I don't give up

I don't give up

Postby jjakob » Thu May 10, 2018 9:50 am

In my freshman year of high school, I joined the wrestling team toward the end of the season and I sucked. I didn't win the two matches I competed in my freshman year. I didn't win for the first half of my sophomore year. One time, I wrestled a round robin tournament on my 15th birthday and I was pinned all five times that day that I wrestled. The Monday after, I showed up to practice, ready to just keep going. My coach told the local paper about that, without using my name, but because he was impressed that I didn't give up. Mid January of that season, I won my first match, in my home gym with my mom in the stands, standing and clapping for me after I got a pin. Went on to have a mediocre career. Senior year, I was 3rd in the city.

In college, I majored in architecture without ever taking a drafting course in high school. My freshman year in the fall semester, I got a 2.3 GPA, and a D+ in Design Studio. I spoke to my advisor at the start of my spring semester, and we went over a backup plan in case architecture didn't work out. I would be an English major since I writing came natural to me but architecture did not. She advised that I go for it in architecture and not give up yet. I got a B- in the spring design studio. Sophomore year, B- and then B. Junior year, B+ and then B. Senior year, A- and A- and was chosen as one of 15 in the class to compete in a national design competition. Graduate school, finally got an A in studio.








I've been taking this exam since 2009 now. I have taken 22 tests. I have taken Structural Systems 7 times.

The first test I passed was Building Systems in 2010, passed it on the first try. That test expired at the end of 2015.

I have 6 out of the 7 tests passed. I just found out I pass Structural Systems yesterday.

So, I've passed every test of this exam, but I've failed both times I retook the Building Systems because I'm pretty sure I messed up on the accent lighting.

Since I started taking this test, I've gotten married, had two children, moved to a new apartment in Queens, then moved the whole family to an apartment in Austin, Texas, and then bought a house and moved into it in Austin. I've went through 4 different employers, and now I work for myself.

I don't know why I wrote this. I never tell anybody my entire story, so I figured I'd confess it here.

Thanks for reading.
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Re: I don't give up

Postby vrcat25 » Thu May 10, 2018 10:16 am

Wonderful story! Thanks for sharing! I really admire your dedication and even though my background differs from yours in some regards, I'm like you and I don't give up, especially when the odds are stacked against me..it's a real shame NCARB capitalizes on our dedication and they aren't happy in making the test fair so that half of the people pass. They want majority so the tests are designed so that 5 or more failures in a row is not uncommon, like your experience with wrestling and being outmatched losing 20 or more matches in a row. Eventually, you will win and pass all of your tests. Keep fighting the good fight jjackob!
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Re: I don't give up

Postby rackbobo » Sun May 27, 2018 10:44 am

That's a great story of perseverance and discipline. I've failed these exams similar to your 22 and I'm now losing my exams. Thank you for your story. It shined a light for me to see and read.
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Re: I don't give up

Postby greek22 » Sat Jun 02, 2018 11:38 am

This is really inspiring! Thank you for sharing your story! I struggled in architecture school too and made it to the top at the end and I'm struggling with these exams as well. Your perseverance is admirable! Congratulations!!!
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Re: I don't give up

Postby Ruby » Wed Jun 06, 2018 9:59 am

Agreed with the other commenters--this is super inspiring! I, too, majored in architecture without ever taking a drafting class in high school, figuring they'd teach us everything we needed to know in college! Boy, was I wrong about that--in more ways than one! I didn't ever make it to the top of my class in architecture school, but I maintained decent enough grades, and have been employed since graduation-which is enough for me! Congrats again!
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Re: I don't give up

Postby pig » Thu Jun 28, 2018 3:41 am

thank you for sharing your story.
so can i ask, are you saying that you passed all of your exams, except that BS has expired so you still need one exam....?
if that is true, life can be so tough!!
but you can do it.
if you are scheduled to take the exam, i suggest give amber book a try for BS. you can do it in two days!
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