Planning and Design - August 2026

[Dhara Oza]

Hello everyone,

I'm planning to take the LARE Planning & Design section this August and would love to hear from those who have passed it.

I didn't pass on my first attempt, so I'm looking to change my study approach. I used both LARE Prep and Pass the LARE, and while I found them to be helpful resources, I felt the actual exam questions were quite different in style and complexity.

For those who have recently passed:

• What was your study plan?
• Which resources did you find most valuable?
• What strategies or techniques helped you prepare for the exam?
• Looking back, is there anything you would do differently?

I really appreciate any advice or insights you're willing to share. Thank you in advance!

[Alex G]

 I just took the Planning & Design exam and received a likely fail. I had a very similar experience to Dhara. For anyone who passed, what study methods or resources helped you the most? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  

[Tammy C]

Hi Alex, 

I'm only getting started now but have been talking to a coworker that recently got her license in CA. She recommended joining study groups to help discuss topics and setting a schedule to study flashcards everyday while spending half the weekend studying the larger topics.

As for resources, all of my coworkers who have passed the exam, both recently and years ago, have recommended taking the SGLA Technical Training course if you can afford to. The lecturer has been holding webinars for years now and she provides a thorough study guide along with practice AITs and the recorded lectures. She aligns the course with the exam schedule so I plan to take the Planning & Design course in October to help me dial in on more focused topics. Seeing that the Planning & Design course is 3 days long makes me believe that there's a ton of material to study so it could be helpful if you haven't already looked into it.

Will you be retaking the exam in the Winter? And if so, would you like to form a study group? I'm on Pacific Standard Time

*Wishing Dhara luck on passing the August exam.