SPD Pass and done

SPD Pass and done

Postby alisabet12 » Fri Jul 24, 2015 8:02 am

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to write a quick note thanking everyone on this most helpful forum for reviewing my vignettes, the messages, and the encouragement. It's been a long haul for me - started this process back in 2008, took all the exams rapid fire and didn't pass any of them (used to be embarrassed but now that I have passed each one, I don't care). It took me 4 years to bounce out of that colossal "fail" between 2008-2009 and convince myself to get back on the horse. Then, Halloween 2013 is when I started back up with the intent of being licensed by the end of 2014. After the first pass in Feb 2014, then a couple fails, then an additional pass, then a fail, a pass, and then a fail, I ended 2014 with 4 passes, and 3 remaining retakes. Mid 2014, I also had my second child and was conducting a new job search. In any case, here I am at the end of the line, 18 exam attempts to get 7 passes under my belt, 15+ years practice experience, 7.5 years schooling, and finally can legally call myself an architect (just waiting on the paperwork). The one thing I learned throughout this lengthy process was to learn how to cope with "failure". Our egos don't allow us to easily learn from failure - this was the biggest lesson. Yet, through failure, is where I seemed to learn the most. Not that we should strive for failure, but after the initial Fail after 2 months of intense studying late at night (after I put my daughters to sleep), it was a bitter bitter pill to swallow. But, I picked myself up (usually no more than a week after getting the fail). Sure, there were times when I felt like I could jump off my roof and splat right onto the Pulsaki Skyway en route to NYC, and that perhaps all my schooling and teaching and practice was a figment of my imagination - evidence of a life that I maybe I was thinking I lived but didn't. that it was all a big farce. But, I made it through. And if I can do it, anyone can do it.

So, thanks Coach, Mike-SE (R.I.P.), Design_intent, blancovero, archetect, and so many others....This forum was invaluable. Good luck to the rest of you on this journey!
alisabet12
 
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby rifkamattman » Fri Jul 24, 2015 10:48 am

congratulations alisabet12! I know it has been a long journey. glad I could overlap with you for part of it. doesn't it feel great to be done!? I just happened to be perusing during my lunchtime and saw this great news. Good luck with your next chapters of life.
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby alisabet12 » Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:24 am

rifkamattman wrote:congratulations alisabet12! I know it has been a long journey. glad I could overlap with you for part of it. doesn't it feel great to be done!? I just happened to be perusing during my lunchtime and saw this great news. Good luck with your next chapters of life.

Hey rifkamattman! thanks for the note. It does feel great- still somewhat unreal (especially yesterday when I threw 10 trash bags filled with prints, study materials, and Arecoach and Areforum posts that I had been saving for the last several years. Good luck on your next chapter as well!
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby camileaos » Fri Jul 24, 2015 2:51 pm

Thank you for this valuable post. I spent this last week writing a blog to sort of vent about my struggles too (http://archipath.wordpress.com/). I wish I could have put my experience in a few words like you did. Nevertheless, I find that we too often dream about the very uncommon "success" stories of people passing the 7 exams in 3.5 months. Good for these guys! But I'm very sure this does not reflect the majority of our experiences and some of us, who fail, feel ashamed to share our trajectory. So thank you again for putting this out there! You are no less of an architect than anyone else who finished in record speed. Congratulations!
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby tatamin » Fri Jul 24, 2015 3:17 pm

Congratulations!

It’s good to know someone’s experience. Especially, the story like “how failures turned into victories.”
Most I hear in this forum are PASS, PASS, PASS – “I did it within 3 months” “It took me 9 months to finish” etc.

Well done. I envy you!
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby hc3500 » Fri Jul 24, 2015 4:59 pm

I know this post is a little late but I cannot say how much you have just inspired me. Your determination and dedication to stay true to what you have set your goals to is nothing less then remarkable!!! I too have daughters that I put to bed and then hit the books right after, till late at night. Tough life, but we do it because we love Architecture and because of our hard work our family will also benefit when we reap. YOU ARE AWESOME!!! CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK IN ALL THAT YOU DO.
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby LadyGaga » Sun Jul 26, 2015 10:53 am

Congratulations Alisabet!!!

Very good post! Inspiring, real, helpful, and honest!!!
Good Luck on your new journey as License Architect.
RESPECT!!!
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby alisabet12 » Tue Aug 04, 2015 7:10 pm

Thank you, everyone for your kind posts, camileaos, tatamin, c3500, and LadyGaga! And best of luck to all still on this journey. Don't give up, forge ahead and remember, all that matters is a pass. Once you have all the seven passes, who cares about all the fails.
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby kreid » Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:33 pm

Congrats Alisabet12! Thanks for your help :)
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby sowestal » Wed Aug 12, 2015 5:04 pm

Congrats Alisabet12!!!! Doesn't it feel great to be on the other side?! Big cheers for you, sticking through it and with a growing family. It's tough, but rewarding! Congrats!!! :D
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby alisabet12 » Mon Aug 17, 2015 6:29 am

kreid wrote:Congrats Alisabet12! Thanks for your help :)

No problem, kreid! Good luck on finishing this out!
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby alisabet12 » Mon Aug 17, 2015 6:30 am

sowestal wrote:Congrats Alisabet12!!!! Doesn't it feel great to be on the other side?! Big cheers for you, sticking through it and with a growing family. It's tough, but rewarding! Congrats!!! :D

Thanks, sowestal! Yes, it does feel great - now I actually have time to get on with my life:) I have a buddy in my building who is finishing up with 2 kids - nice to know there are others out there. Here's hoping he gets through it quickly.
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby galileotx » Wed Aug 26, 2015 7:31 pm

Congrats alisabeth.

I also found out that I passed BS and am done. A personal thank you for your participation on this forum. You've commented on many posts and shared many things over the time I've been on here.

What a great feeling.
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby Kiedys.Zdam. » Sun Sep 06, 2015 1:12 pm

I know I am late, but wanted to comment. Your last exam was the first I started with. With 2 kids (one just born), full time job etc. it takes a bit to get it done.
Hoping to finish it by end 2016 but it is better not to plan too much.
Great success and hopefully I will be able to post something similar one day!
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Re: SPD Pass and done

Postby jas5150 » Tue Oct 31, 2017 9:35 am

Haven't been here in a while, but saw this and wanted to saw super congratulations. You'll probably never read this because why would you come back to this site!!!
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