Welcome to the Assessment Alchemist, the podcast where education meets empowerment. Join host Tina Wiles on a transformative journey through the world of assessments as she unravels the secrets of conquering test anxiety and achieving academic success. With expert insights, practical strategies, and inspiring stories, Tina empowers educators and students alike to turn the daunting world of assessments into a positive, enriching experience. Whether you're a teacher, school counselor, or an education enthusiast, this podcast is your guide to creating alchemy in learning and assessment. Tune in to explore innovative approaches, discuss assessment bias, and discover how to boost student confidence. Let's transform education together on the Assessment Alchemist podcast.
Episode 33: How to Actually Pass the PE Exam: The Complete Approach (From Panic to PE, Week 6)
This is Week 6 and the finale of From Panic to PE, a six-part series for engineers who have failed the PE or FE exam and for those who want to make sure they do not.
Over the past six weeks, Tina covered why failing the PE is almost never a knowledge problem, why studying harder after a fail backfires, the physiological sigh as an in-the-moment reset tool, Mel Haskins PE's story of passing on her tenth attempt, and the test-taking strategies the PE specifically rewards. This episode ties everything together.
The hard truth. Knowing about a tool and being able to use it under pressure are two different things. It is easy to feel motivated after learning something new and then slide right back into old habits. Knowing what is wrong is not the same as fixing it.
The formula. Content plus Mindset plus Strategy equals Success. All three parts are learnable. All three are essential. And the balance looks different for every engineer.
From Panic to Passing. The program Tina built to make the tools from this series stick. Short self-paced videos covering mindset and strategy. A workbook with 15 exercises that turn those tools into habits. Optional private coaching sessions to build a personalized performance plan and prepare your mindset for test day. You can do it on your own or with Tina. Either way, you are not alone anymore.
Who it has helped. Mel Haskins PE: nine attempts, tenth pass, promotion, new chapter. Jack, licensed PE in Indiana: completed the program in December, passed in January, still uses the breathing techniques and inner critic tools today. And from someone who went through the program: "I have never felt so good at the end of an exam as I did with this one."
The Comeback Guarantee. Complete the program, stay engaged, and if you still do not pass your PE, Tina will pay for your retake. All the details are at frompanictopassing.com.
Your exam date is coming either way. The only question is whether you walk in with a plan.
Visit frompanictopassing.com to learn more and choose the option that fits you.
📖 Read the companion blog post: The Complete Approach
https://my2tor.com/blogs/how-to-actually-pass-the-pe-exam-the-complete-approach
🎓 Explore the full course, From Panic to Passing:
http://frompanictopassing.com
20 Jul 2026
Episode 32: Smart Isn't Enough: The PE Exam Strategy No One Teaches Engineers (From Panic to PE, Week 5)
This is Week 5 of From Panic to PE, a six-part series for engineers who have failed the PE or FE exam and for those who want to make sure they do not.
Over the past four weeks, Tina has covered why failing the PE is a performance problem, why studying harder after a fail can backfire, how to reset your nervous system in under 10 seconds, and Mel Haskins PE's story of going from her worst enemy to her biggest advocate. This week is all about strategy.
Know the handbook before test day. The NCEES reference handbook is available to you now. Practice with it constantly. Build a personal cheat sheet of the search terms that get you to what you need fastest. The search bar inside the software can be finicky with spacing and wording, so knowing exactly what to type saves you significant time under pressure.
Understand the one-clock pacing reality. The PE runs on one continuous clock. Time spent on the first half, including your break, comes out of your total. You cannot go back to the first half once you submit it. Knowing this and planning for it before test day removes one more decision you have to make under pressure.
Use the two-pass system. Read each question once. Try a second read if needed. If you are still unsure, flag it with Alt-F and move on. Go through the whole test answering your confident questions first. Come back to flagged questions with fresh eyes. Only change an answer if you know it is wrong, not just because you feel uncertain. The difference between thinking you are wrong and knowing you are wrong is confidence.
Use process of elimination strategically. Rule out wrong units, wrong signs, impossible magnitudes. Back-solve from answer choices when you can. Flagging a question and moving on is a strategy, not a failure.
Drill the things you suck at. Keep a running list of topics you dread and work through them intentionally. It is easy to study what you already know. Real progress comes from facing what you do not.
Take the free two-minute quiz at my2tor.com to find out which of the five test-taker patterns describes you. Next week is the series finale.
📖 Read the companion blog post: The PE Strategy No One Taught You
https://my2tor.com/blogs/how-to-pass-pe-exam-test-taking-strategy
🎓 Explore the full course, From Panic to Passing:
http://frompanictopassing.com
15 Jul 2026
Episode 31: Worst Enemy to Biggest Advocate (From Panic to PE, Week 4)
This is Week 4 of From Panic to PE, a six-part series for engineers who have failed the PE or FE exam and for those who want to make sure they do not.
In this episode, Tina welcomes back Mel Haskins PE, one year after she passed her professional engineering exam on her tenth attempt. This is not a highlight reel. It is an honest look at what it took to get there, what changed, and what Mel carries with her now.
What made the tenth attempt different:
Mel went into every previous exam already planning her next attempt. On her tenth try, she stopped protecting herself from failing and started focusing entirely on passing. Stickies on her computer. Affirmations on her runs. A mindset she practiced every single day until it became real.
How she talks to herself now:
Mel describes going from her own worst enemy to her biggest advocate. She is more self-aware around stress, quicker to use breathing techniques, and now prioritizes self-care not as a reward but as a regular practice, including a facial every six weeks at the same location where she took her final exam.
What she learned about studying:
More hours is not the same as better preparation. Mel spent years adding time to subjects she already knew while avoiding the ones she called "the things I suck at." Facing those honestly, tracking them, and methodically working through them was uncomfortable and essential.
Normalizing the fail:
At a WTS conference dinner, Mel told a table of twelve engineers she had taken the PE ten times. The conversation shifted immediately. More engineers shared their own struggles. A younger colleague exhaled for the first time. That moment is what normalizing the fail actually looks like in practice.
What Mel wants engineers who are struggling to hear:
Focus on passing. Be kind to yourself. Work on the things you are weakest in, not just the things that make you feel confident. And never give up, because you will pass.
Take the free two-minute quiz at my2tor.com to find out which of the five test-taker patterns describes you. Sign up for the full From Panic to PE series at my2tor.com to get each week delivered to your inbox.
📖 Read the companion blog post: She Failed the PE Nine Times
https://my2tor.com/blogs/passed-pe-exam-after-failing-nine-times
🎓 Explore the full course, From Panic to Passing:
http://frompanictopassing.com
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
4.7 / 5
2,389 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 33 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
54
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
Contact The Asessment Alchemist Podcast
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of The Asessment Alchemist Podcast?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
