Black Spectacles PPD score vs actual test
Hello all,
Just completed 3rd Black Spectacles PPD test and brought my score up from 50% (1st exam) to a 66%. Progress! But needed every minute to complete the test in time. Wondering how the NCARB test compares to the Black Spectacles tests in this case. NCARB test questions are harder? More time consuming to read like the 20-question sample test? Just trying to get a better idea of what 5.0 will be like. I've got three weeks and several more test runs to go. Anyone willing to share? Thanks.
--Jason
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Hi Jason,
I just took my third BS practice exam today. Here is how I did on all:
1st attempt: 57% (got above a 58% in all but section 3 and section 5)
2nd attempt: 61% (got above 58% in all but section 1)
3rd attempt: 51% (got above 58% in all but section 3,4,5)
I take PPD this Friday, so I can let you know how well the BS practice exam translates to the ncarb questions. I think some of the toughest questions for me to get correct are the ones that have multiple answers, for example the "pick the three that apply" questions. When reviewing the BS exam I took today nearly half the question I got wrong were questions like that. What other practice questions/ materials are you using so far to study, just curious? I've been enjoyed Ben Norkin's Hyperfine assignments more than anything so far to study - have you seen those?
Good Luck!
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Thanks Mel for sharing. Not looking for specifics about any questions--don't want to break any testing rules--rather, just wondering how the questions compare in terms of difficulty and amount of time it takes to respond. I thought the NCARB practice test questions were very lengthy and required a lot more reflection before answering. None-the-less my hope is BS is slightly more demanding/challenging since I still have not managed to surpass the 68% threshold (82 correct questions). One thing I really like about 5.0 versus 4.0 is the fact that you can still perform poorly in one section (i.e. section 5) and pass. Do well in sections 3 & 4 and you should make a big dent in the 82 correct answers needed to pass. I am of course assuming that PPD sits on the upper spectrum of the 55-68% required to pass.
I find the 20 Case Study Qtns very challenging, but I think checking them out early in the test to use the IBC reference provided will be very helpful with answering the Code-related questions 1-99. I have been using Hyperfines Study package too--excellent way to really dig into the material. Also, just watching as much BS videos as possible (PPD and PDD). I really like how BS videos present the essential concepts, I can follow and retain their material very well. Reading the IBC takes several re-reads before I feel like I have fully retained the info. Using Building Code Illustrated and Building Construction a lot--seem to retain the info better. Also, I am concentrating my energy on Sections 2, 3 & 4 material since these are where the critical mass resides--majoring of total questions. I'm taking PPD on Sat, 15 Feb. Good luck! You got this.
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Mel D
Those those 3 or 4 are though question and yes BS uses a lot of them however the real exam uses them too. My advice is to learn how to answer those type. I do feel that the real exam questions are written better than BS. Sometimes BS question are hard to understand, good luck Friday!
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Jason
From my understanding you must PASS every section in 5.0. You can't fail a section and still pass. I would say 68% is good score, just go into the test saying ok I want to improve this 68% and you should pass. The real test often is a little harder but I do feel the questions are written better.
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Regarding passing, I've actually seen it said that you need to get a certain percentage of all the questions correct in order to pass, and it does not tally which questions fall into which section. Theoretically you could score under "passing" in one small section, but still get the pass overall if you do very well on all the other subjects.
For Black Spectacles, I found shooting for that 68-70% threshold was a great goal I tried to get to every time before testing. I also thought the BS exams were much less time intensive than the actual exam, and a big part of that is due to the way they ask questions. NCARB questions generally require more thought and analysis, while the majority of the BS questions didn't require much thought, just a review of the answers and some elimination of incorrect answers.
I still found BS exams to be very useful in determining my shortcomings, and they were helpful as a review tool the week before the exam, but the experience is quite different.
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Thanks Michael. I learned same thing regarding passing on 5.0--can fail a smaller section and still pass by doing well in the bigger sections (3 & 4). Michel Ermman post made this clear to me: https://are5community.ncarb.org/hc/en-us/community/posts/360029033114/comments/360005162753
Appreciate the input.
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