ALOA ICRL study plan

Name and label the major mechanical lock families (cylindrical/bored, mortise, rim, tubular, deadbolt, padlock) and state which cylinder formats each accepts

Trace the force path through a bored cylindrical lockset from knob to latchbolt, naming each component and its failure point

Distinguish the common pin-tumbler cylinder types (screw-in, key-in-knob, mortise, rim, interchangeable core) and list where each is specified

Write your own definitions for 60 hardware and locking terms instead of copying a glossary

Match BHMA grade levels and ANSI function numbers to the applications where each is appropriate

Determine handing and swing direction for six different door conditions, including reverse-bevel and double-egress pairs

Select and adjust a surface closer so the door closes and latches against air pressure and latching resistance

Compare electric strike types (fail safe, fail secure, solenoid, continuous duty) and the frames each fits

Identify finish codes and their durability implications for high-traffic openings

Compute MACS-compliant cuts for given depth-and-space progressions and flag violations in flawed sample charts

Build a three-level keying hierarchy (grand master, master, change keys) with complete pin stacks for at least 12 change keys

Explain two-step progression and the rotate-constant rule well enough to teach them in writing

Separate key control from key management and give a concrete example of each failing in a real facility type

Design a tiered key-control policy covering issuance authority, signature levels, record retention, and loss response

Evaluate restricted keyway and patented-keyway options against cost, patent life, and replacement risk

Apply construction keying and removable-core strategies to a phased renovation scenario

Assess how a compromised cylinder can be decoded and what countermeasures reduce that exposure

Classify each electrified locking device as fail safe or fail secure and justify the choice by occupancy and egress path

Calculate a power supply load for a mixed device list and size the supply with adequate headroom for inrush

Distinguish request-to-exit devices, door position switches, and delayed egress controls by function and wiring

Compare credential technologies and reader-to-controller protocols and state the practical limits of each

Map the life-safety criteria for access-controlled egress doors to the specific devices that satisfy each criterion

Resolve three realistic conflicts where access control, fire rating, and egress requirements collide, and document the reasoning

Apply fire-door rules on labeling, clearances, and panic hardware to electrified openings

Explain how loss of power, loss of network, and loss of the controller differ in their effect on each opening

Sequence the governing documents (life-safety code, fire-door standard, accessibility standard, hardware standards, manufacturer listings) and state which wins when they conflict

Apply accessibility limits on operable force, reach range, and hardware operability to door-by-door selections

Write specification language for one opening covering hardware set, execution, submittals, and closeout requirements

Identify the submittal, substitution, and RFI steps that most often derail hardware on a project

Conduct a structured security survey of a building type you know, covering perimeter, keying, access control, and record keeping

Convert survey observations into ranked recommendations with rough cost and risk-reduction rationale

Retake every weak-area quiz from weeks 1 through 7 and rewrite the missed concepts in your own words

Sit a full-length mixed practice exam under timed conditions and analyze errors by domain