Paper and pencil are essential in the architectural thinking process just as the sketch is essential in the profession. Sincerely, Please do not eliminate from ARE tests. I have found the scratch paper a necessary tool to manifest thoughts towards solutions during test taking.
J
Jim Wright
5 years ago
Terrible change in policy
M
Marco
5 years ago
Please reconsider! WE NEED SCRATCH PAPER BACK!
A
Anonymous
5 years ago
This is ridiculous. NCARB already has noted, consistent and unresolved issues with their online systems. This will only compound the problem. I fail to see why scratch paper in a supervised testing environment should removed in order to maintain 'integrity' of the exam. Scratch paper is only distributed by the test center and removed after completion of the exam. Why this would compromise the exam in any way is incomprehensible.
D
Daniel
5 years ago
Unacceptable.
K
Kathleen Benoit
5 years ago
What the actual heck - there is no good reason NOT to allow scratch paper. Please reconsider.
M
Mayra Pelayo
5 years ago
We
Need
Scratch
Paper
!
A
Anonymous
5 years ago
I'm really distraught by the news of cancelling the scratch paper. It helped me alot to be able to write things down but now i feel it will be impossible to pass the test
E
Emily Lynn
5 years ago
First off, this will hinder a select group of people and will not affect everyone the same. This makes the testing completely unfair. You would also need to add way more time to the test to make up for slower typing versus handwriting, and your brain doesn’t function the same way. Unless I can use a touchscreen and a stylus to write out my notes, this “whiteboard” tool will not function like you’re praying it will. Secondly, if you’re allowing virtual proctoring, you had to find a way for that to be even remotely fair. You’re not taking people’s glasses and giving them a once over, you’re not checking pockets and ankles, you’re definitely not metal detecting. So please tell me how having a piece of paper and a pencil that you can show on screen as blank and normal is any different than being given those things at the testing center. Send people a pencil and the blank yellow booklet in a sealed envelope that they’re not allowed to open until test day. Or make them pick it up from the testing center in the same sealed envelope. Then they can open said envelope on camera before their test begins. You have zero argument that it affects the integrity and security of the exam in any way. It’s given to us at the center and taken from us before we leave. Taking away my pencil and paper is a ludicrous stipulation; no matter which way you slice it.
G
Grant Wylie
5 years ago
Every aspect of the architecture profession revolves around the use of paper for visual problem solving. So it would seem counterintuitive to provide testing that does not allow for the use of paper.
B
Brad Domingue
5 years ago
This is absolutely devastating. Please don’t take the scratch sheet. This is the one thing that has been a constant for all of my exams. The scratch sheet is a “comfort blanket” for me and for other test takers. Please don’t remove this!
M
Matthew Drake
5 years ago
This is absolutely bonkers. Why can't we get the support we deserve?
N
Nicholas Buccelli
5 years ago
This seems like a well intentioned misuse of time and resources. Come on, if we can't design a test so that it's secure to write a couple things on a piece of paper, seems like a bad test. I'm guessing there's some legal risk management involved. Bottom line: is developing an application to replace the use of scratch paper, validating, testing, and troubleshooting it really the highest ROI problem NCARB could be solving? Perhaps yes, or inextricably connected to the highest ROI problem, but a gut check on whether this is a great idea seems negative.
S
Sharon Harvey
5 years ago
NCARB should be assisting candidates, not making things more difficult. The computer software crashes already, and for 5 hours staring at a computer screen is very bad for one's eyes and concentration levels. There is no way to cheat even with scratch paper- the exam is about applying knowledge not memorization.
L
Lila Jiang
5 years ago
Absolutely ridiculous.
N
Nikole Self
5 years ago
This is outrageous. Scratch paper is a necessity
L
Linda Mejia
5 years ago
I NEED, 100%, the physical scratch paper for the exam. We are studying to be architects, we use PAPER to draw, sketch, take notes. Paper is not obsolete! Please fix the existing glitches and bugs instead of bringing in new horrible ideas!
L
Lindsay Conkel
5 years ago
It’s unfair to take away scratch paper for exams, especially in person exams. No one gains anything by taking this away. It’s absurd given the visual and mathematical nature of our profession. How can a new note taking system be implemented especially with no additional time? Already problems with the current exam software this will only create additional issues and frustrations.
L
Lesley Castle
5 years ago
I personally have experienced computer glitches while taking the exam that prevented me from seeing exam content while testing. The running clock did not stop or pause during the inability to see diagrams and content on my exam, therefore I not only couldn’t see content but I lost time to complete the exam due to these computer glitches. It is crucial to use scratch paper to solve multiple step calculations on these exams. Please allow scrap paper and work on solving the computer glitches instead of removing a needed tool to pass and take these exams, such as paper. Thank you for your understanding to work with us to find better solutions.
I agree to the comments
Paper and pencil are essential in the architectural thinking process just as the sketch is essential in the profession. Sincerely, Please do not eliminate from ARE tests. I have found the scratch paper a necessary tool to manifest thoughts towards solutions during test taking.
Terrible change in policy
Please reconsider! WE NEED SCRATCH PAPER BACK!
This is ridiculous. NCARB already has noted, consistent and unresolved issues with their online systems. This will only compound the problem. I fail to see why scratch paper in a supervised testing environment should removed in order to maintain 'integrity' of the exam. Scratch paper is only distributed by the test center and removed after completion of the exam. Why this would compromise the exam in any way is incomprehensible.
Unacceptable.
What the actual heck - there is no good reason NOT to allow scratch paper. Please reconsider.
We Need Scratch Paper !
I'm really distraught by the news of cancelling the scratch paper. It helped me alot to be able to write things down but now i feel it will be impossible to pass the test
First off, this will hinder a select group of people and will not affect everyone the same. This makes the testing completely unfair. You would also need to add way more time to the test to make up for slower typing versus handwriting, and your brain doesn’t function the same way. Unless I can use a touchscreen and a stylus to write out my notes, this “whiteboard” tool will not function like you’re praying it will. Secondly, if you’re allowing virtual proctoring, you had to find a way for that to be even remotely fair. You’re not taking people’s glasses and giving them a once over, you’re not checking pockets and ankles, you’re definitely not metal detecting. So please tell me how having a piece of paper and a pencil that you can show on screen as blank and normal is any different than being given those things at the testing center. Send people a pencil and the blank yellow booklet in a sealed envelope that they’re not allowed to open until test day. Or make them pick it up from the testing center in the same sealed envelope. Then they can open said envelope on camera before their test begins. You have zero argument that it affects the integrity and security of the exam in any way. It’s given to us at the center and taken from us before we leave. Taking away my pencil and paper is a ludicrous stipulation; no matter which way you slice it.
Every aspect of the architecture profession revolves around the use of paper for visual problem solving. So it would seem counterintuitive to provide testing that does not allow for the use of paper.
This is absolutely devastating. Please don’t take the scratch sheet. This is the one thing that has been a constant for all of my exams. The scratch sheet is a “comfort blanket” for me and for other test takers. Please don’t remove this!
This is absolutely bonkers. Why can't we get the support we deserve?
This seems like a well intentioned misuse of time and resources. Come on, if we can't design a test so that it's secure to write a couple things on a piece of paper, seems like a bad test. I'm guessing there's some legal risk management involved. Bottom line: is developing an application to replace the use of scratch paper, validating, testing, and troubleshooting it really the highest ROI problem NCARB could be solving? Perhaps yes, or inextricably connected to the highest ROI problem, but a gut check on whether this is a great idea seems negative.
NCARB should be assisting candidates, not making things more difficult. The computer software crashes already, and for 5 hours staring at a computer screen is very bad for one's eyes and concentration levels. There is no way to cheat even with scratch paper- the exam is about applying knowledge not memorization.
Absolutely ridiculous.
This is outrageous. Scratch paper is a necessity
I NEED, 100%, the physical scratch paper for the exam. We are studying to be architects, we use PAPER to draw, sketch, take notes. Paper is not obsolete! Please fix the existing glitches and bugs instead of bringing in new horrible ideas!
It’s unfair to take away scratch paper for exams, especially in person exams. No one gains anything by taking this away. It’s absurd given the visual and mathematical nature of our profession. How can a new note taking system be implemented especially with no additional time? Already problems with the current exam software this will only create additional issues and frustrations.
I personally have experienced computer glitches while taking the exam that prevented me from seeing exam content while testing. The running clock did not stop or pause during the inability to see diagrams and content on my exam, therefore I not only couldn’t see content but I lost time to complete the exam due to these computer glitches. It is crucial to use scratch paper to solve multiple step calculations on these exams. Please allow scrap paper and work on solving the computer glitches instead of removing a needed tool to pass and take these exams, such as paper. Thank you for your understanding to work with us to find better solutions.