4.0 or 5.0?

[Peng67uins]

Hi guys. I have completed 4 exams from the ARE4.0 (CDS, PPP, SPD and SD). I have until Jun '18 to take the remaining 3 exams otherwise it transitions to 5.0. My question to you guys is whether I should take those 3 or transition to 5.0 and therefore only have to take 2 exams (and have until july '19 to do those 2). Life has gotten in the way of me taking an exam in the last calendar year and I just want some thoughts on what is best. Thanks

[vrcat25]

Sounds like a no brained to me. I'd stick with 4.0. However, I think they phase out 4.0 in 20
18 so you actually don't have until June 2019.

[sb84]

Im in a similar boat as you. I have SD, CDS, and PPP passed. Took SPD retake last friday and hopefully passed, well see. I am continuing with 4.0, @ least until we see some results on 5.0. I like sticking with what i know even though its more exams. I feel they are more concentrated than the 2 you would have to take on 5.0. I already have BDCS scheduled for 3/20. My goal is to take BS in april, and hopefully finish up with SS in May. Good luck.

VRcat. he said he would need to finish his 4.0 by june of 2018, or transfer to 5.0 and finish by july of 2019. i figure bc of his rolling clock.

[vrcat25]

Im in a similar boat as you. I have SD, CDS, and PPP passed. Took SPD retake last friday and hopefully passed, well see. I am continuing with 4.0, @ least until we see some results on 5.0. I like sticking with what i know even though its more exams. I feel they are more concentrated than the 2 you would have to take on 5.0. I already have BDCS scheduled for 3/20. My goal is to take BS in april, and hopefully finish up with SS in May. Good luck.

VRcat. he said he would need to finish his 4.0 by june of 2018, or transfer to 5.0 and finish by july of 2019. i figure bc of his rolling clock.

My sentiments EXACTLY! If I were to transition to 5.0, it looks as though it embodies the tests i've already taken and passed (CDS and SPD) and barely failed PPP, because of the vignette on one try and 2 level 2's on another. I'm just worried that NCARB has given up on 4.0 and the pass rates seem to have decreased over the years for all the tests besides BDCS and SD. Do you think the pass rates will be similar with 5.0 sb84?

Thanks for the correction regarding the time frames and good luck with the other 4 tests!

[sb84]

I think the reason the pass rates went down is because people are not preparing as much for the 4.0 exams and/or trying to take them quickly to beat the switch over, causing the lower pass rates. I don't think NCARB is making them harder to force people into the 5.0 at all. I just chose not to switch because I feel more comfortable with the study material out for 4.0

In regards to the exams you would have left in 5.0 being similar to PPP-CDS-and SPD, I don't agree with that. The remaining 2 tests you would take (if you were to passs PPP), would be closer to BS, BDCS, and SS from what ive seen on the chart. Good luck on your tests as well

[vrcat25]

I don't believe that people aren't preparing any less or more. The pattern has been steadily declining and if you can't gauge the difficulty of the test based on the pass rates, what good are they?

As for the tests having more overlap with CDS, PPP and SPD, it's not a matter of agreeing or disagreeing with me...I'm just telling you the main objectives that are shown in the 5.0 handbook. Have you looked at it yet? Page 75 for PPD (project planning and design) list some of the main sections of the test of the test as: "codes and regulations, "environmental conditions and context", "Project integration of program", "project costs and budgeting". Sound familiar at all?? For me, they are all too familiar...Most of these overlap with PPP and CDS. This isn't to say that this is a huge deterrent for me. Since i've already studied most of these sections for CDS and PPP, it would probably be an easier test. However, I'd rather focus my concentrations on "Structures" and "Building Systems". I was trying to agree with you, but I guess you reasoning is different than mine. I'm not necessarily looking for the easy way. If i were, I'd transition to 5.0 because of the obvious overlap. I think in the long run, I'll learn more with 4.0 and be able to focus on the divisions better. From what i've seen, people that are studying for 5.0 are "scatter brained" and over the place with their studying and not just studying BS and BDCS. It just doesn't sound like my cup of tea. I guess nobody will truly know until the pass rates for 4.0 and 5.0 come out. Good luck to us all...I have a feeling, we are really going to need it.

[sb84]

I was not trying to be confrontational. I just have a different opinion than you. I did not read any 5.0 manuals because i have no desire to go that route unless i need to. i just based my statement on the credit model i attached showing the overlap areas on the 4.0 and 5.0. The remaining exams after PPP, SPD, and CDS show a large portion of SS BDCS and BS. 2 different people interpreting this 2 different ways is all.

[vrcat25]

Not trying to be confrontational either. I've seen the credit model, but it doesn't really say what the separate divisions cover for 5.0. I did some research and the sections and examples in the handbook have a bunch of overlap. I understand why you would interpet that way after only reading the credit model. I'm going to focus on 4.0 as well and at least i'll know what the areas of focus are and what to expect.

[Anthony4]

I'm in the same boat as Peng67uins (passed CDS, PPP, SPD and SD under ARE 4.0) and wondering if I should switch.
I'm leaning toward sticking with 4.0 even though it would be taking 3 more tests instead of 2. Under 5.0 I would have to take PP&D and PD&D which seem to overlap in content: (Building Design & Construction Systems, Structural Systems, Building Systems). It seems like you would need to study for both these tests at the same time. Under 4.0 at least you can focus on each separate test: (Building Design & Construction, Structural Systems, Building Systems).

[tatamin]

Me too. Passed CDS, SPD and PPP.

[gbalaka]

Im in a similar boat as you. I have SD, CDS, and PPP passed. Took SPD retake last friday and hopefully passed, well see. I am continuing with 4.0, @ least until we see some results on 5.0. I like sticking with what i know even though its more exams. I feel they are more concentrated than the 2 you would have to take on 5.0. I already have BDCS scheduled for 3/20. My goal is to take BS in april, and hopefully finish up with SS in May. Good luck.

VRcat. he said he would need to finish his 4.0 by june of 2018, or transfer to 5.0 and finish by july of 2019. i figure bc of his rolling clock.

Have you started studying for these exams yet (BS and SS)? The amount of information on those is immense - there's so so so much material to cover. I'm not sure you can just wing them a month after each other. And then you throw in BCDS in there. I wouldn't recommend doing that. Plus your brain might fry.....

[vrcat25]

Have you started studying for these exams yet (BS and SS)? The amount of information on those is immense - there's so so so much material to cover. I'm not sure you can just wing them a month after each other. And then you throw in BCDS in there. I wouldn't recommend doing that. Plus your brain might fry.....

I have started studying for them both and there's a HUGE amount of overlap...I plan on reading the majority of MEEB for BS and taking a bunch of practice tests and studying what i miss for Structures. I'm going to give it a go without purchasing the Thaddeus material. If i fail the first time, i'll pay $300 for Thaddeus online seminar.

[sb84]

Im in a similar boat as you. I have SD, CDS, and PPP passed. Took SPD retake last friday and hopefully passed, well see. I am continuing with 4.0, @ least until we see some results on 5.0. I like sticking with what i know even though its more exams. I feel they are more concentrated than the 2 you would have to take on 5.0. I already have BDCS scheduled for 3/20. My goal is to take BS in april, and hopefully finish up with SS in May. Good luck.

VRcat. he said he would need to finish his 4.0 by june of 2018, or transfer to 5.0 and finish by july of 2019. i figure bc of his rolling clock.

Have you started studying for these exams yet (BS and SS)? The amount of information on those is immense - there's so so so much material to cover. I'm not sure you can just wing them a month after each other. And then you throw in BCDS in there. I wouldn't recommend doing that. Plus your brain might fry.....

I just found out i passed SPD last week so im done with (SPD PPP CDS and SD). I am preparing for BDCS now. I have taken and failed both BS and SS in the past but with minimal studying. I definately know its a tough road and a lot of work but im going for 1 a month until im done. I hope to be done in june. I do 2 hours a night.. 3-4 hours sat and sundays. Typically plenty of study for these exams for me

[vrcat25]

SB84:
I plan on taking SS and BS soon. I know you said you failed them both but what advice would you give for somebody taking those for the first time? What a study material would you suggest?

By the way, congrats on spd. I passed it too but keep having bad luck with way too many WTF questions on PPP...

[sb84]

First off thank you!.. good to have those test behind me.

I would advise you to concentrate on one or the other. SS and BS have no overlap besides the standard (on every exam) ada codes and sustainability. BDCS and SS have a lot of overlap. Studying for both bs and SS seems like a. Waste in my mind but everyones differnt. Definitely amber seminar for BS. and Thaddeus for SS

[gbalaka]

I was fortunate to pass both BS and BDCS without Amber, Black spectacles, MEEB ( i still don't know what MEEB is)...or any of that. I used Kaplan, Are Exam Prep, Ballast, Google and YouTube. If there was a term i wasn't familiar with, i'd google it and try and find some type of a YouTube video that talks about it. There's very little overlap between BS and SS. But there's certainly more overlaps between BS and BDCS. After all, they're all intertwined.

Best of luck on your upcoming exams.

[sb84]

Just updating this post. I have now also passed BDCS , so that makes BDCS , SPD, ppp, CDs, and SD passes. I have two left to complete in 4.0. Taking BS on April 15 and SS on may 25. I have passed 4 exams since the switch over so I don't see any negative results since 5.0 has been released. Good luck to all of you with whichever path you chose!