WARNING: NCARB does not audit/approve tests and compatibility with computers at its testing centers

NCARB does not audit/approve tests and compatibility with computers at its testing centers.  This has cost me a PASS on my last two exams.  Even after I filed a complaint on the PPD exam, NCARB failed to do anything about the issue of the clock running while awaiting for drawings in case studies to load. I barely missed the cut score on my PPD exam, and attribute this to not having the time to access the necessary material in the time given.  Despite this being a technical issue that is NCARB's responsibility, they still mandate a 60 day minimum to re-test which is a major incovenience to the candidate - how this penalizes the aspiring professional (who will ultimately wind up paying NCARB annual dues) when it is SQUARELY NCARB's fault is beyond my comprehension.

In taking the latter PDD exam last week, I asked the proctor at the PSI testing center prior to the exam for a workstation that could load the drawings (given my prior experience); the proctor informed me that he set me up on the best machine; however, even the best did not alleviate the same fate. I choose not complete the exam, again costing me an opportunity to PASS.  The computer AGAIN failed to open drawings in the case studies without significant delay, not just the first time, but EVERY time they were referenced.  The computer I was taking the test on was from 2008. NCARB claimed it was a wifi problem. It is not a wifi problem. It is the fact that they use candidates as guinea pigs to collect user feedback.  If this is NCARB's strategy, rather than having aspiring professionals (who put in long hours to prepare for these exams) pay NCARB to become its experimental subjects, they ought to consider paying candidates to take exams in the physical PSI testing centers to audit the equipment and ensure the number of reported issues are addressed. This might actually behoove NCARB as well as candidates who are ALREADY paying for practice exams through a number of third party resources.  

On the PDD exam that I could not finish due to technical issues, I scored a 465 (when I needed a 550) without looking at the last 26 questions (per below).  In other words, I was certainly on pace to pass the EXAM but could not take more then 75% of the questions according to its policy. 

How can a professional board such as NCARB be the organization responsible for registration when those it contracts to administer timed exams do not possess the equipment to keep time?  This would be equivalent to a game clock in any particular sport not stopping when the ball is out of bounds.  Also worth noting for candidates who have yet to take an exam yet, there is an analagous relationship in this exam of mandating that a baseball player step up to the plate multiple times in a nine inning game without a bat. The preferred instrument of service of our profession, that being a writing utensil, is not allowed, nor is scratch paper.

In closing, I have taken 7 exams over the course of 1 year and have experienced technical issues on 4 of them, from a white screen to a calculator app freezing, to the clock running while drawings in case studies are not legible. The time it takes candidates to navigate these technical issues amidst the tests can be really distracting; having to self-report after the tests is simply ridiculous. The inability of NCARB and its subcontractors at PSI to have the appropriate tools to administer licensure exams, despite this being reported as a known issue for years, is entirely unprofessional and absolutely unacceptable. In addition, it has not removed the "expunged attempts" from my NCARB record nor re-granted access to the practice exams on its website which it offers in conjunction with being an NCARB member.  Needless to say, I am incredibly discouraged; as the chair of the license education committee at my firm, I am finding it very difficult to encourage younger staff (as well as those who have children) at my office to invest the time with such issues not to mention the exorbitant resources (time, money, sanity) they may surrender to get through all six of the ARE 5.0 exams.

ARE 5.0 CANDIDATES:

PLEASE HEED THIS WARNING!

WHEN TESTING, DO NOT WAIT TO OPEN CASE STUDIES UNTIL THE END; IF YOU COMPUTER DOES NOT LOAD THE DRAWINGS, AND YOU DO NOT PASS THE EXAM, YOU HAVE TO WAIT 60 DAYS TO RE-TEST.  BECAUSE THIS TECHNICAL ISSUE DOES NOT MANIFEST UNTIL THE CASE STUDIES (WHICH ARE AT THE END OF THE EXAM), YOU ARE WELL BEYOND VIEWING 75% OF THE QUESTIONS IN THE DIVISION OF EACH EXAM.  FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE POLICY REGARDING TECHNICAL ERRORS ON PAGE 34 OF THE ARE 5.0 GUIDELINES.

THE ONLY THING MORE FRUSTRATING THAN BEING CLOSE TO THE END OF AN EXAM AND BEING ROBBED OF TIME TO COMPLETE IT IS WHEN NCARB TELLS YOU THAT IF YOU VIEWED MORE THAN 75% OF THE EXAM, YOU MUST WAIT A MINIMUM OF 60 DAYS TO RE-TAKE THIS DIVISION. 

TRANSLATED: NCARB'S INABILITY TO ADMINISTER A PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE EXAM MAY COST YOU SIGNIFICANT TIME, MONEY, AND RESOURCES. IF YOU DON'T REPORT IT, YOU WILL ALSO FORFEIT $235 FEE FOR THE SEAT AND ONE OF THE THREE CHANCES YOU HAVE TO PASS A DIVISION WITHIN A YEAR.  YOU MAY ALSO CONSIDER THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR ANOTHER EXAM AS WELL AS THE COST TO RENEW MEMBERSHIP FEES TO ACCESS STUDY / PREP MATERIAL ONCE YOU ARE FINALLY ELIGIBLE TO RE-SCHEDULE; COUNT ON HEARING BACK FROM NCARB IN NO LESS THAN 3 (BUSINESS) DAYS AFTER THE BOTCHED ATTEMPT.  WHILE YOU CAN CALL THE 1-800 NUMBER THE SAME DAY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RESCHEDULE UNTIL YOUR RESULTS (EVEN THOUGH YOU DID NOT FINISH THE EXAM) ARE PROCESSED.