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:
Mitchell Hubbell, AIA
Mitchell Hubbell is an emerging architect in New Orleans, Louisiana. A Gulf Coast native, Mitchell began his career in Pensacola, FL after graduating with his Bachelor of Architecture from Mississippi State University in 2019. His work experience hurricane-resilient residences, offices, and restaurants.
He received his Master of Science in Architectural Research and Design from Tulane University in 2023 and subsequently taught a semester of first-year studio before his new role as an architect at Waggonner & Ball. In his free time, you can find him surfing the Louisiana and Florida coastlines.
“Start by knowing what your learning style is. You probably figured this out in school, but a lot of architects learn visually and not by reading, writing, or hearing.”
Exam Order
| November 18, 2019 | In Person | PcM | PASS |
I fully expected to fail the first test I took, but thankfully passed. That first test is the hardest one, but it’s the most helpful – even if you fail – because it gives you a taste of the test’s logic.
| February 21, 2020 | In Person | CE | PASS |
| August 7, 2020 | In Person | PjM | PASS |
Around this point in time, I knew I wanted to apply to grad school and got serious about wrapping up the exams to focus on the GRE.
| December 10, 2020 | In Person | P&A | PASS |
| March 21, 2021 | In Person | PPD | PASS |
| April 23, 2021 | In Person | PDD | 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?
Aside from the pragmatic aspect of signing drawings, becoming a licensed architect gave me flexibility and autonomy with my career. I got my license after graduating with a BArch and working, but that new independence allowed me to take a break to attend grad school. An unexpected outcome of getting licensed was the added confidence it gave at work, although it’s coupled with the realization of how much there still is to learn.
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?
Start by knowing what your learning style is. You probably figured this out in school, but a lot of architects learn visually and not by reading, writing, or hearing. The majority of testing material is not visual, so that’s something to watch out for if you’re selecting sources.
Additionally, when you’re figuring out when to begin testing, I think it’s helpful to balance work experience with proximity to school. Try to strike a balance between working enough so you can associate what the test is talking about with an experience without being so far removed from school that you lose the skill of studying. This balance will be different depending on individual experience, but I think a good year or two of work gives you the best of both worlds.
What type of study materials did you use? Any particular ones that you’d recommend?
Amber Book. It’s expensive…but talk to your firm about paying for it, especially if there’s several test takers in the office. Your license is valuable to you, but it’s also valuable to your firm. They might be inclined to help with the cost if you ask.
Whatever sources you end up using, I would sit down after your first test or two and narrow down the few resources that were actually helpful. It’s not about the quantity of sources but the quality.
How did you fit study time into your schedule? Was there anything in particular that worked well for you?
Again, this goes back to what kind of learner you are. Some study best in groups, some alone at home. For me, setting a schedule and a location to study alone was crucial. I knew that if I scheduled some time after work every day to sit at a coffee shop or brewery for an hour or two, I would get in much more quality study time than sitting on the couch with Michael Scott’s “World’s Best Boss” mug tempting me to press play on the TV.
Do you have any other advice for someone studying for their exams?
If I were to take the tests again, I would not take Practice Management first. It contains material that you usually aren’t exposed to during your first years in the profession, like accounting and legal knowledge. Personally, I would take the first test on a subject matter you’re more familiar with.
Good luck testing! Passing the last test is a feeling you will never forget!
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 Mitchell Hubbell for sharing your story!
Edited by
Katelyn Rossier, AIA, NCARB, CSI, LSSBB
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