AARE study plan

Map the ARE 5.0 exam structure and AARE domain weights onto a personal tracker, converting each of the nine domains into a checklist of sub-skills you can rate 1–5.

Draft a written pre-design workflow that sequences client interview, existing-conditions survey, code and zoning research, and budget/schedule validation before schematic design begins.

Build a one-page programming matrix template linking space types to square footage, adjacency requirements, occupancy, and code-driven egress assumptions.

Solve five practice scenarios that require converting a client's stated needs into a written program with net-to-gross area calculations.

Explain in writing how a project budget, schedule, and program constrain one another, using one worked example with numbers.

Analyze three case-study building types (e.g., clinic, school, small office) and list the programming drivers unique to each.

Practice writing measurable design objectives that respond to a client's operational and budget constraints.

Compute net-to-gross ratios and usable-area yields for at least three hypothetical floor plates.

Draft a schematic-design phase schedule with review gates tied to owner sign-off and code-review checkpoints.

Self-quiz on pre-design vocabulary (feasibility study, conditions assessment, charrette, basis of design) until you can define each without notes.

Conduct a written site analysis for a hypothetical urban infill parcel covering solar orientation, prevailing wind, noise, views, drainage, and access.

Compute sun angles and shadow impacts for at least two dates using a simple solar-position method, and record conclusions in writing.

Compare shallow versus deep foundation systems and list the site conditions that drive each choice.

Diagram how structural bay spacing, floor-to-floor height, and lateral system choice affect a building's planning module.

Identify the environmental regulations (wetlands, floodplain, stormwater, erosion control) that could constrain a chosen site and note which agency governs each.

Compare steel, concrete, masonry, and wood structural systems on span capability, fire resistance, cost, and schedule, and record the comparison in a table.

Select and justify a structural system for two hypothetical building programs with different span and load requirements.

Assemble a materials matrix matching at least six common assemblies (wall, roof, floor, glazing) to their performance attributes and typical specifications.

Write three specification-style paragraphs using correct CSI MasterFormat division language for one assembly.

Explain in writing how structural movement, tolerances, and connection detailing affect finish and envelope selection.

Calculate heating and cooling load drivers for a simple building and explain how envelope, orientation, and internal gains change the result.

Diagram a complete HVAC, plumbing, and electrical distribution concept for a two-story building, labeling shafts, chases, and equipment rooms.

Compare at least three HVAC system types on first cost, energy use, space requirements, and maintenance.

Identify the code and energy-standard requirements that drive mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design decisions for your hypothetical project.

Write a paragraph explaining how an integrated envelope-and-systems decision reduces total energy use, citing specific measures.

Build a code-compliance checklist covering occupancy classification, egress width and travel distance, fire separations, and accessibility for one hypothetical project.

Apply accessibility requirements to a restroom and an entry sequence, documenting clearances and reach ranges with written dimensions.

Interpret zoning parameters (setbacks, FAR, height, parking) to determine maximum buildable envelope for a sample parcel.

Draft a construction-observation log entry and a field report describing a nonconforming condition and the correct follow-up action.

Outline the contract-administration sequence from pre-construction meeting through substantial completion and punch list, naming each party's role.

Analyze at least four ethical scenarios (conflict of interest, undisclosed error, owner pressure, gift acceptance) and write the defensible course of action for each.

Map the standard AIA contract family to project delivery methods and identify which agreement governs each phase.

Draft a risk-management plan for a small firm project covering scope creep, fee negotiation, and documentation standards.

Practice writing a professional disagreement memo that separates technical facts from business judgment.

Self-quiz on professional-practice vocabulary (standard of care, indemnity, lien, submittal, RFI, change order) until definitions are automatic.

Complete a timed full-length practice exam under test conditions and score it by domain.

Review every missed item and write a one-sentence correction note that names the underlying principle, not just the answer.

Re-rate your nine-domain skill checklist and identify the two weakest domains for targeted review.

Build a final two-week review schedule that prioritizes weak domains while maintaining weekly practice on strong ones.

Rehearse a verbal walkthrough of one integrated design scenario, connecting pre-design, programming, systems, and code decisions in a single narrative.