Today I passed the CSE, after off/on studying for about a year. Here is what I ultimately did to get a pass this time:
In early January I scheduled my exam for today (March 18th). If you can study with someone else, or with a small group it is super helpful and it was crucial to me getting a pass. It helped me stay focused and accountable and it was a more interesting way to learn all this information. Let me say that this test is a beast, and it was my second attempt after failing back in July. Way harder than any of the ARE's, and it was hard to get motivated after being licensed for 3 years in another state. Here was my strategy, 9 weeks of solid studying (20 hours/week minimum:
- Week 1: TWE Category 1, listen audio companion, TWE study guide + flash cards. Category 1: 125 Q TWE, and Category 1: 200Q. Review CAB Test Plan. KS 1-10. Separate out Cat. 1 flash cards that I didn't know, save for later.
- Week 2: Category 2A: listen audio companion, TWE study guide + flash cards. Category 2: 125Q TWE practice test. Review the Big 4- Ventura http://pwaportal.ventura.org/ONESTOP/ES ... County.pdf. KS 11- 17. Read guide to CA Coastal Commission (CCC). Separate out Cat. 2A flash cards that I didn't know, save for later.
- Week 3: Category 2B: listen audio companion, TWE study guide + flash cards. Category 2: 200Q TWE practice test. Homeowner's Guide to Earthquake Safety: https://ssc.ca.gov/forms_pubs/cssc_2005_hogreduced.pdf. KS 18-25. Separate out Cat. 2B flash cards that I didn't know, save for later.
- Week 4: Category 3A: listen audio companion, TWE study guide + flash cards. Category 3: 125 Q TWE practice test. Caroline's Notes- CDS- http://phrogz.net/tmp/CDs%2520study%2520Notes.pdf. KS 26-34. Separate out Cat. 3 flash cards that I didn't know, save for later.
- Week 5: Category 3B: listen audio companion, TWE study guide + flash cards. Category 3: 200Q TWE practice test. Schiff Hardin Lectures (planned to study this but didn't get around to it, it's a great resource but really long. KS 35-42. Separate out Cat. 3 flash cards that I didn't know, save for later.
- Week 6: Category 4: listen audio companion, TWE study guide + flash cards. Category 4: 125Q + 200Q TWE practice test. Schiff Hardin Lectures- A-201 (if you have time, I didn't run through this). KS 43-52. OMCES- Category 3-4. Review links- B-101 with Commentary (covers B-102 and B-201). https://www.aiacontracts.org/resources/ ... ommentary/ Separate out Cat. 4 flash cards that I didn't know, save for later.
- Week 7: Contracts: Audio companion- B102, B201, A201, + flash cards (Category 1-2). Read contracts, take notes (including C401). Take TWE Practice Test #1- Project Scenario. OMCES- Category 1-2.
- Week 8: OMCES_ one all categories for confidence booster. Flash cards (Category 3-4). Take TWE Practice Test #2. OMCES- all categories.
- Week 9: OMCES- one all categories for confidence booster. Flash cards (only remaining 1-4). Take TWE Practice Test #3. OMCES- all categories. Plenty of sleep, only flash cards day before the exam.
Feels so good to be done, best of luck to all the candidates, you can do it!