Search Results for 'sections'

[Scott Lebsack]

I realize this is an older post, but thought I’d offer my suggestions. Generally state laws require RFP/RFQ be “published”, this means you can find them in the legal sections of local newspapers. I check the local newspaper’s website as well as the websites of the agencies themselves directly.

The easier way I’ve discovered is to get involved with government on a local level. I live in a small town, and figured with my education/background I could be a helpful member of the city Planning and Zoning Commission. I started this position over a year ago, when I worked out of town. Since being laid-off in February, the relationships I’ve developed volunteering have helped immensely. I have good working relationships with the other members of the board, usually involved members of the community in various capacities, as well as the city staffers overseeing P&Z. It is amazing how often local officials network with their counterparts in other agencies, and being familiar with them they know I am always looking for work, I generally hear if anything I might be interested in is going on nearly anywhere in the vicinity. 

[Ray Freeman]

There are still a few seats in our Northern California classes on
sections C & E. Both are three day classes offering 25 hours of class
time. Both include a syllabus and 21 exercises in E and 30 exercises
in E. The E class is an advanced class for those who have already
taken a section E review and still failed, or who do grading and
drainage at their office.

Section C; October 28-30
Section E: November 11-13.

For the section C class, our last 4 classes saw 61 of 63 students pass
this section! That is 97% vs a national pass rate of 65% for the same
period. If you want the best possible preparation for passing this
section, our classes have a proven, long term track record.  We track
all of our classes success rates, and work with students who do not
pass to help them determine where their weaknesses lie.

For the section E class, our pass rate in June 2011 was 52% versus a
national pass rate of 36%. Before you decide to take a section E
review elsewhere, ask your potential instructor what his or her ACTUAL
pass rate was….and if they actually bother to check with their
students to see how they did. If they give you a number, ask them what
percentage of their students they actually heard from.
If you’d like additional information on our fall classes, e-mail me at
Rayfreeman3@comcast.net

[ida]

1. Rhino 3D, Autocad

2. In Rhino I can do 3d modeling, cad plans, and sections within the program. It can import/export dwg files and maintain the layers, lineweights, styles, text, etc

3. Rhino functions very much like Autocad and you can even use the same shortcut commands, though it can’t handle large dwg files. After the concept phase, I switch to Autocad

4. Rhino 3D because it runs efficiently like Autocad with the added bonus of easy 3d modeling

[John A. Denson]

It is pretty easy to qualify for the LARE in Louisiana.  You need to have a degree in landscape architecture and at least 1 year of experience working under the direct supervision of a licensed landscape architect, arborist, or landscape contractor.  

After meeting the experience requirements, sign up for the LARE though CLARB. Once you pass all sections of the LARE, you can apply to the State of Louisiana for licensure.  You also have to pass a state-specific Louisiana Plant Characteristics section of the LARE which is administered at the same time as the LARE.

Check out his blog post for detailed information on becoming a licensed landscape architect in Louisiana. It has links to the application page and breaks down the process in easy steps. Good luck.

[ida]

If you’re interested in going into a design office, entry levels and interns do a lot of the behind-the-scenes support work such as drawing sections, plans, 3d modeling, physical modeling, presentation boards, etc for the designers. So it’s not really necessary to have credentials if you want to be an intern in a design office. You just need good technical knowledge and can work independently in order to support the designers. For that you will need to show your portfolio. Design experience also comes from sitting in coffee shops with your laptop and learning how to use the computer programs 🙂

[Mark Harrison]

Range poles with an optical prism: Start with either a sheet of grid paper or an aerial photo with a card table on the site. Tape paper onto foam core board. Tape board onto card table. If using an aerial, get it from a professional aerial survey mapping company, not Google Earth. Call the city planner if you can’t find a source. Find two reference points that are distinctly visible on the aerial at approximately the same land elevation and create a base line between them, both on site and on the aerial/grid paper. Set up two range poles (or vertical poles of some sort) and lay out a tape measure(s) between them. Visually align the base line between the two poles by sighting it from either end. Have a buddy stand on the site feature to which you’re measuring with a third range pole. Using an optical prism, direct your buddy left and right while you site him/her with the prism. The optical prism allows you to site your buddy at exactly 90 degrees perpendicular to the base line. Note the base line station and then measure from that station to your buddy. This will give you your “x” and “y” values for the site feature. Scale and draw the site features on the grid and/or verify their “x” and “y” coordinates on the aerial. I would “note only” x and y coordinates on an aerial and verify locations back in the office. As for shooting grades, I believe there is no substitue for a level of some sort and a surveying rod. Shoot grades at cross-sections along sations on the base line and perpendicular to it. Measure feet left and feet right using a tape or the surveying rod. Be sure to measure to, and shoot grades of, grade breaks, high points, low points, etc.  One great advantage of doing your own site measuring in this way is that YOU actually touch every site feature yourself, and “crap, I didn’t know that was there” will rarely happen. As with all of the other blog responders, I would recommend having a licensed surveyor prepare a survey and base map before going to CDs. Perhaps the above method will allow you to “zero in” on which areas need to be surveyed by the surveyor, depending on the extent of your utimate design. One note:  Even if you obtain a sie survey from a professional aerial survey mapping company, don’t depend on contours. Always field verify (at least spot check) grades before going to CDs. 

[Wyatt Thompson, PLA]

There is a lengthy discussion of this here. If you get past all the gripes about the change, you will likely find some good advice. The FAQs on the CLARB site address the content of the new exams. The short answer is that it probably depends on which sections you’ve passed and how confident you are on the remaining material.

[Tenaya Fihe]

CLARB Exam Transition

 

This link off of the CLARB website was recently brought to my attention. I am deciding whether to test with the old L.A.R.E. format or with the new one being rolled out in 2012 to finish my licensing procedure. I have already passed 2 multiple choice sections.

 

I was hoping to find some forums discussing this topic. A few questions I have…

 

Will the new graphics sections use a vector graphics program like AutoCad if the whole test is now going to be computer based? Or perhaps will the graphics sections now be multiple choice as well?

 

Will there be study material provided by CLARB as no one has ever used the new exam format?

 

Are current review courses being trained in the new format or will this only occur after year one and two of the new exam format (review courses pushed out to 2013-2014)?

 

Thanks in advance for any leads and information regarding this topic.

 

 

[Ray Freeman]

This is posted under events, but I’ll put it here as well.

 

 

Freeman & Jewell Landscape Architecture is once again offering our popular series of preparatory courses for candidates taking the Landscape Architect Registration Examination. The courses are generally offered four times each year in Northern California, usually four to six weeks prior to the examination dates. Our classes have attracted students from 36 states, 5 Canadian Provinces, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and Germany.

 

All of our courses are current with the 2006 exam format, and are updated every six months. We offer a class on the multiple choice sections in January and July.

 

Class Dates:

Section E_(Standard) October 14-16                           Fri-Sat-Sun 8:30-6:00 pm

Section C_October 28-30                                       Fri-Sat-Sun 8:30-6:00 pm

Section E  (Advanced) November 11-13                        Fri-Sat-Sun 8:30-6:00 pm

 

We have a strict maximum of 26 students per class to allow for individual one on one desk crits during vignette work periods. I have 11 years of experience in teaching LARE reviews and have helped over 1100 students prepare for the exam. Our students pass rates are consistently well above the national average.

 

Instructor: Ray Freeman, ASLA, RLA in California, Massachusetts, and North Carolina and CPESC (nationwide). Over 30 years experience in private practice, plus a few odd years in the public sector. Former lecturer at Harvard, UC Berkeley, UC Davis Extension, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

 

The classes cover exam formats, tips and tricks, and feature programmed instruction focusing on developing the skills needed to solve every known type of technical task required on these sections of the LARE. The format of the classes are lecture, question and answer, and studio-like work sessions with desk crits and review of each exercise or vignette done in class. In addition to a study guide, students will receive at least 21 problems in the C review and 28 in the E review, of which about 10 will be worked in class.

 

To obtain a current copy of our brochure and registration form, please e-mail Rayfreeman3@comcast.net.

 

Location: Marin Headlands (15 minutes north of San Francisco). The setting is unmatched. Unfortunately, we won’t give you much time to enjoy the view. Inexpensive bunkhouse style accommodations at the facility are available, and there is a very reasonably priced shuttle service from SFO airport.

 

Cost: $450 per course.

[Dotty Daly]

I was just on there, maybe they were replying to the posts. I just commented on the statistics they posted about completing each sections, I find it hard to believe that the average number of times it takes to pass E is less then 2. How many people do each of you know that took at least 3 attempts, 4 attempts and more?? C, yes, maybe, One fail because you werent sure what to expect but E….

 

[Anonymous]

I think you have received more than enough tips on where to learn CAD but I am going to tell you a few of my personal tips. I learned CAD 4 years back and I learned every aspect of it. 2D modeling, 3D modeling, intercapabilites, etc. But really the work that I am assuming you will be doing, as are a lot of us on here, is 2D modeling. i.e. site plans, elevations, sections… For this work, simple line work, you should be able to learn what you need to in less than a week, SERIOUSLY. It is getting to know the UI and all the shortcuts that takes time. If you look in any book or step-by-step online resource, the first few chapters where you learn the “BASICS” is really what you will need to MODEL. Setting up VP, Layers, Title Blocks, and Plotting is a whole nother area which is not as bad as it seems. The biggest thing, when learning 2D CAD is to stay organized. It is easy to get caught up in experiementing and doing whatever, but when your projects become more detailed and larger in size it is easy to forget to organize layers. SO in summary, lean the basics, practice those basics, get used to the UI, and stay organized!

[Peter Coyle]

I neglected to mention I’m using a 8×10 Blurb template so I can have it printed nicely and so it is portable and I can afford to leave copies behind. But with a small page and huge site with lots going on, should I leave out things like analysis and inventory? Or should I just go up to 11×17? I need portrait orientation b/c the site is 3000′ “tall”. I also have the site broken into zones that serve different purposes, so I was using a page each for those to show the blow-up, explain the unique traits and show sections.

[Ray Freeman]

With regard to losing credits for what you have already passed, I completely sympathize. There would not be a problem if CLARB stayed with a 5 section exam. Why go to 4 sections?  And why split D? Admittedly, D currently requires a huge knowledge base. It is really unwieldly, so perhaps I’ve answered my own question, but I’d make D into 2 sections and not combine parts of it with C and E.

 

Same testing, different methods? With respect, I don’t think so. Critical thinking and complex problem solving is being eliminated. Any semblance of actual site planning and landform manipulation in the context of an entire site is being eliminated. IMO, this does not speak well for our profession.

 

More in line with the current profession? They aren’t going to use autocad, or vectorworks, or photoshop, or acrobat, or indesign, or sketchup, or word, or excel. As for hand drafting being irrelevant, how hard is it to use a pencil and a straightedge?

 

My thinking is this….multiple choice formats encourage rote memorization and regurgitation. Critical thinking gets shoved aside. This has been demonstrated over and over in our public school systems where all the emphasis is on preparing the students for standardized testing. Problem solving skills…ie thinking globally, logically, working methodically, learning to conceptualize and refine a concept…those things don’t get tested in an MC format.

 

Sorry about the rant, but I think we’re being sold a bill of not-goods.

 

Ray

[Dotty Daly]

People really have to stop posting that CLARB is out to get them. Seriously, we have no idea how difficult it must be to prepare an exam that tests candidates who have different educational experiences, work experiences etc (including 2 countries) as a comprehensive exam that represents the field. In addition, professional exams arent supposed to be taken without preparation/time investments. Part of expanding your professional experience is learning things that you havent been exposed to.Learning takes time. There are those few that happen to be exposed to the right things and these exams may be easy. But all of the sections will provide a struggle for someone.

On top of it, these things cost money. I think that if you choose to get registered you should expect to have to invest into it, you are investing in your future. Be it books that become reference materials, classes that expand your knowledge or even the red lines, which requires a 3rd party to mark the exam and a proctor to sit in the room, its money folks.

Getting frustrated hopefully motivates you to put more time into preparing the next round or reaching out and seeing how others approach things you struggle with BUT if you spend the time blaming CLARB instead, you shouldnt be pursuing this. Its ridiculous. I posted this to share it and open up a useful conversation not to start the blame it on CLARB conversation. Be professional.

[MLCC]

Marc,

I don’t think it’s up to you to tell poeple which sections are easy and which are not, based on your personal knowledge and experience. Some people are good at grading.. some are good at details and section D…. some good at programming etc…. some might judge you for having to take both graphic sections twice. So don’t judge. And by the way, many people “know their stuff” and don’t pass. Not sure if you were aware of that.