After four years of development, the latest version of the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®), ARE 5.0, launched on November 1, 2016. The updated exam incorporates new testing technologies and features six divisions that align with current practice and the progression of an architecture project. ARE 5.0 was developed with the help of practicing architects who volunteer their time and expertise, and reviewed by experts who ensure the exam is fair, reliable, and meets national testing standards.
Developed and administered by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the ARE assesses the knowledge and skills of all candidates seeking a license to practice architecture in the United States. NCARB periodically updates the exam to ensure it continues to reflect the demands of professional practice.
Aligning to Current Practice
To adapt to changes in the profession, ARE 5.0 content has been restructured into six divisions organized around architectural practice and the progression of a typical project. The new divisions also align with the experience areas of the Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®), helping candidates connect their practical experience to exam topics and making the licensure process smoother and easier to understand. ARE 5.0 test durations are substantially shorter than ARE 4.0—ranging from three and a half to five hours and reducing total seat time by eight hours.
In addition, ARE 5.0 features the latest graphic testing methods, replacing vignettes with two new question types: hot spots and drag-and-place. ARE 5.0 also includes case studies, which provide candidates with multiple pieces of information and require them to assess and solve the types of problems architects face on a daily basis.
Preparing Candidates for ARE 5.0
Candidates looking for insight into the new exam have access to several free study tools developed by NCARB. These include the ARE 5.0 Handbook, the ARE 5.0 Guidelines, the ARE 5.0 Community, the ARE 5.0 Demonstration Exam, and the ARE 5.0 Test Prep video series. In addition, as an incentive to take the new exam, the first 600 candidates to test on each division will receive a $100 gift card.
NCARB will continue to administer ARE 4.0 until June 30, 2018. This 20-month period of dual delivery will enable current candidates to finish the exam in a way that best suits their needs.
For more information about ARE 5.0 visit www.ncarb.org/ARE5.
Related Stories
| Aug 10, 2022
U.S. needs more than four million new apartments by 2035
Roughly 4.3 million new apartments will be necessary by 2035 to meet rising demand, according to research from the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and National Apartment Association.
| Aug 10, 2022
Gresham Smith Founder, Batey M. Gresham Jr., passes at Age 88
It is with deep sadness that Gresham Smith announces the passing of Batey M. Gresham Jr., AIA—one of the firm’s founders.
| Aug 9, 2022
Work-from-home trend could result in $500 billion of lost value in office real estate
Researchers find major changes in lease revenues, office occupancy, lease renewal rates.
| Aug 9, 2022
5 Lean principles of design-build
Simply put, lean is the practice of creating more value with fewer resources.
| Aug 9, 2022
Designing healthy learning environments
Studies confirm healthy environments can improve learning outcomes and student success.
Legislation | Aug 8, 2022
Inflation Reduction Act includes over $5 billion for low carbon procurement
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, recently passed by the U.S. Senate, sets aside over $5 billion for low carbon procurement in the built environment.
| Aug 8, 2022
Mass timber and net zero design for higher education and lab buildings
When sourced from sustainably managed forests, the use of wood as a replacement for concrete and steel on larger scale construction projects has myriad economic and environmental benefits that have been thoroughly outlined in everything from academic journals to the pages of Newsweek.
AEC Tech | Aug 8, 2022
The technology balancing act
As our world reopens from COVID isolation, we are entering back into undefined territory – a form of hybrid existence.
Legislation | Aug 5, 2022
D.C. City Council moves to require net-zero construction by 2026
The Washington, D.C. City Council unanimously passed legislation that would require all new buildings and substantial renovations in D.C. to be net-zero construction by 2026.
Cultural Facilities | Aug 5, 2022
A time and a place: Telling American stories through architecture
As the United States enters the year 2026, it will commence celebrating a cycle of Sestercentennials, or 250th anniversaries, of historic and cultural events across the land.