This is my first ARE exam.I spend about 2 months with about 1hr each day to go through all the materials and got a PASS at 1st trial, here is my study order.
0.read CDS Guidline on NCARB
1. read all Ballast CDS chapters. It took my about 3 weeks as my first language is not English, I spend a lot of time on dictionary.
2. read the Kaplan book and do the small tests after each section.
3. listen the Schiff and Hardin lectures at work.
4. read AIA sample contracts on NCARB website.
5. read Ballast CDS for a second time
6. read jenny notes and caroline notes.
7. read the conduct on Ncarb,
8. Kaplan Q&A, Ballast Q&A and Gangchen mock test, this is about a week before test and I scored about 65%
9. practice the vignette about 3 times, watched some video on youtube.
10. take the test and PASS!!!!