CE Pass on first try! - What I used to study

I took CE and passed on my first try yesterday. CE is my 3rd exam of all, I took PM and PjM last year and also passed them on my first try. One of my study materials sources has been the PPI2PASS platform. I'm currently following their suggested order to take the exams and so far it has worked. Their material has proven to be useful to help retain information but also to have a clear understanding of concepts and how to apply them. Their materials include access to the Ballast ARE Review manual, quizzes, practice exams, diagnostic exams, flashcards, and short videos. And, as with any other platform, you can input your exam date and it will create a study schedule that will tell you what to read and practice every week. I like that they are affordable when you pay for 3 or 6 month subscription (online access only - $100 for 3 months or $120 for 6 months), but they also offer print versions of the books and practice exams.

For PjM and CE, I made sure to listen to the Michael Hanahan lectures about the AIA docs. The lectures don't have the best sound quality but the way he explains in detail the A101, A201, B101 is worth to listen to. The 3 docs are very important for PjM but for CE you do need to know your A201.

For PM, The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice is your main source, but it could get boring after a while. I tried to read it completely but was not able to. I skipped a few chapters and stopped altogether after chapter 10 or 11. I would suggest that you read into the chapters that the Ballast manual reference in their reading materials.

For CE, you want to make sure you are familiar with construction details in general. I helped reformat and organize my office's CAD/Revit details library so I spent many working hours in the past drafting/reading typical details for concrete, masonry, walls, openings, etc. and felt confident in knowing and understanding at least the basics during the exam.

So far, for my 3 exams I have dedicated at least 1 hour of studying per day for 3 months. I split the time usually 1/2hr in the morning and 1/2hr at lunch time at work (I'm a fulltime working mom so I really have to schedule my time wisely). I also take notes (Pages or Word) from what I read from the Ballast book and make my own flashcards (Keynote/PowerPoint slides with basic animation to show/hide) - I use iCloud so I can access them on my phone when needed...

My office just started providing access to Black Spectacles. Their material seem to be well put together but I would pick PPI2PASS over Black Spectacles at least for CE (if you are paying out of pocket). for CE, they have +10hr of video lectures but they don't have quizzes. They only have practice exams and their pool of questions didn't seem to be very broad in general. I can't talk about PM or PjM because I did not use it...

I'm planning on dedicating at least 4 months per exam for the remaining PA, PPD, and PDD. I'm not the typical ARE candidate with a bachelor's degree. I have an associates degree and work experience so I feel like I need to dedicate more time to prepare for those 3 categories...

I wish everyone the best of luck with your studies and hope you pass all the exams! and remember that you're not alone on this journey!... :)