The economy still sucks, trust me.

So, I apologize for the spottiness, but I was laid off from my job last Monday. In the scramble to get my bearings I have taken a brief hiatus from the exams. I plan to return to the books next week. Although the timing of losing your job is never good, I figure it gives me a little extra time to study for my exams.

ARE 4.0 Pass Rates...Scary

I finally looked at the pass rates from July 2008 – June 2009 for the new ARE 4.0 exam. It is quite shocking. The range is from a 53%-70% compared to 68-80% on the ARE 3.0 exam. I realize they have adjusted the test to make the test process shorter, but it feels that something is out of balance. I find it frustrating at a time that finances are tight, architects are out of jobs, and the costs of test has increased, that more people are faced with retaking their exams.

Schematic Design Week 1

So I have been studying for a little over a week for the Schematic Design exam. I have met a couple of people at my local AIA study group that have helped my motivation. This exam is quite strange in the fact that there is limited material out there, and you can go through the practice vignettes very quickly. I have taken two practice vignettes so far, and realize that my solution is nowhere close to the recommended answer. All in all I know it is more about using the program and managing the stress related to the 1 hour time limit for the first portion of the test. I have read some useful tips in Kaplan and on the ARE Forum and will highlight my favorites when I have time.