Im not sure about those packages you talk about .. but get

Flash Cards (mine are for 3.1, but still relevant)
Get your hands on Kaplan Practice Exams
Prof. Dorf Solutions is a MUST
ARE forum FTP

I passed CDS and Im working on PPP ...ballast PPP and SPD dont seem to be the greatest ..so i picked up Kaplan for PPP

Check out the ARE forum ..youll prob get more help there

Which exam are you taking?

I bought the ArchiFlash flashcards for 4.0 and they have been a great help

I used Kaplan as a general guide to read through (pretty much only once through)

And I used the practice program to study the vignettes on the ARE forum


So i really only spent money on the ArchiFlash. They have definitely been worth it

So far at least. passed PPP, CDS, SD, and SPD all on the first try. Now on to Structures. I may have to find another study source for that one though



I'd be a bit hesitant to spend too much money on study materials though. It seems a lot of it comes from regular work experience, so i am not sure how much having tons of bought materials really adds to your studying, beyond overwhelming you with too much information?


I havent really seen the Ballast book, though i hear its good. I wouldnt worry about buying anything specific for the vignettes though. For the 4 exams i have taken, the practice program and alternates on the ARE forum were more than enough to get me confident for the vignette part of the exams.

and check your local AIA office if it is close by, because they usually have the Kaplan study guides you can borrow for free

Ive only taken and passed one exam but I disagree with marmkid on the vignette study guide ...Dorf gives you step by step process to solve the vignettes ...the ARE vignette program is mildly retarded and people talk about failing the vignette portion for the stupidest reasons, so having that guide was a def. help ...but i suppose you can get by with just help from the ARE forum

I suppose it depends on how much the Dorf book costs. I thought i had heard it was rather expensive, which is what the OP is asking. I never said the Dorf guide wasnt helpful.

the ARE vignette program is "mildly retarded", but if you have the practice program, you have the same "retarded" program you will be testing with. you also have 5-6 variations of what you will be seeing on the actual test, so plenty to practice from. all you need to do is post your results on the forum and get feedback, they seem to be pretty good with all the small annoying errors from the actual exam.



At least for the 4 exams i have taken (CDS, PPP, SD and SPD), the vignettes are very very simple, and i think people get a little too worked up over them. When i say simple, i mean very few (if any) "tricks". They are basically a variation of the practice program example




Is it correct that the Dorf guides are at least over $100 for each section, or over $1000 for the "complete package"?

The vignettes are very simple and straight forward

Im boring dorf for the vignettes from a friend ..so i guess i shouldnt advocate it to much

Im not sure how much they are ..but i wouldnt spend 100$ on it either

I didnt realize there were other variations other than the 3.1 practice program ...im gonna have to look into that

Thanks for the input. I was looking for the archiflash cards, but it looks like you have to buy the software now. Boo. I guess I'll break down and get them. It sounds like they have been helpful to most people I speak with.

As for Kaplan, I was warned off their books by a couple people, but perhaps the practice exams are different or avaliable seperately?

Bewtween the Dorf guide and buckling down to get completely facile with NCARB's software I think the vignettes ought to be fairly straightforward.

the Kaplan books are very basic for the most part, and really only good for a quick read and overview
I'd say only use them if you can borrow them for free from the AIA or something

their practice exams are helpful, though i was scoring in the 60s and 70s on them, yet passed the real exams. So i am not sure how accurate they are compared to the actual test

Disclaimer: I'm an ARE 3.1 guy, but this should still hold true:

Solutions by Dorf is essential, and I paid $80 for a used copy, and sold it for roughly the same price after the exams. I would advise using the rather thin NCARB guides with Dorf, if only to round out the vignette studying.

I didn't buy all my materials in a big package, but I have found that a slightly different combination of study materials yielded a good result: (i.e. I thought Kaplan & Ballast were essential for PPP but not MM or mech/elec - apologies I don't know the new abbreviations!).

Beyond the study guides, other resources like the MEEB book for mech/electrical systems or Allen's 'Fundamentals of Building Construction' for materials/methods provided a lot of 'meat' compared to the more condensed Kaplan/Ballast. Whether or not this was overkill, I'll never know.

areforum is a gold mine, any test takers would do well to immerse themselves right away. and good luck!