Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby blancovero » Mon Jul 17, 2017 6:51 am

I took PPD on Tuesday after failing PDD in June 6th. transition to 5.0 in April after passing SD, SPD, CD, PPP and BS.
The test was expected, however I failed with level 3 in 4 of the 5 categories and level 2 in content 2.
Did I feel prepare? Well, plenty of experience, I work in a architectural firm for the last 14 years, with a daily interaction with building code officials, zoning officials, other professionals, gc, etc
A lot of experience but I failed so far PPD and PDD.
I have o say that this new format is definitely closer to "reality" and I feel more comfortable with them, however I failed both. I already scheduled PDD for September and I have to schedule this one which I will try to schedule very close to my September test, both tests are very connected, this one has more Programming and PDD a bit more of structures but they are very similar in contents.
Keep calm and keep trying, my rolling clock will expired in December of 2018 and hopefully I can successfully pass both in my next try.
Good luck to all
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby cianchetta0 » Mon Jul 17, 2017 2:10 pm

Besides your 14 years of experience, did you use any of the common study resources people discuss on this site?
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby vrcat25 » Mon Jul 17, 2017 2:29 pm

sorry to hear, but good for you for staying positive...I actually like the old format better, but for me I'm glad that i have only 2 tests to pass instead of 4. Better luck to both of us on our next try...I'm sure you will pass way sooner than December 18th though. :)
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby blancovero » Tue Jul 18, 2017 7:57 am

Cianchetta0 I have the plenty of books, MEEB, AGS, AHPP, Kaplan, Ballast, Amber Book, Thaddeus videos, Amber videos and Brightwood Q&A for both tests
A have a lot of information from the web including Caroline's notes, Jenny's notes, Mike's notes for structure
Also I had paid for the "whole enchillada" or whatever is the name... So I do not have only experience I am also a bit of OCD so I have pretty much every piece of information that is available

Vcart25: If I am not positive I have to quit and quitting is not an option...

Good luck to all
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby tatamin » Tue Jul 18, 2017 10:56 am

Hi blancovero,

I have passed CDS, SPD, PPP and took SS recently. SS was another hard exam to study for me. Now I'm studying for BDCS, but not sure if I can pass all 4.0 by the end of 2018. So gradually considering to transition to 5.0. It's taking too much time doing like this...

I will be watching you. Bad news for you is bad news for us. May have to follow you sometime soon.

-tatamin
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby Zanno » Tue Jul 18, 2017 1:13 pm

tatamin,

If you've passed (4) of the 4.0 exams and are studying for the 5th, why would you transition? Assuming you passed SS and you pass BS, then you'll be so close, especially considering that SD is pretty easy and would probably only take a few weeks to practice the vignette. Having transitioned myself, personally I feel it makes studying a lot harder because you have to cover so much more material per exam. At least for the 4.0 tests everything is compartmentalized and you can really dig in and focus on one topic at a time, versus having to spread your energies over a vast range of content. IMHO that is not going to reduce your overall study time/exam schedule.

That's just my opinion though.
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby tatamin » Tue Jul 18, 2017 3:09 pm

Zanno,

I don't want to transition. Don't know if I passed SS or not, which means 4 exams still remain... I'm not even thinking about SD yet. I know it will be easy since I feel comfortable with most vignettes. I'm more worried about not finishing all by June, 2018. Just no time!

-tatamin
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby vrcat25 » Tue Jul 18, 2017 4:51 pm

tatamin wrote:
I'm more worried about not finishing all by June, 2018. Just no time!

-tatamin


It sounds like you have plenty of time assuming you haven't been struggling with these tests...not to be nosy, but do you have any fails? If not, what makes you think you won't have enough time? I've noticed that people who pass on the first time usually only take 1-2 months to prepare for each test. You have enough time for 3 tries for each test right? BS and BDCS should go WAY faster to prepare for... Anyhow, good luck with whatever you decide :)
Last edited by vrcat25 on Tue Jul 18, 2017 7:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby Zanno » Tue Jul 18, 2017 5:22 pm

I hear you tatamin. I guess my point is, you are probably going to spend about the same amount of time studying for the 'big' 5.0 exams (PPD and PDD) as you will for BS and BDCS, if not more, because the content is the same plus you're also reviewing site planning and structures. But then you've just got SD left which is probably a slam dunk if you're comfortable with the vignettes. And you've got a whole year to get this over with! Totally doable. :)
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby tatamin » Wed Jul 19, 2017 10:15 am

varcat25 & Zanno,

Anyway, I'll do my best. Thank you for your comments, advice, etc. I will be watching you guys....

-tatamin
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby kerzzo » Wed Jul 19, 2017 10:40 am

Veroblanco, thanks for posting. I think we are all supporting everyone's effort and we appreciate the honesty of your post as it teaches us the vast amount of experiences different candidates go through.
I agree these exams don't really define us since I also have almost the same amount of experience as you in high rise buildings and deal with every single situation possible yet, the tests become a challenge of timing and following instructions within that time rather than our knowledge(or so I felt).
the most important thing, you are not quitting, and you shouldn't even consider it as the positive results will come. It's important to not feel defeated and personally, it took me a long time to realize this and to stop taking it personal with NCARB and let a whole year go by after failing a 4.0 test...different attitude now with the 5.0(no one said it'd be easy) and I am staying in this fight for the rest of 2017 to obtain this license.
we'll keep cheering for you!
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby blancovero » Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:12 am

Kerzzo, thank you so much for your encouraging post... Definitively, NCARB does not define us designer or architects... The tests are challenging but we are not quitting. I am taking a couple of weeks off, enjoying the Summer and then I will be back in the saddle to tackle PPD and PDD. I already scheduled them back to back September 11 and September 13.
I will not change the study material, I have pretty much everything possible and I really do not want to "confuse" my self or double guess, the tests are more a marathon than a 100 meters race, endurance during the tests is critical... I found myself a bit lethargic after the first 2 hrs of test and I will try to find a way to change that (call it meditation, breathing exercise, whatever is handy)...
All of us come to these tests with different background but the same target: obtain the license. I read people who can pass all of the tests in the first try and with an amazing record like "I study for 2 weeks each and I pass them all"... I need more time, the fastest "study time/test taken" for me was PPP, which I spent 4 weeks studying and I pass the test in the first try...
The longest was SS which I spent over 6 months studying and I failed TWICE...Then I decided to cross over to 5.0
Hopefully and like you I can achieve the goal in my next try. Good luck to you and let's keep supporting each other in this trip...
Good day to all
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Re: Took PPD Tuesday, bad news today

Postby kerzzo » Sat Jul 22, 2017 11:31 am

There is always the people who come slapping the "i didn't study and took and passed all the exams in 6 days" probably not to make us feel bad intentionally, but it does hurt us. Some of us have high responsibilities at the jobs + life around us...not always easy, but it is also not impossible. I had a mentor who told me that even if le Corbusier came and took the ARE without preparation, he would fail miserably. At this point into the ARE, we are all succeeding..we are way past the "trying" period.
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