Todd’s Quick Guide to the ARE

If you’re looking to get your license, passing the Architect Registration Exam, is the most daunting step.

Now that the ARE 5.0 has been released for over half a year and even though study guides are still not caught up, it can be even more daunting.

Having recently passed the ARE (two ARE 4.0 and three ARE 5.0) I say, fear not! Here’s my quick advice to getting through the six exams.

Start by signing up for an exam. This gives you a deadline and motivation. If you live in a populated area (i.e. NYC) it can be difficult to get the day of the week or the time of the day you want. I would usually sign up for my next exam the day I took one and would often need to pick a day two months out due to the testing centers being booked.

Speaking of time, space out your exams between 1-2 months each. Take into account how busy you are. If you can only devote an hour a day to studying take exams around two months apart. If you can devote more than that pick dates closer to a month. Any longer than two months and you risk forgetting what you studied, any shorter and you risk feeling unprepared.

STUDY! Make the time to study. Remember the techniques you used to study for exams in college and use those. Do not try and reinvent the wheel and use some “magic” study techniques you found online. Study the way that works for you and devote time. Note: Expulsion of your social life is not necessary. I studied around an hour every night and took my exams around 2 months apart. I passed all my exams on my first attempt except when I took the CD&S and the ARE 4.0. Your mileage may vary.

What should you study? Go to the ARE Handbook and look at the test you’re taking. Determine the areas you know and what you don’t. Try to study to your strengths but focus on what you don’t. I used the Ballast/O’hara ARE 5 Review Manual and almost nothing else, but others have had better use from using NCARB's References at the end of each section in the handbook referenced above.

While taking the exam employ your favorite test taking technique, whatever that may be. Answer all the questions, and mark the one’s you don’t know to return to them at the end. If you find yourself spending more than a few minutes on a questions, answer it with a best guess and move on.

Time is precious in the ARE 5.0 and you may not have much of a chance to review questions if you get stuck spinning your wheels on a question for 5+ minutes. (Note: This is not a blanket statement. Some questions take 15 seconds to answer and others take 5 minutes due to the math involved.) Also, whatever you do, save the case studies till the end. They take a huge chunk of time and don’t count towards your final score any more than the earlier questions.

Lastly, if [and when] you fail, don’t be discouraged. The majority of candidates fail at least one exam. Further, the current pass rates for 5.0 are around 50%. Try to put it out of you mind and sign up for another exam.

Retake the one you failed when you feel better prepared for it. You’ve already taken it once so you have a feel for it and are more likely to pass the second time.

When you pass an exam, take a moment to celebrate and let it give you the confidence to push forward onto the next one.

Passing exams is the most fun you’ll have in this process so enjoy it!

Good luck!

- Todd Tuscher