How to Use "Construction Documents and Service (CDS) ARE Mock Exam"

Check out “ARE Mock Exam Series,” and FREE ARE exam prep tips, ARE forums, slides, and mnemonics at GreenExamEducation.com

 

How to Use This Book

We suggest you read Construction Documents and Service (CDS) ARE Mock Exam (Architect Registration Exam at least three times:

Read once and cover Chapter One and Two and Appendixes and the related FREE PDF files and other resources. Highlight the information you are not familiar with.

Read twice, focusing on the highlighted information to memorize. You can repeat this process as many times as you want until you master the content of the book. Pay special attention to the following AIA documents: read them at least three times. You may have many real ARE CDS division questions based on the following AIA documents listed in bold font:

A101–2007, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor where the basis of payment is a Stipulated Sum (CCDC Document 2)

A201–2007, General Conditions of the Contract for Construction

B101–2007 (Former B141–1997), Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect (RAIC Document 6)

After reviewing these materials, you can do the mock exam, and then check your answers against the answers and explanations in the back, including explanations for the questions you answer correctly. You may have answered some questions correctly for the wrong reason. Highlight the information with which you are not familiar.

Like the real exam, the mock exam includes all three types of questions: Select the correct answer, check all that apply, and fill in the blank.

Review your highlighted information, and do the mock exam again. Try to answer 100% of the questions correctly this time. Repeat the process until you can answer all the questions correctly.

Check out “ARE Mock Exam Series,” and FREE ARE exam prep tips, ARE forums, slides, and mnemonics at GreenExamEducation.com


Do the mock exam about one week before the real exam, but at least 3 days before the real exam. You should NOT wait until the night before the real exam and then do the mock exam: If you do not do well, you will go into panic mode and you will NOT have enough time to review your weakness.

Read for the third time the night before the real exam. Review ONLY the information you highlighted, especially the questions you did not answer correctly when you did the mock exam for the first time.

One important tip for passing the graphic vignette section of the ARE CDS division is to become VERY familiar with the commands of the NCARB software. Many people fail the exam simply because they are NOT familiar with the NCARB software and cannot finish the graphic vignette section within the time limit of the exam.

For the two building section vignettes, we include step-by-step solutions using NCARB Practice Program software with many screen-shots so that you can use the book to become familiar with the commands of the NCARB software, even when you do NOT have a computer in front of you. This book is very light and you can carry it around easily. These two features will allow you to review the graphic vignette section whenever you have a few minutes.

All commands are described in an abbreviated manner. For example, Draw > Finished Ceiling means go to the menu on the left hand side of your computer screen, click Draw, and then click Ceiling to draw the ceiling. This is typical for ALL commands throughout the book.

The Table of Contents is very detailed so you can locate information quickly. If you are on a tight schedule, you can forgo reading the book linearly and jump around to the sections you need. 

Check out “ARE Mock Exam Series,” and FREE ARE exam prep tips, ARE forums, slides, and mnemonics at GreenExamEducation.com