ARE: Lessons Learned
The Architectural Registration Exams (AREs) are a serious undertaking and important step to take in one’s career.
With several CDFL team members in the midst of studying for the AREs and two of our architects having been recently licensed, we realized our office is a treasure trove of helpful hints. Between us, we have compiled some good tips and resources and we thought it was high time we shared them.
Good luck to all the candidates out there. We hope you find these suggestions as helpful as we do/did!
Path to Licensure Quick Tips
1. Make a List:
Decide which exams you want to take and the order in which you want to take them. Some of the material in the exams overlaps, so you benefit by taking exams with similar content back to back.
This is is our favorite order:
Construction Documents and Services
Programming, Planning, and Practice
Site Planning and Design
Schematic Design (This is a floater and can be taken at any time)
Structural Systems
Building Systems
Building Design and Construction Systems
2. Make a Schedule:
Make a schedule of when you will take each exam. Pick a date now! Give yourself anywhere from two weeks to two months to study for each exam and put them on your calendar. Some people will take more time to study, but we all agree that shorter periods of more intense study worked best. You can always change the dates if you need to, but this will give you a starting point.
3. Make a Binder:
Make a binder with tabs for each exam. As you collect information and material make sure to save it. All of the exams overlap so it is good to revisit information from previous tests as you study.
4. Find an Accountability Partner:
Find a study buddy. Someone from your office or an old colleague from school may be willing to study with you. If you can’t find a partner to study with then ask a coworker to help encourage you by asking about your study plan. We are always asking each other about the “next test” and although it may get old, it works.
5. Brush up on Your History:
There is a history component to every test. Before you take any exam, make sure you revisit your old Architectural History books from college. Several of the study guides, including Kaplan, have sections dedicated purely to History.
Exam Day Quick Tips
1. Snack Time:
The exams are LONG and require a lot of energy. We recommend taking a snack for your mandatory break between the multiple choice portion and the vignettes. Bottled water and a banana will reenergize you!
2. Catch some zzzz’s:
Get enough sleep the night before so you have a clear mind for the task ahead. It will be hard to resist the urge to stay up studying, but you need time to absorb the information and rest your weary head.
3. Eat Breakfast:
Now we just sound like your mom.
4. Use the “Mark” tool and scratch paper:
Remember that your first answer is usually the correct one. If you can’t remember an answer, use the “mark” tool in the ARE program (this is genius, FYI) and come back to it. You may even want to write the question number down on your scratch paper. Other questions will sometimes jog your memory.
Favorite Resources:
1. NCARB.org:
The NCARB website has great study guides with quizzes and vignette software. You must practice the vignettes and we encourage you to time yourself as you do so. The study guide overview has a list of the amount of questions on each test and the amount of time you have for each test and each vignette.
2. Flash Cards:
Several of us used flashcards and loved them. Archiflash has a great set with definitions, questions, and pictures!
3. Kaplan:
The Kaplan Study guides are also very helpful. They have a book for each test and quizzes for each chapter and then overall practice exams.
4.Funkarr:
We particularly liked their mock exams.
5. Blogs:
ARE Forum
Vignettes Videos
Seminars:
Several of us took the Structural Seminar taught by David Thadeus and swear that it is the reason we passed. Other seminars out there are good as well; the point is: if you are having a hard time with a particular subject matter look into seminar courses, they tend to help. Make sure to study the material first, though, or you won’t get the full benefit of the seminar. You will get more out of the seminar if you are familiar with the material ahead of time.
Note: There is a ton of study material out there and this is just a short list representing a small sample. Check out the ARE Forum for other great sites and suggested materials but be CAREFUL of cheaters. No one should ever share test questions or break any of the rules on the NCARB website. These are very important and failure to comply could mean you never get your license. Just use your head and be aware of the sites and information you are reading.