Let's start with Building Systems.

UPDATE - I SWITCHED MY FIRST TEST TO SITE PLANNING AND DESIGN, I WILL UPDATE MY TESTING ORDER IN A NEWER POST. So after skimming the PPI ARE REVIEW MAUAL and paying attention to their recommendations and my strengths, I've determined my testing order. I chose BS as the first exam due to my interest in the material, relevance to buying a new house, and the fact that I've taken the LEED exam recently, and I want to use this material right away before it gets pushed out by all the new stuff I'm absorbing.

So...here is my proposed order.

3 Tests before February
1. Building Systems (4 hr MC + Graphic Exam)
study time: 2-3 weeks after Authorization.
2. Site Planning & Design (4.5 hr Graphic Exam)
study time: 5 weeks, extra time to master 1st true Graphic Exam)
3. Schematic Design (6 hr Graphic Exam)
study time: 4 weeks, This may seem a bit long, but I will not be able to study from mid January to mid February. If I can get 3 tests completed before February I will be happy.

4 Tests before July…I want to have at least one month of summer left to enjoy.
4. Structural Systems (5.5 hr MC + Graphic Exam)
study time: 4-5 weeks, I want to get this tests done before St. Patricks Day…reason to celebrate. 5. Construction Documents & Services (4 hr MC + Graphic Exam)
study time: 4 weeks, Heading into the home stretch study habits should be shored up by now.
6. Building Design & Construction Systems (5.5 hr MC + Graphic Exam)
study time: 3-4 weeks, by this point this material should be very familiar, but don’t want to rush it.
7. Programming, Planning & Practice (4 hr MC + Graphic Exam)
study time: 2-3 weeks, by this point I don’t think I will be able to handle more than 3 weeks of looking at the same stupid book that much longer.

I started reading material for the BS exam. So far things are straightforward, though the people on the areforum are recommending to read MEEP. I will read this at the end, when I have concise idea of how to solve problems, and have a good grasp of the general material. Additionally, they are saying to stick with PPI. I will still work with Kaplan when it becomes available at AIA Denver, and will let you know my opinion. I’m sure anything helps.