60 Days?
Has anyone asked the question as to why we have to wait 60 days to re-take an exam if we failed? I'm curious as to is there a relevant reasoning behind it?
I know the wait period has changed over time from an even longer timeframe, but will there ever be any updates. I feel it would help with the overall pass percentages. The passing rates for the overall exam have not been good for the past several years. (58% in 2023), which is very close to half of test takers are failing or passing.
Will they ever make it shorter?
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I'm not sure if it really should matter whether or not a test-taker gets the same/similar version of the exam a 2nd time around. Maybe it'll be a little easier for them... but other than that...Even if by chance a test-taker gets the same version of the exam, the value of getting answering correctly on the 2nd attempt should prove that they've learned since their 1st attempt. Failing the question for 2nd attempt will logically only encourage additional more time be given to study before the 3rd retake.
In general, I feel all test-takers should get to retake an exam within 5-7 days of getting a failed exam, especially since they are willing to pay for it.
Building up a momentum to study and pass these exams can be challenging enough, not to mention the barely fairly discouraging pass rates. Setting the retake limit to 60 days just seems like a greater likelihood for test-takers to have increase anxiety, forget material (further propelling the idea that this only financially benefits NCARB), and discourage people from wanting to become licensed architects.
Sure, one may argue - re-studying the same material after a longer periods will only ingrain it deeper; but may that is something NCARB can share data on:
- How many people, who retake their exam pass on their 2nd attempt?
If more than 50% then I'd say 60 days may be sufficient for now (though not my preference); if less than 50% pass then I'd say my point above holds and perhaps retake days should be further reduced to 5-7 days. -
I was actually thinking about this the other day. I feel the wait is absolutely unnecessary. Even if their reasoning is that there's only a few versions of the exam, they can keep the, you can only take an exam 3 times in a year, rule and then just let people decide when they want to retake it. I feel each person has a better understanding of their circumstances and strength or weaknesses, and if someone decided that they failed by only a few questions and it worth it to retake it shortly they should be allowed too.
I really hope NCARB consider this, since they keep saying they want to make it easier for people to get license, but I genuinely have not seen an actual effort other than making them more and more expensive and the questions more and more vague and weirdly worded!!
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