by little12 » Mon Sep 26, 2016 12:44 pm
Been there. For real. NO clue on the past fails. Honestly did the same dang process each time. I'll give you my tips/advice/thoughts and also...so much solidarity.
1-Keep going. One of these times you'll get it. This is the dumbest vignette in my opinion. It's the easiest in theory, but also the hardest in that one thing that isn't exactly right can fail you. And...if you're unlucky and get a funky vignette, then it just sucks. I was always frustrated with the ones that said "easy. just like ncarb"...but mine was NEVER like ncarb. Ever.
2-practice alternates. NOT for the point of learning the tricks they might throw, but for getting yourself familiar with different scenarios so you're not stuck thinking it will be like ncarb. It helps you practice reading closer and taking better notes to.
3-Brudgers and the vimeo video
4-Along the special condition (in ncarb, it's the lake) get as close as you can without touching. I'd say this is the ONLY thing I did different the last time.
5-Be a maniac about your notes. I seriously felt like I was reading every.single.word. Twice. Just to be sure.
6-Slow down. If you're practiced enough times, the actual drawing won't take you long. Go slow and talk in your head while you're doing it. So slow that you feel dumb. For real.
7-Find someone to vent to about NCARB. Let it all out. But then leave it there if you can. Know that NO ONE ever knows what they did wrong on the vignette from NCARB. It's not just you or your state. If you want proof, just search the mass of people on here who have had mysterious fails. There are more than any other vignette I would say. It sucks. It sucks hard. But, ncarb won't change anything...complaining to them will do nothing...and you will likely never ever know. So get all the anger and frustration out however you can (safely!) and then just go on.
8-Take the test at a different facility. If this is an option for you, I'd highly recommend it. I ended up talking to multiple people who took, and failed, this vignette in my location in the past year. None that I talked to passed. Many of us took it elsewhere and passed first shot. Coincidence? Who freakin knows. Nothing would come of it even if we did bring it up to them!! No point in bothering. Even if it's only your mindset that the new place changes, at least it's worth a shot. Fresh location, fresh mind, fresh motivation. Worked for me.
Good luck. You'll get it.