SECTION 1 Failed second time - should Intake SECTION 2?

[Lucila Silva-Santisteban]

Hi everyone,

A little advice—

I just got my results for the Section 1 exam and I didn’t pass. I got 588 this second time. The first time I got 431. :(  I have consciously studied, did many practice tests and read the books. Had flash cards, etc. I really hope they (Clarb) could give more personal feedback of the exams, even if it’s for a price. I work full time as a landscape designer and maybe that’s what affects my perspective on the test, since the test sometimes is not what you would do in real life. Idk.

Anyways, I’m thinking of taking Section 2 to keep going with this. Should I do this or keep trying with Section 1? Any advice? please?

[kiwi]

I just passed all four test first time.  For section 1 and 2 I studied the two weeks in between, and that's it.  I wish I could help you.  I can only tell you, you not only need to understand the definition but how that applies in the real world.  For every question, I do not answer immediately, I flag it.  At the end, I go back to all flags and rethink, as maybe my brain is now caught up in testing mode.  After that I go back and make sure I check the right number.. Pick 2 and picked 2.  I have caught several mistakes where I picked the wrong number.  If it were me, I would retake but also consider another exam.  They tend to overlap and I found they get a little easier as you understand some terms better as you are seeing them in difference scenarios.  I did 1/4 and 2/3 combos.  I also used google but that can be "iffy" and I tried a study group, but I found that more confusing and just not for me.

[Nathan Zrini]

Hi There,

I've been there. I failed Section 1 twice also. (both with a score of 630). i know you understand that pain.

What worries me, to be honest is your score. 430 and 580 in my assumption tells me you are not grasping something. You and i both understand that the questions they ask on the test are designed to trick you up. and those scores suggest to me you are a bit off on the critical thinking side of the experience/test. 

Anyway, lets take a look at the future,. 

Focus on a fresh start, But i would say, stay on section 1. What does a fresh start look like? 

1. i formed a study group of people in my region taking the exams (we started with section 1) - Used google Docs and Sheets, we each covered a chapter in the book and we would have good lengthy discussions, to the point where we discovered where we were getting critical of the material in the practice tests vs the text books, vs the real world decision making. 

2. i started from scratch and re-read Hinze and Ramroth and Russ, with my study group.

3. After 3 months of meeting weekly,  we still met weekly, but purchased LAREprep test and did all the other tests (as you did also) and we came together once, sometimes twice a week to go over test questions. 

4. One thing i talk about a lot with section 1 is the layers of contract admin. i mean that in a sense of once one thing occurs its part of a sequence of events (similar to CriTicAl PaTh MetHod..) Understanding and formulating in your mind, how the events are sequenced i find is so important. (example could be how to execute a change order, whats involved, and how or what is also effected.) i'm being general...but everything is sort of connected in a way and its all about understand the process or sequence of contract admin and what it means by definition, but what does it cause on site, or in regards to the project..etc.

5. Your Work! what is your supervisor doing to help you grasp these terms/contract admin, project management..etc. you should ask some questions of your advisor/manager on how they can support you. if they care, they will provide experience/learning opportunity.

6. one such work option is, at Lunch, i would send a mass email out to my co-workers (could just be the LA department or even engineers, and ask a LAREprep or Clarb Practice test, or shake and bake question) and see what they come back with, ask them why they think that is the correct answer, then at the end of lunch or end of day tell them the right answer from the book. / review page..

The reason i'm suggesting section 1, its what i did, i'm maybe a moron and stubborn and wanted it before i moved on to two. but i also think its a study thing, if you move on, your going to lose some of what you have already learned. 

i hope this helps,

your doing great, keep it up, and you can achieve this, maybe just finding some people and organizing some people can offer something more. thats what i discovered. 

p.s i saw the reply offered by other, and just couldn't stand what they had posted, as they have no idea what you are dealing with.

[Anna]

I think this is a question depending on what kind of study habit do you have. 

If English is your second language, and you are just confused by CLARB'S testing questions, so you actually know the answers but because of the way they asked, you were confused and struggled during the test, I would highly recommend you taking another one AT THE SAME TIME when you prepare the first test. 

Just because these tests are all overlapping, (not 1 and 3, but 1 and 2, 1 and 4) and you will feel much easier to soak into the way CLARB is thinking.

[jo...@smm.studio]

I also failed Section 1 the first time. In my experience... I studied/read Hinze and other people study notes for MONTHS before the first test and failed. For me it was very clear which questions I knew the answer to 100% and which ones I didn't. So for the second time around I made sure to re-read those section(s) again. For the second time I only spent about 2 weeks studying, reviewing all the definitions again, and making sure I remember the definitions of the ones I was unsure of. I also studied from the LARE practice exam too. I find the practice exams were really helpful. They are good for understanding why CLARB defines them as the answer, but I wouldn't get caught up in memorizing the content. 

Of course, when I retook the exam for the second time, there were still a few questions I didn't know the answer to and for those ones I made my best assumptions based on CLARB's description of a LA's role. Sometimes, the answer is also within the question itself. I also noticed I got some of the same questions again from the first time I took it. 

Like others said, I would definitely recommend taking Section 1 again, I think the chances of getting the same questions again would be greater if you retake it in Aug. Also, since your scores are getting higher each time it would be best to retake while it is still fresh in your mind. 

Good luck and don't let this bring you down! 

[Jinglin Zhao]

I failed section 1 on April as well. I will take 2nd try on Aug. Finger crossed for us!!

[WobbleGobbo]

I'd also suggest sticking with Section 1 because you know the materials since you've been studying. Unfortunately, CLARB doesn't share the breakdown of your exam to give you a better idea of what you might not know. But coming out of the exam, are there topics that you don't know as well? (Don't say what they are, we're not allowed to discuss exam contents.) I'd suggest sitting down with the LARE Orientation guide and see which topics you were unsure of while taking the exam and tackle those first.

Hinze was my holy bible when I prepared for Section 1. The LARE Prep tests were extremely helpful for me and the test format helped me get back into the mindset of exam taking. The practice exams shared amongst this group (top of the thread) were unfortunately, very outdated and wasn't helpful. I spent quite a bit of time going through the big list of terms and practice exams and they weren't the right materials for me.

I'm not sure if you used the LARE Prep, but I also used that to help me guide my studies. I'd take the exam once, and go through my answers and write down the reasoning/explantaions (it helps me remember them better). Then I'd read up and study the topics that I didn't get the right answers on, or topics I feel shaky on. Wait for a while and then go back to retake the exam and see how much I have progressed. LARE Prep had helped me a lot on Exam 1 and 2.

This isn't quite relevant to what you might have posted. But I've noticed that if English isn't your first language, Section 3 seems to be the most challenging one, especially for non-native speaker. I found myself struggling to understand the questions and the LARE Prep didn't help as much (LARE Prep questions were too simplified and straight to the point, comparatively speaking). Good luck!

[Kindra Ericksen]

I just passed the first time.  I got the practice exams early on.  I took them to see how I would do just straight out of the box.  I failed every single one of them but I studied the areas which I was doing poorly in the most.  Then I watch the videos from ASLA, I got some notes off of this group which were very helpful.  I read all the books.  I read Hinze twice.. I read took all the practice exams until I got 90% on everything.

It was helpful to remember everything landscape architects have to do has to do with health safety and welfare.  About how processes work from one to the other and the reasons behind them.  

I’ve been working in the industry for a long time but contracts it was one of my worst subjects.  I did find some of it was memorization but a lot of it was just retaking the test over and over again until you get 90% or higher.  I did that strategy when I took my LEED exam as well and it worked.