Architecture Registration Exams Story: Kendra Hage

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:

Kendra Hage’s fascination with architecture ignited in fourth grade, fueled by a love for building and creating. A pivotal career day visit during high school solidified her passion, leading her to pursue architecture programs at Iowa State University. Graduating in 2017 with a Bachelor of Architecture, Kendra’s journey seamlessly transitioned into the professional realm.

Her career began at EAPC Architects Engineers in Sioux Falls, SD, where she honed her skills before joining CO-OP Architecture in 2019. At CO-OP, Kendra focuses on K-12 projects, from new school designs to innovative classroom additions. Through her work, she leaves a tangible impact on communities, shaping spaces that inspire and uplift.

Kendra Hage’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and purpose. As she continues to push the boundaries of architecture, her commitment to creating meaningful spaces remains unwavering. With each project, Kendra leaves an indelible mark, proving that true innovation knows no bounds.

“ I highly recommend taking the exams all together within two months or less.”

October 9, 2017

In Person

PcM

FAIL

This was my first attempt and I tried to take a test right out of college. I didn’t study well – my fiancé and I were building a house, planning a wedding, and doing a CSA vegetable garden side hustle (which consisted of planting, harvesting, washing, and delivering vegetables to 14 families) all while working a 40 hour/week job at an architecture firm.

April 15, 2022

In Person

PcM

FAIL

In between the first and second fail I had two kids 19 months apart. Was struggling to set aside time to really focus.

May 11, 2023

In Person

PcM

PASS

Third times a charm. For this test I bit the bullet and bought the Amber Book program for my study material and it made a world of difference. It really broke the material down into concepts that were easy to understand.

May 17, 2023	In Person	PjM	PASS
May 25, 2023	In Person	C&E	PASS
May 31, 2023	In Person	P&A	PASS
June 8, 2023	In Person	PPD	PASS
June 15, 2023	In Person	PDD	PASS

In the end I looked back and realized Practice Management was the hardest test for me. I breezed through all five of the other tests with time to spare on every single one of them. I realized that if I had not been so stuck on thinking I had to pass the Practice Management test before moving onto the next test I may have passed all the tests sooner than I did. If you fail one, I would recommend moving onto the next one and coming back to it at the end. The other tests may be easier for you with where you are at in your career. Each time I passed a test I gained more confidence for the next one.

I often get asked “why do I need to get licensed?”. Why did you decide that you wanted to be a licensed Architect?

I simply felt it was the last step to accomplishing what I went to school for – to become an architect; check!

However, I also wanted to do it to feel more confident in myself in my career and open the doors to advancement

Often people don’t know where to start, do you have any advice for those looking to start their exams -or- how did you start?

My first two attempts were pretty sorry to say the least and my heart wasn’t really in it.

When I finally decided to get into it, I was 4-1/2 years out of school. A lot of people tried to encourage me to get the tests done prior to that, but honestly, I’m glad I had the experience I did and felt I was ready when the time came. When I was finally ready, I started right away with the Amber Book program.

What type of study materials did you use? Any particular ones that you’d recommend?

I studied the Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice, the ARE 5 Review Manual, Black Spectacle, & Amber Book. Amber Book was by far the most helpful study material I used and I would highly recommend it to anyone no matter what stage you’re at in the process.

How did you fit study time into your schedule? Was there anything in particular that worked well for you?

I will admit that finding study time was hard with two toddlers. I would work 8+ hours a day, come home and try to get my kids to bed at a decent time and then instantly started studying from about 9:00 PM – 11:30 PM every night. I did this for four months – studying for all six tests at the same time so that I could take them all really close to each other. This made for a pretty intense four months, but looking back I still think it was worth it to do it this way.

Do you have any other advice for someone studying for their exams?

I highly recommend taking the exams all together within two months or less – there is a lot of material that overlaps from test to test. Don’t forget to have a little bit of a life outside of studying. 😊

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 Kendra Hage for sharing your story!

Edited by

Katelyn Rossier, AIA, NCARB, CSI, LSSBB