Some advice please...Should I transition?

Some advice please...Should I transition?

Postby samialj » Sat Feb 03, 2018 11:15 am

I received my fail in BDCS recently. Second time I have taken the exam. I still have SS and BS to take for the first time and a retake on BDCS before June 30th. Looking at the timeline, this is totally doable if I take all of my tests by the end of April. But it is an extremely tight timeline and it is giving me some anxiety. I've started studying for SS using Kaplan but I am starting to freak out a little. The material is so math heavy. I am starting to second guess myself and am considering transitioning. I have 2 years until my rolling clock on SD expires. So I either stick with 4.0 and HOPE to pass everything in 5 months or transition and it takes a little of the pressure off. The only thing holding me back is the new exam format and the fact that there is so much information out there for 4.0. Any insight from people who have taken the 5.0 exams or might be in the same boat as me will help. Such a big decision. Thanks in advance!
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Re: Some advice please...Should I transition?

Postby Digitx » Sat Feb 03, 2018 3:00 pm

I'll give you my opinion of your situation if you're asking:

I took the three 4.0 (SD/PPP/CDS) and just transitioned. I have my first 5.0 exam (PPD) scheduled middle of this month, so I haven't experienced the 5.0 exam format yet. I am going into this exam with zero expectations, more for the experience of taking the exam as a gauge of my studying process for the future. If I happen to pass, that's a bonus. Unfortunately, none of the study guides have caught up to the new exam format, so I have been going down the list of reference materials and reading through them, with the help of advice from this and the NCARB forums.

Point of telling you this is that once I transitioned, the 'heat' of the 4.0 deadline was off and I only had two exams left to take. In My Opinion, If I were you, I would suggest going ahead and transitioning since you have 3 of the toughest 4.0 exams remaining and very little room for error if you fail another. There is too much risk for my comfort of getting the 3 exams done by the June 30th deadline. Plus, the money you will spend and potentially throw away is considerable.

In My Opinion, I'd rather take the risk of the new exam format and the possibility of failing a 5.0 exam without the time pressure. The same material that you will be studying is going to be covered in these two 5.0 exams, just in a different order. Plus...it is only two exams. The only frustration may be that there is no real study guide that you can rely on, but the forums have been a great help in narrowing focus.

Just my opinion. It is a tough decision...Good Luck!
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Re: Some advice please...Should I transition?

Postby Coach » Sat Feb 03, 2018 3:03 pm

I would transition. 2 exams to take instead of 3.
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Re: Some advice please...Should I transition?

Postby ina123 » Sun Feb 04, 2018 12:13 am

I would definitely transition. Granted I only took one test in 4.0 (CDS and failed *just* the vignette portion), I find 5.0 to be MUCH MUCH better. First, there is no god-awful vignette. The questions also seem to be better worded and more inline with the material that is supposed to be on the test (at least in my experience, 4.0 seemed to have many more "off topic" questions). The only issue is the loading times for the case studies can be a little long, but overall I would take 5.0 over 4.0 any day. If it helps you feel more comfortable too, that is an additional bonus!

As far as study materials are concerned, you can still use what you have for 4.0, you will just need to re-organize for the new division of information. I personally have been heavily relying on Ballast 5.0 as a start point to understand what is covered on the exam, and reading/referencing the "top references" listed in NCARB's ARE 5.0 Handbook at the end of each section. Additional references are included in the back of the handbook in the "reference matrix" but my experience is that you don't need to really look at those (just my experience!). I keep going back to what is listed as covered by the exam in NCARB's ARE 5.0 handbook to make sure that I am keeping on topic, and I am not missing any topics.

This has worked for me for 4 of the 6 ARE 5.0 exams, each of this I have passed on the first try (CE, PjM, PcM, and PA, in that order). Right now, I am about 1/3 of the way studying for PPD (exam is at the end of Feb.), and after that I will have PDD.

Hope this helps!
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Re: Some advice please...Should I transition?

Postby blancovero » Sun Feb 04, 2018 12:59 pm

Transition, no brainer
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Re: Some advice please...Should I transition?

Postby samialj » Mon Feb 05, 2018 9:10 am

Digitx wrote:Just my opinion. It is a tough decision...Good Luck!


Thank you and good luck to you!
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Re: Some advice please...Should I transition?

Postby samialj » Mon Feb 05, 2018 9:12 am

Coach wrote:I would transition. 2 exams to take instead of 3.


I was over thinking it. I am going to transition. Thanks, Coach!
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Re: Some advice please...Should I transition?

Postby samialj » Mon Feb 05, 2018 9:13 am

ina123 wrote:Hope this helps!


Thank you! Your insight helps a great deal. Good luck on your final tests!
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Re: Some advice please...Should I transition?

Postby samialj » Mon Feb 05, 2018 9:14 am

blancovero wrote:Transition, no brainer


The pressure was getting to me and I over thought everything as I often do. It is a no brainer. I am going to transition. Thanks!
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