PPD 2nd Fail - Seeking Advice
Hi all,
I'm looking for help as I just received my 2nd failure for PPD Saturday Nov 8. The first time I took it was August 2024 and I attributed my failure to only studying for 5 weeks. At that time I failed by 5 questions.
This time, I studied for 10 weeks and completed Amber Book, reviewing all of the videos, doing all practice questions, reviewed the PPD and PDD flashcards, and did the practice exam, where my score indicated (per their note) that I should schedule it right away, and so I did and ended up failing again.
Like many, I'm very much struggling with this exam. I passed PjM, PcM, CE, and PA all on the first try. I haven't taken PDD yet even though I received a "passing score" on the Amber Book practice test for that as well, for fear of wasting another $257.
I also have 6+ years of full-time experience in mid-size firms, working extensively on large multifamily, mixed-use, higher ed, student housing, and retrofits. I'm at a loss and struggling with the financial hit this is taking, especially after using Amber Book - I thought this would surely bring me to the finish line.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
-
PPD is tough especially if you have experience with construction documents where PDD is second nature and the earlier stages of entitlement and permit are not usual tasks. If construction documents are more familiar you could start with PDD first and take PPD soon after. I ended up making a game for PPD (in this community thread somewhere!) to pull together 10-12 "pretend designs" running through key tables in the IBC for construction types, size limitations, occupancy, egress, ADA, then adding in which mechanical systems are best, considerations for soils and lateral loads = all the many topics that need to be considered for PPD more similar to Design Development where so many lasting decisions are made. Good luck
-
@JCorrington I did study for both exams together. As I mentioned in my post I am hesitant to schedule PDD since I failed the other one and this is an expensive process that I and many others have already spent thousands of dollars on. I agree with you on rescheduling PPD as soon as I can. I guess I was hoping for advice on other resources besides Amber Book or study tips to get me to the finish line.
-
Hello @ayork19,
I feel you!
I received a “likely Pass” yesterday, and this was my fourth attempt. This time I went much deeper. In addition to Black Spectacles and Amber Book, I practiced with Elif’s ARE questions and reviewed the relevant PPD chapters from all five NCARB-recommended books, plus Fundamentals of Building Construction and Simplified Engineering for Architects and Builders. My exam was very structural-heavy, and I was especially grateful for that last book—it’s where I finally understood shear and moment diagrams (thanks to Elif for recommending it in her bundles).
I also think we all know our own weak spots. For me, it was structural, mechanical, and acoustical, so I made sure to study those areas thoroughly before scheduling the exam. And since I’m not a native English speaker, I felt I needed more depth to feel confident in this division.
You’re very close. Good luck!
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
4 comments