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I'm ready to start taking the ARE!!!!
Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 10:26 pm
by Leonardo
For those outside the US, the A.R.E. are the architecture registration exams.
I'll ready have enough credits to start taking the exams (in the State of FL, you only need to have a year of internship to start taking them :p )
Anyway, I'm about to submit a letter of authorization to transmit my Council
Record to the state registration board and I was wondering what is next?
I have heard of courses that people take to get prepare for the exams!!
I need some guidance in here guys!!
(I know there are a few guys from FL in here so hopefully someone has something to offer)
leo
Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 9:25 am
by Hervé
I'd wear he bear costume for the exams... hehe

Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 2:07 pm
by Leonardo
nahh... I sweat too much in it!

Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 2:14 pm
by Fernando Tella
And, as you may have noticed he's been dancing in it like a month. It should stink right now.
Good luck with your exams.
Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 2:23 pm
by Hervé
he he.. yes Leo.. good Luck... !!

Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 2:26 pm
by wagurto
Hi Leo congrats and good luck in your exams. A good source for info and related help with the exams is the
http://www.areforum.org/forums/
In our area there course available during the year for structure, graphic portion, and one more than I am not recall. There is also a study group at the AIA local chapter. If you need more info just call me I will be glad to help you, I just took my last one I hope I pass.
Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 2:54 pm
by leoA4D
Take a watch/small clock that can be read at a glance to every part. Establish mileposts before beginning each exam part.
If you can, take a reputable pre-exam class. I took one and somehow they accurately deduced the problem and the prcise location was one of the three "guesstimated" locations. It helped especially with judgement questions.
Study the building type that is the "problem", structural & MP&E engineering, codes, building technology, architectural history, materials and processes, BIM, life cycle costing, energy conservation, Leeds, ADA, human dimensions, finishes, lighting, security, seismic, soil geology ... everything.
Don't be surprised if weird questions pop up. One I remember had to do with ancient technology – rope and oakum, used to gasket the bells on large plumbing lines and sealing between planks on the bottoms of wooden sailing vessels.
One personal detail: prior to and during the exams, I did not speak to or spend time with anyone else taking the exams, even though many of my classmates were sitting for the exams, too.
It has been a long time since I took the A.R.E. but the exam structure has not changed radically over the years.
BTW, the bear is not what you wear to the test, it is what you will meet face-to-face in the exam room. And, good luck with the exams.
Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 3:43 pm
by acquiesse
good luck

Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 7:41 pm
by -Adrian
Good Luck Leonardo!
Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 8:02 pm
by Leonardo
HEY THANKS FOR THE FORUM! (
http://www.areforum.org/forums/ )
I'll def take my bear ass over there!!

Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 9:43 pm
by ivox3
BTW, the bear is not what you wear to the test, it is what you will meet face-to-face in the exam room.
Gulp !
Good to not be Leo, ........ hehe, ... good luck Leo, ...now make us all proud.

Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 10:24 pm
by andrebaros
I'm finally taking it right now (only 6 years later than I could have) and I would say that much of it is easier that I expected, especially the graphic portions. For each exam I've been reading both the ALS study guides and the books from Professional Publications Inc and I would say that the latter are generally better. Since I waited so long and am running out of time I'm taking them every two weeks right now and doing pretty good so far... but then again I've been doing this for 10 years so I better know it by now.
1 year for Florida, what a joke, I needed 5 for Illinois (though I think it's down to 3 now).
I heard that they gave the test to a group of architects and a group of lawyers as an experiment and the lawyers did better. Probably because the architects read too much into it. Answer only what they ask, use the information they give you. Drill the study material with a focus on speed and smart test taking.
Good luck (and get it done soon before you get too busy),
Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 4:50 am
by marked001
nice...congrats! i started taking mine in january... like 3 years later than i could've..but whatever

right now I'm 3 for 4 :-/ just study some study guides and you'll be golden... the name of the publisher of the guides i use (i make my wife steal them from her office) is escaing me right now.
Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 4:58 am
by Leonardo
andrebaros wrote:I'm finally taking it right now (only 6 years later than I could have) and I would say that much of it is easier that I expected, especially the graphic portions. For each exam I've been reading both the ALS study guides and the books from Professional Publications Inc and I would say that the latter are generally better. Since I waited so long and am running out of time I'm taking them every two weeks right now and doing pretty good so far... but then again I've been doing this for 10 years so I better know it by now.
1 year for Florida, what a joke, I needed 5 for Illinois (though I think it's down to 3 now).
I heard that they gave the test to a group of architects and a group of lawyers as an experiment and the lawyers did better. Probably because the architects read too much into it. Answer only what they ask, use the information they give you. Drill the study material with a focus on speed and smart test taking.
Good luck (and get it done soon before you get too busy),
hey!!! I can start taking the exams... but I still need to make the 5,600 hours of internship (three years), so it's not like I'm off the hook!!
BTW.... I was wondering if it would be possible to take 1 every two weeks, now I got my answer
I'll probably schedule to take 1 every month, and then if I see that it's not a big deal, I'll step up into tighter schedule
