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dtrostis
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| Joined: | Thu Mar 13th, 2008 |
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| Posts: | 8 |
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Posted: Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 07:07 pm |
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I will start studying for the M&E exam and I wanted to know your opinion of how valuable is the Kaplan book for this exam.
Thanks
Last edited on Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 07:07 pm by dtrostis
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justdrawinglines
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| Joined: | Fri Apr 6th, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 448 |
| Exams Taken: | ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Exams Passed: | ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BT | | Describes Me: | failure is NOT an option |
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Posted: Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 07:32 pm |
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It's all valuable. I started w/ all of the Kaplan material (it gives you a good general overview), then on to Ballast, Archiflash, MEEB (did NOT read the entire beast), and Lechner. And the forum, of course. Kaplan by itself is not enough.
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-007-
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| Joined: | Mon Apr 10th, 2006 |
| Location: | NYC |
| Posts: | 203 |
| Exams Taken: | PD, GS, LF, ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Exams Passed: | PD, GS, LF, ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Describes Me: | |
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Posted: Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 07:37 pm |
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| I had to take this exam twice. For the first exam, I only studied Kaplan and I failed it big time. Not even close to the minmum margin. For the second time, I studied the Kaplan and MEEB. And passed it. I am not discouraging you to study Kaplan but you have to spice it up a bit. Kaplan only expalins the general concept of the subject matter. the exam is far more specific than that. That is why MEEB is a decent study material. I know few people around me who pass this exam only with Kaplan. So I dont want to say it is impossible but it will at least reduce the chance to fail. Good luck.
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justdrawinglines
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| Joined: | Fri Apr 6th, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 448 |
| Exams Taken: | ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Exams Passed: | ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BT | | Describes Me: | failure is NOT an option |
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Posted: Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 07:42 pm |
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I agree w/ 007 - absolutely DO NOT rely on Kaplan alone. I went over all of it and passed on the first try. Had I only read Kaplan, I doubt I would have passed.
When MEEB made my eyes roll back in my head, I turned to Lechner's book (Heating, Cooling, Lighting). It's a much better read in some instances.
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CA Girl
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| Joined: | Wed Oct 26th, 2005 |
| Location: | Architect, California USA |
| Posts: | 321 |
| Exams Taken: | PD, GS, LF, ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Exams Passed: | PD, GS, LF, ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Describes Me: | |
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Posted: Fri Jul 25th, 2008 12:58 am |
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| I used Archiflash cards, Kaplan study guide and Kaplan testbank CD rom. I didn't use MEEB except when I didn't understand something in Kaplan. It is a book best used as reference and not read cover to cover.
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Punchlist
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| Joined: | Tue Oct 17th, 2006 |
| Location: | Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 439 |
| Exams Taken: | GS, LF, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Exams Passed: | GS, LF, BD/MM, CD, SP, BT | | Describes Me: | ME Exam awaits |
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Posted: Fri Jul 25th, 2008 05:49 pm |
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CA Girl wrote: I used Archiflash cards, Kaplan study guide and Kaplan testbank CD rom. I didn't use MEEB except when I didn't understand something in Kaplan. It is a book best used as reference and not read cover to cover.
This seems to be a fairly popular strategy, to not read all of MEEB that is. The general concensus is to digest as many of its diagrams/illustrations as you can. Got a photographic memory? Great! Others have said to use the Kaplan and/or Ballast guide as the general template of study and to then use the MEEB to really seal the deal on a given subject because it really dives in regarding the "meat" of a topic.
I read one person's comments that seemed like a brilliant method: read a chapter in Kaplan, follow it up with the same subject matter in the Ballast guide and follow that up with the same topic(s) in MEEB. Sprinkle a bunch of MEEB diagrams on top, making sure to note every nut, bolt, screw and widget, cover with ArchiFlash flashcards and bake for 45 minutes and stir with all of the mock exams you can lay your hands on.
I look at it like Kaplan is the movie trailer that shows you the jist of the story in brief. MEEB is the actual 3 1/2 hour-long borefest that has your butt going numb in a Coke-stained, Gummy bear-encrusted theater seat as you think to yourself, "Good God. When will this freakin' movie end?!?! I feel like I know everything there is to know about the plight of the penguins in the Antarctic!!" 
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King
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| Joined: | Thu Apr 3rd, 2008 |
| Location: | NYC, New York USA |
| Posts: | 480 |
| Exams Taken: | PD, GS, LF, ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Exams Passed: | PD, GS, LF, ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Describes Me: | AIA |
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Posted: Fri Jul 25th, 2008 11:53 pm |
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| I only used Kaplan for ME, but I went over the questions 4 times until I finally got an acceptable score. I also used all ME material from AREFORUM.
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dottie
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Wasilla, Alaska USA |
| Posts: | 658 |
| Exams Taken: | PD, GS, LF, ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Exams Passed: | PD, GS, LF, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Describes Me: | Just took nine tests, now waiting for 1 letter! |
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Posted: Sat Jul 26th, 2008 08:30 pm |
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I know you will think I am sick in the head..............
I dug out my old MEEB book from college (edition #8), and sat down one evening to browse. I found myself reading the first 2 chapters, understanding them and being interested in the read!!! I remember back in college grinding through this, having no clue and remembering just enough to pass tests.
I have been using it as a cross reference with Kaplan as well. What is in the newest edition of MEEB that is not covered in the older version? There are LEED things in mine, which was in existance back in the caveman days of 1995.
I also have access to Archiflash, lots of UBC references in them, but I am aware of that. Then of course, anything in the forum and the forum FTP.
I am scheduled for the 7th of August. I think my materials are okay. I feel confindent with these study items.
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