Updated thread - Pass and done

Structural Layout Vignette and Multiple Choice

Updated thread - Pass and done

Postby jackstatic » Mon Jan 29, 2018 2:54 pm

Hey so just curious about some advice from people who may have an idea, I've got 2 weeks before the test, Sun Feb 11th, I am a slooow reader (approx. 10 pages an hour in kaplan) and work full time, I've already studied
watched Thaddeus lecture once
Read Ballast (tough read I feel this should have been scrapped in favor of kaplan to begin with which has mini tests after each section)
Jenny Notes
B@R Wind and Seismic
Fema Ch 4,5,8,9
INC chapter 16 on structures (reinforced a bunch of stuff already read)
Mike's notes (not as long as I thought it was)

Next week/weekend of the test I intend to do nothing but practice exams (ballast, kaplan, designerhacks, and thaddeus/ncarb) as I feel that was a huge key between my failing the first time around (I didn't do ANY, but also flubbed the reading and didnt do nearly what Ive done now)

So long story short, My question is, besides practice the vignette which I will do, but didn't have issues with last time, is it worth spending this week reading kaplan Or should I focus on reviewing the notes from and rewatching Thaddeus a second time and really memorizing what he has to say/reading his notes/my notes in entirety? Just looking for an opinion

Thanks In advance

(Full disclosure, I failed this test 1x last June 10th 2017, with a 1 in vignette, 1 in wind, 2 in general and 3 in seismic and lateral, I pushed retaking this exam until now in favor of taking BDCS and SD, I passed all other exams 1st time besides spd which was a 1 in everything but a 2 in principles (and that was due to my own hubris) which is why this SS has me kind of freaking out, in fact I scheduled this test so close to the holidays to give myself the maximum 3 chances at passing this test if by chance I screw it up)
Last edited by jackstatic on Thu Feb 15, 2018 5:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: So quick question about studying - Testing 2 weeks

Postby jackstatic » Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:48 am

Came to the conclusion after reading 2 chapters of Kaplan that Thaddeus basically covers this stuff, and Thaddeus expires on Feb 10th, and I'm not repaying for it again if I fail, where as Kaplan was given to me by a former coworker and won't go anywhere. Might as well rewatch Thaddeus and get the most for my money before he's gone. Tho hopefully I pass haha
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Re: So quick question about studying - Testing 2 weeks

Postby Yoiyoi » Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:03 am

how long does one have access to thaddeus videos/courses after signing up
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Re: So quick question about studying - Testing 2 weeks

Postby jackstatic » Sat Feb 10, 2018 9:07 am

60 Days, mine expires tomorrow, the day before the test, so, if I fail, that's it for Thaddeus, I still have all the notes and pdfs, but I can't afford it a second time.

With that said, Ive watched his course twice, and the last 2 days I was doing all practice exams, and i am kind of freaking out now. I'm averaging 65% on them (Kaplan, the 4.0/3.1 Ncarb tests. etc etc, 85% on designer hacks but alot of repeat questions there) Im really hoping I pass this test.

I was averaging 40-45% the last time I took this test, last June, so I DEFINITELY have made improvements, but that isn't saying much, last time I blew the test pretty badly.
3 in Seismic
3 in Lateral
2 in General
1 in wind
1 in vignette
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Re: So quick question about studying - Testing 2 weeks

Postby ataribeats » Sat Feb 10, 2018 10:36 am

Good luck tomorrow dude!
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Re: So quick question about studying - Testing 2 weeks

Postby jackstatic » Sat Feb 10, 2018 5:03 pm

ataribeats wrote:Good luck tomorrow dude!


Thanks! I'm nervous about as nervous as I can be, more so than any of the other tests, this is the final test I need to pass, blew it once already, and while I've got 2 more shots at it, that June 28th dead line in looming. I've spent like 4hrs a day reading material (10 on weekends) over the last 3 weeks and roughly 2-3hrs during the week and 4-5 on weekends since Late December and I just don't know what else to do with this material. Never enough time, so much to learn, the other tests just seemed natural idk. Structures has always been my toughest. Anyway test is tomorrow, I spent all day reviewing notes, am gonna attempt 1 final practice test and call it a night.
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Post test follow up

Postby jackstatic » Mon Feb 12, 2018 11:52 am

So I am just sort of putting this here as my own personal post test follow up, or for info for anyone who may want it.
I took the test yesterday 1/11/18, an hour early per their usual request at this particular testing center (8am vs 9am, due to high occupancy of testers - there was no one there when I showed up and half the seats taken when i left at 1230)
Nervous, stomach in knots, I've been here before, 8 times before to be exact, my record was 6-2, I am going in to, what is hopefully my final test, a test that I failed miserably the first time around,
Lateral - 3, Seismic - 3, General - 2, Wind - 1, Vignette - 1
Was I just under prepared the first time? I read B@R wind and seismic, listened to fema chapter 4,5,8,9, read jennys, and watched marc mitalskis videos.
YES, I was grossly unprepared the first time, this time?
Super Prepared....

Let me preface this by saying Pay for Thaddeus.
I took Marc Mitalskis course the first time, and it was heavier and had more information. Thaddeus was broken down easier for me to digest. But Thaddeus was also way more expensive 100 vs 300 something? Mitalski also includes a great practice exam. Depends on your learning ability imho.

I watched David Thaddeus 2x, and reviewed all the notes, reviewed all my notes from the first fail, read Jennys, Ballast, B@R wind and seismic, read fema 4,5,8,9 as well as re listened to them, did 250 of the kaplan q&a, designer hacks, and 4.0/3.1 q&a, as well as read IBC chapter 16 (not at all useful the 2nd time around, but woah the first time....) and read these forums alot more than usual as well having taken and passed BDCS in September (I wish the gap wasnt so long between the 2 tests now)
Study Schedule as mentioned earlier in this thread was somewhat hard core, towards the end I was averaging 4hrs/day and 12 on weekends for the last 3 weeks or so and took off half of last week.

I take the test, and I am nowhere near as lost as I was last time...
I knew half of the questions without even thinking about them
I could narrow a 2/3rds of the remaining questions down to 2 choices, and the remaining questions were shots in the dark, that's basically how it's been for me on every test.

This test was MUCH easier than the first time, and I even saw some repeat questions....
There was a bunch of graphical stuff, I wish I read more construction details..
my current fear is I passed the MC and failed the Vignette due to a stupid mistake but even that was straight forward I believe.
PPP was still, hands down the hardest of these tests I have taken so far

Do I think I passed? No, but more importantly I also don't think I failed...
which is a weird feeling, because usually I am freaking out this whole week in a panic that I failed, except the last SS Exam, where I knew I failed, I knew I failed before even finishing the test.... that one was 90% guessing.
Maybe it's because there is not much riding on this single test. If I failed, I just reschedule for 2 months from Friday and keep studying... I know what questions I am unsure of and will study that material. Brush up on and memorize other stuff. I just spent so much time cramming for this test that I still know the information.
If I failed I will re-read
IBC Ch 16
B@R/FEMA - Probably 2x
Kaplan
Re-Read Kaplans BDCS for Soil, Concrete, Steel, and Soil,
Review all Thaddeus and Mitalski Notes
Re-Read Jenny
Pick up and study Hurricane and Seismic Construction details.

Of course if I pass I am going to leave work at like 11am to celebrate and not return to work until Monday.

Will keep you all posted, but the bottom line is, I was as prepared as I could have ever been for this test, shy of working for a structural engineering firm for 5 years.
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Re: Updated thread - Pass and done

Postby jackstatic » Thu Feb 15, 2018 5:27 am

Passed this bad boy, done with ARE 4.0, just wanted to say thank you to everyone at these boards. You've been an invaluable source of information and help! Now to decide what to do with this.
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Re: Updated thread - Pass and done

Postby pig » Thu Feb 15, 2018 9:15 pm

yaaaaaaaaayyy jackstatic!!
congrats that you passed too!!!
so happy for you =)
thank you for the mesaages that you have replied/sent me. such a wonderful feeling to know that people we know from this forum are passing.
you sounded like you had worked very hard on this - i felt i was just lucky.
congrats we can be architects now!!!!!!
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