Architecture Registration Exams Story: Kevin Sommers

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:

Kevin Sommers embarked on his architectural career after graduating from Notre Dame Architecture School in 2010, initially working for a prestigious residential firm in Chicago. However, in 2012, he transitioned to a construction company for five years, seeking hands-on experience in building. In 2015, Kevin married, and in 2017, he refocused on obtaining his architectural license, spurred by the birth of his first child in 2019.

Despite his initial commitment to studying for the Architect Registration Examination (ARE), the pandemic of 2020 disrupted Kevin’s plans. Nevertheless, in 2021, amidst a move to Pittsburgh and the impending arrival of their second child, Kevin and his wife resolved to pursue licensure. Inspired by his wife’s success in passing the exams, Kevin dedicated himself to studying while balancing a new job and fatherhood. In 2023, amid the joys and challenges of parenthood, Kevin achieved his goal and became a licensed architect.

Kevin’s journey underscores the importance of perseverance and adaptability in the face of life’s challenges, demonstrating how dedication and determination can lead to success in the field of architecture.

“Nobody has the same path through this, but everyone who makes it through feels the same sense of pride.”

August 2, 2023	In Person	PcM	PASS
August 10, 2023	Virtual	PjM	PASS
August 17, 2023	Virtual	CE	PASS
August 24, 2023	Virtual	PA	PASS
September 5, 2023	Virtual	PPD	PASS
September 6, 2023	Virtual	PDD	PASS

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

Since architecture school I always knew I wanted to be an architect and it was made clear early on in my career that the only way to do that was to get licensed.  At the start I wasn’t in any rush to actually use my license so I never felt the pressure to get it.  But as my career went on, it always felt like sooner or later I needed to actually commit to the ARE process and get licensed.

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?

I would say first, if you’re thinking of taking the exams then you should.  Make sure you’re at a point in your life that you can commit the time and effort to studying and just jump in with both feet and take it seriously.  Also understand that just studying the material required for the ARE will improve your understanding of the work you’re already doing on a daily basis at your job.  Pass or fail, the time you commit to studying is always worth it.  You will come out the other side better no matter how long it takes you to get through this process.   

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

Amber Book.  This course is excellent for visual learners and really does a great job helping you set up a strategy for ARE prep and test taking.  They put a lot of emphasis on understanding broader concepts first, which will give you the tools to answer more specific questions later.  They also encourage you to study ALL the material and then take the exams close together when you’re done.  It sounds scary, but you’d be surprised at the overlap in material on some exams.  Amber book also has practice tests and quizzes that are supposed to be harder than the NCARB practice exams.  The idea is to prepare you in a way that that makes the ARE look familiar, but less daunting because you aren’t caught off guard by the information you’re seeing on the real exam.  I think it works.

I also recommend taking and retaking the NCARB practice tests closer to your scheduled exam.  These are the exact format as the real exam and even retaking them, when you’ve seen the questions already, will help you get in a good mindset for how real ARE will look and feel.  I think being comfortable when you’re sitting for the test is the hardest part and anything that helps you focus on the task at hand will help.

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

On nights and weekends, just find a regular chunk of time that you can commit to focusing on just studying.  I did the Amber Book course and it really helps you through the time management aspect of studying all this material.  They help guide you through what’s essential to study and what’s helpful to study.  There’s a lot to get through, so figuring out a way to prioritize how you’re spending you time is key.  Overstudying, oddly, can hurt you.  You don’t want to lose focus on what’s important to study.

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

It’s a long, hard process… but it’s worth it.  Nobody has the same path through this, but everyone who makes it through feels the same sense of pride.  

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 Kevin Sommers for sharing your story!

Edited by

Katelyn Rossier, AIA, NCARB, CSI, LSSBB