Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. – 1 Chronicles 29:11-12
Last week, I found out that I passed my General Structures exam. Today I am taking my seventh ARE test – Lateral Forces. When I pass this exam, I’ll only have three tests left – Pre-Design, Mechanical & Electrical Systems, and Building Planning.
NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) is the national standard for architectural registration (license to practice architecture) and administers the ARE (Architect Registration Examination). To become licensed as an architect in California, a candidate must successfully complete both the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) and the California Supplemental Examination (CSE). The CSE is simply the Oral test where you sit in front of a panel and they ask you questions to test your actual knowledge. The ARE is currently made up of nine divisions ranging in subjects like Contract Documents to Materials & Methods. Three exams are graphical and the remaining six are multiple choice.
Now when you take these tests they do not give you a score. They simply send you a letter stating PASS or FAIL. So far, I’ve only received one Fail and that was for Building Planning, one of the graphical exams. You must wait six months before your eligible to retake an exam and I’ll be able to re take this one at the end of August.
If I stay focussed and take one exam a month, I should be finished with the ARE before my son is born. Once I finish all the ARE exams, I can then apply for the CSE which is typically a few months out. They are not offered as regularly as the ARE exams or as widely.
