I've been quietly reading these message boards for awhile, and I wanted to offer my thoughts as everyone else's have been super helpful on this 5-test approach. I passed CDS, PPP, SPD the first time, took PPD this past Tuesday and found out I passed yesterday. I probably have always over studied for all of these tests, I hate standardized testing so the more I can shove into my brain the better off I am. I decided to take PPD and PPD within 2 weeks of each other (I take PDD April 4), following some of the advice that I read here, which I think is the way to go. So basically I approached studying as if I were going to be taking the 4 remaining tests focusing on the BS, BDCS, SS content because it was all new to me (Long since forgotten from school). I spent probably 8 weeks studying taking a week off before this past one, and a week off next week for PDD. This test was really tough to pinpoint what I did and didnt know but here are my major take-aways:
-Study the code. It's there for reference but I wouldve saved SO much time not digging through the pdfs they give you.
-Lots of situational questions. Some seemed like they just blanketed old 4.0 questions with a background story/project situation, which became distracting. Being able to really figure out what they were asking took some time to get used to.
-I had a lot of structures questions, or theyre the ones that stick out the most because that's my weakest area.
-You can ROTATE, right click on the mouse, very helpful. They need to make that more clear in the 'tutorial'...
-A lot of multi-step questions, I had to make myself keep a good pace, and not get hung up on a question, knowing theyre all counted the same.
-The case study questions were the same as all the others IMO, the only difference was having access to reference material.
-As painful as it was, I have to say study everything, I had a question from every content area, ranging from broad concept to detailed info.
-Of all the study material, I do think I prefer the original content sources to the study guides, for me reading the abridged explanations in Ballast isnt enough for the areas I dont know as well. MEEB and Graphic Standards were super in that regard.
What I studied:
-Black Spectacles to get the overview, super helpful to see him draw everything as he was explaining the material. Especially for things from like high school physics...Relearning electricity, the refrigeration cycle, forces/vectors...I know Im not stupid, but some of that stuff just hurts my brain...He does a great job of walking through it all.
-Then Ballast 4.0 to get the more detailed info, some Kaplan if I needed some things explained a different way,
-Kaplan/Ballast quizzes
-NCARB quizzes, 5.0, 4.0, 3.1
-Building Code Illustrated (a MUST in my opinion, having the visual to go with the dry code material was a lifesaver)
-Building Construction Illustrated
-Graphic Standards, I have the student version, this was my second favorite. The visuals with balanced explanations, straight forward, good overview, but not as brief as BCI. (Sounding like Goldilocks...)
-some NALSA flash cards, never really got through them all, Im not really the flash card type?
-The Grant Adams lectures, good to watch at work, but the amount of times he says "OK" became a deal breaker...
I hope this helps, with the 4.0 exams I left knowing what content I would need to study if I failed, with this one, it was so much murkier. I think mostly because they are situational questions, having more work experience is probably a HUGE help.