Who I Am
My name is Ryan Essington. I graduated from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro in 2013 with bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and general engineering. Before starting my engineering career, I worked in a hospital for much of my life, which gave me a practical appreciation for reliability, safety, and systems that have to work when people are depending on them.
For my senior design project, I built an automatic pet feeder that could dispense food by text message. That project stuck with me because it combined electrical design, controls, communication, and a simple user need: make a tool that solves a real problem without making the user fight the technology.
After graduation, I moved into railroad signal design and began working on rail systems across the country. Railroad work is detail-heavy, safety-focused, and unforgiving in the best way. It teaches you to check assumptions, document decisions, and build around standards — the same habits that matter when studying for the FE and PE exams.
In 2023, Arkansas State University's Alumni Association recognized me as a distinguished alumnus, and my name appears on a plaque in the engineering hall there. Part of that recognition included the chance to mentor newer engineering students. I also completed a Systems Engineering certificate through Florida Institute of Technology.
I built FE Test Prep because I wanted a practical, affordable study tool that felt closer to how engineers actually learn: work problems, check the solution, learn the reference material, and repeat. I also make the app available free to the Arkansas State students I mentor, because Arkansas State is where my engineering path became real and this is one way I can help the next group coming through.
What We Offer
FE Test Prep provides practice exams and study tools for the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Professional Engineer (PE) exams. We currently cover 11 engineering disciplines (6 FE + 5 PE):
- FE Exams: Electrical & Computer, Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, Environmental, and Other Disciplines
- PE Exams: Civil Transportation, Civil Structural, Civil Water Resources & Environmental, Electrical Power, and Electrical Computer Engineering
Every question includes a detailed, step-by-step solution walkthrough with reference-section guidance or relevant design-standard cues — so you can practice knowing where to look during the real exam.
Our Approach
We believe the best way to prepare for an engineering exam is by solving problems — lots of them — under realistic conditions. That’s why we focus on:
- Exam-realistic format — timed simulations that match the Pearson VUE testing environment, including all four NCEES question types
- Detailed solutions — every problem has a complete walkthrough, not just an answer key
- Progress tracking — built-in analytics that show which topics need more work
- Offline access — study anywhere, even without internet, by installing the app on your phone or desktop
- One-time purchase — pay once, keep access forever. No subscriptions, no expiring licenses.
Why I Built This
Engineering exam prep shouldn’t cost more than the exam itself. I built FE Test Prep because I was frustrated with the options: expensive courses that lock you into subscriptions, practice banks with incorrect answers and no explanations, and study tools that haven’t been updated in years.
As a working engineer who has had to study around real project deadlines, travel, and family time, I understand the time pressure and budget constraints candidates deal with. Every feature in this app is built around reducing friction: get into a practice set quickly, see why an answer is right or wrong, and build speed with the formula/reference cues you will rely on during exam prep.
How Content Is Created
The articles, practice prompts, and explanations on this site are written for engineers who need practical study help, not generic test-taking slogans. I build around public NCEES exam specifications, official exam-provided reference materials, and the kinds of topic weights and problem patterns candidates actually have to manage during timed practice.
When something changes — exam specifications, fees, reference documents, or question-bank behavior — the goal is to update the affected pages rather than leave stale advice hanging around. If you notice an error, unclear explanation, or outdated reference, please send it through the contact page so I can review it.
Practice Exam Books
In addition to the web app, I maintain paper-friendly practice materials for engineers who prefer studying away from a screen. The web app is still the main product because it can give timed sets, scoring, review, and weak-area tracking in one place.
Disclaimer
FE Test Prep is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCEES, Pearson VUE, or any state licensing board. “FE” and “PE” refer to the Fundamentals of Engineering and Professional Engineer exams administered by NCEES.
This tool is for educational and exam preparation purposes only. Individual results may vary based on prior knowledge, study habits, and exam conditions. Our pass guarantee is subject to the documented study requirements outlined in the Exam Ready badge criteria. All questions and explanations are original content created for practice purposes and do not reproduce material from any copyrighted exam or publication.
Have a question? Contact us.