PASS_ALL DONE
Don’t listen to anyone who discourage you.
Don’t pay attention to people who laugh at you and tell you that you’ll never finish.
Don’t believe anyone who tells you that getting a license won’t make a difference in your career and salary.
Commit to the journey, set your mind to pass, believe it, and stay with it.
Use your resources. People, books, flash cards, PDFs, YouTube videos, audios lectures, anything that you can get.
Make flash cards and keep reviewing and reviewing.
Take and retake practice exams.
Spend money if you need to. You spent money to get an Architectural degree and look how far the money has taken you. The money that you spend to get a license will take you even further.
The most useful books are Ballast, and the ones listed on NCARB website.
The most useful practice exams are Ballast, Designer hacks, Ellif, and of course NCARB.
Try Amber Book, but don’t think that’s all you need. It’s good if you’re so blank about the subjects, learn better with pic, or you’re not a reader.
Take exams in an order of higher passing rates. It helps you stay encouraged.
Practice management
Construction and Evaluation
Programming & Analysis
Practice management
Project Development & Documentation
Project Planning & Design
I felt like fifty percent of PPD questions were related to wind and earthquake. Make sure you fully understand the concepts. How do they interact/ effect a structure with different material.
YOU CAN DO IT. BELIEVE IT.
THANK YOU ALL
-
That is wonderful advice Mei. I've passed Practice Management and Project Management and have a nice blend of Amber Book (93% done), adore the Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice, several books from the NCARB Study Matrix, and a handful of YouTube sources......am set to take PA, PPD, PDD, CE in January. Even though the exams are in an order similar to projects, there is a lot of overlap so it makes sense for me to get in mega-exam-mode and go for it.
-
Deborah
So happy for you. Please let me know if you need anything. I ended up with a big PDF collection of books and practice exams. Practice exams were my key to success. I've been practicing Architecture to 20 years. I knew the material, but I kept failing. I realized that I'm not reading the questions properly, not getting the point of the question, and that would make me choice a wrong answer and fail. Designer Hacks is only 39$ and it gives you so many questions on the subject. You can use it on your phone in between your daily work or when you don't want to sit down to read for hours. It also helps you find out your weakness. When I came cross a question that I had no idea about, I would google, Youtube, or look for a book to fully understand the answer.
Off the topic, we should meet for lunch sometime, when it gets warmer. lol.
Take care and good luck. If I finish, YOU CAN DO IT.
-
Hi Mei - yes some times I wondered why at age 60 am I taking these exams? But have been enjoying learning more about the broader profession of architecture, not just the little sliver I've been working all these years. For certain the NCARB language is often a question in a question in a riddle that takes careful reading and I like the cross out and highlight tools to help decipher what is being asked. I agree Practice Exams seem to be the most helpful and I am getting a LOT from some text books and will look at Elif Bayram based on your comments. I will have more news at the end of January and 100% yes lets meet for lunch even if its cold.
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
6 comments