An FE electrical review plan, by the spec ranges

Where the questions are

Group the 17 areas by their ranges and give time in that order. The ranges are from the specification; the grouping is ours.

1. 11–17 items each: Mathematics and Circuit Analysis. Start here; circuits skills also carry Electronics and Power.
2. 7–12 items: Power Systems (8–12), Digital Systems (8–12), Electronics (7–11).
3. 5–9 items: Control Systems, Linear Systems and Signal Processing, Communications, Computer Systems, Engineering Economics.
4. 4–6 items: electrical materials, electromagnetics, networks, software, and the shared probability, statistics and ethics.

A workable rhythm: one group-1 area per week, then two or three smaller areas per week, and a timed mixed set at the end of each week. Group 4 is cheap to cover, and its six areas add up to 24–36 questions.

The blind spot of each major

• Power or electronics EE: the computer side, Digital Systems, Computer Systems, Computer Networks and Software Engineering, is 21 to 32 questions. Network security (port scanning, penetration testing, the security triad) entered the outline in 2020 and is missing from older books.
• Computer engineer: three-phase power, transformers and machines (8–12), electromagnetics and transmission lines (4–6), and analog electronics are the areas a computer engineering curriculum may never have reached.
• Everyone: Mathematics here includes complex numbers and discrete math, which feed circuits, power, digital and software questions. Drill them with the shared math set on the FE practice test.

Drills that pay off on this exam

• Calculator fluency. Phasor arithmetic, polar-rectangular conversion and base conversion are minutes per question if done by hand. Use one approved model from day one and the same one on test day (approved models).
• Handbook lookup. Study with the FE Reference Handbook PDF from MyNCEES open, and find each formula by its search box instead of from memory. On test day Ctrl+F does not work (how to search it).
• Timed sets. 5 h 20 min for 110 questions is under 3 minutes each; once a week, do a mixed set at that pace. The 60-problem practice test is built by the same ranges.
• Units and prefixes. kVA against kW, mH against µH, rad/s against Hz: a correct method with a wrong scale is an easy way to lose a point. Each section page lists its own traps.

Books and courses candidates use

By Google search volume (Oct 2026), candidates looking for E&C review most often search for the PPI FE Electrical and Computer Review Manual, Wasim Asghar’s practice books, and the two NCEES practice exams (2 × 50 questions, $50 each). We do not sell or rank them. Use a review manual for coverage, the NCEES exams for the feel of real items, and problem sets by area for volume.

General FE study advice, scheduling and test-day habits are on FE exam prep; what preparation costs is on cost.

If the first attempt fails

After a failed attempt you receive a breakdown of performance by knowledge area. Rank the areas by how far below the passing level you were and by the size of their range, and rebuild the plan from the top of that list. With a retake pass rate of 31% (all repeat takers, FY 2024–25), repeating the same plan is the expensive option.

Section pages

• Mathematics11–17 items on the exam
• Probability and Statistics4–6 items on the exam
• Ethics and Professional Practice4–6 items on the exam
• Engineering Economics5–8 items on the exam
• Properties of Electrical Materials4–6 items on the exam
• Circuit Analysis (DC and AC Steady State)11–17 items on the exam
• Linear Systems5–8 items on the exam
• Signal Processing5–8 items on the exam
• Electronics7–11 items on the exam
• Power Systems8–12 items on the exam
• Electromagnetics4–6 items on the exam
• Control Systems6–9 items on the exam
• Communications5–8 items on the exam
• Computer Networks4–6 items on the exam
• Digital Systems8–12 items on the exam
• Computer Systems5–8 items on the exam
• Software Engineering4–6 items on the exam