unlike the young examinee next to me, it is appropriate to seek advice beyond the people in your office. Go directly to the exam website and write down titles of the required references and books. Use the link below. Find the exam you will take, download the exam criteria (a pdf), and scroll down for the list of required texts:

NCEES PE Exam Data Sheets

There are 55 questions on the California State Specific Seismic Exam (2.5 hours = less than 3 minutes per question). If you can answer 3 questions using the ATC 20 books, that is 3/50, or 6% of the available questions. (Note: 5 questions do not count toward your score. Those are new questions under trial, being calibrated for future exams.) Passing is set by a cut score. This means it is a competition. You need to perform better than the majority of the others testing with you. Typically, (according to various unofficial sources) 70% is expected to be a passing score. 3/(.7x50) = 8.6%. Basically, you are given an 8.6% advantage over your fellow examinees if you will:

1. Buy the ATC 20 series.
2. Review all three publications when they arrive.
3. Bring them with you to the exam.

That is a significant benefit. The questions I answered could have been reasoned with basic engineering knowledge to eliminate (maybe) one option in just one of those three. You need these books, and you need to be familiar with their contents.

I did not read every page. I spent about two hours reviewing all the material, reading the main passages, and writing a few summary notes in white space (Use ink for this, not pencil). During the exam, I was able to recognize I needed the ATC books, and knew what I needed. I flipped through until I found the sections I needed to answer the questions (easy with so many sketches and photos).

I took the April, 2010 seismic exam without these. I never knew I needed the books (I did not have them.) I took the April, 2011 exam with them, and I am sure I answered those three questions correctly.

Buy ATC 20!

See costs of all the Seismic Principles exam reference books and where to get the best buy. 

Checklist for Day Prior to Leaving for PE Exam:

Here is a checklist for you to use the day prior to your PE exam:

NCEES examinee letter with examinee ID number.
Read the NCEES Candidate Agreement. 

Set out comfortable clothes. Include a heavy sweater or light jacket. (Hoods not allowed.)

Fill tank with gas.

Compile all books together.

Find a box to use as a bookshelf.

Print directions to test site.

Set alarm (two, if you got ‘em.)

Calculator. Double check against NCEES list, and the California state calculator policy, if you are taking the PE exam in the Golden State. The lists are not the same!
Reserve Calculator.

Add any loose papers to a binder. Organize and tab sections.

Gatorade or G2 Perform.

Bring old NCEES mechanical pencils.
Money for parking..
Go to bed on time.

Some explanations: 

Box: the box can be set on top of your table. This allows you to easily look up from your exam, see the reference you need, and grab it. Once finished, you can easily replace it to your instant book shelf. This keeps less important books out of your work area. You also will not have to rummage around in a wheeled carry-on bag sitting on the floor. This equates to time saved and frustration avoided.

The image is the box I used to carry my books into the exam. It then becomes a very convenient book shelf.

Binder: This is a place for any vocabulary list you may have printed out. These can be valuable in the NCEES PE exam morning session, as well as the afternoon exam. Also include any problems you have worked and reworked. In my exam-day binder, I printed several problems from my practice tests. Three of them were very similar to actual test problems. Having the problems in my binder saved me time and mental energy. 

Fill ‘er up: You do not want to pull over to fill your gas tank early in the morning. You want to drive straight to the exam site and stay focused on one thing- your exam. So, stop by the petrol station the Thursday before your exam date.

Pack Books: In the morning, some unexpected thing may cause you to rush. Rushing can create room for omissions and errors. Line up your books and double check to ensure you have it all. Before Seismic Exam day, I left my Kaplan “Civil & Structural Engineering Seismic Design Review for the PE Exam” book on the floor in the bathroom. I had searched my desk and book shelf for all the references and books I planned to take. I almost missed this book! It played an important part in my exam, too. So, double check your books.

Gatorade and G2 Perform: Your brain uses the body’s resources just like physical labor uses them. Prepping for activity is just as relevant for mental competitors as it is for physical competitors.

NCEES Letter: The young woman who sat to my right printed out only her confirmation email. She somehow overlooked the attachment. This was caught at 8:43. The chief proctor sent her to the “Help Desk”. She returned several minutes later with her letter and took the exam. They allowed her to open her email, and print out the attachment on the email from NCEES. It worked out for her. But, better to bring your letter in the first place. 

Mechanical Pencils: In case they run out of pencils. You will only have one of these if you previously took an exam and are re-taking any part of the exam series. (I retook the California State Specific Seismic Principles Exam, so I had one from the previous exam.) I read the testimony of an examinee whose exam group started late because the proctors ran out of mechanical pencils. Proctors drove to the store to purchase more.

Reserve Calculator: You're only allowed one on the desktop. But, you are permitted a back up. There is an excellent PE Exam Calculator Review to help you select a second unit (If you're reading this well ahead of time, the best deals are online. If the actual day before, take a trip to the local office supply. Fill your tank on the way!)

Get to bed on time: Mental exercise actually requires more rest than physical labor. Charge up with a good rest. Actually, because of the way the body compensates with hormones, sleep on Tuesday and Wednesday nights will have more impact on your performance than will sleep on Thursday. All-nighters, of course are a mistake. Better to be fresh for an 8-hour comprehensive exam than to splurge 6 hours sleep for 6 hours' review time.

NCEES Candidate Agreement: Be sure to read this brief, two-page explanation of what can get you kicked out of the exam. For example, a cell phone or a non-NCEES pencil are grounds for an early departure and/or invalidation of your exam.

Money for Parking: The cost to park at the Sacramento, California PE exam site was $5, cash only. I previously took my FE exam there. When I didn't have cash on the FE date, the cashier told me I could park across the street, and walk over, which I did. So, be sure to have some cash for 9 or 10 hours of parking.

Did I leave something off this list? Post a comment!

The Required Code Books for the California State Specific Seismic Exam + Cheapest Seller for Each

(Note: before you buy any of these books singly, paying shipping for each, check the PE exam study materials page on Amazon. It can save you some green on cover prices, and also on shipping (free on orders over $35.) 

The California state-specific Seismic Principles exam for April and October, 2015 will be based on ASCE7-10 and the 2013 CBC, which is based on the 2012 IBC. Though the books I originally researched change every few years, the sources are likely to remain the best sources for price, or to at least remain very competitive.

The below is copied directly from the pels.ca.gov website (with purchase notes added after each code book):

Seismic Principles Examination
Design of Wood Structures ASD/LRFD
6th Edition, 2007
Donald E. Breyer, Kenneth J. Fridley, Kelly E. Cobeen
McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York
Cheapest find for Design of Wood Structures ASD/LRFD (6^th Ed): Amazon.com (note that shipping is free, compared to typical $3.99 elsewhere.)

Seismic Design Handbook, 2nd Edition, 2001

2006 Design of Reinforced Masonry Structures
July 2007
Chukwuma G. Ekwueme and Gregg Brandow
Concrete Masonry Association
6060 Sunrise Vista Drive, Suite 1875
Citrus Heights, CA 95610
(916) 722-1700

Cheapest find ($80) for Design of Reinforced Masonry Structures: The Masonry Society website: https://www.2paysecure.com/tms/cart/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=128
However, the overall cheapest price ($88.20) is at Amazon. This is because the Masonry Society charges $10 for basic UPS ground shipping. They do not offer USPS mail.

2006 IBC Structural/Seismic Design Manual, Volume 1
Code Application Examples and Building Design Examples
Structural Engineers Association of California
International Code Council
5360 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601-2298
1-800-284-4406
www.iccsafe.org

Cheapest find: Amazon, through codeitusa. Note that Amazon, and DealOz both perform searches of multiple sites. However, for the above books, I found cheaper prices at Amazon. For your convenience, I have a "Search for Reference Book Deals" box directly to Amazon in the right margin of this blog. Copy the code book titles, and paste them into the search box.

2006 IBC Structural/Seismic Design Manual, Volume 2
Building Design Examples for Light Frame, Tilt-up, and Masonry
Structural Engineers Association of California
International Code Council
5360 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601-2298
1-800-284-4406
www.iccsafe.org

2010 California Building Code, Volume 2 (CCR, Title 24, Part 2, Volume 2)
International Code Council
5360 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601-2298
1-800-284-4406
Important Note: If you have the 2009 IBC, that is an equal substitute, and you will not need to purchase the 2010 CBC in addition. Both refer to ASCE7 2005 for seismic. The California Board website makes this statement.

Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures
American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE/SEI 7-05

ATC-20 Procedures for Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings and ATC-20-1 Field Manual: Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings, 2nd Edition
1995
Applied Technology Council
(650) 595-1542
www.atcouncil.org

ATC 20 costs: Used copies are $20 to $100 from associated sellers at Amazon. Buy new from atcouncil.org for $24. ($31.98 total after tax and cheapest USPS Priority Mail for $5.70.) Total from Applied Technology Council is still less than what I found at Amazon, except for one offering in “good” condition from a 93% positive feedback seller.
The ATC-20 totals to $48.41. See my post Is ATC 20 Worth the Investment ?

Design of Wood Structures ASD/LRFD
6th Edition, 2007
Donald E. Breyer, Kenneth J. Fridley, Kelly E. Cobeen
McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York

Civil Engineering Reference Manual. If you're not crazy, this book is required. It is not listed by the NCEES, mind you. However, in every other sense of the word "required", you better have the CERM. Click the link to go to a site which searches for the cheapest price on the CERM.

Study Materials for the PE exam: Remember, Amazon is the biggest selling powerhouse on the Internet. Any seller selling on Amazon must offer their lowest price on Amazon; they must match or lower the retail cost. So, Amazon (barring irregularities) will always be the cheapest portal to buy PE exam books.

For a massive collection of carefully screened PE Sample Exams, Seismic prep material, and review books for most every exam type, visit the PE Exam Study Materials store on Amazon.

The California Civil Seismic Exam Review  page ranks the top 7 books and DVDs for review.

Free PE Exam Course: Traffic Engineering

This link offers 29 free courses on Traffic Engineering:

Traffic Engineering Review

These courses are offered by ADA, the National Highway Institute, and the Federal Highway Administration.


Books for the Transportation Exam:

1. Transportation Depth Reference Manual for the Civil PE Exam
2. Transportation Review Books for the Civil: Transportation PE exam
3. Traffic Engineering Handbook

4. For a free list of Transportation Engineering equations, see this 107-page free pdf from Shahin Monsour.

5. I waded through the mass of offerings and did all the creative searching. I compiled the best of the legitimate PE exam study materials on this page: PE Exam Books Civil Transportation. 

PE Review Course List & Comparison

This list comprises as many PE review courses as I could find. If you know of or host a review course not listed, please post a comment! (No recommendation is implied. Please review available courses responsibly.)

School of PE   Cost: $1490 ($300 possible discount for early registration- $200 discount for first 15 registrants, and $100 if registered during early enrollment period.) This is for the School of PE live online course.
If you take an onsite course, the cost is also $895 for a 40-hour "Refresher" course which covers each of the 5 critical topics for 8 hours each. There is an optional "Workshop" afterward which costs $595 (the cost of both, 70 hours of live, in-person review, is $1490).
SchoolofPE also offers an interesting OnDemand option. Pay $1190 for immediate access to streaming video. Then, if you still desire live classroom instruction, pay $300 to join a class. You must add the class before a deadline. For the April, 2015 PE exam, this deadline is February 2nd.

PE Review.net   This site changed their format to one different from the others on this list. They offer three levels of use: bronze ($99), silver ($599), and gold ($999).

• Bronze: access to forum and online practice exams
• Silver: includes bronze and 200+ worked problems and video on demand
• Gold: includes bronze and silver and live webinars, access to instructor through forum, and 500+ word problems 

Subscriptions are valid for a year (that was the case when I visited April 9,2013). The Silver level worked problems are very interesting. I agree with their approach: You download sets of 8 problems to work. Attempt it first, then peak at a partial solution, and attempt to fill in the blanks. Finally, watch a flash video in which an instructor walks you through the problem. This is a system of learning that works. 

Professional Engineering Review Classes   (New York state)  Cost: $895. See site for detailed course plan.

Testmasters PE Exam Test Prep Course Cost $1595 ($100 refund if you already have the Civil Engineering Reference Manual.) One thing to like about this program: a great guarantee. The guarantee is also a motivational tool. To activate it, the examinee is required to attend every session. If you don't pass, the next course is free. 72 hours of instruction.

PPI2PASS Online Civil Exam Morning Session Prep:  Cost: $1,785. But, you get everything you need: six quality review books, NCEES-qualified calculator, tabs for marking your indexes, and Free access to Exam Cafe ($125 value). The online course is 40 hours of instruction. You can save 5% on all PPI-published books with ppi2pass discount code PASS1114.

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): 12-Part Review Course cost: $1,620. The course page says $1,945 for non-members and $1,395 for members. Since a membership costs $225, it's a no-brainer. Buy the membership and get a discounted review course for the PE. Webinar format, with on-demand video available afterward. Tuesday and Thursday nights from 3:00 to 5:00. This is noon to 2:00 on the west coast, an extended lunch, basically. 24 hours of total instruction. Note: When I joined in February, 2014, I paid much less than $225, and, I learned there are two more bonuses. First, ASCE give you a free membership to another association (I joined SEI.) And, new members receive 4 free webinars as well.

PEreviewcourse.com: This site has a 100% pass guarantee. "If you don't pass, you'll receive a one-hundred percent refund," the site video says. This review works by taking modules, then taking mini exams, which are graded by an instructor. The cost is only $460. There is an option for shipped binders for the course as well. They offer civil, electrical, mechanical, and chemical review courses. 

Also consider Excel Test Prep Service to study for the NCEES PE exam.

The majority of people purchase a slew of books, and use those to study instead. Check out this list of the top-rated (as reviewed by other examinees) PE exam books. 

Whether you decide to use a PE exam prep service, or to prepare on your own, be sure to read the following two posts:
Test Taking Tips
Six Week NCEES PE Exam Study Guide

Free Transportation AM Review Seminar

Great News if you are looking to take a PE review seminar. Professional Engineering Services, Inc. permits free participation in the first part of their review course. From the advert they mailed out:

"You're invited to attend the first day of our Civil PE (Transportation AM) seminar for FREE. This $225 value includes: An 8-hour review seminar, Transportation AM book, and one, 2-hour DVD. Just email us at freeclass@passpe.com
If you're not able to attend the live FREE Transportation AM review seminar, you're invited to participate in the live, FREE Webinars (Orange County or Hayward Locations; or Both). For more information, simply email freewebinar@passpe.com"

Notice emails for each opportunity differ. For the live PE review class, email to freeclass@passpe.com. For the free webinar, send email to freewebinar@passpe.com.

This looks like an excellent opportunity. If you are preparing for an exam after the April 8 & 9 exams, visit Mansour's website www.passpe.com. The free class/webinar offer exists on the homepage as well.

More Resources:

Free Traffic Engineering Review

Transportation PE Review Book List: See the current, and top-rated prep books for the PE Exam Transportation afternoon exam.