PA Fail... where to next?

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9 comments

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    Yehuda Mann

    Move on the PPD and PDD. Then go back to PA.

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    Jilian Claire C Carlo

    I’m feeling pretty intimidated myself now. Failed PA the first time due to timing and seeing how the questions are so wordy. I’m getting better, but I’m still rushed for time when taking full length exams. My next PA exam is scheduled in a few weeks. Need all the advice I can get.

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    Amber Lnell Gaines

    Move on and then come back. I discovered while preparing for other exams I picked up information or understand that I didn’t have before. Unfortunately I failed PA many times but I think moving on to ppd and PDD ultimately helped me pass.

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    Lauren Printz

    Thank you everyone. Update: I failed PPD too... this is so demoralizing!

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    Michael Riscica

    Lauren,

    Call me. I'll help you figure it out. You have my number.

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    Lauren Printz

    Hey Michael!

    So great to hear from you. I lost your number but let me send you an email!

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    Rebekka O'Melia

    PA  bounces around to various topics.  You also need to be prepared to solve problems quickly and skip crazy questions.  If you don't understand the questions, that needs to be resolved first.  Reread it...

    Be advised that PA is a newish exam and lots of the ARE providers and book authors out there have no personal experience with this exam if they've been selling ARE stuff for more than 4 years.  The Ballast Exam Review guide 2nd edition from Aug 2020 is better, but not perfect.  Is that the book you used?  Read the PPD section too.  

    If you'd like personal advise, feel free to contact me.

    Hope this helps!

    Rebekka O'Melia, Registered Architect, NCARB, B. Arch, M. Ed, Step UP, Step Up - Pass the ARE 5.0

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    Sergio Eduardo Claure (Edited )

    Yeah I don't know how some people here also studying for AREs pass multiple exams in weeks that's very surprising, my process has taken 2 years so far and I've really studied a lot. I have the PA exam in a couple weeks, and I'm using multiple sources like ballast, Ncarb and more. 

    I'm gonna listen to Rebekka's advice and others too.

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    Lauren Printz (Edited )

    Wanted to circle back to this post and thank everyone for even commenting, and then extending help. This community is real!

    I passed PA yesterday, second attempt. Don’t give up! I focused on the areas I was scoring poorly and really dove into the topics deeper. Another read of ballast for general information review, I did the Ballast practice problems and exams again (even though I find them so flawed) and lastly the NCARB practice exams definitely helped - but don’t use it as a crutch! The exam is different and much harder.

    Like all my second attempts, I seem to pull a pass when I 1. SLOW DOWN AND READ the questions correctly. A lot of the time the answer is actually obvious. This time on PA I was second guessing myself because the questions almost seemed too easy as times. This is also how I get into the 2. “Groove” of the exams as I call it. If you read the questions slowly and repeatedly, you can read between the lines to reveal what they are asking for. Also, carefully read the multiple choice answers: if the question prompts you to select multiple answers, find the 1-2 you know to be correct and try to find a pattern - you can usually eliminate 1-2 wrong answers right away, so when you’re debating between 1-2 remaining answers, look for a pattern or similarities between the answers that makes sense. I definitely had a couple of ‘AhA!’ moments during the exam in questions I was initially stumped on. Good luck everyone!!!

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