Let's talk about study time. How much time do you really need to put into this thing to pass it?
Some would say that you need to dedicate your life to it, or there are those you hear around the office that pulled it off with virtually no study time at all. Much to the envy of the future PE taker. It's usually “I studied for about 2 weeks and I was sick but I was still able to pull it off. You shouldn't have a problem.” If you happen to be that guy then congratulations to you but the major of people are not. I definitely wasn't.
If you take the advice at the beginning of the CERM study manual you might as well enroll back in school for your 4-year degree. Seriously. You might need to brush up on units and some math skills, but I can tell you from experience that you will not need to know differential calculus, tons about engineering drawing practice, organic chemistry and many more topics. In addition, if you start perusing through the CERM manual, or any other, you will be overwhelmed by the amount of information and your brain might explode.
The breadth exam will go over all five subjects (structures, construction, hyrdro/enviro, geotech, transportation) lightly so you need to be able to work problems that are easier to solve. If you tailor your study habits to be able to work many breadth-type of problems then you should be good to go there, and that's really the key. You need to practice problems. Don't study the theory and all the stuff in the CERM. Obviously, if you need to go into something in a little more detail or if you don't understand how something is solved then you have to do that, but the truth of the matter is that you need to work problems. You need to know how to put work into this thing and solve the problems.
I would estimate that you need to put in 18 to 20 hours a week three months before the exam starts. That's about what I did. This will allow you to work problems throughout the week and then take the practice exams during the weekend and then have one day off. So, something like Monday-Friday 2 hours a night and then 8 hours on Saturday. In total that comes out to be about 240 hours. You can mix that up if you have a date-night planned or something comes up but you need to get those hours in.
Some will tell you 300 hours plus, and that's fine, but if you know what to study and how to study then I think you can cut your study time down and I'm here to help you. You need to focus on solving good breadth problems and then spend a good chunk of time on the depth portion you've selected. If you don't know what depth portion you are going to take then you can read this: Why I Took the Depth in Geotech.
Below is a schedule that I'd try to follow if you find yourself accelerating things:
WEEK 1: Hydraulics-Closed Conduit (CERM* Ch. 16-18, CEPP** Ch. 16-18)
WEEK 2: Hydraulics-Open Channel (CERM Ch. 19, CEPP Ch. 19)
WEEK 3: Hydrology (CERM 20-21, CEPP Ch. 20-21)
WEEK 4: Waster Water (CERM 28-31, CEPP Ch. 28-31)
WEEK 5: Transportation – Capacity (CERM Ch. 73, 75-77, CEPP Ch. 73, 75-77)
WEEK 6: Transportation – Curves (CERM Ch. 79, CEPP Ch. 79)
WEEK 6: Soils and Foundations (CERM Ch. 35-38, 40, CEPP Ch. 35-38, 40)
WEEK 7: Soils and Construction (CERM Ch. 39, 80, 81, 83, 86, CEPP Ch. 39, 80, 81, 83, 86)
WEEK 8: Engineering Economics (CERM Ch. 87, CEPP Ch. 87)
WEEK 9: Mechanics of Materials (CERM Ch. 44-47, CEPP Ch. 44-47)
WEEK 10: Concrete, Timber and Steel Design (CERM Ch. 49, 50, 52 58-62, 65-66, CEPP Ch. 49, 50, 52, 58-62, 65-66)
WEEK 11: Focus on Depth Area
WEEK 12: Focus on Depth Area
*The CERM is reference to the chapters in the 12th edition of the Civil Engineering Reference Manual by Michale R. Lindeburg, P.E.
**The CEPP is reference to the Civil Engineering Practice Problems that usually accompanies the CERM. Definitely get the both.
In addition to this study schedule you absolutely need to get your hands on practice exams. Go over them on the weekend. Try hard to take them as if you are taking the real test and then just go over the thing like homework so that you really understand the stuff. This is my recommendation.
Good luck studying!
Isaac