PDD PASS!

PDD PASS!

Postby Get on it » Mon Jan 29, 2018 9:02 am

I know how much I benefit off of the post test posts from other users, so I wanted to do the same.

I have taken the 3 + 2 testing route. I passed all three 4.0 exams first try no problem. I took the advice of others and studied for both PPD and PDD at the same time and took both exams in 1 week. I would say that this is by far the best way to study for these exams. It definitely can be a bit of an undertaking just because of the shear amount of material on the exams to cram into your head. These two exams really do blur the lines and studying for one without the other would be doing a dis-service to yourself.

My take on the PDD exam is as follows:

This exam is intense. I was 10000% sure I bombed it halfway through the exam. I have never thought I did so bad on any other exam. I almost had a heart attack when I got the preliminary result that I was "likely to pass". I received the official report this morning confirming this as well. The questions really are all over the place but I guess if you study enough and understand the concepts you are able to work through each problem. I ended up with about 20 minutes left to go back and check the items I marked. What I find from this test is that compared to the 4.0 there are really no simple questions. Most questions of 5.0 involve taking the concept you know and applying it to solve some sort of problem. What I have found tough as well is that after you solve the problem, it is not always obvious which answer is best. There is a lot of gray area in the question answers. Not trying to scare anyone, just trying to prepare. The best thing for me is to utilize the Strike through tool. I can normally get it down to 2 remaining possible choices, which both always seem correct. After I have narrowed it down, ill re-read the question to see if there is some wording put in there to trip me up (which sometimes immediately removes the 2nd potential answer). If there isn't then I just analyze to the best of my knowledge which is correct. Sorry if im over explaining, but this PDD test was so tough on me, I think visually removing all wrong answers allows you to really concentrate on the problem and subsequent solution.

What I studied is this:
Ballast 5.0 PPD and PDD chapters. -I read all of it. This is a decent base for knowledge, but you need to go deeper in other sources for the real info I find.
MEEB- Definitely read this. -There is a list of chapters to read/skim/study in a post here on coach and it definitely is worth following.
Watched Thadeus videos- Helpful to get your brain back into the structures mindset.
Watched Grant Adams Lectures- Super helpful getting your brain back into materials.
Designer hacks exams- I bought both PPD and PDD and I really liked it. For $40 each it was worth it to me. You can do short exams or long ones and if you take public transit its great to take a quick 25 question exam while traveling. The exams do a great job of explaining the right answer afterwards.
Fema Chapters- Definitely helpful to skim.
Jennys notes- I didn't spend a ton of time reading these, but they are great to page through a couple days before your exams just to refresh and enhance your understanding.
ARE Handbook. - Honestly the example problems are a great resource.
Free Amber videos- These are great. There's probably 10 videos for free on the site and they are super helpful for both exams. They helped me understand concepts I have really struggled with by reading. They are also super interesting to watch. Anyway this isn't an endorsement just my opinion.
Free Black spectacles videos on youtube.- These were helpful just to get my mind thinking. Id watch them if you can just put them on at work in the background.

I am going in on the Amber videos for my PPD retake. $200 for me is well worth not waiting another 2 months of time to retake again. Everything I read and the free videos I watched makes this seem like the way to go for me. Like I said this is not an endorsement, just my plan for my retake.
Last edited by Get on it on Fri Mar 30, 2018 3:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: PDD PASS!

Postby max8176 » Mon Jan 29, 2018 2:07 pm

Congrats!

I am going thru the 4.0+5.0 route as well. Currently, studying for PDD right now. What chapter of the MEEB we should read? How about the FEMA chapters? I remember one of the other posts here mention there are few chapters we definitely should read but now I couldn't find it. Also, are there a lot of structural calculation questions in this exam (I know there are few variation)?
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Re: PDD PASS!

Postby Get on it » Mon Jan 29, 2018 4:01 pm

Attached are the the MEEB Chapters and recommendations.

Fema Doc
Chapters 4, 5, & 8

Not a lot of structural questions on this one. Around 5 for me.
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Re: PDD PASS!

Postby max8176 » Mon Jan 29, 2018 4:34 pm

Thanks for the MEEB and Fema info.

Are the structural questions more concept questions or calculation type? When I took the structural 4.0 I was having hard time on the calculations. That's the only portion I did not pass on that exam. :(
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