Exam questions too vague
One of my biggest challenges (especially with PPD ) has been how some questions are vague. Not in a way that requires critical thinking but rather in a confusing way. For example, this question in the practice exam:
A developer is determining the best building configuration for Lot 4B, a suburban plot in a cold climate. The lot is 150' x 100' and the maximum building footprint is 15,000 square feet. The owner's program requires a minimum of 48,500 square feet of office space.
To minimize heat loss in winter, which one of the following building configurations should the architect recommend?
I selected 120x120 square instead of 90x90 square because clearly 48,600 (90x90) was not enough for office space AND common spaces like restrooms which by code offices need to have. Am I wrong for thinking office space refers to just office space and not the entire building's program????
My issue with this question is that it claims the owner requires a minimum of 48,500 SF of office space.....When I started running the numbers the correct answer was 48,600. My issue is the owner needs 48,500 sf of office space, office space doesn't include common areas, corridors, restrooms and other spaces. Trying to think critically here 48,600 is not enough to accommodate office space AND corridors and other common spaces. I might be over thinking this but I think the wording is wrong. Now, if the owner needs a minimum of 48,500 SF of program .. I think it is safe to assume that includes office space plus corridors and other supporting spaces.
I feel these exams uses techniques for you to analyze and read between the lines, to think critically. However, they apply that to some questions but not others. I can not even count how many questions I've gotten wrong because the wording is so vague.
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Not enough info here I don't think to help, ie how many stories can it be? 90x90 = 8,100
Cold climates like cubed buildings to maximize volume and minimize surface area to heat loss, right? 90x90 with 90 height (9 stories) = 72,900 providing plenty of program space in a cubed shape building.
Sorry if I am way off since I don't really know the question.
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I just took this exam, and received a likely fail, for the 4th time!!
This is the only one I still need to pass. A lot of the questions were indeed too vague and /or having very confusing wording. I don't know what else to study for it.
I don't know who is vetting this exam division, but I'm seriously questioning it. The questions and exam circumstances do not resemble a lot of what we see in practice. This process does not seem fair at all.
I do not understand why NCARB uses such confusing wording for already complicated topics. -
I just took the exam and I had the same question asked to me twice. Too vague yes - I have other license in other areas and they are pointed is it this or that... we don't need case studies we need to make sure we know the facts.. All of the exam prep videos say the same thing that They are Not trying to trick you and that is exactly what they are doing... choose all three that apply questions need to go! I was told it was easier to take the BAR-Exam... Still studying and hoping - praying for change in the system.
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