ARE 5.0 – Don’t Forget about Time, Strategy, and Guessing
Passing the ARE 5.0 isn't just about knowing the content, it's also strategy. You've got to apply multiple test-taking strategies to boost your odds. The truth is, time management is critical to squeeze every point out of this exam. There's no time to spare, especially when you get into the Case Study questions, which account for 10% to 20% of each exam. So, lock yourself in a quiet room, log in to your NCARB Record, and spend some quality time with the ARE 5.0 Demonstration Exam. Don't... Read More
Studying For ARE 5.0 — It’s Not Easy
Historically, candidates were tested in distinct repositories of information because the content covered by the Architect Registration Exam (ARE) was siloed. For example, all questions about mechanical systems were in one division, and questions about construction documents were in another. This compartmentalization made studying pretty straightforward. For the most part, it was one topic = one division. Studying for ARE 5.0, an exam that tests holistically, where the content is no longer... Read More
Making Sense of the ARE 5.0 Divisions
With ARE 5.0, NCARB has attempted to make the ARE reflect the reality of practicing architecture. Being mindful of the exam structure will help you maintain perspective as you approach each division. The six ARE 5.0 divisions can be sorted into two broad groups (with division 6 having elements of both groups): Management: In divisions 1, 2, and 6, NCARB wants to know if you can manage an office and a project, and if you understand construction administration. The Project: In divisions 3, 4,... Read More
Understanding Cognitive Complexity and the ARE 5.0
Within each division of ARE 5.0, specific learning objectives are defined by an expected level of cognitive complexity to assess your critical thinking skills. For that reason, the levels of cognition are based on a modified model of Bloom's Taxonomy. In this modified model, NCARB excluded the two extremes, “Remember” (lowest cognitive level) and “Create” (highest cognitive level) and combined the remaining four levels of knowledge into two, Understand/Apply and... Read More
ARE 5.0 Practice Tests – “That’s all I want.”
Are you seeking out practice tests for the ARE 5.0? Contrary to popular test prep strategies, practice tests might not be the answer to your ARE woes. Time and again, we hear candidates say, “I knew all the answers on the practice tests; why did I fail?” or “The practice tests were nothing like the questions I had on the exam!” The ARE is a Standardized Test ... NOT! ARE 5.0 is unlike other standardized tests. Using practice tests to prepare for exams like the ACT/SAT, GRE, and... Read More
ARE 5.0 Sample Question Breakdown
ARE 5.0 multiple-choice questions are written so that only one of the answer choices is the best option. Because the remaining answer choices (distractors) are plausible, it’s the candidate’s job to dissect the question (stem) for clues as to why one answer choice is better than another. Take this NCARB ARE 5.0 sample problem, for example. During a routine site visit, the owner tells the architect to change the layout of two interior framed walls the contractor has already framed based... Read More
