take them all if you can, it's a little about experience, materials and methods, but it's a lot about studying. the graphics vignettes have nothing to do with practice, and structures - nada about experience.

Take the tests as fast as you can. I compleated all of mine within 2 years of graduation.

Also, as an FYI, when you mentioned that "your state" please understand that you can take the tests through almost any state you want. For example, I took my tests through Texas even though I live in Atlanta because Texas would allow me to sit for the exams 6 months after graduation.

Especially in these economic times, having a license can be a deal maker/breaker when it comes to layoff's.

trick question study

Put me in the camp that thinks real world experience helped me on the ARE. I more or less winged a lot of the exams and found that my experience saved more more times than not. That said, I think anyone who is a competent test taker could study hard and pass the ARE, architecture education or not. It's mostly hype about it being hard....although still waiting to hear back on that one retake. Everyone fails at least one I guess.

Is there a consensus on the best study resources?

where do i sign up......

for the multiple choice, long experience allowed me to pass all sections without studying.

for the graphic sections, experience caused me to NOT pass multiple times. i had to have someone tell me to forget what i knew and JUST FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS.

I crammed the ARE study guides, but I'll admit that ten years of practice definitely helped me out on a lot of questions.

For the graphic portions, learning the software and questions via the study guides was priceless. I never would have passed w/o doing the practice exams a few times first.

I agree with Aquapura, It's definately best to take them as soon as possible and no doubt you can get through them with lots of study.

But in my personal experience I had been working full time through school and then went through IDP and had a total of 8 years experience when I took the test. The only studying I did was one practice of the design portion. (this was the last year before the exam was changed to the computer and when all sections where taken during a week long exam) I passed all sections on the first try. So I'd say experience will do the trick too.

I thank my IDP mentor for the advice to just go in and take it and see what you pass.

so i think we come to a consensus that idp shouldnt be required..

I found that the Construction Documents exam and the California orals, I relied a great deal on my experience. Also working on more complicated buildings than residential made a difference in me passing the MEP exam the second time. I found the flash cards extremely helpful with all of the multiple choice exams. For the graphic exams if you are familiar with the software and follow the directions given on the exam, you will do fine.

Good luck!

thanks for the various points of view. I guess for now I will start with the tests in which I do have experience, and then see how I do.

I've been working for 4.5 years, and it seems like at least several of you did not take the exams until you had 8 or 10 years of experience....which makes me feel better. I just hate the feeling of it hanging over my head...and explaining that I am not really an "architect."

Hopefully, I can also use the rolling clock to get my employer to move me to a project team where I can get the experience I am lacking....or maybe by then the economy will have picked up, and I can revisit the idea of changing jobs.