What to Do If You Failed the Engineering Board Exam

Every engineering board exam taker wants to see his or her name in the list of passers. And the only way to get that experience is to work for it.

But no matter how one says he or she prepared for the exam, there is that anxiety perpetuating the mind after leaving the exam room. That’s understandable, because no one really is 100% ready. However, it is common for takers to have that post-board exam mindset that leans on the negative, exemplifying what most people say about waiting for the results: expect for the worst.  

Unfortunately, for some, that becomes the preparation for the bitter reality of not being able to make it.

So you failed your board exam. What can you do about it? If you ask me, there are only three key steps.

The first step is to accept the results.

You have failed the engineering board exam. It is not what you want or need, but shit happens! You have to first recognize that. Skip the other stages of grief and reach the acceptance stage the soonest you can.

While crying does not change the situation, doing so unloads your emotional baggage (depression stage). Go ahead and let it all out. That is a sign of strength, not weakness. But don’t stay with the drama for too long because you know very well that it is not impossible for you to fail.

After taking the bad news wholeheartedly, ask yourself this question, “What went wrong? Why did I not pass?” For this, you need some personal assessment. This is the second step.

There are several reasons why one fails in the engineering board exam, and mostly it is different in each case.

Perhaps it was your lack of effort and focus to study. Your ineffective study habits. Your time management during review. Your wrong priorities. Your lack of self-confidence and faith in yourself. Your attention to the technicalities while taking the board exam. This list can go on and on.

Only you can figure out what was the missing link, by going over your experiences as an engineering review student or comparing yourself to your colleagues who have passed. You have to discover the secrets of those who were successful in the board exam that you failed to do or realize.

When you found the answers to your questions, find ways to use them to your advantage. This is the third step.

It entails transitions regarding your lifestyle or your mindset, but that’s what will help you in rising from failing the board exam. If you will not adjust accordingly or change for the better, most likely you are going to end up with the same board exam result.

Essentially, those are the three steps on what to do if you failed the board exam. But it is worth noting that you have to keep the right attitude along the way – being determined, patient, positive, and focused, and to never forget trust in yourself and the process.

You will be able to make it the next time.

[This article was originally written by Engineer Dee on March 2017 for GineersNow.]