Prepineer Digest 016
FE Exam success, MACRS, how to approach prep and following through
I’ll admit, I originally had no interest in becoming an engineer coming out of high school.
I knew I liked Math, and wasn’t the biggest fan of English.
I knew I liked to doodle, and not so much read.
That’s just where I was at that time in my life…I didn’t know much, and this is my point here.
Sometimes, our greatest growth happens when we just go for it.
We might have questions – maybe a lot.
Some will be important, others will be superficial (or excuses), and that’s OK.
The only thing we need to do at the onset is commit to the path, rest easy with the uncertainty, and just let it ride out.
Knowing everything about what the journey entails isn’t what is important, right now.
What is, is that you take that first step in the direction and let the rest play out as it will.
This is your time, I am here to help!
Justin Dickmeyer, PE
Founder, Prepineer
The goods
What’s featured in this weeks digest
In this Prepineer digest, we are diving deep in to some of the more important components of exam prep, inching you forward, one brick at a time, towards success on the FE Exam – here is the rundown:
- When the narrative “becomes” the obstacle: Oh, the audacity
- Need some reps in practice, we’ve got you covered, walking you through a practice problem in Engineering Economics: How do you find depreciation using MACRS?
- Sometimes, all that is needed is a bit more clarity to open up a world of opportunity: How should I approach prep for the FE Exam?
- In need, Ahmed’s journey began: A Prepineer Success: The inspirational story of Ahmed Mahmoud
Click where you’d like to start, or check out each resource individually, whichever way you go, enjoy!
Quick tip
Oh, the audacity
Let’s get uncomfortable for a moment.
You need to follow through.
One of the most meta characteristics that will determine whether you are successful or not on the FE Exam (heck, in life) is your ability to follow through in the midst of all the chaos.
I will tell you that it’s no accident that those you most admire and look up to are where they are today.
It’s not that they got lucky or that you got dealt a bad hand, though that may be part of the overarching story – it’s that they were able to maintain focus on those things they could control when presented with challenges.
Life will play out as it will, and much of the time, in the most inconvenient ways.
But what does “inconvenient” even mean?
We were never promised an easy life, yet many of us have the audacity to sell ourselves a narrative that we are entitled to just that.
And it’s absolutely destroying us both personally and professionally.
When we hit obstacles in life, instead of seeing the hidden opportunities, we choose to focus on the affects and how they are “holding us down”.
Instead of seeking out shelter in the midst of a thunderstorm, we choose to stand there and look at the water dumping down on us.
Here is one thing I know for certain – you were put here to do great things, period.
But great things don’t come about outside the context of challenge, that is all just part of the process.
A diamond doesn’t become a diamond without undergoing immense pressure.
Gold isn’t naturally pure without refining at extremely high temperatures.
April showers bring May flowers right?
Some of the most beautiful things we see in nature come on the tail end of darker times, so why would that be any different for us?
Instead of parking your focus on those things you can’t control, choose to see the bigger process in play and do your part in seeing it through.
Every day, commit to doing just one thing that you know will help you grow in your life personally.
Commit to doing one thing that will give you more personal freedom.
Commit to doing one thing that will bring you better health.
Commit to doing one thing that will help you lie down for bed at night with a sense of calm knowing that you showed up and put in the work needed for that thing to resonate positively to your life overall.
No matter what happens during the day, follow through for yourself.
Follow through for others.
Relentlessly.
Follow through.
On the big things.
On the small things.
Develop a habit of always fulfilling your commitment to showing up and following through on those things that matter the most for you.
You got this.
As always, with love, Prepineer
Daily Dose
How do you define the depreciation of an asset using MACRS?
Look, I get it, there is a reason we became engineers and not CPAs…we design – they crunch numbers.
But the reality is, to provide the most value to the communities we represent, we must know enough to get dirty in the world of economics.
In this video, we jump in to a problem that is covered within the subject of ENGINEERING ECONOMICS, specifically, diving in to determining the DEPRECIATION on an investment using the method of MODIFIED ACRS (MACRS).
Enjoy! 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I approach prep for the FE Exam?
For most, choosing a program to prepare for the FE Exam is like walking through the freezer section at your local market in search of dinner.
What initially comes across as convenient, ends up being over-processed, underwhelming and stale when you get it home and on to the table.
It’s not surprising then that so many individuals are struggling to pass the FE Exam.
Question is, how then should you approach prep?
Let’s get in to it…
Student Success
Ahmed Mahmoud
Students from all walks of life are using Prepineer to prepare for and execute on the FE Exam.
While each student is unique, our personalized approach allows us an opportunity to tailor our guidance for very specific needs to help our students get the most out of the time they have to commit to this endeavor.
It’s nothing short of inspiring when we get the news that one of our students had passed, today, we dive in to Ahmed’s story:
Until we meet again my friend, may God bless you and your family! 🙂
