I am old school and took the last paper and pencil exam.

it was far easier for me to cram for the entire exam and take it over a four day period once.

The ARE forum has a number of threads on this topic, containing a variety of opinions. You should definitely check it out.

I'm gearing up to take my second exam in a couple of weeks....my thought was to take, what seemed like to me, the harder exams first, so that if I were not to pass, the 6th month retake time could be eaten up by taking the other exams...

Here is what I did for 3.1:

1. Predesign + Construction Docs & Services
2. Site Planning (graphic)
3. Building Planning (graphic)
4. Building Technology (graphic)
5. Mechanical & Electrical
6. Materials & Methods
7. Structures + Lateral Forces

I grouped 2 tests together for 1 and 7. I found there was a lot of overlap in material, so it made sense to schedule 2 tests for 1 session and get it over with. I'd start with what you think the easiest multiple choice test is, just to get your ball rolling. Then do the graphics sections (I think the fail rates are higher for these, you dont want to fail your last test then have to sit dead in the water for 6 months, when you could be taking other tests).

I basically did one session a month, except for the graphic sections which I did once a week. Once you learn the drawing software, there is really nothing to study for.

Any update for 4.0?  It looks as if every section now has a graphic part to the test.

I started with PPP and then did Site Design & Planning, then Schematic Design.  I've heard that this might not be the best plan of attack and that many people left PPP for the end, but I passed the first two (still waiting to hear on SD).  

I grouped CDS, SP, and PPP together, and they all had somewhat similar study material

Every section has a graphic part to it now, yes

I would go for one you feel comfortable with first, to get used to the process.  I did CDS first mainly because i had a ton of CA experience very recently and i felt pretty good about the material covered in that one.

I found both of these at areforum, which by the way, is .org not .com.

CDS 
PPP
SPD
- - -
SS
BS
BDCS
- - -
SD

SD
BDCS 
SS
BS
CDS
PPP
SPD

Seems like the grouping is more relevant than the order due to overlapping topics.

having taken 4 so far, it does seem the grouping is relevant

CDS, PPP, and SPD all seemed similar to me in that it was a lot of real world type, construction administration questions.  Lots of knowing general info about contracts, bids, pre and post construction type of thing.

I grouped those plus SD together and knocked them out in about a 5 month span

I am hoping BS and BDCS has similar material with some overlap like they say, as that is what i am on now

I hear SS is basically its own thing, not much overlap

areforum.org is a great resource for finding study material and for the practice vignettes

im basically in the exact same spot as marmkid though SD will be my next test.  I would absolutely agree that the CDS, PPP, SPD grouping makes a ton of sense.  In fact, the multiple choice portion for PPP was so much based on CDS, i felt like i barely needed to study that particular material.

Ill be recommending to all my archi friends testing soon to start with CDS... its a really broad test and, for me, required A LOT of time reading contracts and what not.  Take CDS first, and then PPP as soon after as you can.  If i had it to do over, id have taken CDS and PPP within maybe 2 weeks of each other...