PASS

Structural Layout Vignette and Multiple Choice

PASS

Postby evaughn » Thu Sep 26, 2013 5:01 am

Just found out I passed and wnated to share my experience because like many others I was really afraid of this exam.

I originally had it scheduled for the day before the blackout but chickened out 2 days before and decided to keep studying after I was getting too many wrong on the Kaplan 500.

for the vignette It was a little more challenging than the NCARB but used an all steel system with beam below the clearstory, and interior upper walls, Max Span joists 30' beams 40'.

Studied:
Thaddeaus Course in Jax- GREAT!! I would highly recommend his course or the online course to begin studying. He broke it all down and made it seem not so scary and overwhelming and made all the other material i studied after make more sense.
kaplan
Ballast
Kaplan 500- I would recommend starting on these 2 weeks before the test to take and review your answers after. All the other tests I would just take the practice test 3 days before my exam and go over the answers.
Archiflash ** very helpful
IBC Chapter 16- My entire test was basically this and FEMA 454. I would almost memorize it- which was my plan if i failed...
FEMA 454- Look at the diagrams VERY closely! I had about 4 questions of diagrams directly out of this and many more conceptual questions from it.
Buildings at Risk Wind and Seismic.- read over this multiple times.

http://www.khatrinternational.com/AIAexam.html **** Best videos ever for help with structures principles**

http://www.arch.virginia.edu/~km6e/arch ... /lectures/

http://www.arch.virginia.edu/~km6e/arch ... es/lec-05/ change the lecture numbers at the end for more.

As you can see i used a ton of resources and I still didn't feel very confident leaving the test! BUT it can be done!!!

Good luck!
evaughn
 
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Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:28 pm

Re: PASS

Postby detail4 » Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:39 am

Congrats... Thanks for sharing your list of study material. How long did it take to get your results?
detail4
 
Posts: 123
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:47 pm

Re: PASS

Postby mjbarchi » Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:43 am

congrats on your pass!
how long did you study and how much emphasis should i put on the calcs? i have my test in 3 weeks, have been studying for 2 months but still have not covered all the materials and have not done any exam questions on ballasts or kaplan, feeling a little hopeless!
thanks for your report!
mjbarchi
 
Posts: 48
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 8:18 am

Re: PASS

Postby evaughn » Thu Sep 26, 2013 2:00 pm

Got my results in 1 week 3 days! much better than the 3 plus weeks it used to take.

I studied before the blackout 4 weeks but really didn't retain much because I had just taken BS and was a little burnt out. So then started studying about 4 weeks before my test in September after taking time off in the blackout.I think 6 to 8 weeks is enough depending on how much time you dedicate to it. I do 1-2 hrs 4 days a week and then weekends 12 or so hours.

I memorized about 4 equations from alikats equations to memorize and only used one and the rest was given in the problem or the reference tab but i ended writing down some more during the test to reference for the conceptual equations. Know how to use the equations but the best advice I got was to just start digging into the Kaplan 500 and understand the correct answers even if you can't get there on your own. I think i had about 15-20 equations and used all my scratch paper.
evaughn
 
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:28 pm

Re: PASS

Postby detail4 » Thu Sep 26, 2013 3:24 pm

excellent turn around on your results. Another follow up question.. How long and what materials do you recommend studying for Building Systems (BS) ?
detail4
 
Posts: 123
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:47 pm

Re: PASS

Postby mjbarchi » Thu Sep 26, 2013 3:31 pm

Thank you for your report, and congrats again for your pass!
May I ask what are the four alkikat equation to memorize? ARE forum is down, otherwise I probably could find it there somewhere. Thanks for any advise you can give!
P/s thanks coach for this forum!
mjbarchi
 
Posts: 48
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 8:18 am

Re: PASS

Postby evaughn » Thu Sep 26, 2013 3:41 pm

The FTP is still up thanks goodness at http://www.areforum.org/up/GeneralStructures/

FORMULAS TO REMEMBER is where its at.

For Building Systems I Studied Kaplan, Ballast, Architects Studio Companion and **Chings Visual Dictionary of Architecture** best book to read for Electrical, power, plumbing, sound because of all the pictures! I also took the MEEB quizzes and skimmed the book.
evaughn
 
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:28 pm

Re: PASS

Postby mjbarchi » Thu Sep 26, 2013 4:02 pm

Omg!! Didn't even know that FTP is still up at ARE forum. Great, thank you!
mjbarchi
 
Posts: 48
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 8:18 am


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