The Civil Engineering Academy Podcast

No matter how hard you study, on exam day, nerves kick in, you worry about time, and one tough question can throw you off. But what if you had a test-taking plan to avoid all of that? 🤔In this episode, I break down our CEA Test Strategy™, a 3-phase test-taking hack that allows you to do what really matters to pass your FE, PE, or CFM® exam — get as many questions right as possible. ✅How? By tackling the right questions, at the right time during the exam. 😉I used this approach when I took my exams myself. I taught it to every CEA team member who was once a student. And I teach it to every single student of our review courses. Now, I’m sharing this test-taking hack with you as well. 😉If you're gearing up for any of these exams, you need to practice this strategy with practice exams to stop feeling overwhelmed the moment the clock starts ticking.So, just hit play, and let's get you “exam-day ready”…step-by-step. 🏆🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN:The CEA Test Strategy™Step 1: “Quick Wins” to Build MomentumStep 2: The “Brain Burners” You’ll Want to Pace Yourself ThroughStep 3: The “Smart Guesses” That Could Make or Break Your ScoreWhy This Strategy Works to Get You Passed (And Has for Years)Why You Should Use it…100%!How to Practice This Strategy in Your Prep🎁 CEA FREEBIES FOR YOU:The Civil FE Startup GuideThe Civil PE Startup GuideFREE CFM® Course Module📚 CEA PRACTICE EXAMS:FE Practice ExamsFE CBT Exam SimulatorPE Practice ExamsPE Bonus Theory QuestionsPE CBT Exam SimulatorCFM® Practice ExamFE Environmental Practice ExamPE Environmental Practice Exam🖥️ CEA REVIEW COURSES:Civil FE Review CourseCivil PE Review CoursesCFM® Review Course📱 CONNECT WITH CEA!WebsiteNewsletterFree CEA CommunityLinkedInYouTube Channelsupport@civilengineeringacademy.com

🚨 Here’s by far the most asked question inside our FE and PE courses: “Should I use the Ultimate or Net Bearing Capacity to find the Allowable Bearing Capacity?” 🤔That question comes up in our student-only community every single year, multiple times, and rightfully so.Reference manuals tell you to find the Net value and then use it to find the Allowable Bearing Capacity. But then, in the solutions to the problems, it uses the Ultimate value directly.Like, “What the heck?!” 😨But don’t worry….we’ve got your back. 😉Over the years, we’ve shared a little-known trick with our students so they know which one to use on exam day. And in this episode, we’re sharing it with you as well. 😉Tune in to learn about this trick…and you’ll never get this wrong anymore in your exam prep. That’s a promise. 👍🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN:What's the Bearing Capacity of Soil?What Ultimate Bearing Capacity is All AboutHow to Calculate Ultimate Bearing CapacityWhat Net Bearing Capacity is...And How It Differs from the Ultimate ValueThe Allowable Bearing CapacityThe Big FE/PE Dilemma: Two Ways to Find the Allowable Bearing CapacityThe Little-Known Trick We Share With Our Students That Solves This Dilemma🎁 CEA FREEBIES FOR YOU:The Civil FE Startup GuideThe Civil PE Startup GuideFREE CFM® Course Module🖥️ CEA REVIEW COURSES:Civil FE Review CourseCivil PE Review CoursesCFM® Review Course📚 CEA PRACTICE EXAMS:FE Practice ExamsFE CBT Exam SimulatorPE Practice ExamsPE Bonus Theory QuestionsPE CBT Exam SimulatorCFM® Practice ExamFE Environmental Practice ExamPE Environmental Practice Exam📱 CONNECT WITH CEA!WebsiteNewsletterFree CEA CommunityLinkedInYouTube Channelsupport@civilengineeringacademy.com

"The CSI of Civil Engineering." That’s the best way to describe the little-known career path of Forensic Engineering for civil engineers — and in this episode, we’re diving headfirst into it. 🕵️‍♂️💥Our guest for this one is Peter Marxhausen, a civil engineer with over 25 years of experience and 10,000+ building investigations under his belt. Peter has now seen it all — cracks, collapses, fire…and the courtroom drama that follows.If you’ve never heard of this field before, or just assumed it was something only "experts" do at the end of their careers, Peter’s here to break it all down. How to get into it. What the work of a Forensic Engineer entails. The credentials you need. And a lot more!Whether you’re trying to figure out what career route to take or considering a career shift, this episode’s got all you need to know about a career that most civil engineers don’t even know they can have. 😎🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN:How What Every Civil Engineer Avoids Got Him Into Forensic EngineeringThe Engineering Type of Work a Forensic Engineer Does the MostThe Non-Engineering Type of Work Forensic Engineers Have to do RegardlessA Third Task That Also Makes up a Forensic Engineer's Workload3 Requirements to Pursue a Career in Forensic EngineeringWhat You Need to Know Before Getting into Forensic EngineeringDo You Need Any Credentials in Forensic Engineering?Do Old Buildings Have More Problems Than New Ones?Design or Construction: Who's to Blame When a Structure Fails?🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:dux Forensics, LLCThe Memoirs of Herbert HooverUniversity Colorado, Denver📧 CONNECT WITH PETER:LinkedIn🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU:The Civil FE Startup GuideThe Civil PE Startup GuideFREE CFM® Course Module🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES:Civil FE Review CourseCivil PE Review CoursesCFM® Review Course📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS:FE Practice ExamsFE CBT Exam SimulatorPE Bonus Theory QuestionsPE Practice ExamsPE CBT Exam SimulatorCFM® Practice ExamFE Environmental Practice ExamPE Environmental Practice Exam📱 CONNECT WITH CEA!WebsiteNewsletterFree CEA CommunityLinkedInYouTube Channelsupport@civilengineeringacademy.com

Every one of us is  guilty of procrastinating on our exam prep. Whether it’s just “a little bit” or “a lot” is not the problem — the cost of it to our career is. But the good news? It’s beatable! 💪 👇In this episode, Mark Oakeson jumps back on the show to help us unpack the real reasons we drag our feet when it comes to studying for our exam.We’re not here to beat you up about it – we’ve been there. 😅 Instead, we’re here to dig into what’s actually happening behind the scenes, and why it shows up the most when you’re chasing a big goal like the FE or PE.From the science behind procrastination to the sneaky habits that make it worse all the way to the practical strategies to help you move past it and finally build momentum, we break it all down. So, whether you’re putting off taking your exam, dreading those study sessions, or just stuck in neutral after a failed attempt, this one’s going to feel like a much-needed kick in the pants (in the best way possible 😉).Hit play to stop waiting and start passing. 👍🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN:The Science-Based Reason Why You Procrastinate (And It's Not 'Laziness')Is Your Fear of Failure Causing You to Procrastinate?Why Your Long To-Do List is Another Form of ProcrastinationWhy Perfectionism = Procrastination in DisguiseA Simple Way to Reduce Procrastination in Your Exam Prep on Your OwnHow Accountability From Others Makes You Not ProcrastinateThe (Big) Role of Active Studying in Your Exam PrepThe 5-Minute Rule to Beat Procrastination Bit by BitFinding Your Own Anti-Procrastination SystemWhy You Procrastinate More After a Fail…And How to Reframe FailureThe Single Best Method to Overcome Procrastination in Your Prep🎁 CEA FREEBIES FOR YOU:The Civil FE Startup GuideThe Civil PE Startup GuideFREE CFM® Course Module🖥️ CEA REVIEW COURSES:Civil FE Review CourseCivil PE Review CoursesCFM® Review Course📚 CEA PRACTICE EXAMS:FE Practice ExamsFE CBT Exam SimulatorPE Practice ExamsPE Bonus Theory QuestionsPE CBT Exam SimulatorCFM® Practice ExamFE Environmental Practice ExamPE Environmental Practice Exam📱 CONNECT WITH CEA!WebsiteNewsletterFree CEA CommunityLinkedInYouTube Channelsupport@civilengineeringacademy.com

Three years and six attempts. That’s how long it took Raymond Muñoz-Tabares to pass the Civil FE — but he did it! ✅ If you’ve ever felt like giving up after a few failures, this is the pep talk you need. 👇Raymond is a civil engineer in Rhode Island who came to the US at the age of 10. He took (and failed) the Civil FE while still in school, and that’s when his 3-year, 6-attempt struggle began. ☹️In this episode, Raymond shares this whole unfiltered FE journey with you.This is a super relatable episode for any international civil engineer in the US, but also a super practical episode with tons of exam prep tips for all repeat takers who simply want to get this over with.So, tune in now and hear how Raymond turned three years of struggle into a huge career milestone, and everything he learned along the journey so you can do the same...faster. 😉🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN:His 3-Year, 6-Attempt Journey to Conquer the Civil FEHis Different Approach to Practice Exams That You Should Steal!The Test-Taking Strategy He Used in His Last Try That You Should Use Too3 Things You Need to Know in Your Exam Prep to Be Ready on Exam DayHow He Found Civil Engineering Academy...and Went With ItThe Other FREE FE Resources He Used to StudyHis Top Piece of Advice for Repeat-Takers Like HimA Tip to Decode the NCEES Diagnostic Report to Improve for Your Next tryWhy He Chose Civil Engineering Over His Other Career OptionsWhy He Recommends Civil Engineering Academy🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:CEA’s Suggested FE Resources PageFundamentals of Engineering Review Book (11th Edition)FREE FE Review Basics on CourseraUniversity of Rhode Island📧 CONNECT WITH RAYMOND:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmunoz675🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU:The Civil FE Startup GuideThe Civil PE Startup GuideFREE CFM® Course Module🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES:Civil FE Review CourseCivil PE Review CoursesCFM® Review Course📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS:FE Practice ExamsFE CBT Exam SimulatorPE Bonus Theory QuestionsPE Practice ExamsPE CBT Exam SimulatorCFM® Practice ExamFE Environmental Practice ExamPE Environmental Practice Exam📱 CONNECT WITH CEA!WebsiteNewsletterFree CEA CommunityLinkedInYouTube Channelsupport@civilengineeringacademy.com

🚨 Attention! 🚨 The NCEES dropped their latest annual reports earlier this year — and these ones reveal some trends for both the profession and the licensure exam world we’re in. 📈 👇In this episode, we walk you through their annual report on all the things they did in the past year for the profession. This one comes with awesome news for both US and international engineers wanting to work abroad without worrying about license “validity” in other countries.Then, we dive into the Squared report — their dedicated report with the latest FE and PE stats. We’ve been tracking these since 2016, and they tell you a lot of things you need to know if you’re gearing up for any of these. 😉So, whether you're weeks out from your test or just starting to dip your toes into “prep mode,” this episode gives you the real numbers you need to make smarter moves. Go check it out! 🎧🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN:Increasing Options to Take the FE and PE Exams InternationallyThe Increase in International Mobility Agreements for EngineersThe Rise of the FE as a Requirement to GraduatePolitical Threats to Professional LicensureAre More Engineers Taking the NCEES Exams?The Latest Civil FE Exam Pass RatesThe New Interactive FE Practice Exams by the NCEESThe Moment of the Year Most People Prefer to Take the Civil FEHow to Get a Digital Badge After Passing the FEIs the Number of PE Examinees on the Decline?The Easiest PE Exam to Pass on the First Try (According to the Data!)The Latest Repeat Taker Pass Rates on the Civil PE ExamsThe Switch of the SE Exam to CBT🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:2024 NCEES Squared Report2024 NCEES Annual ReportInterview With NCEES’s Officer of Exams, Tim MillerFE CBT Exam Simulator🎁 CEA FREEBIES FOR YOU:The Civil FE Startup GuideThe Civil PE Startup GuideFREE CFM® Course Module🖥️ CEA REVIEW COURSES:Civil FE Review CourseCivil PE Review CoursesCFM® Review Course📚 CEA PRACTICE EXAMS:FE Practice ExamsFE CBT Exam SimulatorPE Practice ExamsPE Bonus Theory QuestionsPE CBT Exam SimulatorCFM® Practice ExamFE Environmental Practice ExamPE Environmental Practice Exam📱 CONNECT WITH CEA!WebsiteNewsletterFree CEA CommunityLinkedInYouTube Channelsupport@civilengineeringacademy.com

Pulling your hair deciding between the Water Resources or Transportation PE exam? 😵‍💫 This week, we sit down with Josiah Ferguson, a civil engineer who was in the same boat…and made a call that worked really well. 😄Josiah works for the City of Shakopee on both water resources and transportation projects. But when it came time to take the Civil PE Exam, he had to pick one. The question is…which one?Which one do you choose when your job covers more than one of the five main Civil PE disciplines, or none of them? 🤔In this episode, Josiah walks you through how he made the call in favor of the Water Resources PE Exam…and what he did in his prep to crush it on the first try with not even three years of experience under his belt. 💪If you’re facing the civil PE exam soon, then this episode has the golden tips you need to not only pick which exam to prep for, but also what he learned and what caught him by surprise while he was doing so himself.🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN:Why He Picked the Water Resources PE Exam While Also Working on TransportationHow to Choose Which Civil PE Exam to Take When None Applies to YouMinnesota’s Rules to Taking the PE Before 4 Years of ExperienceHis Original PE Study Plan...and the Moment He Realized it Wouldn’t Cut itWhy He Choose Civil Engineering Academy to Help HimHis Strategy to Taking Practice Exams in Your Prep (+ the Score to Aim for)What Caught Him by Surprise on Exam Day That You Should Know AboutAre the Morning Questions Still Easier Than the Afternoon Questions?The Overlooked Aspect All Test-Takers Need to Pass the PE ExamHis Top Tip for Those Facing the PE Exam Soon That Worked Really Well for HimWhat He Loved Most About Civil Engineering Academy's CourseThe Overlooked Aspect All Test-Takers Need to Pass the PE Exam🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:What PE Depth Exam Should I Take?PE CBT Exam SimulatorNCEES Water Resources Practice ExamMinnesota Society of Professional Engineers📧 CONNECT WITH JOSIAH:LinkedIn🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU:The Civil FE Startup GuideThe Civil PE Startup GuideFREE CFM® Course Module🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES:Civil FE Review CourseCivil PE Review CoursesCFM® Review Course📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS:FE Practice ExamsFE CBT Exam SimulatorPE Bonus Theory QuestionsPE Practice ExamsPE CBT Exam SimulatorCFM® Practice ExamFE Environmental Practice ExamPE Environmental Practice Exam📱 CONNECT WITH CEA!WebsiteNewsletterFree CEA CommunityLinkedInYouTube Channelsupport@civilengineeringacademy.com

Passing the PE Exam is one thing, but doing it as an immigrant, with language barriers, and after hitting a wall multiple times before already?! That’s a whole nother story — and it’s real! 😲In this episode, Hadi Al Azzawi jumps on the show to share his journey climbing a crazy steep hill to pass the Civil PE Water Resources Exam as an immigrant civil engineer in the US.From understanding the English used in the problems to juggling study time with family life, Hadi’s journey is full of hard-earned lessons for any international civil engineer out there in the same shoes right now.Also, if you’re taking the Civil PE Water Resources Exam, he has some top-notch resources and tips he learned after going through this thing himself…five times!If you’re an international civil engineer going through the hoops of getting your PE and feel like the odds are stacked against you, this episode gives you the tips to beat them. 😉🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN:A Tip for Immigrants to Overcome the Language Barrier on the PEDid He Have to Take the Civil FE as an Immigrant?What You Really Need to Pass the FE That He Learned the Hard WayThe One Thing All Test-Takers Have in Common Regardless of Life DifferencesHow to Prep for the FE/PE With a Spouse and FamilyHis Tip to Fellow Repeat Takers to Stay in the GameHow He Used AI To Get Back on the Saddle After a FailWhat He Did to Pass as Repeat Taker After 5 TriesA Sneaky Exam Question That Caught Him Off GuardHis Go-To Method for Learning the Water Resources CodesHis Tip to Prep for the Most Feared Topic in the Water Resources ExamThe PE Resources That Helped Him the Most Among All the Ones He UsedA Tech Tool That Helped Him Learn All the Exam Prep Material🤝 OUR PARTNER:Built Bar🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:All-in-One Civil Engineering PE Exam Guide, by Dr. GoswamiAll-In-One Civil Engineering PE Practice Exams, by Dr. GoswamiSix-Minute Solutions (Water Resources Problems), by PPIKindle ScribeIsaac Wait Youtube ChannelASCE PE CoursesSchool of PEWashington State University📧 CONNECT WITH HADI:LinkedInalazawi.hadi@gmail.com🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU:The Civil FE Startup GuideThe Civil PE Startup GuideFREE CFM® Course Module🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES:Civil FE Review CourseCivil PE Review CoursesCFM® Review Course📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS:FE Practice ExamsFE CBT Exam SimulatorPE Bonus Theory QuestionsPE Practice ExamsPE CBT Exam SimulatorCFM® Practice ExamFE Environmental Practice ExamPE Environmental Practice Exam📱 CONNECT WITH CEA!WebsiteNewsletterFree CEA CommunityLinkedInYouTube Channelsupport@civilengineeringacademy.com

Prepping for your exam isn’t a walk in the park. It’s hard. It  takes discipline. And you’ll want to quit more than once. (Been there. 😞) So, how can those who pass possibly keep going?! 😟It’s not a fancy study schedule, more study material, or some natural-born talent you weren’t blessed with.The real secret? 🤔Your “Why!”In this episode, I talk about why passing isn't just about studying. Instead, it starts with a compelling reason that matters to you.When your “Why” is strong, the "What” turns from a fuzzy goal into something real, and you do the “How” (aka the grind) even when you don’t feel like it.So, here, I share my own “why” back when I was grinding for the PE exam with a full-time job and a growing family…plus the top 5 reasons I hear from our own students why they’re chasing the FE or PE themselves. 🎯If you’ve been dragging your feet on studying or wondering how other people keep going when life gets crazy — this one’s for you!🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN:What Passing Your Exam Really MeansMy Own “Why” for Taking the PE ExamThe Truth About Exam Prep Nobody Tells YouHow Purpose Fuels PersistenceThe Top 5 "Whys" We Hear From Our Students4 Ways to Keep Your Why Front and Center🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:2025 Civil Engineering Salaries Update🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU:The Civil FE Startup GuideThe Civil PE Startup GuideFREE CFM® Course Module🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES:Civil FE Review CourseCivil PE Review CoursesCFM® Review Course📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS:FE Practice ExamsFE CBT Exam SimulatorPE Bonus Theory QuestionsPE Practice ExamsPE CBT Exam SimulatorCFM® Practice ExamFE Environmental Practice ExamPE Environmental Practice Exam📱 CONNECT WITH US!WebsiteNewsletterFree CEA CommunityLinkedInYouTube Channelsupport@civilengineeringacademy.

From frustrated PE examinee after 4 failed tries to…wait for it…future firm owner?! 😲 That’s exactly what you read!Our guest today is Colin Tinsley, who took the Construction PE exam not once, not twice...but five times before finally seeing the big, green “PASS” on the screen. 😅 Two paper-based attempts. Two more tries after the switch to CBT. Then, finally, with the help of our Ultimate Civil PE Construction Review Course, Colin crushed it on his fifth try. ✅ 👷In this episode, he dives into his journey as a repeat taker himself and how he managed to stay in the game at a point where most people would’ve quit…so you can, too.Also, he dives into how the PE license changed his career trajectory. He was questioning his “place” in the field, but when he finally passed, he started to plan the launch of his own engineering firm. 💪So, whether your next attempt will be your first or fourth try, this episode shows it can be done…plus what’s possible for your career when you stay in the game until you get it done. 😉🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN:His First Four Failed Attempts at the Paper-Based and CBT PE ExamsHow He Got it Done on His Fifth Try With CEAHis Own Engineering Business That Made Him Choose the Construction PEThe Passing Score on the PE...and Why You Shouldn’t Worry About ItWhat the Construction PE Exam Focuses and The Key to Get Over ItWhy You Shouldn't Change Your Exam After a Fail (From a Repeat Taker Himself!)His Biggest Tip for Those Taking the Construction PEHow He Managed to Fix His Self-Doubts After Multiple FailuresWhat He Liked About The Ultimate Civil PE Construction Review CourseHow Mentorship Can Also Help With Your ExamsHis Biggest WARNING for Those Who Want a Pass the Construction PEHow You Should Go About Answering and Reviewing Theory QuestionsHow the PE Changes Your Career TrajectoryWhat Part of Our Construction PE Review Course Helped Him the Most🤝 OUR PARTNER:Built Bar🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:Should You Change Your Civil PE Exam?100 Bonus Construction Theory Problems📧 CONNECT WITH COLIN:ctinsley@th-consultingservices.com🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU:The Civil FE Startup GuideThe Civil PE Startup GuideFREE CFM® Course Module🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES:Civil FE Review CourseCivil PE Review CoursesCFM® Review Course📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS:FE Practice ExamsFE CBT Exam SimulatorPE Bonus Theory QuestionsPE Practice ExamsPE CBT Exam SimulatorCFM® Practice ExamFE Environmental Practice ExamPE Environmental Practice Exam📱 CONNECT WITH CEA!WebsiteNewsletterFree CEA CommunityLinkedInYouTube Channelsupport@civilengineeringacademy.com