I finally persevered! 'Cept for the paperwork...
It's been a while since I was on the forums... So to catch up, here's a little glimpse into the past 6 - 8 months.
Most of you know I'm just an ol' crotchety engineering guy that has labored to gain professional licensure for years...
And that seems to be par for the course.
It took me 23 years to graduate with my BSME degree. Marriage, Children, Work, ... just seemed that "LIFE" got in the way at every opportunity. Then 1999 and with my degree in hand, I set out to get that 'pearl' that every die-hard engineer seeks. Professional Licensure as a P.E.
I took the FE fresh out of college in April 1999 and finally, 15 years later, took the PE for the first time in October 2015. Waited my obligatory 6 - 8 weeks and received the infamous "FAIL" response accompanied with a diagnostic report explaining all the reasons of the failure. I chalked this up to just not being fully prepared. Totally on me.
Then in April 2016 I repeated the previous experience with the added self-punishment of hours/daily of study... and again, "FAIL". Well not being one to readily seek out self-inflicted punishment, I labored over the decision to retake the exam. Ultimately, I signed up for a third exam in April 2017. As it got closer it become painfully obvious that I wasn't ready. ... AND that not passing the exam for a third time in a row required taking/passing a mandatory review course before taking the exam a fourth time, I decided to skip the exam. Missing a scheduled exam doesn't count in the "three times you're out" quandary...
So... I put taking the exam on the "never completed list" and resolved that it was to never be reality for me...
Fast forward until this past February. A younger colleague of mine told me he was preparing for the exam in April. A second new hire colleague also announced that he was preparing for the exam. Additionally, I found that the October exam would be the last bubble sheet paper exam administered. Starting in April of 2020, the Mechanical exam would be a CBT exam with limited personal resources available during the exam...
Well they studied and both 'passed' the exam. This event of being passed by younger less experienced engineers along with the fact that the form of exam I was familiar with was being phased out after October, challenged me. I could not sit and fall behind, so I investigated available study courses and settled on one that seemed to be the best for the least. BTW study courses typically cost hundreds of dollars. With a few being a couple thousand...
I started studying in June and finished the study the week before the October exam, feeling well prepared. During the summer I twisted my left knee that put me on crutches. An ultra-sound revealed late stage arthritis had set in with about 20% of cartilage remaining in that knee. I've been using a cane since. On the day of the exam, I arrived to find that there was zero parking available. I was directed to the overflow parking. Walking with a cane AND towing a milk jug crate of reference books behind me, I got to the check in table late. The exam rooms had been filled and the doors closed. They were not going to let me in to take the exam. WHAT!? Not allowed to take the exam? WTH!!!
I pleaded my case with the head exam "guard" and she finally spoke to the head proctor for the exam room I was assigned to. The proctor decided she would allow me in... now fifteen minutes late.
Got in, pulled all my personal resources out, and reached for my glasses... NO GLASSES... dammit.
Luckily, I still can't see fine print with my glasses, so I took my trusty magnifier out and took the morning session of the exam using only a magnifier... What a pain that was.
At lunch, I knew there would be a small few that would leave the parking lot for either lunch or not to return because they knew they were doomed... I hobbled to the overflow parking and moved my truck as near to the entrance as I could get. Grabbed my eye glasses and hobbled back into the waiting area. At 12:50 they opened the exam room and everybody went back in. I started the second session, now with glasses, finishing 4 hours later exhausted.
Fast forward 5 weeks... I started checking my email looking for the results of the exam. On Thursday, one day short of 7 weeks, the results came in. I couldn't look at them in fear that I again had a "FAIL" result. So I waited until I got home and had a couple of stiff double-bourbons in me. Opened up the email and... It's a damn link... The same as twice before... just links. No announcement. No attachment. Nothing... just a damn link. Time for another double...
Finally... I had three double-bourbons in me and I was ready for bear. I ripped the proverbial band-aid off and clicked the damn link. After a few looong seconds, the screen popped up.
PASS
What!??? I passed!? No way!!! This must be a cruel "pre-Friday the Thirteenth" joke... WTH would someone do that to me? This has got to be an error... I didn't pass. The exam results are wrong.
The wife came over and she looked at the screen... Yep. You passed.
So now, 20 years after graduation, after taking the FE exam, after prevailing and persevering through thick and thin, after growing older past the age that most PE's have retired, after everything that has blocked my path, after what seemed to be LIFE it self, I passed the exam!
All that's left is the paperwork... the hard part is now just HISTORY. Halle-Damn-Lujah!!!
Most of you know I'm just an ol' crotchety engineering guy that has labored to gain professional licensure for years...
And that seems to be par for the course.
It took me 23 years to graduate with my BSME degree. Marriage, Children, Work, ... just seemed that "LIFE" got in the way at every opportunity. Then 1999 and with my degree in hand, I set out to get that 'pearl' that every die-hard engineer seeks. Professional Licensure as a P.E.
I took the FE fresh out of college in April 1999 and finally, 15 years later, took the PE for the first time in October 2015. Waited my obligatory 6 - 8 weeks and received the infamous "FAIL" response accompanied with a diagnostic report explaining all the reasons of the failure. I chalked this up to just not being fully prepared. Totally on me.
Then in April 2016 I repeated the previous experience with the added self-punishment of hours/daily of study... and again, "FAIL". Well not being one to readily seek out self-inflicted punishment, I labored over the decision to retake the exam. Ultimately, I signed up for a third exam in April 2017. As it got closer it become painfully obvious that I wasn't ready. ... AND that not passing the exam for a third time in a row required taking/passing a mandatory review course before taking the exam a fourth time, I decided to skip the exam. Missing a scheduled exam doesn't count in the "three times you're out" quandary...
So... I put taking the exam on the "never completed list" and resolved that it was to never be reality for me...
Fast forward until this past February. A younger colleague of mine told me he was preparing for the exam in April. A second new hire colleague also announced that he was preparing for the exam. Additionally, I found that the October exam would be the last bubble sheet paper exam administered. Starting in April of 2020, the Mechanical exam would be a CBT exam with limited personal resources available during the exam...
Well they studied and both 'passed' the exam. This event of being passed by younger less experienced engineers along with the fact that the form of exam I was familiar with was being phased out after October, challenged me. I could not sit and fall behind, so I investigated available study courses and settled on one that seemed to be the best for the least. BTW study courses typically cost hundreds of dollars. With a few being a couple thousand...
I started studying in June and finished the study the week before the October exam, feeling well prepared. During the summer I twisted my left knee that put me on crutches. An ultra-sound revealed late stage arthritis had set in with about 20% of cartilage remaining in that knee. I've been using a cane since. On the day of the exam, I arrived to find that there was zero parking available. I was directed to the overflow parking. Walking with a cane AND towing a milk jug crate of reference books behind me, I got to the check in table late. The exam rooms had been filled and the doors closed. They were not going to let me in to take the exam. WHAT!? Not allowed to take the exam? WTH!!!
I pleaded my case with the head exam "guard" and she finally spoke to the head proctor for the exam room I was assigned to. The proctor decided she would allow me in... now fifteen minutes late.
Got in, pulled all my personal resources out, and reached for my glasses... NO GLASSES... dammit.
Luckily, I still can't see fine print with my glasses, so I took my trusty magnifier out and took the morning session of the exam using only a magnifier... What a pain that was.
At lunch, I knew there would be a small few that would leave the parking lot for either lunch or not to return because they knew they were doomed... I hobbled to the overflow parking and moved my truck as near to the entrance as I could get. Grabbed my eye glasses and hobbled back into the waiting area. At 12:50 they opened the exam room and everybody went back in. I started the second session, now with glasses, finishing 4 hours later exhausted.
Fast forward 5 weeks... I started checking my email looking for the results of the exam. On Thursday, one day short of 7 weeks, the results came in. I couldn't look at them in fear that I again had a "FAIL" result. So I waited until I got home and had a couple of stiff double-bourbons in me. Opened up the email and... It's a damn link... The same as twice before... just links. No announcement. No attachment. Nothing... just a damn link. Time for another double...
Finally... I had three double-bourbons in me and I was ready for bear. I ripped the proverbial band-aid off and clicked the damn link. After a few looong seconds, the screen popped up.
PASS
What!??? I passed!? No way!!! This must be a cruel "pre-Friday the Thirteenth" joke... WTH would someone do that to me? This has got to be an error... I didn't pass. The exam results are wrong.
The wife came over and she looked at the screen... Yep. You passed.
So now, 20 years after graduation, after taking the FE exam, after prevailing and persevering through thick and thin, after growing older past the age that most PE's have retired, after everything that has blocked my path, after what seemed to be LIFE it self, I passed the exam!
All that's left is the paperwork... the hard part is now just HISTORY. Halle-Damn-Lujah!!!
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Belated congrats to you! I pity the folks that take the new format exam. I have reviewed their one allowed reference and it is filled with errors. Glad you didn't wait! 0 -
Congrats!
I know how you feel. Due to multiple back surgeries and a lot of issues surrounding them, it took me 6 years to get an Associates degree in 2002. Since I set out to get my bachelors degree but stopped there, I call it my "consolation degree". I don't think I could have continued then (or now) since I am on fairly high dosages (130mg+) of opiates 24/7/365. I still can troubleshoot with the best of them, but seriously, I can't remember a 7 digit phone number from when I read it on the monitor until I dial it on my phone. My goal after blowing out my back was to be a Systems Administrator (I.T.) and though I do get passed for some jobs that I am a perfect match for (minus the requisite bachelors degree), I have been working in that capacity for 6+ years now and had been in I.T. field since even before graduating.0 -
Hey friend, how ya coming on that paperwork? Looking like a good new year? Now that you are licensed are you going to retire? 0 -
Congratulations! Hard work and determination always pay off! May you reap the benefits of your sacrifices. 0
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