Failing 5.0 Again & Again
These 5.0 exams have to be the worst experience of my life. I've never worked, and study as hard I have, only to continually come up short. I've used all the study material that I could find under the sun from Archizam, Designer Hacks, Hyperfine, Young Architect, Amber Book, AHPP, Ballast PPI, NCARB Practice test & Handbook, nothing comes close to the actual exams. They all have nice examples, but they not true to form with regards to the exams. I'm two tests in (PcM & PjM), and I have three fails under my belt. I'm the only one of 20 people at my firm that is actively taking the ARE. Everyone else has given up. I studied my ass for these tests! Before work, during lunch, after work, whole days on the weekends. Good lord!
I can understand that NCARB doesn't want to give out proprietary test information, but they should allow vendors to present test information that is in keeping with what is actually on the exam. None of the resources I've named present their study materials in the same manner as the exam. It's like swim training in a pool, and then being tossed overboard at sea during a category 4 hurricane and swimming 20 nautical miles to shore. The differences are staggering, and the choosing 3 to 4 out of a possible 6 answers totally blows!
Last month, I received a survey from NCARB asking if the testing format was appropriate. I left a comment saying that testing format IS appropriate if their goal is to limit the number of future architects. It's a war of attrition, not everyone will survive.
These exams have nothing to do about whether or not you understand the information. They are completely focused on how lucky can you guess at the answers. My suggestion to anyone planning to retest... spend more time studying probabilities & statistics gambling in Vegas than studying.
-
Don't give up, but I must say I strongly disagree with the notion that these exams "have nothing to do about whether or not you understand the information." In my experience (3 tests so far and passed), it's the exact opposite. The exams specifically test on the overall comprehension of the material, and being able to apply that knowledge to the particular scenario outlined in every question. The ARE isn't about memorizing material, but the application of concepts regarding decision-making and project delivery processes.
I agree with Tony's suggestion to take a break. It may serve you well to step back and let the frustration subside.
-
Hi Jackson,
You sound completely discouraged. I understand the feeling...
You need a better strategy, good resources, and better support.
PcM is a difficult exam. The pass rate is only 50%, and that includes folks retaking it! It involves contracts, firm's insurance, and the firm's legal structure and management. Not many interns get experience in these areas. It's NOT an exam I'd recommend taking as a 1st or 2nd exam.
CE or PjM is the exam to start with. Pass rates are 62% and 63% respectively.
Also, don't rely on 3rd party materials. You need to be reading the books NCARB has outlined first. Then using the 3rd party materials to prep for the exam.
You said "choosing 3 to 4 out of a possible 6 answers totally blows!" You are talking about multiple choice questions, I assume? Rather than looking at it that way, think about just picking out the 2-3 answers that are incorrect. Suddenly, it's not as difficult...!
The order in which you take the exams is important. You also may need to just study more hours per exam than whatever you are doing. You may need to conquer exam anxiety. Or it may be a combination of those things. You may need a mentor. Whatever it is, I do think that it's attainable.
Hope this helps!
Rebekka O'Melia, Registered Architect, NCARB, B. Arch, M. Ed, Step UP, Step UP ARE 5.0 Courses
-
Hi Jackson,
The Black Spectacles practice exams are almost exactly like the real thing. You should try those. They look identical, are timed, and even have the same calculator and weird whiteboard software that the exams use. I know they are not cheap, though, and I am definitely not shilling for them. I just use them for my studying and I have just passed my 4th exam on the first try. I've found that if I can score above 60% on the Black Spectacles practice exams, I can pass the real thing. My testing order was a bit unconventional. I started with the design tests (PA, PPD, and then PDD) and I am now circling back through the contract tests. I just passed, CE yesterday. PjM is next (because it is so similar to CE) and I will end with PcM. That order just made the most sense to me. If the NCARB testing order is not working for you, you should mix it up and try PA. The design tests are more straightforward. There is a good deal of content to get through but I found a lot of it to be pretty interesting.
-
Stephen - I did the exact opposite as you. Wrapped up the contract trio by passing PjM+CE last week, and now focusing on the design exams. I'm beginning with PA and just began with the Black Spectacles videos this evening.
With PA being the first exam you took, what resources (in addition to Black Spectacles) did you find necessary? Since we use the same 3rd party resource, I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
I found it worthwhile to combine my efforts in studying for CE+PjM together (wish I had done the same with PcM, honestly), so I plan to at least study for PPD+PDD together. I'm considering even picking up an Amber Book subscription to help knock all three out together as quickly as possible.
-
Matthew -
For PA, I essentially just read through the Ballast book section, watched the Black Spectacles videos (on accelerated speed) and took as many mock / practice exams as possible. My philosophy is always to get through as many questions as I can so that I can learn from my mistakes. I also used one of the pre-made flashcard sets from Quizlet to drill in the terms.
For PPD & PDD, I pretty much did the same thing but picked up 2 additional resources, Building Construction Illustrated and Fundamentals of Building Construction. I tried to read both from cover to cover skimming some sections and reading deeply in others. These two sources were extremely helpful, especially FBC. I also read through some of the Ballast book chapters, especially on lighting and sound, and skimmed others. Note there are never THAT many in-depth structural calculation questions on these tests so don't get too bogged down in that. Just know the basics. They'll usually give you the formula you need. Again, answer all of the practice questions posted in the Community section of BS and take all 3 practice exams, if you can. Time management is especially important on PPD and PDD as some questions can get pretty lengthy or require time-consuming deduction. My strategy has always been to rack up as many points as possible right off the bat and skip the cumbersome questions and math problems only to come back to them later. It's worked for me well so far as I always have had extra time in the end to review all of my answers.
I hope this helps!
-
Hello All,
Thank you for the positive comments you left. I think that I will heed some of the advice that you have given:
1) Relax during the process
2) Find a coach or mentor
3) Come up with a better testing strategy.
Giving up in not in my nature, but being competitive is, so taking a few losses is difficult to take. If you have any recommended resources, I would be glad to hear about them.
Thanks again!
-
Jackson - Based on the list of resources you mentioned initially, honing in on a small selection of resources and focusing your energy into those may serve you better than looking for more resources to add to your list. We all study differently, but I know I tend to feel overwhelmed when I feel that there are a wide variety of sources that I need to be studying from. It's difficult to know how to effectively split my time and direct my limited energy.
In terms of resources for PcM and PjM, reading AHPP and studying contracts legitimately covers everything you need to know for both exams. That's where I directed ~75% of my energy - the remaining 25% went toward practice exams, which I used to review and identify areas I needed to either reread or look further into.
If there were one additional resource I'd consider adding, if I had to, it'd be Law for Architects: What you Need to Know. It was often referenced in the practice exams I used.
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
8 comments