FEATURED TESTIMONIAL - Geotechnical PE Exam Success!

“I passed the Civil Geotechnical PE Exam with a score of 79. Thank you for providing excellent tools for taking the test. It really was the best method to help me prepare well. I will be telling my colleagues about your course and how well it worked for me. Thanks again!”
- PE, Texas

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Hydraulic Models Do More with Less

One of the big challenges in water resources is knowing how much water flows in a river at a given time. Generally, relationships known as rating curves are used to compute discharge time series from continuous observations of water depth. These rating curves are developed using many concurrent measurements of discharge and water depth in the river taken over long periods of time. It can be difficult to quantify the uncertainty associated with these curves. But recent research in Sweden suggests that hydraulic models can help define an uncertainty framework that allows users to create an uncertainty framework with only a few discharge observations. - Beth Sciaudone, DTC Civil Water Resources & Environmental Instructor

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Who Says You Can’t Be a Super Hero?

All you need to activate your super powers is a little help from Dr. Tom’s Classroom. Armed with the preparation, strategies and resources you get with DTC's PE Exam reviews, you can achieve the extraordinary. And now is the perfect time to start your PE Exam preparation with our 20-Week Reviews.



Dr. Tom developed the 20-Week Review because he found, after many years of preparing engineers for the PE Exam, that 20 weeks is the optimal time frame for learning and retaining the knowledge and skills you need to pass the exam.

Dr. Tom has also honed his review into a targeted, structured review that will help you focus your efforts and make the most of the ideal exam preparation window, all with the support of a team that is dedicated to your success. Let us help you activate your super powers and triumph over the PE Exam.

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CHANGE IS COMING - CBT Brings New Types of Questions

The Mechanical PE Exams will convert to the year-round Computer-Based Testing (CBT) format starting in April of 2020. The October 2019 Exam is the last chance to take the Mechanical exams in the Pencil-and-Paper format. In this post, we look at the new question types that will be introduced with the new CBT exam format. 

The new CBT exams will not only have the traditional multiple-choice questions but four additional question types. They are referred to by the NCEES as AITs, Alternative Item Types. The four new question types include:

• Multiple correct options – allows multiple choices to be correct and can have more than the usual four possible answers
• Point and click –  click on part of a graphic to answer
• Drag and drop – click on and drag items to match, sort, rank, or label
• Fill in the blank - space provided to type a response to the question. 

While these changes allow for a whole host of new type problems, not being familiar with how these are to work could be troublesome. For example, will spelling be a problem with fill-in-the-blank questions?  Spelling was never my strong suit. Will 23,000 and 23000 both be acceptable?

Currently, the Pencil-and-Paper PE Exams are all multiple choice with four possible answers – a very familiar format that we have come to expect in these type exams, and one that presents no unknown factors to provoke additional anxiety. Just another reason for Mechanical Engineers to take the October 2019 PE Exam before the Pencil-and-Paper exam is no longer an option.
- Dr. Tom

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Organized Transportation Chaos

On a recent trip to Uganda, I visited Kampala’s Old Taxi Park and witnessed this amazing sight of organized transportation chaos. The taxi park hosts the commuter taxis (mini-vans that hold 12-15 people) that operate in the Kampala Metropolitan area and other routes around the country. There are plans to construct a new, multi-level parking building. More efficient perhaps, but without some of the charm I’m sure. - Daniel Findley, DTC Civil Transportation Instructor

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FEATURED TESTIMONIAL - Transportation PE Exam Success!

“After taking your course, I sat for the PE Civil Transportation Exam. I graduated from The Ohio State University in 1990. I have worked in the field for 27 years and this is my first time taking the exam. I received my NCEES results and I passed. Your course was instrumental in me passing the exam.”
- Brent Tucker, PE, Pennsylvania

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Lake Erie Ice Tsunami

As spring is finally arriving, it’s more fun to look back on some of the more dramatic moments of winter. And you know it’s cold in the Great Lakes when you see an “ice tsunami.” Also called “ice shoves,” these walls of broken lake ice are pushed by wind and waves onto the shores of the Great Lakes, sometimes in a mater of minutes. This informative National Geographic article tells more and this incredible real-time video of the Lake Eire Ice Tsunami shows just how fast it can happen. - Beth Sciaudone, DTC Civil Water Resources & Environmental Instructor.

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Achieve the Extraordinary. Become a PE.

You have achieved a lot in your career as an engineer, but you know that you are capable of more. Getting your P.E. license will open up a world of possibilities for you to achieve the extraordinary. And we can help you make those possibilities a reality with our Reviews for the Civil and Mechanical PE Exams and our comprehensive plan to prepare you to pass the exam.

Professional Engineers are changing our world for the better every day with amazing achievements. We can’t wait to see what you will do with your PE!



“Dr. Tom’s 20-Week Review provided the structure and the solid foundation I needed to pass the PE exam. Learning to quickly identify the type of problem and using Dr. Tom’s back-to-basics method of problem solving helped me feel confident in my ability to do well. The quality, exam day references provided, exam day strategies, and the confidence I have in Dr. Tom’s program makes it easy for me to recommend Dr. Tom’s Classroom others preparing for the PE exam. Thanks for getting me over the hump and helping me to accomplish a major goal of mine!” 
- Clint A., P.E., Tulsa, Oklahoma

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CHANGE IS COMING - Time Allotment: CBT Exam versus Pencil-and-Paper Exam

The Mechanical PE Exams will convert to the year-round Computer-Based Testing (CBT) format starting in April of 2020. The October 2019 Exam is the last chance to take the Mechanical exams in the Pencil-and-Paper format. In this post, I want to take a closer look at how meeting the challenge of time management differs on the CBT PE Exam and the Pencil-and-Paper PE Exam. Time management is troublesome for all of us, especially on tests, and particularly on a test as important to one’s future as the PE Exam. So it’s worth taking a look at these differences. 

Let’s start with the current Pencil-and-Paper exams, which are 8 hours total divided into two 4-hour sessions with and an official 1-hour break in between. You have exactly 40 questions to answer in the first 4 hours and exactly 40 questions in the second 4 hours. There is a big clock on the wall and periodically the time remaining will be announced. Time is called after each of these sessions, and all work is to be stopped. Time management is handled by the NCEES representatives, leaving your mind free to concentrate on the exam. You certainly need to pace yourself and make sure not to get stuck on tricky problems, but one nice thing about this format is that there is no chance that you will take more time on the first 40 questions and then not have enough time for the second 40 questions.

Now let’s look at the CBT exam. It is not official, however, it can probably be assumed that the time allotment for the CBT versions of the Mechanical and Civil PE Exams will be the same as the current CBT Chemical PE Exam. The time you have remaining is shown on the screen and continues to count down as you work through the exam. The total time is 9 hours, broken down as follows:

• 2 minutes to read and sign the Nondisclosure Agreement. If you don’t sign, it is over.
• 8 minutes for an online tutorial on how to navigate the exam screen.
• 8 hours for the exam.
• 50 minutes for a lunch break, where you decide when to take the break. You will want to take this break after 4 hours where hopefully you have had a chance to answer half of the 80 questions. If you don’t take a break, you lose the 50 minutes; it does not add to your time. If you spend more than 50 minutes on your break, the exam time clock re-starts after the 50 minutes. At the end of 8 hours to the second, the exam is over.

With the CBT format, you must be vigilant in your time management, because you have to decide when you take the break and you have to make sure you allow enough time to get to all 80 questions. Another thing to worry about during the exam.
 
Mechanical Engineers, the only way to avoid the extra pressure of time management associated with the CBT exam format is to take and pass the October 2019 Exam. Once this last Pencil-and-Paper exam is administered, you’ll be stuck with CBT.

- Dr. Tom

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Lights, Camera - Engineering!

Something we've all been waiting for - a film about Civil Engineering by Civil Engineers. Dream Big is playing in museums and science centers around the world. Find a screening in your area. - Daniel Findley, DTC Civil Transportation Instructor

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FEATURED TESTIMONIAL - A Path to Passing

“I am proud to report that I received a passing score on the exam. I must admit that I am quite surprised to say the least. If a retired US Navy test pilot who has not looked at undergraduate engineering for over 30 years can pass using this course, then this is positive proof that the DTC method is effective. I followed the course to the letter and even built in an extra 2-weeks of review following the 20-week course. This included taking the NCEES practice review test over 3 times. In retrospect, the only thing that I could have done differently was to trust in the review and the Dr. Tom process for test taking. I am now a believer in the DTC method. Passing the PE has been a life long personal and professional goal and I am thankful for all of your help. By the way, prior to taking this course, I had signed up and paid for one of the other courses and found it more of a MERM addendum rather than a path to passing. Thank you again.”
- Steve, PE

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Texas-sized Concrete Pour

I’ve worked on several concrete pours over the years (mostly less than 500 cubic yards in one placement), and I’ve seen just how sideways they can get in short amount of time.

For a new office tower in Houston, TX, CEMEX USA did a 13,799 cubic yard pour in 20 hours. I can hardly imagine the resources expended to plan and execute a pour of this size in such a short amount of time. - Jason Savage, DTC Civil Construction Instructor

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The Clock Is Ticking! Time Is Running Out to Get $100 Off

There are only a few more days to sign up for a 20-Week Review and save $100. The Discount ends on March 31, and right now is the perfect time to begin your 20-Week PE Exam Review for the October 2019 Exam.

Dr. Tom’s Classroom’s 20-Week Reviews have the perfect combination of structure, organization, strategy, practice and support to help you pass the exam. Everyone at DTC is dedicated to your success. If you follow the plan and do the work, you will be prepared to pass the exam.

“Dr. Tom's 20-Week course is the reason that I passed the PE. If I had chosen to study on my own, there would be no chance I'd pass. The week to week structure of the course kept me on track, so I did not run out of time days before the exam. There are so many strong points to this course I cannot name them all. I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone taking the exam.”
- Stephen E. Kreidler, PE, Tulsa, OK

We see you achieving extraordinary things in your future as a PE! So let’s get you started! Use discount code achievePE20W when you SIGN UP today.

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CHANGE IS COMING - Allowable Items: CBT Exam versus Pencil-and-Paper Exam

The Mechanical PE Exams will convert to the year-round Computer-Based Testing (CBT) format starting in April of 2020. The October 2019 Exam is the last chance to take the Mechanical exams in the Pencil-and-Paper format. In this post, I want to take a closer look at the difference in what you’re allowed to take into the CBT PE Exam (which is virtually nothing) and what you can take into a Pencil-and-Paper PE Exam (which is almost anything useful within reason). 

The downloadable NCEES Examinee Guide contains information for the both the CBT and Pencil-and-Paper exams, including a list of what items you are allowed to have during the exam.

For the CBT exam, this list of allowed items is very limited.  The following items are allowed: official ID, one approved calculator without cover (spare must be in locker), a key to the locker, booklet and marker supplied by Pearson VUE, eyeglasses without the case, light sweater or jacket, and approved medications. You will be given a pad and a special pen to do all your calculations, which will stay in the exam facility when you have completed the exam. You may ask for additional pads or pens during the exam. That is it. Then there is the long list of items not allowed. Cell phones and computers, of course, fitness trackers, pagers, watches, wallets, purses, hats and other head coverings (unless religious in nature), bags, coats, books, notes, pens, pencils, erasers, food, and beverages. Please note that books and notes are included in the list of banned items. That means no references whatsoever. Your only reference during the exam is limited to the provided NCEES Reference Handbook PDF shown on your computer screen.

As for the current Pencil-and-Paper format, yes, you need an official ID, and you are not allowed any electronic devices including cell phones, computers, fitness trackers, or smart watches (wristwatches are okay). However, you will have your personalized reference materials and approved calculator (and spare if you like), and you can bring in two straightedges (such as a ruler, scale, triangle, or protractor) and handheld magnifying glass. You can even have snacks (hard candies, candy bars, and even gum which is restricted in the CBT facility) and nonalcoholic beverages. You can essentially set up a home away from home for the duration of the exam. I remember having a bag with morning goodies to eat and drink and then a separate bag for the afternoon. I know the chocolate yogurt flavored raisins I consumed during the afternoon portion of the exam were a key to my success. Not a chance having those in a Pearson VUE testing center, except during your timed 50-minute lunch break.

If you like “rules”, then you are going to love the new CBT format. If not, then if you don’t take and pass the October 2019 PE Exam, you will have no choice but to comply with a great many rules.  - Dr. Tom

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Engineer Astronaut - Truly Extraordinary

At DTC, one of our big messages is about Achieving the Extraordinary. I was so inspired to read about astronaut Christina Hammock Koch, who blasted into space on March 14. She is an alumna of NC State and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, both institutions that I’m proud to have attended as well. As a kid, I dreamed of one day being an astronaut, and although my career has led me down a more terrestrial path, I still find a space launch exciting. Koch and her colleague Anne McClain will be making an historic spacewalk on March 29, as the first all-female crew to do so. An engineer by training, she will do something so few of us will ever experience, but we will all benefit from the knowledge gained, as we try to achieve the extraordinary in our own ways! - Beth Sciaudone, DTC Civil Water Resources & Environmental Instructor

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