There are six architecture exams known as the AREs (Architecture Registration Exams) that candidates must pass as a requirement for an architecture license, regardless of jurisdiction. Your first instinct may be to study for an exam, take that exam, then study for the next exam, then take that exam, and so forth. However, I am here to tell you that studying for each exam is going to waste you a lot of time, and you are much better off studying for all the exams at once. While that may seem daunting, I genuinely believe that you can do it.
There is So Much Content Overlap
Practice Management has the most content that is exclusive to that exam, but the other five exams have significant overlap of content. And when you think about it, that makes sense. How do you separate Project Management from Project Planning and Design? In fact, isn’t Project Planning and Design part of Project Management? When does Project Planning and Design end, and when does Project Development and Documentation start? Is project bidding part of Documentation or Construction Administration? You get the point. If you study for each exam individually, you may be re-studying information you have learned already. Any piece of content you learn for the AREs may have an equally likely chance of appearing on any of the exams.
For example, let’s take the AIA B101 Contract, which is the Standard Agreement between the Owner and Architect. The contract outlines all the basic services that an architect is expected to deliver, all the responsibilities of the owner and architect, terms for how the contract can be terminated, how the architect is compensated, and other legal terms between owner and architect. What exam can you expect to cover content from this contract? Any of them! The Project Management exam is primarily based on the AIA B101. The AIA B101 covers the architects services for schematic design, design development, contract/construction documentation, and contract/construction administration, which includes the PA, PPD, PDD, and CE exams. From what I have experienced, you will encounter a good chunk of questions that are similar from exam to exam.
You Have Done This Before
My recommendation, which is what Amber Book also advocates, is to study all the content for all the exams all at once. It may seem overwhelming, but it really is not. Anyone remember high school? Anyone remember taking those AP exams (or IB for international folks)? Those exams were all crammed in two weeks, and some of you probably did five to ten of them. In fact, you may have done two in one day. And what about finals week of college? You may have been studying for three or four finals all at once. Everyone has gone through a high-stress situation of studying for multiple exams at some point in their education.
When You Feel Ready, Register for ALL the Exams (or at Least in Chunks)
To get started, register for at least one exam to at least put pressure on yourself to study. Then, once you feel confident, maybe after passing the first exam, schedule the rest of the exams. Or, what many do, you can schedule the exams in chunks. PcM, PjM, and CE are typically labeled as the “professional” exams while PA, PPD, and PDD are typically labeled as the “technical” exams, so many candidates tend to split up their exams into these two chunks. I took PcM, PjM, CE, and PA on consecutive Saturdays, re-studied for a month, then took PPD and PDD on the same weekend. Try to schedule the exams as closely as possible as all the information will be fresh in your head. If you space out the exams too far, then you may forget some of the content you learned, and you may have to re-study, which is a waste of time.
Studying for these exams should be exciting! You are learning more about the profession you are working in, and a lot of the times, you are learning content that you may not have experienced yet in your career, especially practice management and project management. As designers that have experienced substantial grueling hours through architecture school and work, passing these exams will be a piece of cake!
Exam Abbreviations:
PcM: Practice Management
PjM: Project Management
PA: Programming and Analysis
PPD: Project Planning and Design
PDD: Project Development and Documentation
CE: Construction and Evaluation
Discover more from ALAN MAEDO
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.