PPP- fail, PPP - fail, PcM - fail, PcM - Pass!

Comments

12 comments

  • Avatar
    Pierre Antounian

    Awesome job! Congratulations!

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Pierre Antounian

    Hi Abby,
    Do you remember what your scores were on the Black Spec Practice Exams? I just took form 1 and received 62.5%. That’s a very probable fail if it were the actual exam. I’m looking for some kind of gauge to understand how others did. I look forward to hearing back. Thank you!

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Abby Linley

    Hi Pierre!

    Thank you! And yes when I first took this exam in April and failed, my 3 scores were:

    April 21 - 53.75%,

    April 22 - 59.49%

    April 27 - 69.62%

    I will say that I learned about BS only a couple weeks before my exam so I had to take them close together and I did feel somewhat rushed on using them the way I could have. Therefore I think my scores reflect that.

    When I studied in November, my 3 scores were:

    October 26 - 66.25%

    November 2 - 71.25%

    November 10 - 81.25%

    Hope this helps!

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Pierre Antounian

    Hi Abby,
    Yes this is very helpful. Thank you!
    I appreciate your quick response also!
    Thank You,
    Pierre

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Abby Linley

    No problem! Good luck, you will do great! :) Also - my friend just passed this exam on Friday and she scored in the 40%s on the Black Spectacles a week or so before her exam. So I'm sure you're more prepared than you think!

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Pierre Antounian

    Thank you.!
    That is encouraging to hear. This one is not easy lol.
    I take it in 3 weeks. Already done 3 weeks of study thus far. Also not sure how others have said the the Black Spec exams are “easy”. They are not. I’ve taken and failed this exam 2 times already, and this practice exam i just took resembled the more difficult of those 2.
    I consider it a good gauge if not great gauge and i plan on taking at least one more if not all 3.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Abby Linley

    Ya I think the more practice the better. And the more confidence you can have going in the better. My other friend would retake the exams just to remember "why" a certain answer was right or wrong and really try to make sure he was getting the concepts. I would also say make sure to review the AHPP sections as I learned the most from that resource. And when you go over the Black Spectacles tests, look at the areas you are scoring the lowest on and really work on them. In April I scored low on the practice methodologies and that ended up being the area I scored a 4 (the worst) on the actual exam so I think it really is a good judgement of what you know. And no the Black Spectacles exams are not easy! Keep going, I hope to hear back when you've passed! :)

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Pierre Antounian

    Haha, thank you!  I hope so too!

    I took this exam twice, once in April and once in August.

    Started studying in January, listened to all the Shiff Harden lectures, beginning to end.  Started reading AHPP and got lazy.  Picked it up again the weekend before my exam.  Terrible idea #1.  I got 2's on all areas except for Business Operations.

    Second time taking the exam, got lazy, studied for 2 hours before my exam... Terrible idea #2.  I got a 4 on Business Operations, 3's on Finances and Practice Wide Deliveries, and a 2 on Practice Methodologies.

    So I'm doing terrible on Business Operations, so so on the middle two and passing Practice Methodologies.  

    Here's what I've done to date.

    Read AHPP using Kevin's (Pluralsight) list... I think it's about 600-700 pages of the book, yes I read the Oranges and Yellow's.  This is about 50+ hours of reading.

    I've been using the Community thus far, probably about 10-15 hours of the community.

    Watched half the BS videos, and taken one Practice Exam from BS (62.5%) as mentioned above.

    I've read C401,

    need to read B101 and A201 still.  Need to read AIA Code Of Ethics and NCARB Rules Of Conduct.  Not sure if I'll read the NCARB Legislative document just yet.

    I need to take time to review AHPP, it's easy to forget out of 600-700 pages of reading lol.  I've put post its onto about 100 pages of the book.  A lot to review.

    I plan on taking at least 1 more of the BS exams maybe 2.

    I have a ways to go, and I really need to breathe and relax... it's been non stop thus far.

    Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement!  It reminded me to step back and just feel proud of all the studying I've done thus far, about 80+ hours and still going.

    I hope to come back to this very thread and have good news in mid Dec.  We shall see!  Best of luck on all your future studying and exams.  I want this first pass to give me confidence moving forward, but I will say this.  I have been working in the Industry since 2002, when I graduated.  The real world helps but it's almost sad how little it helps, at least with me and my experience.  This test in particular is NOT easy.  It's humbled me and also tested me (at times absolutely furious) but somehow I keep going.  Pass or Fail, I'll know I did the best I could this time around.  Thanks again Abby!

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Lindsey Stinson

    Abby,

     

    How did you listen to the Hardin lectures on the go?

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Abby Linley

    You will do great Pierre! I'm anxious to hear how it goes for you. 

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Abby Linley

    Lindsey,

    I used this link: https://www.schiffhardin.com/professionals/attorneys/d-i/hanahan-michael-j/hanahan-lecture-notes-2019

    And clicked "download lecture"

    And then would hit play and listen through headphones, or my car's bluetooth while driving, and then would start where I left off on my way home!

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Avatar
    Pierre Antounian

    Thank you Abby! I appreciate the support!

    0
    Comment actions Permalink

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Powered by Zendesk