Pass

[GenXArch40]

I took the SS Exam 9/27 and received the ‘Pass’ notification a week later. My Bachelor is in Computer Science, not Architecture; however, I’ve worked for several firms for about 20 years now. The experience has been primarily CAD, but over time I’ve worked up to Project Management and my employers have helped me log all that experience into IDP. Point is, I’ve NEVER taken a Structures course in my life and passed this thing on the first try. A welcome surprise. So, lots of thanks on the info I received on this board, the ARE Forum, and some help from friends that are licensed Architects. I don’t know who Coach, MikePM, or JennyPDX are, but their input from the boards have proven invaluable to map out a study structure, stick to it and successfully pass. Thank you very much.

Study Materials
NCARB’s Study Guide
Ballast ARE Manual and supplement question/answer book
Kaplan Main Study Guide
Kaplan’s 500 Q & A book
FEMA 454
AIA’s Building’s at Risk Series for Earthquakes & Wind

Formulas

I downloaded 4 pdf’s from users on the AREforum

Alkikat’s links
Jennypdx notes
MikePM’s links
A link to the David Thaddeus PDF download for his formula synopsis

Testing Experience
Very difficult for me, I left thinking I’d failed. But the Kaplan 500 is “THE” gold standard as far as I’m concerned on how the actual test looks and feels. Looking back, I’d have put MUCH more time into that piece of study material. It took the entire time to do the MC and I just went through every question and answered to the best of my ability. Calc’s were about 25 questions, primarily truss web vectors (Method of Sections) and Lateral related. It’s been said by the other candidates, CONCEPTS. Do not get hung up on math. Very true. Also, FEMA 454 (and Bldgs @ Risk) will give you a great supplement to what you already know from the Ballast and Kaplan main study guides in terms of lateral forces. Pay close attention in the FEMA 454 on the CONCEPTS of chord forces, diaphragms, how they perform, and connect to the vertical resisting elements. The history questions were thinkers. They were looking for my knowledge of a particular building’s structural system and its performance in a given situation. I got about 10 of those. All in all, too much on trusses I thought, but generally, mostly lateral forces and selection of structural systems & materials.

Vignette
Similar to NCARB’s practice program. I recommend an all column and beam steel structure, UNLESS the program asks for bearing walls. Don’t forget that beam under the clerestory. Just practice it a few times and it shouldn’t give you any trouble.

I also passed PPP, SD, and SP thus far. Those study times were about 6 weeks a piece. I spent about 12 months preparing for this one because, as I said, I was never formally trained in Structures. I probably could have shaved off 6 months if I focused more on the Kaplan 500 than the other materials. But that’s my experience. Those who actually took a structures class should be ok.

[alkali]

Congratulations and thanks for the recap! Any idea how to get to the Alkikat’s links, MikePM’s links, and the David Thaddeus PDF?

[k4dm0nky]

Congrats on conquering this beast!

[GenXArch40]

Thanks Alkali! I tried to post the links in this post, but he AREForum is still down. This might help:

I believe MikeSE on this forum is the same as MikePM on the other forum. Here's a link to that post for the formulas I used:
viewtopic.php?t=1171&p=4086#p2047

For Jennypdx formulas, you can access her blog and download her study guide, which has all the pertinent formulas
http://arendurance.files.wordpress.com/ ... nnypdx.pdf

The David Thaddeus formulas is here:
http://www.areforum.org/AREStructures.pdf

Alkikat's formulas I can't locate just yet from the areforum. The pdf I have is 550kb, and too big to upload here. I might be able to send it to you.

Hope that helps!

Thanks k4dm0nky! I was following your posts through structures like everyone else. Congratulations on YOUR pass! You were having the same frustrations as me. Especially on those Kaplan 500 questions. MikePM really helped out. I'm gearing up for BS too. I'm going to use Ballast, Kaplan, Amber Book, MEEB and Jennypdx as a supplement for study guides. Don't want to overwhelm myself.

[jhesterm]

don't waste your time with Ballast for BS and only read over Kaplan briefly for an overview for it. I just took it and am still waiting to see if I passed, but you really need to study Jenny's notes, MEEB, and the free flashcards on Studyblue are great. As on SS, don't worry about the math, know your MEEB and Kaplan diagrams, and study the random details because unfortunately though the concepts are necessary to know, this one is annoyingly detailed.

[GenXArch40]

don't waste your time with Ballast for BS and only read over Kaplan briefly for an overview for it.

Yep! I read your post about taking BS and that you felt Ballast wasn't very helpful. I had the same experience when I took PPP. I even read areas in CDS, BS and SPD from Ballast and NONE of it was on the PPP exam. Never heard of the studyblue cards. I'll check 'em out. Thanks!

[Mike-SE]

congrats on the pass!!
Yes, I am MikePM

[GenXArch40]

Hey Mike! Thanks so much for the time you put in helping us out to pass these exams. I really appreciate what you, Coach and many others do for all of us. I wasn't able to register on the areforum to ask questions cause they never responded to my sign-up requests. All I could do was read posts. Couldn't even download pdf's that were posted. Best post you gave was, "listen man, do you want to be a structural engineer or pass the exam?" Ha ha. You give great, upfront, no nonsense, input to questions, and get straight to the point. Thanks again for helping with a "pass". It was a tough one!

[Aragorn]

Genx, congrats !!
And with no Structures classes under your belt!!

For those looking for formulas I got these I think from Areforum, maybe they are Alkikat's...don't rememer.
Anyway, maybe they'll help somebody.

[GenXArch40]

Thanks Aragorn! That's why it took me 12 months. I had a lot of material to understand. This is a link to a formuala guide I used. I believe this originally came from alkikat. Hope this link works for you! Best of luck!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wlzshxprvbrvqki/VCjRYlmZLa

[kyeric]

Thanks for sharing all of your experiences. I am struggling mightily to not get over anxious about this exam, although I feel like it's a massive weight on my shoulders (Interestingly enough, it's a distributed load, not a concentrated load). I test in two weeks and I am taking all next week off of work to digest the rest of the Thaddeus seminar and dive into the Kaplan 500. I really appreciate everyone sharing notes and things to remember to try and tackle this beast.

Thanks again (most of all Coach for setting up this forum!)