FE Environmental study plan

FE Environmental · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 7 hours per week

Week 1

Environmental

Map the FE Environmental exam specification against your current knowledge by rating every listed topic as strong, shaky, or unknown
Build a one-page formula and units sheet covering water flow, mass loading, and concentration conversions, then rewrite it from memory twice
Solve 20 unit-conversion and dimensional-analysis problems (mg/L to lb/day, cfs to MGD, ppm to mass flux) without looking at solutions first
Establish an error log spreadsheet with columns for topic, mistake type, formula used, and corrective action

A completed self-assessment table of all exam topics plus a 20-problem unit-conversion set scored and entered in the error log

Week 2

Work through water and wastewater treatment process fundamentals: screening, sedimentation, coagulation-flocculation, filtration, disinfection, and activated sludge
Derive and apply loading formulas for hydraulic retention time, solids retention time, overflow rate, and food-to-microorganism ratio
Solve 15 problems on BOD, COD, TSS, and nutrient removal calculations with full unit tracking
Explain in writing why each process unit exists and what failure mode it prevents

A worked problem set of 15 water/wastewater treatment calculations with a written one-paragraph justification for each process unit

Week 3

Cover air quality fundamentals: criteria pollutants, sources, dispersion basics, and control device selection
Calculate emission rates, stack concentrations, and removal efficiencies for cyclones, scrubbers, baghouses, and electrostatic precipitators
Practice ideal gas law and standard-condition corrections until they are automatic
Identify which control technology fits a given pollutant and particle size range

A decision table matching pollutant and particle-size scenarios to control technologies, plus 12 solved air emission and efficiency problems

Week 4

Review solid and hazardous waste fundamentals: characterization, RCRA-style generator categories, landfill design elements, and leachate management
Practice waste quantity, compaction, and landfill-life calculations
Complete a timed 55-question mixed practice set under exam conditions without notes
Categorize every missed question in the timed set by root cause

A timed practice exam score with a root-cause breakdown showing the top three weak areas to target in weeks 5-6

Week 5

Study hydrology and water resources: rainfall-runoff, rational method, hydrographs, and groundwater flow basics
Apply Darcy's law and compute travel time, gradient, and flow rate through porous media
Practice stormwater detention and peak discharge calculations
Revisit the three weakest areas from the week 4 diagnostic and re-solve those problems cold

A hydrology and groundwater problem set of 15 solved items plus a rewritten summary of the three previously weak topics

Week 6

Cover environmental chemistry and biology essentials: equilibrium, pH, alkalinity, solubility, and microbial kinetics
Solve pH, alkalinity, and hardness problems, then verify each answer with a mass balance
Practice kinetics and reactor problems for zero-, first-, and second-order reactions
Connect chemistry fundamentals back to treatment process design decisions

A chemistry and kinetics problem set of 15 items, each accompanied by a mass-balance check

Week 7

Review ethics, regulations, and professional practice topics specific to environmental engineering
Practice risk assessment, exposure, and dose-response calculations
Drill the full formula sheet from memory under a 10-minute time limit
Complete a second timed 55-question practice set and compare the score with week 4

A second timed practice score compared side by side with the week 4 baseline, plus a memory-dump formula sheet scored for accuracy

Week 8

Re-solve every problem in the error log until each is correct without hints
Take two full-length timed practice exams and review every answer, right or wrong
Finalize a one-page quick-reference sheet limited to the formulas you still hesitate on
Plan exam-day logistics: allowed reference materials, calculator, timing strategy, and section pacing

Two full-length timed practice scores above your target passing margin, with an error log showing every entry resolved

Week 2: Complete the unit-conversion and treatment-calculation sets with at least 80 percent accuracy and no unresolved formula gaps

Week 4: Score the first timed 55-question set and confirm at least 60 percent correct, with a written list of the three weakest topics

Week 6: Show improvement of at least 10 percentage points over the week 4 score on a mixed 30-question set covering weeks 1-6

Week 8: Score two consecutive full-length timed practice exams at or above your target passing margin and close every error-log entry