I passed!!! 3 months from final ARE pass to eligibility to take the CSE. Procrastinated studying so it took me another month to actually take the test.
It was pretty difficult. I was 95% sure I had failed when I walked out. I was very pleasantly surprised to receive an unexpected pass! A lot of the questions were more experience based and judgment calls rather than directly related to the CSE study material.
Study list
Whole Enchilada (read multiple times, listened a couple, perused links)
OMCES (got to 90%, kind of diminishing returns trying to get higher)
3 Practice Scenarios - I thought these were valuable and a pretty good representation of the test questions
Woo Study Guide - OK, some weird/incorrect info, but great summary on calgreen and energy code
Woo Practice Tests - I did not like these. I disagree with a lot of his answers. I think I learned from them, but got between 50 and 60 percent. Not a great confidence booster.
Old PassXFlash - meh, give them a once over
Wetlands Permitting - last chapters on the permits are helpful. case studies, not so much.
Guide to Calgreen - very helpful. know this
A201 & B101 Schiff Hardin Lectures - great refresher from CDS. definitely give these a listen
Caroline's CDS notes - good refresher on the basic contracts, project delivery, ADA requirements
Would also recommend stalking this forum and the david doucette facebook CSE group - found a lot of helpful clarifications on questions I had.
Thanks coach, and all who answered my questions!