Civil engineering student successfully completes 8-hour exam

By Sarah Fries, Lyles College of Engineering media and communications assistant

Ryan Hunt is a student at Fresno State’s Lyles College of Engineering majoring in civil engineering, and is the first student in the college to pass the 8-hour portion of the Practice of Engineering Exam while currently pursuing an undergraduate degree.

Hunt grew up in Clovis, CA but never knew what he had wanted to do for a career. 

“Then I went to Fresno City College and that’s when I figured out what I wanted to do,” said Hunt. Now, he is currently working at CalTrans in the construction office. 

According to the National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors, students need to first pass the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam before taking the Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam in the state of California. Once passing the Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam, they will need to gain two years of experience before they can take the seismic survey and become licensed.  

Here at Fresno State, Hunt mentioned that the main tools he utilized while prepping for the exam were just the core engineering classes that students need. Students can also utilize the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam prep workshop that the Pathways Student Services program provides. 

“If you can retain that information throughout your educational career that can really help,” said Hunt.

On the day of the exam, Hunt wasn’t too worried since he retained the information from his classes and said he enjoys doing these types of repetition of problems.

“I do the first part of the problems that I know I can get done. … Then I went back to the ones I knew I had to spend time on and then I finished all those,” Hunt said. “Then I went back again and the ones where I had no idea what I was doing, okay, these ones I’m going to need to spend a little more time on.”

With the new methods of testing and technology, Hunt was able to receive his test results in only eight days. 

“It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders because I don’t have to take a test for two years essentially,” said Hunt.