When is the best time to take the ARE?
Hi,
I would like to know the community's opinion on this matter. Is it best as an inexperienced recent graduate? Or as a seasoned architect several years after graduating?
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Hi Naomi,
I say jump right in! I graduated almost 2 years ago, started testing a year later since I was worried about having enough experience having never worked at a firm prior to graduating. However, 1. the AREs are a great tool for learning. 2. You probably know a lot more from school than you think. I am studying for my 5th exam and recalling things from classes. As for where to start, I started with PjM and felt that was a good one to start with.
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I agree with Naomi, I say get in there and take your first exam! The problem with waiting is you may never end up getting to it. Right out of school you're still used to the study process. Life is only going to get busier. Yes, you will learn valuable information when working in the field that will help you on your exams, but studying for your exams is also going to make you a much better architect/designer.
Don't worry if you fail, which statistically you're likely to fail at least a few of the exams. Failing is part of this process, so don't let it deter you. Every exam I failed, I ended up having such a deeper understanding of the topics. So, use failing as a motivator.
I recently made a video about failing and how I got started. My biggest tip is to just schedule that first exam. You got this!
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