What others are saying about Building Design
and Construction Systems (BDCS) ARE
Mock Exam (Architect Registration Exam)…
“Great study guide for broad range of BDCS Exam
“This was a great resource supplement to my other study
resources. I appreciated the mock exam questions the most, and the solutions
offer an explanation as to why the answer is correct. I will definitely check
out his other ARE exam resources!
UPDATE:
Got my PASS Letter!”
—Sean Primeaux
“Add this to your ARE study
“This was a very helpful practice exam and discussion. I
really appreciated the step-by-step review of the author's approach to solving
the graphic vignettes. The BDCS is a challenging test and I believe that every
bit of help finding the right solutions to the vignettes was necessary for me
to make passing solutions within the allotted time. If I had made any other
mistakes I would have been in real trouble. As I studied it last before taking
the test Gang Chen's book probably made the difference for me.”
—Dan Clowes (“XLine”)
“Excellent resource!
“This publication was very helpful in my preparation for the
BDCS portion of the Architectural Registration Exam. It contained a mock exam
with 85 multiple choice questions, followed by the answers and brief explanations
to the answers. Also included, and most beneficial, were the overall strategies
and tips for the ramp, stairs, & roof vignettes. Each practice vignette was
solved step-by-step in a logical manner. The most valuable information for me
were the "notes on NCARB traps", a list of common errors made by test
takers, and a "summary of critical dimensions", which is a checklist
of compliant dimensions to have in mind while taking the exam. There are also
many websites referenced that add to the experience of studying for this
exam...Good Luck on your exam!
UPDATE:
Received PASS letter!”
—Doug Bentzinger (“Doug”)
“Good supplemental mock exam
“I found the mock exam to be very helpful, all of the
answers are explained thoroughly and really help you understand why it is
correct...Also the introduction and test taking tips are very helpful for new
candidates just starting the ARE process.”
—Bgrueb01 (Quoted from Amazon
Customer Review)
“Great Study Tool for ARE-BDCS Exam
“This is a great study tool to use when preparing for the
BDCS exam. I highly recommend. I used Mr. Chen's CDS Mock Exam book and found
it very helpful. I also Passed the CDS after utilizing Chen's book. After
reading the BDCS Mock exam book I found it to be setup the same way as CDS. Which
has helpful tips for taking the exam both MC and Graphics portion. I like how
it is similar to the way that NCARB asks questions on the exam and give
explanation of why the answer chosen is correct or wrong.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book for those going to take the BDCS exam. I would say
this is the best study material out there!!! I hope that Mr. Chen would
write books for BS, SS, PPP, & SPD. Thanks.”
—James Lushbough
“Essential Study Tool
“I have read the book and found it to be a great study guide
for myself. Mr. Gang Chen does such a great job of helping you get into the
right frame of mind for the content of the exam. Mr. Chen breaks down the
points on what should be studied and how to improve your chances of a pass with
his knowledge and tips for the exam and practice vignettes.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that is taking the BDCS part of the ARE
Exams as it is an invaluable tool in the preparation for the exam as Mr. Chen
provides a vast amount of knowledge in a very clear, concise, and logical
matter.”
—Luke Giaccio
“Wish I had this book earlier
“I used Mr. Chen's CDS mock exam, which was invaluable to me
for passing CDS on my first attempt. Unfortunately, the BDCS mock exam wasn't
out prior to my taking that exam, on which I did not fare so well. After having
looked at the BDCS book, I know that I would have done better, much better, if
I had it to study. Nevertheless, the vignette walk-throughs are particularly
helpful in navigating NCARB's notoriously difficult software by proposing a
logically ordered sequence and showing where inefficiencies could be eliminated
to save time and perfect solutions...The questions are written like the NCARB
questions, with various types...check all that apply, fill in the blank, best
answer, etc. The answer key helpfully describes why the correct answer is
correct, and why the incorrect answers are not. Take it from my experience, at
half the cost of other mock exams, this is a must buy if you want to pass BDCS
the first time you take it.”
—Domiane Forte (“Vitruvian Duck”)
“He does a good job of taking you through the vignettes in
particular and the test questions are a fair approximation of what you might
expect to encounter. Highly recommended.”
—Gary Leivers (“ukarch66”)
“Highly recommended for A.R.E. candidates!
“The material presented in the BDCS ARE Mock Exam book is
excellent. It is presented in a manner which students or candidates for the
A.R.E. can understand and gain conceptual knowledge. The practical vignette
design solutions are great. It helped me prepare for the BDCS exam with
confidence.”
—Stephen Bent (“bentarchitect”)
“BDCS ARE Mock Exam -- Great for Vignettes
“This prep book is a great way to prepare for the Building
Design and Construction Systems ARE. The author takes you through all three of
the vignettes and gives step by step instructions on how to find the
solutions-- including graphics. Also, there are summaries of the key dimensions
that you need to know.
I recommend using this book to prepare for the exam-- especially if you've had
trouble with the NCARB software in the past.”
—Christine Williams
“Good Mock Exam
“... The mock exam is very useful as a tool to
estimate how well you know the material. It's tougher than the NCARB practice
tests, making it more realistic. He does a good job pointing you in the right
direction for study materials (what documents to read, etc.)...”
—Penelope Marvel (penny “penny”)
“Good Study Guide
“I am using this as a supplemental study guide for the BDCS
ARE Exam and the step by step instructions on how to tackle the vignettes has
been very helpful. The multiple choice mock exam was very helpful for
discovering where my weaknesses were as well. I would highly recommend this as
part of your study material for this exam.”
—Bryan Bell (“bell1658”)
“BDCS - Gang Chen ARE Study Guide
“This is a great addition to the long list of study
guides for the ARE BDCS exam. I used the practice exam as an additional
preparation for this exam. Just found out that i passed BDCS! I recommend this
guide to other ARE candidates!”
—Brian Fracasse (“BFracasse”)
“Love it
“This is a good book to start studying for the BD&CS
Exam..especially the vignette instructions, it gives a step by step guide to
solving them. With illustration from the NCARB practice program. I have never
seen any other book showing them which makes it a lot easier how the software
works.
The multiple choice questions are good in helping you
prepare to some of the style of questions that the real ARE exam will be.
Overall, I am pleased in getting this book in helping me
with my studies.
Thank You!!!”
—Phoebe Lee
“Great additional resource for passing the BDCS exam!
“For architectural interns seeking to decipher the cryptic
nature of the NCARB Architect Registration Exam's Building Design and
Construction Systems, Gang Chen's Mock Exam book helps to clarify things. The
essential component of this guide is the step-by-step manner in which the
graphics portion of this exam in delineated with the accompanying support
images. The majority of the commercially available resources do not provide
this kind of dispensement of information. This edition is invaluable for this reason.
I am currently still in the process of going through my other study materials
for the written content portion of the exam and reserve comments regarding the
multiple choice portion of this guide, but at a cursory review, seems to cover
the breadth of the exam
— Jeff Koo
“Chen's Book Helped me prepare for the A.R.E
“I took my time going through the book and comparing it to
the other study guides that I have for the exam. Chen's book is very helpful in
preparing for the graphic drawing portions of the exam. The questions in the
mock exam, just like on the real exam, are thrown at you in different styles:
pick all that apply, select the best two, choose the incorrect statement, etc.
Which I felt was good practice for the exam. Some of the questions come very
close to the questions on the actual test. I would recommend this guide as
another useful tool in preparing for the A.R.E.”
—Troy Bettridge (“Archtulsa”)
“BDCS: ARE Mock Exam
“The book starts off with an overview of the Architecture
Registration Exam. In this chapter gives important information on understanding
the who what when where and why of the Intern Development Program (IDP) and the
Architecture Registration Exams (ARE). If you're just starting out with your
tests and you don't know where to start, this chapter condenses enough
information to at least point you in the right direction. He answers some
questions that a lot of people want to know about testing times, exam formats,
and other various tips for all 7 of the tests, not just BDCS.
Chapter two dives into the exam content of the BDCS test. He
lists various resources you should consult in your studying for this exam,
which I believe to be vary valuable. With the other two tests I've studied for
(CDS and SPD) I felt lost as to what books actually covered the material,
always fearing that I've left something out. Along with the book list also
comes tips on how to use the vignette software specifically for the vignettes
on this test. The book includes screen shots of the lovely graphics software we
are forced to use on the ARE's which help explain the steps to take to solve
the vignettes. As another reviewer pointed out, there is a definite focus on
how to pass the vignettes, whereas the multiple choice is presented in a way
for you to "test" yourself in a mock exam setting...All in all I
would recommend this book as yet another way to expose yourself to NCARB like
questions before taking the real exam and get another perspective on how to
conquer the vignettes for this test.”
—Nicholas Allen
“Very Helpful!!!
“This book has been a great help in preparing for the
Building Design and Construction Systems ARE Exam. The book gives a very
detailed explanation for each of the vignettes as well as a step by step guide
on how to complete each one within the exam format. The author goes to great
lengths to identify tips and potential mistakes for each vignette.
Unlike many practice guides and books that are generic and focused on multiple
exams, this one is extremely detailed and directed specifically for the BDCS
exam. It includes a practice exam that surpasses all others. I found the
practice exam (85 questions) to be invaluable for my preparation. In addition
the author also offers many test taking, studying, exam order, and reference
material guidelines and tips.”
