Changes to the LARE exam coming 2012- all computerized and only 4 sections…

[Dotty Daly]

I was looking on the CLARB website and look at what I found…https://www.clarb.org/CANDIDATES/ABOUT/Pages/2012LAREChanges.aspx

 

Sorry if someone posted about this already…

[James DeRoussel]

Thanks for posting this.  I had heard rumors, but nothing concrete.  

 

Very interesting; hopefully the new format makes the exam more accessible, but no less rigorous.

[Anonymous]

good that this is known by people. especially soon to be grads

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

I wonder if they’ll use Macs.

[Sousuke]

As someone who started the process about a year ago, I question the one year transition. Thats only 2 possible exam dates.

 

I guess I better take D this fall no matter what, so I don’t have to retake previously passed exams.

 

 

 

[Jordan Lockman]

That is an odd question. The exams will be at pro-metric where the three current computer tests are administered. They were all PC’s of some kind. I am guessing that the vignettes will look something like the problems that the architects are currently working with.

[Jordan Lockman]

This is a good thing to compress the tests down a little. Also it may not hurt to take a and b now if you are going to take any of the tests since they will give you full credit for those two exams after the transition. If also looks like a good idea to make sure that C, D, & E are all passed, if they have been started. I can see the most frustration coming from these three exams in the transition.

[Veronica Meadows]

Hi all,

It’s great to see the discussion on the changes to the L.A.R.E. I wanted to clarify a couple of things and answer any questions that you may have.

1. The exam will consist of 4 sections, all of which will be administered at computer test centers and will make the exam more accessible for candidates.
2. The content currently tested in graphic format will, in the new exam, consist of multiple-choice questions and advanced item types. Advanced item types require candidates to work with on-screen graphics. Examples of these new item types will be available in Spring 2012.
3. There will be two administrations of the current Multiple-choice exams (September 2011 and March 2012) and two administrations of the current Graphic exams (December 2011 and June 2012) prior to the transition to the new exam.
4. We are encouraging new candidates to take Sections A & B of the current exam as they will translate directly to Sections 1 and 2 in the new exam.
5. Additionally taking Sections A & B now will have financial benefits as well because the cost per section of the new exam will be higher as the development costs are spread over 4 sections versus 5 in the current exam.

I hope you find this information to be helpful. For additional information on the transition please visit the CLARB website. For further assistance please contact us by phone at 571-432-0332 or by email at info@clarb.org. You can also participate in our Facebook discussions.

 

I wish you all the best of luck on your pursuit of licensure!

 

Take care,

 

Veronica

[Dotty Daly]

Thanks for providing some additional information!

[MLCC]

Everybody,

You ought to read the FAQs on CLARB’s website. What Veronica has conveniently failed to mention is that, due to the assimilation of Section D into the new Sections 3 & 4, (the NEW graphic sections), if you have passed Section D at this point, and still need to pass Section C or E, you must do so in the current test format, or you will lose credit for your Section D…Uuhhh what???????

So, Veronica, correct me if I’m wrong (and boy, I hope I am), but if I do not pass my Section E (the only test I have remaining to pass) in the next 2 testing sessions, not only will I:

1) Lose credit for having already passed Section D, but

2) Have to take the new graphic grading & drainage (now called Section 4) AND

3) Have to take the new graphic site design (now called Section 3) and this is BECAUSE both of these will now contain material from the old Section D.**this part I’m still unclear on

 

But either way, the new tests will naturally cost more. So when I take the new grading & drainage test section, not only will I be tested on material that I have already passed, (Section D) but I will also be charged for it as well.

Not a good idea, CLARB. You already have the wrath of many landscape architects struggling to pass a test that is too expensive and in many ways completely irrelevant to the industry, not to mention & paying ridiculous fees for red-line reviews, etc….I could go on and on…..

 

[Douglas M. Rooney]

MLCC, that is not how I read CLARB’s transition plan. If you only have section E left to go and you do not pass it before the new exam starts, then you will get credit for Sections 1, 2, and 3, but will have to take section 4 which costs more and repeats part of section D. You will not have to take section 3 as previously passing section C and D will give you credit for section 3. I think the only person that might get really screwed is someone who has passed everything BUT section D. They would lose credit for sections C and E and have to complete BOTH section 3 and 4 to cover the previous section D.

[BZ Girl]

I have a friend who is in this very situation you just described. He has passed all sections except section D, which i believe he has taken 3 times now. ‘Wow’, you might be saying ‘this guy sure doesn’t know construction very well. He must be pretty dense to take it 3 times without passing.’ But this guy owns his own design build firm!! He, of all my landscape architect friends, is the most well-informed about construction details, methods, processes etc. Just another example of how the LARE is so far off the mark in terms of testing pertinent, accurate, and useful information in the field of landscape architecture.

 

I too question the one-year window, given that the LARE has such a tremendously high fail rate and thus re-take rate (I know TONS of people who have had to take a section 2, 3, 4 times before passing!!)  If a candidate has only one section left to pass, that’s only 2 shots to get a passing score before you’re totally screwed and risk losing a ton of time and money spent on the previous tests. CLARB should extend the transition period to 2 years. But then again, why would they? This is just another fantastic ploy to rake in more profits at the expense of the candidates.

[Jason T. Radice]

Nope, all the testing is done on PCs

 

I can see getting rid of one of the multiple choice sections, that always made sense. I have mixed feelings about the charretes however. The computer may make things too easy for site design and grading, like it is with the AREs. The facilities will at least be equalized now, as I very much disliked the facility where I took my charettes, but even that was better than the horror stories I heard about where old-school LAs took them. Hopefully this will also lead to specific testing dates. Once it is all on the computer, it can be structured to be given at any time, like the AREs or LEED exams.

[Connor Krause]

Thanks for posting this, helps for someone who is graduating undergrad soon to know how the new test will operate. 

 

 

[Sousuke]

I think its a raw deal if anyone loses credits from this transition. I’ve passed C and felt really good about E this summer. I haven’t taken D yet (I was taking my time doing one test at a time). I would hope I’ll pass this fall, but you never know until its finished.

 

I think it would be absolutely disgusting if I lost credits I had earned and paid for. I haven’t complained about Clarb or the LARE thus far in my career, but like I said this transition could turn into a raw deal for some.

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