Welcome to the Architectural Registration Exam (ARE) experience stories series! This series is to share experiences, timelines and advice of professionals that have completed their AREs. We know it can be a daunting task to get started and overwhelming on the number of resources out there. We hope you find this information helpful in organizing how you proceed through your exams. Good Luck!
This is the experience, timeline, and advice from:
Jacob Ricke, AIA
Meet Jacob Ricke! He’s an Architect at JLG Architects in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he works with a great team to design, produce, and manage projects. Jacob graduated from South Dakota State University in 2019 with a Master of Architecture degree. Back in 2017, he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Architecture and a Minor in Construction Management from the same university.
Outside of work, Jacob is excited about many things. He enjoys putting on his running shoes and biking on trails. Trying out new recipes in the kitchen is another favorite, along with getting lost in a good book. Expressing himself through drawing and writing is something Jacob loves, and he also finds joy in going on adventures to explore new places with his wife. His interests cover a wide range of activities that bring him happiness.
“Give yourself some grace. There is a significant chance that not everything goes exactly as you plan it, so being resilient and adaptable will be some of the best skills to have in your bag.”
Exam Order
| October 12 | In Person | P&A | PASS |
| October 17 | Virtual | PPD | PASS |
| October 18 | In Person | PDD | PASS |
| October 22 | In Person | PcM | PASS |
| October 23 | Virtual | PjM | PASS |
| October 25 | In Person | C&E | PASS |
Advice for you!
I often get asked “why do I need to get licensed?”. Why did you decide that you wanted to be a licensed Architect?
At the point that I decided to start studying for and scheduling my exams I was a couple of years post-graduation. It was a hinge point from the ‘new grad’ realm to the ‘emerging professional’ point of my career and I was starting to form a better understanding of the field. I wasn’t certain where I would end up, but I felt that I would always have the desire to work in architecture and that becoming licensed would enable me to be flexible in whatever path I chose.
I was excited about the idea that being licensed checks the final box in becoming a certified Architect and that I’d be freeing myself from weight of knowing that I’d have to do it at some point down the road.
What type of study materials did you use? Any particular ones that you’d recommend?
At the beginning, I found myself collecting as many resources as possible in an effort to have as much information as possible. It quickly became overwhelming, and I realized that I needed to narrow my focus and choose the resources that I felt would best prepare me for the exams.
I chose to utilize Amber Book as my primary exam prep course after a colleague of mine found success through it. I was encouraged by the structured schedule and felt energized by the philosophy that Michael Ermann built the course around. Amber Book is set up with an aggressive approach to taking the exams but still left room for me to tailor it specifically to my life.
In support of Amber Book, I found a couple of additional resources to be helpful in specific areas. I knew that practice exams were a type of study resource that would be helpful to me, and I found two additional resources for more test specific preparation. I utilized the NCARB demonstration exam and also found ARE Questions by Elif Bayram to be quite helpful. I felt that understanding the exam and question structure would allow me to lean on the knowledge that I had about specific topics, without being ‘tricked’ by the exam itself.
I would recommend all of these resources but emphasize that part of why they were beneficial to me was because they aligned with my skills and how I learned best.
How did you fit study time into your schedule? Was there anything in particular that worked well for you?
This was one of the most challenging aspects of preparing for the exams. Once I made the decision that it was time to start studying and decided on what study materials I wanted to use, it became obvious that the schedule was aggressive, and the required daily hours would be intense. I accepted the fact that I would have to significantly challenge myself for a few months to complete the study materials, but I was enticed by the thought of getting it all done in a short window relative to the average. The short-term torment had the potential to make things much easier in the greater picture.
After I pulled together the resources that I felt would work best for me, I found a planning/productivity tool to schedule my weeks and track my progress. I wanted to be highly organized in order to keep my focus, so I set it up track everything including hours studied, work, sleep, exercise, and events. With this system, I kept myself accountable for putting in the hours needed, while balancing it with my personal life. There were certainly moments that I had to say ‘no’ to things because I needed to study, but being organized made it more manageable to give myself a break as long as I stayed on track with the plan.
Do you have any other advice for someone studying for their exams?
In order to set yourself up for success, you have to tailor everything to your specific situation. Spend some significant time in the beginning organizing yourself and planning for how you want to attack the process so that you can dive in head-first and give your best effort. It can be a challenging, expensive, and time-consuming journey and having confidence in your plan will make these hurdles feel less significant.
Lastly, and most importantly, give yourself some grace. There is a significant chance that not everything goes exactly as you plan it, so being resilient and adaptable will be some of the best skills to have in your bag. Good luck!
We hope that this information helps you through your ARE journey, setting goals, and giving you some insight on how to get started.
Thank you again to Jacob Ricke for sharing your story!
Edited by
Katelyn Rossier, AIA, NCARB, LSSBB
Want to share your ARE Story?
Contact us!
