I described in August 2008, I would bundle studying for the tests in two groups of 3 and then 1. I am loosely sticking to this schedule. Even though it was counter to my strategy, I set a big 2 month break between Programming, Planning and Practise (PPP) and Site Planning and Design (SPD).
I think I made the correct decision for myself. (I don’t encourage others to take a long break between these two tests.) I knew I would need time in December to focus on business classes. And I needed some results to prove to myself my studies are on the right topics and I was using good study methods. Also the site design vignette for SPD is more complicated than the site zoning and building section vignettes respectively in PPP and Construction Documents and Services, (my first exam). Also, for me, even though more than 2 months have passed I believe I will be able to refresh my mind of most of the PPP material I studied previously. So I think I’ve covered myself for exam topic redundancy.
As I return to studying for SPD I will focus more on practicing the site design vignette then reviewing/reading material. I know with 65 multiple choice questions, it will be crucial to answer correctly. (The fewer the questions, the fewer I can get wrong and still pass.) Still I believe this exam topic is narrow. What I mean is I didn’t see soil, foundation and certain site specific design questions in the previous PPP exam. I did see planning questions, but not certain site specific questions regarding parking, lighting, microclimate. (I did see building shape (2D form) questions in PPP, that could be considered site specific.) My plan over December and January will be to:
- focus on practicing the site design vignette with the NCARB software
- review the Site Planning & Design: ARE Sample Problems and Practice Exams book and
- study for other exams using the ARE Review Manual and various other textbooks and sources
The other exams being Building Design & Construction Systems and Structural Systems.
This week I will reschedule my early January test date for Site Planning & Design and schedule the remaining four exams. January I don’t have any business classes, so I can focus on the architectural registration exam. I have vacation time and will take one Thursday and two Fridays off. By coupling those days around New Year’s day and Martin Luther King Jr. birthday, I will have four and five consecutive days to study. Plus, I may set up a doctor appointment. If I take the whole day off, that will allow me half a day of study.
With a lot of people taking off over December and January I am going to use the less hectic pace in the office to stay relaxed. I’ll strategically take leave to pay attention to my studies. And with two passed exams under my belt, I will be motivated to continue to achieve my license.
PPI
Sketchbook Project