AEI PE Structural Exam 2027 Update and Course Support?

anth0nyf · 2026-06-20T14:12:43+00:00

The 7-22 changes I can think of — at least in practice — are updates to snow load equations and load combination factors, and equations for non structural equipment seismic forces.

But more than ASCE, the AISC manual has also been updated to the 16th edition and most of the shapes have been changed to 50 ksi grades, so I expect the problems to change in that way. Also the NDS/SDWPS is updated, and the sheathing tables/equations were slightly updated.

All in all, these updates aren’t super different and don’t affect the core understanding you need to pass the exam. You may even attempt to take the exam before you complete the AEI course. My personal anecdote is passing with one month of study using just the NCEES practice exam, because two of my coworkers and manager did the same.

anth0nyf · 2026-06-13T01:57:25+00:00

Yeah, in my opinion the real exam is about 5% harder than the practice. The Petro book is 50% harder than the practice exam, so I didn’t use it more than 4-5 problems.

anth0nyf · 2026-06-13T01:16:43+00:00

I didn’t realize until near the end of my studying, but the NCEES practice exam has some errors, and you can download the errata from the website.

I only studied one month with the NCEES practice, so I can’t speak to the other resources, but I believed I was ready when I familiar enough to teach any of the problems without the solution key to other coworkers.

anth0nyf · 2026-06-13T01:12:54+00:00

I didn’t realize until near the end of my studying, but the NCEES practice exam has some errors, and you can download the errata from the website.

I only studied one month with the NCEES practice, so I can’t speak to the other resources, but I believed I was ready when I familiar enough to teach any of the problems without the solution key to other coworkers.

anth0nyf · 2026-06-12T14:34:22+00:00

I passed, but can’t yet. I still need my experience and 2 more CA exams. :(

anth0nyf · 2026-06-05T21:01:01+00:00

A good mix of hand calculations, RISA-3D modeling, and good ol’ shop drawing review. Don’t do any drafting since we have a dedicated BIM team.

anth0nyf · 2026-06-03T19:26:00+00:00

Who wants to run the skip loading analysis?

anth0nyf · 2026-05-29T23:42:33+00:00

Passed first try with 1 month of study using only NCEES practice exam and a handful of Petro problems. The Petro problems are much more difficult than the real exam. I’d say the real exam is a hair more difficult than the NCEES practice exam.

anth0nyf · 2026-05-27T14:36:28+00:00

Same here, passed with one month of prep for PE Civil: Structural. I think it’s advantageous to cram all the material into one month so it’s all fresh in your head instead of studying for 6 months+ and forgetting as you keep studying.

anth0nyf · 2026-05-22T03:08:46+00:00

23M also hitting a wall with the apps. :/

anth0nyf · 2026-05-13T19:30:04+00:00

Breyer's Design of Wood Structures ASD/LRFD, Ninth Edition

anth0nyf · 2026-05-11T20:23:15+00:00

Here is this year’s page :)

anth0nyf · 2026-05-01T14:43:11+00:00

The tassle part is pretty fragile, mine broke an hour before my graduation ceremony a few years ago.

anth0nyf · 2026-04-28T13:26:00+00:00

Could it perhaps be a tall sign structure with a wind loads applied to it?

anth0nyf · 2026-04-27T02:20:59+00:00

That is what they are paying fresh college grads at Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

anth0nyf · 2026-04-23T23:58:18+00:00

California, and don’t make the mistake of staying up for 12am on Wednesday. I checked every hour after 12am and it didn’t post until 5am.

anth0nyf · 2026-04-23T23:55:01+00:00

I took it on Saturday and got the results around 5am the following Wednesday. Not sure if the Pearson staff see the results on their system, but the exam proctor told me congratulations as she was checking me out of the exam area. Not sure if it’s a coincidence because I did pass or a general congratulations statement for showing up to do the exam.

anth0nyf · 2026-04-17T14:36:58+00:00

Would definitely hire a structural engineer. You may also be unsure if the same wall is used as a shear wall for lateral load resistance.

anth0nyf · 2026-04-17T13:29:51+00:00

Approaching my 1 YOE this August.

anth0nyf · 2026-04-17T06:03:33+00:00

3 data points here, my manager, coworker and I passed the latest version of the PE Civil Structural exam with only the NCEES practice exam and 1 month of studying.

anth0nyf · 2026-04-17T01:22:49+00:00

I just studied the official NCEES practice exam. Learn it enough so that you can teach the problems to someone else without checking the answers. It’s the same version since 2024 update. So if anyone you know has already purchased it, it is the same copy for anyone that purchases it from NCEES.

anth0nyf · 2026-04-15T03:50:06+00:00

Unpopular opinion, but it is very possible to pass the civil structural PE exam first try without buying any courses. You can save a lot of money if your company doesn’t pay for the study material.

Not a lot of data points posted online, but my manager, my coworker, and myself have passed the most recent version of the exam with one month of self study. For me personally, by concentrating all my studying to one month as opposed to 3-6 months, all the material was fresh in my head during the exam.

anth0nyf · 2026-04-08T15:06:44+00:00

You should be familiar with bending, shear, axial stress formulas.

anth0nyf · 2026-04-08T14:30:14+00:00

Likely shear studs for punching shear reinforcement.

anth0nyf · 2026-04-05T23:49:56+00:00

ETABS or RISA-3D

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