FE Exam Day: Chemical Tips
What to expect and how to approach Chemical Engineering questions on exam day at Pearson VUE.
General FE Exam Day Reminders
Arrive Early
Arrive at the Pearson VUE testing center at least 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment. Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID. Late arrivals may forfeit their exam and fee.
Time Management
The FE exam is 5 hours and 20 minutes with 110 questions. That gives you approximately 2.9 minutes per question. Pace yourself and do not spend more than 4 minutes on any single question.
Reference Handbook
The NCEES FE Reference Handbook is provided electronically during the exam. You cannot bring your own copy. Practice navigating the digital handbook before exam day so you can find formulas quickly.
Flag and Review
Unlike CAT exams, the FE exam lets you flag uncertain questions and return to them later. Flag any question you are unsure about, move on, and review all flagged questions at the end of the exam.
Chemical Discipline Tips for Exam Day
Mass and energy balances are the foundation of the chemical FE exam. Set up a clear system boundary, label all streams, and write the balance equations before plugging in numbers. Identify whether the system is steady-state or transient and whether reactions occur.
Thermodynamics questions cover equations of state, phase equilibria, and chemical equilibrium. Know when to use the ideal gas law versus the van der Waals equation. For phase equilibria, be comfortable with vapor-liquid equilibrium calculations using Raoult law and Henry law.
Heat transfer and fluid dynamics questions are formula-heavy. For heat exchangers, know the LMTD method and the effectiveness-NTU method. For fluid flow, apply the mechanical energy balance (extended Bernoulli) with friction losses using the Fanning friction factor.
Chemical kinetics and reactor design questions test rate law determination, reactor sizing, and conversion calculations. Know the design equations for CSTR and PFR reactors and when each type is preferred. The Reference Handbook has the integrated rate law expressions.
Process design and economics questions cover process flow diagrams, equipment selection, and economic analysis. Be comfortable reading PFDs and piping and instrumentation diagrams. For economics, know how to calculate net present value and rate of return.