It’s the week of your exam and you will have read or received tons of advice regarding the approach. The opinions vary almost as much as the engineering topics covered! We think that the most important steps to add to the checklist are sleep, review, prepare for the day.
Sleep
They’ve told you this many times, but you have to make sure to do it. Being able to sit for the exam is a victory in itself. Sharpness during the actual test will be more important than last-minute material learned. Having to take it while working long days makes this one of the most difficult professional exams. With one week until the exam, it’s time to start getting into your best mindset.
Review
Instead of covering new topics, focus on reviewing your tabs, highlights, and notes. Speed is key during the exam. Most problems that are solved incorrectly are the result of a single step or coefficient missed. We recommend having two tiers of reference materials, with your main set in one pile on the table.
Prepare for the Day
One of the most important parts of the exam is to mitigate discomforts and unexpected problems. Drive to the exam site before the test (preferably at the same time) to get the feel for the drive and the traffic. Eat neutral foods and being a light-but-filling lunch. Make sure that you have the permitted and required materials to bring into the room with you.
Ideal preparation and preference is different for everyone. Being able to maintain focus and speed throughout the brutal eight hours will take you far. You have to know your stuff to get to this point, so prepare and relax!