Passed all 5 Exams in a row - Failed PJM 3 times!
Hi Community I need some help with PJM. I have passed all 5 exams within 2 months but this past week was my 3rd time taking PJM and I failed once again. My score report indicates I am very close to a pass. It's very heart breaking to be off by a few questions, yet so far away now.
Now that I have to wait 7 months to retake this exam I want to make sure to put focus on the Contracts section. It is my lowest scored content area of the report (also the largest) and I would love to hear some tips/study resources for understanding the contracts material better.
Here's my breakdown:
I have completed the Amber Book course (huge help for my first 5 exams) Thank you Michael. It has played a major role in helping pass the first 5 exams. Great guide.
I have read through the AHPP
I have read through the AIA contracts and feel I understand them well but I guess not
I have listened to the Michael Hanahan lectures a million times (great source for commute)
Ballast Study guides, practice questions
Designer Hacks quizzes and exams
Elif quizzes and exams
I have a good study process which I plan to continue but I was looking for anything else that I missed that can help me with Contracts?
HELP ME OBI-WAN KENOBI YOU ARE MY ONLY HOPE
-
Hi Christopher,
I have a course for PjM/PcM. Can you email your score report? Baffled why you'd have trouble with PjM out of the 6 exams. Why would you have to wait 7 months to retake it? You can retake in 2 months...
You can message me through link below.
Rebekka O'Melia, B.Arch, M. Ed, Registered Architect, NCARB, Step UP ARE 5.0
-
Rebekka here is my fail report. I have to wait 7 months because I failed it 3 times now, and have to wait an entire 12 months to retake from the first time I took PJM. Worst part is - I cant even schedule the retake because they are switching in person test providers so it directs me to prometric site but nothing available.
-
Christopher,
AIA has a YouTube Channel with video lectures that go into depth about their contract documents. I've been watching these to study as well.
-
I second Stephen's suggestion. The AIA Contract Documents YouTube channel is an excellent asset. CSI also has a channel with some useful content for PjM.
Also, with the Hanahan lectures, if you're listening to the same 'version' of his lectures every time, change it up and listen to lectures from a different year. It helps break up the monotony. I'm aware of at least 2011, 2017, & 2021 being available. Just be aware that the 2011 lectures will be referencing the 2007 contracts, and a handful of provisions were added/modified for 2017 (in addition to the digital data/BIM and sustainable projects exhibits being new).
It'll serve you well to also have read both exhibits I mentioned, A101, A133, A305, A701, C401 (especially), and the G-series documents (to a lesser degree).
-
Wow this is scary, I have failed the PjM once, I'm about to start studying it again. the first time i took it i didnt read AHPP, i just followed PPI. I thought that's where i messed up. But if you read all the required reading for Pjm in the handbook and still failed then that's kinda scary.
My score card is basically opposite yours, I failed it all except for the contracts.
I 've been using Pluralsight for contracts. You could listen to the contract videos on his three ProPractice Courses, PcM, PjM and CE.
I downloaded the Contracts and followed along. You should keep in mind that the Pluralsight PjM course is using 2007 contracts, not 2017 contracts. So you might want to look at the AIA's document on changes.
AIA also has YouTube videos on contracts. Not as high-level of an explanation as Michael Hanahan, but if you listen to a lot of them you could still understand it.
-
Hello Maimouna,
Could you please clarify if this was the case for your experience throughout the whole course or just certain sections? I did a 2017 contract and code reference update across all courses in January of 2021. The experience should be fully updated at the moment.
I just double checked the live courses on the site just now and it show as updated live on the website. Please clarify when and where you saw 2017 references or sections and I will have it corrected promptly.
You may email me directly if you wish. kg@intersectartsstudio.com
All the best,
Kevin Griendling, AIA NCARB
-
Hi Elvin,
I have some suggestions. And tutoring maybe a good idea too.
Have you read all of AHPP? That’s important. I’d also recommend listening to the Hanahan lectures. If I had more info about your background and your scores reports I could figure out which lectures in particular would be most helpful.
You should also spend a week or two doing several practice exams.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Rebekka Klos, NCARB, B Arch, M Ed
www.stepuparchitecture.com -
Edit: I did end up passing it on the second round. What helped was looking ant the objectives listed on the NCARB guidelines and following it closely to make sure I was learning all the key elements needed for the exams.
Practicing questions help and practicing filling out the documents also helped. Same advice for CE
I used
PPI
Pluralsight
AIA YouTube videos
The handbook -
And Mainouna has updated his status from 2022. And Elvin needs help now.
Reading NCARB’s Guidelines is a first step beford you take any exams!
GL!!
~ Rebekka
www.stepuparchitecture.com
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
14 comments