All Pass! Rusty ARE

Ramp, Stair, & Roof Vignettes and Multiple Choice

All Pass! Rusty ARE

Postby architectgo » Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:31 pm

Thanks a lot for Coach and all the members. I got my score report for BDCS this Thursday morning and it is a pass. All exams done. License on the way. This is my first time to post, maybe also the last time, although I have been getting very helpful information here all the time. The exams are easy as long as you decode its logic, took several months, all passed on first try, but I still have some negative comments about this exam that I want to share. This is a extremely poorly designed exam, very tricky, could be very unpredictable, but doesn't test the participants' true knowledge/experience, has no ability to filter out incompetent candidates. I have to say some luck is required to pass some of the sessions such as some vignettes. The software and logic behind a lot of the questions/vignettes has nothing to do with the real-world problem solving skill. They never explained their true criteria and I have to guess what is right/wrong in order to pass it. This is to facilitate our problem solving ability? As a test taker, I even have to forget about the real knowledge and act like a puppy to follow its rules, then it is a pass, although I clearly know that some of its questions/vignettes are rather problematic. As a new American I am surprised to see that NCARB can keep making money by sucking blood from test takers, who have to take these exams that brings no benefits to their career, except for the license. Is this a protection racket?

As a test taker whose first language is not even English, I see some problems in this exam, or NCARB, or even this industry. The whole architect society can be so tolerant to such a horrible exam structure, this must more or less reflects the low profit margin of this industry and an inactive academic society. Some of my friends who come to U.S. together with me are in fields such as IT, law, medical, engineering, banking... Their registration exams are updated almost every year or few years to fix all the problems and help the growth of the professionals. The current version of the ARE is almost as old as some of the young test takers. What do these prove? Our intelligence and diligence are not well respected, or paid. On the day when I found that I can be licensed, I have the urge to reevaluate my career choice. I just ordered all the study materials for LSAT and need to rethink about my future life before I get old.

I don't want to write a book list here and repeat others' words. Kaplan, or Ballast, I wish them longevity, or someone's notes, or videos could be also useful, but not necessary. This is a case by case thing, maybe you need to spend 2 months on each division, or maybe a couple weeks, depends on your life schedule, focus level, or test IQ, You might still fail on the exam even if you prepared all the steps perfectly, as you know it is sorta unpredictable and luck plays a role in it. According to my experience, my suggestion is that, take it as an exam, just an exam. That means that you follow all the rules, even if it conflicts with the common sense. Try to guess its intention, although it was never officially articulated.

I wish all you good luck on the exam, my peers. Hard work and focus always pay off and never disappointed us.
architectgo
 
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