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NCARB ARE Exam Changes

940 Comments

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Jiah Hong
5 years ago

Physical scratch paper is essential to a graphics exam. It helps candidates work quickly, sketch problems, make calculations, etc. Removing our abilities to use scratch paper to accommodate online testing is not a valid reason to do so.

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Elissa Gee
5 years ago

Scratch paper is a must. After working from home during the pandemic, drawing on the screen during zoom meetings with a mouse is extremely difficult and cumbersome. The ability to sketch and jot down notes on paper in seconds rather than minutes on screen is crucial to exam success.

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Alberto B
5 years ago

This shows NCARB's disconnect with the test takers and the profession in general. Scratch paper should be brought back if only to test onsite.

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James Ryan
5 years ago

Find a way to keep the scratch paper option for at least in-person exams. If consistency is a breaking factor, find a way to allow scratch paper in online exams that does not allow cheating - such as holding up the paper to the camera at the beginning of the exam and before/after each break. NCARB has to have some form of creativity in allowing the use of scratch paper.

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TYLER KELLY
5 years ago

Keep scratch paper for the in-person exam!!

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Rosa Amalia
5 years ago

It is a ludicrous idea to remove paper on an architecture exam.

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Valeria Rybyakova
5 years ago

Scratching on a paper is essential tool for a architect during solving any design problem. How do we suppose to solve the problem without our essential tool?

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Alvaro A Briganti
5 years ago

This is ridiculous!

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Jack Zhou
5 years ago

Taking away scrap paper is a ludicrous measure to curb cheating. Has anyone at NCARB even tried drawing with a mouse on a whiteboard?

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Meritt Foreman
5 years ago

This is an unjust change without proper notice given to test takers! How do you expect architects to practice architecture without a pen or pencil?!

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Matthew Rothlisberger
5 years ago

I need scratch paper to work quickly and can't afford any sort of digital drawing tools to take the exams in a safe location.

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Joanna Y Lee
5 years ago

I strongly support keeping in-person scratch paper during the exam process. The Prometric employees will collect as usual. I understand for online exams, no scratch paper is a security issue.

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Mary-Anne Runner
5 years ago

This puts left handed testers at a disadvantage! How can anyone promoting this possibly think this is a good idea??

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Matt G Macarewich
5 years ago

This just made the exam so much harder. I get NCARB wanting to get all digital, but they have lost sight of what the exam is about. They have lost sight of what architecture is about. they need to greatly reduce the questions or increase the time allowed. Just because they have played around with testing it, we haven't. I have a feeling my next exam will be a nightmare. All of my years of studying to pass these exams now hinges on my ability take notes with a mouse.

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nicole
5 years ago

DO NOT take away scratch paper at exam centers!

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alberto isunza
5 years ago

I am left handed, I cannot take notes with a mouse, I need actual paper. taking paper away takes my ability to take notes away

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Rebecca Thompson
5 years ago

Please keep the physical scratch paper.

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Jessica Bailey
5 years ago

I too do not like the idea of having the digital scratch paper. To me, it seems like it take out the idea of what scratch paper is meant for. It also will add another level of unnecessary frustration with the exam.

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Nenyatta Smith
5 years ago

Please keep the scrap paper.

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McKenzie Baird
5 years ago

Scratch paper is absolutely essential. Please do not take it away. It feels like NCARB is trying to shoehorn remote proctoring, probably so they can continue to make money from test-takers during the pandemic while testing at centers is more restricted. It feels like NCARB is more focused on their profits than facilitating the AREs for upcoming architects. There is a growing list of changes to NCARB that the architecture community would like to see. In the meantime please table all consideration of removing scratch paper from the AREs, even if it means tabling the remote proctored exams.