Are PA, PPD, and PDD harder exams to prepare for?
I'm looking at the amount of study material needed to pass PA, PPD, and PDD and it seems like there is alot more to study for one of exams than the first 3 combined. I'm trying to wrap my head around just PA but find the amount of reading material overwhelming. Does anyone have any strategies that they suggest? When I took PM, PCJ and CE, I studied for all three at once and it was manageable but 400 pages for one source to pass PA (the site planning and design handbook? I'll probably forget what I read before I finish the book.
If I can use the site planning and design handbook as my only source to pass PA then I'll be okay with it but reading and rereading multiple sources that are 100s of pages long seems inefficient. I know some people use amberbook as their sole resource but I find it easier to retain info when reading.
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PA PPD and PDD together represents approximately 85%, maybe 90%, of the total content in play: thermal, HVAC, plumbing, electricity, acoustics, lighting, vertical conveyance, life safety systems, roofs, masonry, wood, concrete, glass, doors, ADA, steel, fasteners, enclosure, structures, soils, zoning, life safety codes, foundations, planning, parking, programming, siting, spec writing, stormwater management, seismic, wind, and historic preservation—plus some of the project delivery, accounting, firm management,and law that you learned for the other exams—are all very much in play in these three exams.
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GMasis001,
I think using the same techniques you applied for your Management Exams (PcM, PjM, and CE) will likely be very helpful. Approach the Design Exams (PA, PPD, PDD) as one big exam with three phases: Schematic Design (SD), Design Development (DD), and Construction Documents (CD). These sections are more content-heavy and require covering a wide range of topics.
If you prefer books, Architectural Graphic Standards is a great place to start, as it’s NCARB’s primary resource for PPD and PDD and a supplemental resource for PA. Since this book has significant overlap with official NCARB resources, it can be particularly useful.
I highly recommend taking detailed notes in your own words while reading. This will make your study revisions more efficient, as you can refer to your notes instead of flipping back through books. While it may seem like a lot of work at first, it will save you valuable time once you complete your first read.
DM me your email if you’d like a sample of the notes I created during my exams. I’d be happy to share them for your reference. Best of luck!
Rajan K.
P.S. Refer to ARE Guidelines for more info:
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Hi.
I think NCARB's Guidelines are designed to misguide folks. How could anyone study from a huge reference book like AGS?
I'd use the Ballast Exam Review guide book. It's lengthy as well, but the topics are outlined per each exam at least. Then use all those supplemental books to research the topics you don't know much about. Take the PPD exam last. And prepare to study at least 120 hrs I'd say. More hours are required for these exams compared to the others, but the material does overlap.
Hope this helps & keep studying!
Rebekka Klos, NCARB, B. Arch, M. Ed, ARE Educator
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