I thought Pre-Design and Construction Docs were easiest. Just read the ALS books if you have access to them, take the practice "tests" + read the main AIA contracts and it's common sense, not too much studying involved. The Ncarb books with sample questions help as well.

I think it depends on where your strengths are, what your experience has been.
If you've done a lot of detailing and know a lot about material properties, then Materials & Methods might be the easiest to take first.
If you're done a lot of project management, Construction Documents and Services might be the easiest.
But generally, I think these two are the easiest of the exams.

For me ranked easiest to hardest:

1. Construction Documents & Services
2. Site Planning
3. Building Planning
4. Building Design / Materials & Methods
5. Pre-Design
6. General Structures
7. Mechanical & Electrical Systems
8. Lateral Forces
9. Building Technology

Study the ARE Guide for all of the Graphic portions of the test. Has examples of pass/fail and was a huge help for me to get it into my head to just do what the heck they ask. Nothing more!

Building Technology was the only one I had trouble with. Almost ran out of time and in the building section vingnette I didn't pay attention to the clearance of ducts properly the first run through.

Read the instruction on those graphic one carefully and study for Pre-Design --- the questions were all over the map.

My testing was during the cut score process so my exams were the new ones.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

see more at www.areforum.org

become a member, read posts, create topics...
this site is invaluable to exam taking candidates.

Thanks for that link Mason White !!

i had no idea there was a forum like that and although i have passed 8 out of 9 exams (awaiting site planning results) i will check back for the california supplemental (oral) exam.

personally, i found the graphic exams the easiest (since i'm chained to autocad all day). there wasn't a lot of prep time for them aside from practicing on computer.

structures were the easiest multiple choice exams but i enjoyed structures in school so ... flipping through one of the study books should give you an idea of what's involved. one month is enough time to take any of them, but it helps to be at least somewhat interested in the subject.

lots of people take materials and methods first but I don't think that's the easiest, with the exception of the graphic tests they are all about the same. The best advice I can give after taking them all is do not use the ALS books. The ALS books are packed with too much info and you end up over-studying. I used the ALS bok for materials and methods and studied for a week - total waste of time. For the rest of the multiple choice tests I used the Ballast books and flash cards and studied between 4 and 8 hours for each test. The graphic ones are a bit more difficult because the only way to study is to practice all of the sample problems you can get your hands on (including the free downloadable NCARB practice software). Good Luck

I'm gonna go with pre-design. Thought it was super easy and all I really did was study the ALS book the week before.

Hardest for me was lateral forces and building technology close second. I'm not big on that.