Pass BS at my 2nd attempt! Took the exam in Nov 2017 and failed (but the materials I went through were really helpful for my BDCS 3rd time retake).
Took again last Tue and I only revised for
4 days right before my CDS exam (also got a pass! what a fantastic week!) and didn't feel great when I walked out from the test center due to very short preparation time
I had a really hard time on light fixture layout when I took the test first time. Use Dorf's approach this time (layout 2 sets of circles and moving around rooms to determine the layout), works really well for me.
Materials:
1st time:
Kaplan & Ballast & Practice Exams
Amber Book (No Video; book only... read after Kaplan & Ballast. Really good for reinforce fundamental concepts!)
Alkikat Building System Notes + Diagrams (Very Helpful for quick review!)
Jenny notes
Print out the “References Formula” and make notes on equations that you are not familiar with!
Review slides from AIA-Pittsburgh’s Young Architects Forum ARE Review Blog (
https://yafpghare.wordpress.com/)
2nd time
Amber Book
Alkikat Building System Notes
Skim through Jenny notes
Review slides from AIA-Pittsburgh’s Young Architects Forum ARE Review Blog
References Formula with my personal notes
Dorf for Vignette
NO MEEB!
But I do recommend look through all the diagrams if you have free time, because there are questions with diagrams straight from MEEB!