24–003: Geotechnical Engineer License Exam
Today is the third day of January in 2024, which is the day that I found out that I did not pass my Geotechnical Engineer Exam that I took back in November. I can’t say that I didn’t expect that result because I did not put in the amount of studying that is needed to pass, but it would have been nice to see a passing result.
To give some idea of the process of licensure for a Geotechnical Engineer:
1. Go to college and obtain a Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree (6.5-year plan for me).
2. Take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam (8-hour exam). This can be taken during or after school. Once you pass this exam, you are considered an Engineer-In-Training (E.I.T).
3. Obtain two years of engineering experience, and with passing the FE exam, you are eligible to sit for the three exams needed for the Professional Engineering (PE) license. *Please note, this process specifically for California*
4. To become a PE, you will need to pass the following exams:
-Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam — National 8-hour exam
-Surveying Exam — California Specific 2.5-hour exam
-Seismic Exam — California Specific 2.5-hour exam
5. To be eligible for the Geotechnical Engineer Exam (GE), you need to have at least four years of professional experience after your PE license is issued.
So, that is where I am currently at. I hit my four years of professional experience after the PE license in January of 2023. This GE exam is only offered once a year, so I had to wait until November to take it. I also didn’t get “approved” until May/June.
Throughout my engineering career, I have never passed any exam the first time. So not passing the GE exam this time around didn’t come as a surprise.
So now I sit here in January, knowing I am going to get another chance in November. So here is a toast to starting the studying process now, so it’s not crammed closer to the exam date. I am hoping to focus on one to two topics a month leading into November. Having two kids, and one on the way, on top of working full time and the everyday chores of life, has its challenges fitting in study, but it has to happen. This is the last exam to complete my engineering career, and I haven’t come this far to quit.
For the exams listed above, it took me the following attempts:
· EIT — Three Attempts before passing
· PE 8 Hour Exam — Three Attempts before passing
· Surveying California Exam — Four Attempts before passing
· Seismic California Exam — Two attempts before passing
As you can see, I have never given up.
Not only is it a personal goal, but I also want to set an example for my kids as they grow up and have challenges along the way, never giving up!
