Pass PDD and all done!
Hi Everyone!
I finally finished all my ARE exams, and passed PDD yesterday, on the second try.
It took me a long time to finish all the exams, having passed my first exam in 2018. Thank God for the pandemic that extended the expiration deadlines. It took me one year to mentally and emotionally recover from failing my second exam. I got carpal tunnel syndromes after passing my third and couldn't work for a week. Studying while taking care of two school age boys and running a design business was a challenge, but it was worth it.
I used Ballast, Gang Chen, Black Spectacles, Amberbook, and Elif's ARE Questions. I think PDD was the trickiest exam among the 6. Elif's materials helped me passed this one at the end.
Thank you Gang Chen, Michael, Michael, and Elif for all your encouragements and work in helping us learn these materials!!
Christina
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Congratulations Christina! I am so happy for you. Thanks for sharing. A lot of people experience what you did after first failure. That’s why I recommend not to rush testing, especially the first exam, because you risk to lose significant time to recovery after a potential failure. I genuinely think this recovery time after first failure is the reason why average person spends 3 years to complete their exams. Based on my observations, it is not all non stop studying for three years. Sometimes people get the wrong impression at the start, expect to be done in a much shorter time with much less study time and when they fail they crash harder. Cause on paper you can take the same test in 60 days but when emotions are involved ( they always are - it is part of being human:-), it is never that easy. I am glad in the end you didn’t give up and continued studying and testing. Congratulations!!!
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Christina,
Congratulations! I'm teary-eyed writing this. It is truly a HUGE accomplishment.
I also am so grateful for the pandemic extension. I began my ARE journey when my eldest was 2 and I could start sending him to daycare allowing time to study. But life (another kid, career and relationship changes) has stalled my getting back in until now.
I just this week took and failed PPD.
I have to complete all exams by April 8 or I lose everything that I completed in 4.0, so needless to say, I'm feeling quite pressed. I have to schedule and study for PDD now while I wait out the retake window for PPD.
Not exactly sure why I'm here sharing this; maybe just hoping for some advice or strategies. Or suggested prescriptions (jk).
But again - many congrats to you on your well deserved success!!
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Javier Sanchez
The PDD exam, as many of us on here would say, is quite trivial. The two times I took PDD, there was not that many in-depth math questions, but the ones that are on the exam do test our ability to problem solve with the formulas that are given and to know what numbers to plug in. So doing sample problems to get familiar with structure, ramps, lighting/foot candles, etc, is very helpful. You don't need to become expects in these area, but GET FAMILIAR.
I highly recommend Amberbook. Michael explains a lot of the concepts in the exams in a way that is understandable, and his videos are entertaining. A lot of info in the Amberbook flashcards are on the exam. After going through his videos twice (playing them on 1.25 speed), I thought the PPD exam was quite simple. A lot of the PPD information will be applied to PDD. I wouldn't pressure people to study and take both in the short period of time because there is just too many information to GET FAMILIAR with.
Beth Higgins
Oh Beth, I feel you. Juggling kids, work, exam, and just our own mental health is such a huge challenge. My kids are old enough now that they understand that I need time to study. I told them I will take them to Great Wolf Lodge or Legoland when I pass my exams, so they get rewarded too, when they let me study. Make sure to take very good care of your health. I got sick so many times from studying late at night.
Can you check with NCARB if they got rid of the rolling clock for 4.0? I got an email a few months ago for California that they are allowing people to keep the 4.0 results without a deadline now. I know NCARB ended the rolling clock for 5.0.
I highly recommend Elif's study materials. She broke the material down in doable chunks, and provides really good resources with her sample test questions. The subscription fee is very reasonable as well. If you are able to carve out whole afternoons to study, I recommend Amberbook. Michael is very good at explaining the concepts that we need to get familiar with for these tricky test questions.
Feel free to email me christina@silverelms.com. -
Christina,
Congratulations! Thank you for the kind words about my books and my work. I have been there and done that and really want to help people like you to have a easy way to obtain your license, and achieve your professional goal. That is one of the main reasons I wrote my books.
Gang Chen, Author, AIA, LEED AP BD+C (GreenExamEducation.com)
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