Passed 1-4 first time

[Kate Jones]

Hello LARE group, I thought I would share my study strategy for what it's worth. :)

I took one exam per period, partly because my employer was paying and I felt the need to pass the first time, and also because I get overwhelmed easily.  It helped my anxiety level to fully focus on one at a time. Use the LARE orientation guide as an overall measure of what you should know, but don't be surprised to see some crossover between  exams.   Start studying as early as possible, preferably at least two months before the test date. I made flashcards for all exams, and for 1, 2 and 3 I used the LAREprep practice tests. 

A little more detail:

For exam 1 -  i used Hinze over and over again for reference and reading. If you don't have experience working with contracts, I suggest speaking with someone who does, and asking lots of questions. I handle these with work, and the real world experience helped immensely. 

For exam 2- this was the easiest exam for me, and i was able to lean heavily on my work experience with site analysis and inventory.  Also  I used 

• Site Analysis:  A Contextual Approach to Sustainable Land Planning and Site Design / LaGro
• Site Planning and Design Handbook, 2nd Edition / Russ

For both exams  3 and 4, I mixed it up and signed up for a class to prep. I highly recommend a study class! I don't think i would have passed exam 4 the first time without the help of Sarah Gronquist's LARE prep. There are  other prep classes out there as well that are great. The timing worked out to sign up for hers and it was worth it. Overall, don't obsess over details. Figure out what the high level concepts are, and don't get too immersed/obsessed with knowing every term, connector or soil type.  When taking the exams, try to figure out the purpose of the question and identify what traps may exist.  As always, remember that safety and welfare of the public is #1.  I hope this is helpful and good luck!

[Jessica]

Thanks for taking the time to write this! I hope you get a raise!