4.0 SPD vs 5.0 PA

[chrisgannon]

Hey fellow test takers and admin, has anyone tried both the ARE 4.0 Site Planning and Design and ARE 5.0 Programming and Analysis? Does anyone have any insight to which is easier??

I have CDS and PPP under my belt and am now looking at trying to knock out SPD before 4.0 dies... but if PA is easier I'll just transition now and go 5.0 for my last three tests.

Thanks y'all!

Chris

[Autski]

I am in the same situation (passed PPP and CDS) and found out I did not pass SPD. I missed the site vignette pretty hard, though I felt like I was close, but I know I had a few things off I should have planned for better (planning a site is usually a much more intensive process and takes way more time IRL than they allot, but that is just my ranting...).

I too am curious if I should transition. I don't want what is easiest necessarily, but I don't want to fail on Materials and "Technology" when I know they have outdated answers which aren't relevant anymore. I'll take the weekend to think it over, but I have to schedule SPD before it is gone for good.

The way I look at it now, since 4.0 is about to kick off forever, is that I would rather put my time and attention into studying for an exam I know I can retake (PA) rather than put an enormous amount of pressure on myself and attempt SPD for a final time. If I fail SPD again, then I can't use the site vignette practice and will basically have to study for a brand new exam (maybe a slight exaggeration, but I think we all know what I mean). Unless someone else has a better reasoning as to why one should retake SPD with the possibility that you can't take it again if you fail, then I think I'll probably be transitioning to 5.0 and cutting my losses.

[Coach]

I don't want what is easiest necessarily,

Why not?

but I don't want to fail on Materials and "Technology" when I know they have outdated answers which aren't relevant anymore.

Like what?

The way I look at it now, since 4.0 is about to kick off forever, is that I would rather put my time and attention into studying for an exam I know I can retake (PA) rather than put an enormous amount of pressure on myself and attempt SPD for a final time. If I fail SPD again, then I can't use the site vignette practice and will basically have to study for a brand new exam (maybe a slight exaggeration, but I think we all know what I mean). Unless someone else has a better reasoning as to why one should retake SPD with the possibility that you can't take it again if you fail, then I think I'll probably be transitioning to 5.0 and cutting my losses.

SPD: 2 vignettes and 90 minutes for 65 questions (83 seconds/question)
PA: No vignette and 195 minutes for 95 questions (123 seconds/question)
I would transition.

[Autski]

I mean, I guess you will pass either way, so if there is an easier route then I should probably take it. I think it's a personal vendetta where I want to conquer something I wasn't able to pass.

Unfortunately, I can't get into specifics about it, but materials that are not really relevant with the rise of new materials which are more efficient and cost less. Every project I do now specs these newer technologies/materials,though in the test it was recommending an older version (like CFL instead of LED)

I already transitioned. Excited to take PA since I passed PPP on the first go round even though I did not study nearly enough for it.