Becoming a Licensed Architect + 5 Tips
HOW IT STARTED:
At the end of 2018, within just a few months, I was let go from my job, I got out of a toxic relationship, and worst of all I lost my Dad to heart disease. It was a pivotal moment in my life. Everything seemed to be falling apart all at once. I was forced to take a step back and look at everything that had gone wrong and make a conscious decision to turn things around.
GETTING THE BALL ROLLING:
The first step I took when I decided to take my studying seriously was to find a structured system that would help me stay organized and on course. After days of bombarding friends and colleagues with questions, I found Michael Riscica’s Young Architect ARE Boot Camp Program.
I was a bit skeptical at first, however I was desperate, so I decided to foot the bill and hope for the best. It turned out to be the best decision I had made in the journey to licensure. It gave me structure, a community of people to bounce ideas off of, and a massive library of study materials. With this newly found structure I was able to clock in 300 hours of studying in 2 months for my first exam. And yes, I passed it! It was a great feeling and it helped motivate me to keep pushing. Of course there were exams that I failed…and failed again, but the key point during these times of failure was to keep pushing forward. Losing momentum was the hardest thing to bounce back from.
5 TIPS FOR PASSING YOUR EXAMS:
TIP #1: EXPLORE GROUP STUDY - I found that studying with a group of people tremendously helped in digesting the study materials. A great resource for asking questions or finding a study group is through the ARE Facebook Group. People are always posting questions about all sorts of topics and there are plenty of valuable resources being passed around as well.
TIP #2: LEARN BY TEACHING - There is a common saying that teaching is the best form of learning. I found this to be exceedingly true. In order to effectively explain things to others, you must become a master at efficiently organizing the material and identifying key pieces of information to convey. Whether it’s teaching a family member, spouse or colleague, it’s a great way to share your knowledge with others and to help yourself retain and master what you’ve studied.
TIP #3: KEEP MOMENTUM AND CONSISTENCY - Whether you pass or fail an exam, your natural tendency may be to take a few days off before jumping back on the study grind. Be careful, because often times those days turn into weeks and sometimes into months. It happens to us all and that’s okay! What I found was the most helpful in getting my momentum back was starting small and staying consistent. Start with 15 minutes of studying every day. You’re more likely to comply with studying 15 minutes a day rather than jumping back into a 4 hour study sessions. The key is setting achievable micro-goals!
TIP #4: TAKE BREAKS DURING THE EXAM - Take advantage of breaks! Don’t try and push through the entire exam without taking a break. Your brain needs it, and trust me, it will help. Eat a snack, drink some water, and let your brain rest before heading back into battle.
TIP #5: TAKE NOTES IMMEDIATELY AFTER AN EXAM - When you fail an exam, you often feel defeated and want to disconnect. This is completely understandable, but before you unplug and unwind, it is your job to take notes! I always brought a notebook and pen to my exams and kept them in my car. As soon as I failed an exam, I rushed to my car and immediately started taking notes on topics I felt the least confident about. Although your brain is tired, the material is fresh in your head and your recall during this time is at its best. These notes will help aim your focus and develop a study strategy for that particular exam, and will give you a better chance of passing the next time around.
There is an additional piece of advice I would like to share. When you pass an exam, especially your first one, you want to tell everyone about it, and you certainly should! However, be careful what you share exactly. Often times people get carried away and start discussing exam questions specifically which is a big NO-NO. When I was studying for the exams there was a popular article published by NCARB outing a group of individuals who had conspired to cheat on the exams. NCARB Article.
I officially became licensed in February of 2023. I received my stamp, my wall certificate, and all the positive feelings that come along with accomplishing such a big goal. Licensure was a huge cloud over my head for 4 years, but I managed to push through and come out the other side!