PCM studying and prepare for 3rd try
Hi All,
Hope you are doing great in your exams- I've been studying PCM material since 1st join NCARB and start my journey since then, as I was reading a lot of posts about starting PCM as a first exam - and let me tell you something, I failed in my first two tries and this exam frustrated me since that time - I've decided to postponed it for a while, since last year, I decided to stop reading and switch to take another exam, but every time I decide to go back, I feel its overwhelming, because failing result not good motivation for anyone.
but guess what, I've decided to go back again and start over that study material again for PCM and now I'm preparing to take it soon.
My study material since when I failed at first and second was;
AHPP, I bought black spectacles practice exams, Law for architects, guide to turning designs into buildings by Paul Segal and did many practice exams from different sources, like ballast and kaplan for ARE4.0, watch some videos about financial problems and read recommended notes, reading many times for the AIA contracts AIA 101, B101, A201, A701, A702, A704, listen to Schiff Hardin lectures and many useful materials, including designer hacks practice exams, plus taking notes.
however, I'm second language exam taker, which i think will add one layer of struggle with exam content, but I feel its not so meting impossible to do it beside family commitments and work obligations - I keep motivate myself with this things until I get pass result and I'm sure that the only think keeps me reading and preparation for the exam and other exams too.
many told me I have to skip this exam and try another one, which may be good advice and should follow, but I don't know, I feel i need to beat that exam in one more try, if not i will try another one, just to give me some motivation in my process. I'm just stuck with PCM, may be because I already read this material and would love to go in deep until i pass which is not good sometime to stick with one exam keeps me fail and fail again.
my strategy now when I'm preparing for 3rd try is readying for PCM, PJM and CE at once as I have confident those package close to each other in content and adding CSI manual for my study materials and hopefully will give me more backup for the real exam.
I have foreign experience with wide range of projects, but this type of exam makes me feel sooo bad about myself.
wish me a good luck in this time and hopefully will get it done.
Thank you,
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Hi Rabeea Alkhazraji ~
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I also have, and plan to fail, many more tests time and time over; hence, I no longer am concerned with the stress that comes with these exams, and that said, I no longer care about timing, pass, failures, rolling clocks, etc. I know this might sound facetious, but if the universe wants me to pass, I will eventually, as I am in no rush.
You have purchased all the necessary testing materials, and it seems that you are absorbing the knowledge just like the rest of us. I personally am convince, with a positive attitude and with all due respect to those who have passed successfully; that those who did pass, simply got lucky. One will NEVER understand the questions completely, one will NEVER know it all!! My guess is, once one remain focused in all the study categories (just like for the past 8-months), the answers to the questions will start to pop-off the page; at least they are starting to with my mock-exams.
PS. After studying meticulously for 8-straights months, I finally called ncarb and asked them for help. They did, and they assured me that I was "probably" not mastering the question in their online ARE-50-HANDBOOK (https://www.ncarb.org/sites/default/files/ARE5-Handbook.pdf) = GO MASTER THIS BEFORE IT CHANGES!!!
LAST WEEK: I simply absorbed ALL of the 182-pages over and over; and then made up my own math problems by exchanging out numbers. I then went into the AHPP and reviewed every word that was a "hot-topic" for me, or a topic that I was not 75% sure of. This HAS IN FACT helped me tremendously, FOR LAST WEEK. Wish me luck for this week?
Hope this helps, and please, again, DO NOT let this make you feel like a failure; you are going to fail several more times before you pass, or at least this is what the statistics have proven in the past and are posted online (https://www.ncarb.org/pass-the-are/pass-rates); so plan accordingly, and then celebrate once you get lucky, because you will pass if you remain true and fair to yourself!!!
All positive as a "realist" here. Good luck!
Don't give up, and PLEASE, do NOT let it get you down.
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Hi Paul, thanks for sharing your experience too, I’m impressed about what you mentioned, beside I was flipping many posts in different divisions and see many posts you shared which is really beneficial for anyone may decide to take or read about ARE5.0.
You know what, in my second try, I wasn’t afraid or anxious about the exam at all, i was relaxed and i has that feeling too for being failed or pass doesn't matter, just t relief that stress before exam, and i wasn’t really stressed and everything was normal, it started overwhelmed and stressed more when i get in middle of the exam and the questions become more and more harder and i felt at that time like, what the heck is going on?! I felt in middle of no where as the questions so dilemma and time consuming since i never took break either in last two exams and barely had chance to finish my last question in case study without even checking what i answered as i flagged many questions and decided to go back and check them, but couldn’t, unfortuanlty .
However, so, I noticed you mentioned something about mastering? Whats that about? If you are talking about handbook, I keep re reading the divisions and questions in it and come through each explanation for each answer, is that what you mean to read and review the handbook and mastering the content?
Thank you again Paul and good luck -
You possess a Master's degree in Architecture, right? The broken system is set up this way, so I know you do! Well congratulate yourself EVERYDAY, because although it took you 5+years, you ARE only 10% of the way through this nightmare.
So, by "mastering", I am referring to memorizing entire chapters/topic, before closing down that chapter, or that book, or that blog, or that forum, or that study group, or that chat, or that facebook page, or that mock-exam, or that conversation with myself; then I feel like I have "that" particular "topic" mastered.
But don't take my advice, I don't recognize more than 8-10% of the topic questions while sitting for the real exam. I am getting 90% scores on all this wasted knowledge of 3rd party resources; and they for sure cannot help anyone further to understand the concepts. This is the concept: just pay more money, then fail, then another 3rd party resource pops up and you purchase that, then "pass" "pass" "pass" mock-exams with confidence within the confines of your home; only to then fail at the testing center again and again, with no further direction of what to study after said failures. THEN, GET THIS, repeat failing again and again and again until they control us further by eventually taking away our scratch paper.
That is what I mean by mastering!!! This is my way of not fully jumping off a cliff in stupidity. Don't do what I do: "how not to become an architect". What's the definition of insanity: "trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results" So far, by me "being the change", and happily accepting new ways to study, new books, or new blogs, or new forums, or new study groups, or new chats, or new facebook pages, or new mock-exams, or new conversations with myself; maybe I'll get lucky before the next epidemic surfaces, or the next Wall Street crash, or the next planet threatening media KU occurs...until then, I will remain insane by jumping through hoops the size of bubble-gum ring!
PS. you would be astonished at how well in health my mind, body, lifestyle choices, and spirit are in daily episodes; I just rant here because of the 1st Amendment to U.S. Constitution which protects the freedom of speech, religion and the press. If you cannot control your mind, because of "regulated" exams that bolster ambiguity, then one's voice is truly all that you have; and one should always be heard, especially when one pays them $1,000's since 2001.
With respect to these poisonous exams, trust me on this: "...stay communicating in your inner closed-niche circles for studies, health, mind-growth, daily experiences, education, etc.; and don't bother or worry about the outside governmental systems, or the behind-steel-curtain entities for help, it's pointless" pec
Good luck, hope this real world clarity of honest & factual evidence helps; I've lived it for 19-years, I am a "case"! I'm here for anyone who wishes to be heard, wishes to fight for their civil rights, or wished to discuss anything relating to alleviating, and soon illuminating, this widespread burden of secrecy they call "testing graduates on topics as if we were already licensed and have lived the experience".
FAILURE-GUY - OUT ~ FOR NOW!
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Don’t give up!
I made a YouTube video with my tips for the Practice Management exam. I have given this advice to 20+ friends and colleagues and they have all passed. Hopefully this helps! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTme7fsJBhw -
Elsa Contreras
I failed PCM a few weeks ago, it was my first try.
New plan of attack:
Walking the ARE's PCM questions, Re-read the contracts, listen to the schiff hardin lecture over and over, Re-read the AHPP (the financial portion), do hyperfine problems, ballast exam questions. I need third source to find more case studies. In the exam I found the calculation problems and the case study the hardest sections. Uggh! I have a lot to do again :)
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