Your Step By Step Guide to Passing the PE Exam |
A Collaboration Between:
My PE Exam Journey
Back in May 2014 when I registered for the Fire Protection PE Exam, I did what most other engineers did at the time. I purchased an expensive prep course, attended the virtual classes every week, and spent nights and weekend studying. Over the course of 6 months, I easily logged hundreds of hours studying, taking practice exams and becoming familiar with the reference materials.
But the hours of late night studying paid off!
I passed the exam and finally received the coveted title of "Professional Engineer."
The feeling was awesome! It felt like I had reached a huge milestone. PE licensure earns respect from colleagues and brings a sense of credibility to clients - both things I was excited about. And I could finally change my email signature and business cards to say Chris Campbell, PE!
But the hours of late night studying paid off!
I passed the exam and finally received the coveted title of "Professional Engineer."
The feeling was awesome! It felt like I had reached a huge milestone. PE licensure earns respect from colleagues and brings a sense of credibility to clients - both things I was excited about. And I could finally change my email signature and business cards to say Chris Campbell, PE!
As the initial excitement of passing wore off, I did some reflecting on the past months. I had put a lot of time into studying, particularly through the prep course. While the course did help me to pass the exam, there were many components that were time consuming and only offered marginal value. In other words, not the best use of my study time. But there were two key insights from the course that clearly paid dividends in my preparation:
Insight #1: The most important part of PE exam prep is setting and keeping a study schedule.
Looking back, I realized:
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Another insight I realized during my reflection was the importance of consistency. Writing out a study schedule is one thing, but actually sticking to it week after week is another. It's easy to sit down for a few hours one day to study, but the PE exam is not a last minute study endeavor. Some people start studying 6 months in advance! I certainly could not have maintained the weekly discipline for that long by myself, but doing so alongside other people in the course kept me going.
Insight #2: Preparing for the exam with a community of other engineers keeps you accountable.
Studying with others:
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Six years after passing the PE exam, I'm a Senior Fire Protection Engineer in Washington, DC, an adjunct faculty at the University of Maryland Department of Fire Protection Engineering, and I write here at the Building Code Blog.
Is there a better way to prepare for the PE?
Over the years, I've talked with numerous colleagues and fellow engineers who share a similar sentiment about preparing for the PE exam. Instead of an expensive course with a lot of things you don't need, why not build a course that offers the two most important things you need to pass the PE? Instead of hours of lecture content, why not offer a step-by-step study system, a road map explaining exactly what to study and when? And why not build in an online community, a place for test takers to ask questions, post their progress and reap the accountability benefits of studying with others?
Introducing the PE Roadmap
Your Step-By-Step Guide to Passing the Fire Protection PE Exam
The PE Roadmap takes the most important parts of PE exam preparation and packages them into a clear and concise study system.
Here's Everything You'll Get in the PE Roadmap:
Week-By-Week Study Schedule:
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Access to the PE Roadmap Forum:
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"Things to Focus On" Guide:
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Course Materials
I'm partnering with Joe Meyer to provide references materials and questions for the PE Roadmap. Joe is a fellow FPE and author of the MeyerFire PE Prep Guide, which has quickly become the highest-selling Fire Protection PE exam resource! The PE Roadmap provides references to the MeyerFire PE Prep Guide and utilizes the MeyerFire PE Prep Series for example questions.
2020 MeyerFire PE Prep Guide:
MeyerFire PE Prep Series:
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Is the PE Roadmap Right For Me?
The PE Roadmap is right for you if:
- You want a step-by-step guide, giving you a study plan to cover all exam topics
- You are motivated and encouraged by interacting with other engineers, studying for the same exam as you
- You want your study plan to consist of a mixture of topical study time, practice problems and practice exams
- You would prefer to spend less money but get the guidance you actually need to pass the exam
Am I Better Off Taking One of the Other Courses?
Maybe. The PE Roadmap may not be right for you if:
- You want to spend 20-30 hours of virtual class time AND then study on your own (we recommend letting us tell you what to study so you can focus on actually studying!)
- You are completely unfamiliar with many of the major exam topics (unlikely if you have been working in the FPE field and/or have an engineering degree)
- You want to take the time to develop your own comprehensive study schedule (we recommend letting us do that for you...we've already done this and passed the exam!)
- You would not benefit from the online forum interactions (we've never met anyone who didn't want the opportunity to ask a few questions over the course of preparing for thee exam)
- You don't mind spending $1500-$2000, plus the cost of guide books (the cost of other prep courses)
Need Customized Guidance? Try PE Roadmap Pro.
With the PE Roadmap, you get a step-by-step guide to all of the topics, questions and references that you need to prepare for the PE exam. But some people prefer direct, one-on-one guidance, with suggestions and input based on their specific situation.
Is that you?
If so, try out PE Roadmap Pro.
Is that you?
If so, try out PE Roadmap Pro.
What You'll Get in PE Roadmap Pro:
Everything in the PE Roadmap, plus:
Practice Question Progress Dashboard:
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Customized Study Suggestions:
- We'll review your individual progress on practice questions from the MeyerFire PE Prep Series
- Every other week, we'll send you custom study suggestion based on your progress
- The customized study suggestions will provide extra resources and direct you to additional practice problems - giving you the extra boost where you need it most
Comparing the PE Roadmap to other Courses
Value |
PE Roadmap |
PE Roadmap Pro |
Other Prep Courses |
MeyerFire PE Prep Guide Book and Question Series |
✔️ |
✔️ |
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PE Roadmap Week-By-Week Study Schedule |
✔️ |
✔️ |
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PE Roadmap Forum Access |
✔️ |
✔️ |
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PE Roadmap "Things to Focus On" Guide |
✔️ |
✔️ |
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Five (5) Thirty Minute Check-In Calls (Zoom Meeting) |
✔️ |
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Customized Study Suggestions, Provided Bi-Weekly |
✔️ |
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Practice Question Progress Dashboard, Updated Weekly |
✔️ |
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20+ Hours of Online Lecture Outside of Your Personal Study Time |
✔️ |
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Group Office Hours Only (No One on One Coaching) |
✔️ |
Yes! Sign Me Up
Need to Pickup the MeyerFire Materials Too?
We have partnered with Joe Meyer to offer the 2020 MeyerFire PE Prep Guide Book and Test Prep Series together at a discounted rate of $380.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Do I have to purchase the MeyerFire materials (or other PE references materials) to use the PE Roadmap?
Answer: We recommend purchasing the MeyerFire Prep Guide Book and Test Prep series, as the Roadmap provides direct references to these materials in the week-by-week study schedule. If you don't purchase the MeyerFire materials, you can still use the PE Roadmap, you just won't have access to the referenced equations and practice questions. If you purchase PE Roadmap Pro, you must purchase the MeyerFire materials in order to have access to the progress dashboard.
Question: What if I have questions on an exam topic, such as fire dynamics?
Answer: The PE Roadmap comes with access to a dedicated forum, where you can ask any technical question you want. You can also signup for PE Roadmap Pro, where you get multiple one-on-one calls to check in on your study progress.
Question: When does the PE Roadmap Start?
Answer: The PE Roadmap starts on June 1, 2020, which coincides to the first week of the MeyerFire Test Prep weekly questions. Participants will receive materials via email or web download by June 1.
Question: Can I start after June 1?
Answer: Yes! The Roadmap schedule has several review and vacation weeks built in. It also includes weeks off to take practice exams. While it's best to start studying early, many past test takers have begun in July or later and still passed the exam.
Answer: We recommend purchasing the MeyerFire Prep Guide Book and Test Prep series, as the Roadmap provides direct references to these materials in the week-by-week study schedule. If you don't purchase the MeyerFire materials, you can still use the PE Roadmap, you just won't have access to the referenced equations and practice questions. If you purchase PE Roadmap Pro, you must purchase the MeyerFire materials in order to have access to the progress dashboard.
Question: What if I have questions on an exam topic, such as fire dynamics?
Answer: The PE Roadmap comes with access to a dedicated forum, where you can ask any technical question you want. You can also signup for PE Roadmap Pro, where you get multiple one-on-one calls to check in on your study progress.
Question: When does the PE Roadmap Start?
Answer: The PE Roadmap starts on June 1, 2020, which coincides to the first week of the MeyerFire Test Prep weekly questions. Participants will receive materials via email or web download by June 1.
Question: Can I start after June 1?
Answer: Yes! The Roadmap schedule has several review and vacation weeks built in. It also includes weeks off to take practice exams. While it's best to start studying early, many past test takers have begun in July or later and still passed the exam.