What Is the Best ARE 5.0 Testing Order?

One of the most common questions those on the path to licensure ask — perhaps the most common question — is, “What order should I take these exams in?” I never know how to respond because when I answer this question truthfully, I see a look of disappointment —  if not outright anguish— on the face of the questioner.

On some occasions, I’ve made up an ARE 5.0 testing order in my head, just so the questioner can reach the certainty they seek.

Does Test Order Really Matter?

Most of the people I speak to about this engage in one of four ARE 5.0 test order paths:

1. PcM, PjM and CE

2. PA, PPD and PDD

Or

1. PcM and PjM

2. PA

3. PPD and PDD

4. CE

Or

1. PcM

2. PjM

3. PA

4. PPD

5. PDD

6. CE

Or

1. PcM, PjM, PA, PPD, PDD and CE (all at once)

I’m not sure why the following statement seems controversial: the ARE 5.0 testing order really doesn’t matter that much.

You’re better off focusing on content ownership. Always.

If you had to pass the following three exams to get your driver’s license, what would be the best order: (1) a road driving test, (2) a street driving test, and (3) a paved surface driving test? Obviously, it wouldn’t make a difference what order you took those three exams in. 

Admittedly, there is more difference between the six ARE divisions than in my fictional driving test example, but not much more difference. Content overlap between divisions is the defining feature of ARE 5.0–an order of magnitude more overlap than previous exam formats. 

You are likely to see something like welding types in PjM and you are likely to see something like contract clauses in PPD. If you study for all of the exams at once, then take them in a row as if they comprised a single six-part exam, you’ll increase your probability of passing each exam by 20%, you’ll pass your exams with one-half as many hours studying and you’ll reach licensure in one-quarter as many months. 

These numbers are not scientific, but I stand by them. I was the first in the country to pass the ARE 5.0, I’ve helped tens of thousands of people study for these exams, I directly communicate with dozens of exam takers each week and I’m pretty sure I know more about these exams than anyone in the world (that doesn’t have an @ncarb.org suffix on their work email address).

Should I Take All Exams At Once?

I can promise you that the taking-all-at-once strategy is the best path for you at any stage of life or any level of busyness. About to have a kid? Take all six at once. Just had a kid? Take all six at once. Just graduated college? Take all six at once. Bad at testing? Endured a bad breakup? Have bad breath? Take all six at once.

“But Michael, PPD covers what you should know for the design development (DD) phase of a project and PDD covers what you should know for the construction documents (CD) phase of a project and CE covers… “ 

My response: “All true, but when studying roofing or HVAC or soils, how would you know where to start and stop studying to align with DD or CD? How is it more efficient to study for the DD part, then take that test, then study for the CD part later and hope you remember the DD cognitive foundation you learned months ago? And given that 20% of the CD test will include content from other phases, and most people who fail miss passing by just a tiny bit, and given that you have to study the other design phases anyway for the other exam divisions, why would you want to spend so much of the next decade studying only to endure setbacks?”

That said, most people prefer to study for each division (or maybe a cluster of two or three divisions) separately, and we support that. Indeed, most Amber Book enrollees use the course to study for one or two exams at a time, and we’ve set up the curriculum to accommodate that because we know that the second-best way to get licensed is to schedule just one exam in your calendar at any pace of your choosing. 

We love when you get licensed; we love you when you take one test at a time because we love you when you have an exam scheduled on your calendar for any reason at any time. Sometimes just getting the task on your calendar is the most important thing. The penalty for a failed exam remains so small, that there’s no reason to wait — if you fail, brush yourself off and retake as soon as possible.

Many people group the “pro practice” exams (PcM, PjM and CE) together and take those first in their ARE 5.0 testing order. CE proves vexing because those who know nothing about that exam assume from its name (Construction & Evaluation) that it covers technical content, but those who know a little about that exam assume from what they’ve heard from others that it covers pro-practice content.

In actuality, CE covers pro-practice for two-thirds of the division and technical content for the other one-third. When planning, keep in mind that you will need to study the technical content of CE for the other three technical exams anyway. 

Then, once they’ve cleared the first three pro-practice divisions, most people group the “technical” exams (PA, PPD and PDD) and study for them in a cluster. 

What If I Need To Separate The Exams?

While best practice suggests studying for all six at once, we think the conventional wisdom to separate them into any of the following ARE 5.0 test orders should work well too:

1. PcM, PjM and CE

2. PA, PPD, and PDD

Or

1. PcM and PjM

2. PA

3. PPD and PDD

4. CE

Or

1. PcM

2. PjM

3. PA

4. PPD

5. PDD

6. CE

Or, your best option,

1. PcM, PjM, PA, PPD, PDD and CE (all at once)

How close together should the all-at-once exam strategy be booked? As close as your work schedule will allow. I took two in one day, then took two more again the next day!