Usually fall apart, like mine did last Friday. I have been working on completing my application since the late summer to obtain my professional engineering license (PE). I obtained 5 other licensed engineer's references and filled out a big, long form on my work history to convince them I would be a qualified engineer.
My plan was to take the big test in April, and to take a thorough review course in March. I had been blocking off Friday, Saturday and Sunday for 4 weekends and waiting for the silly company to release their exact schedule for the classes. Based on when the previous classes ended, about 2 weeks before the actual test date, I had calculated that the earliest class date would be in the beginning of March.
And.....we were trying to book our anniversary trip to Brazil & Argentina. I repeatedly called the company every few weeks to see if they had released the schedule. I was assured that the earliest the courses might start would be the last weekend of February. That all looked good- I'd even have an extra buffer weekend after we got back from our big trip to recover (and go through my million pictures) before studying my brains out.
Well....I found out Friday that the classes will indeed start the first weekend of February, two days after we leave for Buenos Aires. So instead of finishing up our course with a small break before the big test, now I will have to try to remember everything for an extra 4 weeks. Although the electrical engineers are taking their courses as expected in March, the mechanical engineers will be studying in February.
After a few hours of sheer panic, I realized it would cost thousands to reschedule our trip. Since I had yet to receive approval from the board to even take the test, cancelling our trip would be foolish. I hated the idea of having to postpone the test until October. I already had plans and this process would be dragging on for almost a year.
After much scrambling around, I decided I could take half of the review course (2 weekends) when we return, which would cover the problem solving workshops. To make up for missing the 40+ hours of review classes I would be missing the two weekend we were globe trotting, I decided to use DVD's to review the material.
So......instead of my review being wrapped up neatly into 4 weekend classes, I will be watching 2 DVD's every Saturday and 2 DVD's every Sunday before our trip. I will be meeting with my generous co-worker who will catch me up on all the class notes I missed the weekend after we get back. Then I will be able to spend two Friday-Sundays weekends in the workshops. THEN...spend 4 more weekends reviewing and trying not to forget everything I'd spend $2000 to learn.
Not the ideal situation, but I'm going to make it work.
Many weekends of boring lectures and skipping fun photo field trips.
I'll try not to blog about thermodynamics or HVA/C systems.
GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY: I'm generally a very good test-taker, so hopefully this new study plan will work out.
2 comments:
When my husband studied for his PE (in geotechnical civil) he took two review classes, and studied every night for well over a month. I am sure you will be well prepared.
Good luck!! You will be fine! I empathize, my husband is a mechanical engineer too...and HVAC is sometimes interesting ;)
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