Land8 | Elizabeth Renton | Activity

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Tree stump seating for Tot play area in the forum DETAILS & MATERIALS

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:44:21 +0000

I agree with Wyatt. Please consider using actual tree stumps in this “nature play area.” It seems laughably ironic that one would put a concrete imitation of a natural item in a children’s space that is supposed to encourage exploration of nature! A concrete seat that resembles a tree trunk is a much less engaging and effective teaching tool than…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Technical Interview in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Wed, 18 May 2011 17:45:36 +0000

Get to know the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s playground safety standards.http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf

Safety is a HUGE factor when it comes to playground design. I doubt they’re going to ask you how well you know Autocad commands…it seems more likely that they’re going to want to see how well-versed you are in safety standards.

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Internship -5 years experience in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Mon, 16 May 2011 17:12:35 +0000

Thanks for contacting them about it. I’m glad they agreed with you and removed the post.

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Edging? in the forum DETAILS & MATERIALS

Mon, 02 May 2011 17:56:53 +0000

[like] [like] [like]

probably a discussion for a whole different thread but one of my pet peeves is when landscape architects and architects slap down a piece of plastic play equipment and call it a playground. If you know ANYTHING about child development you know that those plastic behemoths are not the most engaging play environments. They…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Edging? in the forum DETAILS & MATERIALS

Mon, 02 May 2011 17:51:18 +0000

[Like!!!]

I hate the raised playground equipment surrounded by a moat of black plastic timber edging. And the plastic edging buried in-ground also tends to pop up/out, get run over by lawn mowers, and otherwise go awry. I think a flush poured-in-place concrete curb is the way to go. Excavate 9-12″ for the wood fiber fill so the whole system s…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Upcoming Section C; the LARE in general in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:34:57 +0000

Judy, is failing the written portion the only item keeping you from passing? i had a similar experience last fall. When i took the redline review and saw that i’d gotten a ‘3’ on the ‘predicting environmental impacts’ portion i was floored. I went through the grading criteria listed, and saw that my written portion listed every one of those items,…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Section C and E Scores are up....good luck! in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:35:19 +0000

Hi Hagen,
I had spoken to Sadik about doing a LARE review here in Houston sometime this spring. I am an officer for TX ASLA- Houston/Gulf Coast, so i’ll be sending out an email blast to our members to see if there’s enough interest and a large enough group to pay for Sadik to come. I’ll keep you posted! You’re welcome to join us!

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Section C and E Scores are up....good luck! in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:31:55 +0000

I took the test in June, and then took the redline review offered in October. I think the comments on my redline do match the quote from clarb; there were indeed both positive and negative comments. But i wasn’t really interested in the positive comments….if i failed, i really only want to know what i did wrong, not what i did right. My beef,…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Section C and E Scores are up....good luck! in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 01:40:46 +0000

scratch that, they just sent me an email saying that, contrary to the failing score they initially gave me, I actually passed section C last June. Hooray for the ‘score verification process.’ Booo for not grading it correctly the first time!!
So, section E, round 2 in June. Tips? Tricks? Handy pointers i must have otherwise overlooked?

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Is CLARB's redline review really worth it? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:09:57 +0000

I didn’t see the guy on Oprah you mentioned earlier. Who was he? What was he saying?

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Is CLARB's redline review really worth it? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:01:31 +0000

UPDATE: I had reason to believe my test was graded unfairly, so i paid the extra $276 for the ‘score verification process.’ Lo and behold, it turns out I was right. My test was graded unfairly, and they just sent me a notice saying my score had been reversed and i actually passed.

Lesson learned: ALWAYS take the redline review. You never know…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Section C and E Scores are up....good luck! in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:37:01 +0000

I haven’t taken a class yet…I think that’s the next step in this gameplan. One of my old professors from LSU offers a 2 day LARE review. I think i’ll get a bunch of my colleagues together and see if we can hire him.

So what do you think was your trick to passing section C this time? i’ll be re-taking that one in June.

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Section C and E Scores are up....good luck! in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:22:28 +0000

Thanks for sharing. I hadn’t received an email notifying us that the scores were posted. I was lurking on the site yesterday though, hoping they’d be up.

Aaaaaand I failed section E. Big surprise. (not really. After my debaucle in June i was fully prepared to go down in flames again in December.) Guess it’s time to fork out another $150 for…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Has anyone purchased LARE practice tests from http://www.larestudyguide.com/? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:19:00 +0000

I used their section D study guide. It seemed pretty reasonable; however there were a few questions in the study guide that i seriously questioned the supposed ‘correct’ answer. But that seems to be a pretty typical fault for the LARE in general. I guess the best benefit of the study guide is just going through each and every answer option that’s…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic LA CO-op. A way to stay in the profesion? in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:34:52 +0000

I think it sounds like a good idea for anyone who doesn’t have a job in the profession and wants to stay current and fresh and engaged. Like Thomas said, if I already have a fulltime paid job in a landscape architecture office, i think i’d rather put in the extra time (and hopefully get extra pay!) at my existing job. But yes, for a bunch of…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Working over 40 hours? in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 14:23:29 +0000

i am currently employed so here’s my answers:

1. currently work 40-50 hours per week. Sometimes more during crunch times, but usually 40-50 average. Late nights, weekends, holidays…at some point i’ve worked them all. Not every single day, but on a somewhat routine basis.
2. my coworkers hours vary. some are workaholics and put in long hours…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Working over 40 hours? in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 23:38:13 +0000

That. Was. Awesome. I wish i could engrave this on a smooth polished stone and anonymously leave it lying around the office somewhere…

Elizabeth Renton posted an update in the group L.A.R.E. - ANYTHING GOES: I might suggest that taking A&D at the same time might be a […]

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:25:04 +0000

I might suggest that taking A&D at the same time might be a good approach as well. There was quite a bit of material that seemed to overlap on the 2 tests…might as well study it all at once!

I took all 3 at the same time. It is indeed doable if you follow Ray’s suggestions. I spent about 6 weeks studying intensively…an hour or two every…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Landscape Architecture Jokes in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 03:08:31 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlLvi2q5M3w

a lot of this sounds strangely familiar….hahaha!

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic LARE TESTING HOAX!? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:42:53 +0000

Wow that response letter was a bunch of technical jargon. I guess it’s supposed to make you feel like they’re being extremely thorough and proficient and scientific about the way they evaluate the exam.

What was ASLA’s response to your request for help? Have they been actively working on addressing these issues? I never hear much about what…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic How to masterplan a multi-purpose orphanage/school facilitiy? in the forum RESEARCH

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 18:42:17 +0000

I bet the article may have been referencing landscape architect Robin Moore, and his work with the Natural Learning Initiative. He’s a well-known designer of outdoor children’s spaces and he ALWAYS advocates that the children should be involved in the design process. He co-authored a book, Natural Learning, i think it was, about transforming a…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Upcoming Section C; the LARE in general in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 00:59:11 +0000

My method was a little different. All I brought was a few mechanical pencils, a few black pens of different widths, and a roll of trash paper. (And scales and rulers and erasers etc.) I put the trash on top of the vellum, used my pencil to sketch stuff out, erase as needed, move items as needed, etc. until i got the design worked out. Then i just…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Upcoming Section C; the LARE in general in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Sun, 05 Dec 2010 23:12:09 +0000

hi michelle,
To answer your questions… the section C exam i took in June played out like this: one vignette with the detailed building/parking/driveway vehicular circulation layout; one vignette with “provide 2 entirely different conceptual layouts” of parking/driveway/buildings; one vignette with placing a building/parking and then writing a…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Upcoming Section C; the LARE in general in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 21:14:40 +0000

HI Michelle,
I’m in the same boat as you….live in Texas, passed the first 3 m/c, now struggling to get through C and E. I took C for the first time in June and failed it. I thought surely i must have made a bazillion errors, really screwed it up. But when i did the redline review i was shocked to discover that i only made really 5 distinct…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Is CLARB's redline review really worth it? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:23:29 +0000

Well I had the redline review for LARE section C this weekend so I thought I’d post an update and answer my own question. Is the redline review really worth it? I have to say emphatically yes, purely for the ability to read through the redline comments and make sure the test was graded fairly.

I found 2 redline comments which, according to the…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Is CLARB's redline review really worth it? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:17:46 +0000

I’m interested in what else you discovered during your study of the various licensing exams. Do tell!

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Is CLARB's redline review really worth it? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:43:03 +0000

Andrew, the pass rates for the June administration of the graphic tests were nowhere near 70%. Section C (site design) had a pass rate of 58%. Section E (grading) was 37%. These rates have been consistently this low for at least the last 6 years. Are these dismal pass rates comparable to the engineering and architectural licensing exams?

I just…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Is CLARB's redline review really worth it? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:55:20 +0000

I appreciate your words of encouragement Marc. Since you have successfully passed the test and are licensed, please tell me about your experience. Did you pass all the sections on the first try? What did you do to prepare that was most helpful? What tips or tricks did you pick up that would be good to know?

After reading all the comments on this…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Is CLARB's redline review really worth it? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:18:53 +0000

I agree with you Frank. If it were a fair and accurate test of abilities that produced consistent results, fine. But I think it’s completely arbitrary the way it’s graded, and the only way you can challenge your failing score is if you pay an extra $230 to see your failed exam. I have friends who received an initial failing score, and then paid…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Is CLARB's redline review really worth it? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:36:57 +0000

I did notice that. CLARB of course conveniently quoted only those people who had nothing but fabulous things to say about their review process. I thought I might get a more realistic array of opinions here on the forum!

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Is CLARB's redline review really worth it? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:52:47 +0000

I did use the entire PPI set for all the exam sections, and they were indeed very helpful for A, B, and D. I passed those first time around. Then I moved on to E and studied those PPI books religiously….an hour a day every day for a month, working through every single vignette I could get my hands on. By the end of the month I felt like I had…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic MLA student, should I stay or should I go? in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:35:04 +0000

It’s hard to create a fair perspective on this question given the circumstances of today’s economy. It would be all too easy to say ‘GO! RUN! GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN! THERE ARE NO JOBS!’ But that’s not taking a big-picture view of the situation. Eventually, the economy will recover and there will be jobs again and there will be lots of opportunity.…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Communication in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:52:43 +0000

Andrew,
From the few discussions I’ve participated in on this forum, I can say I’ve never had a problem understanding what you were trying to say. I’ve always thought your posts were well detailed and carefully crafted, and I think your online ‘persona’ does not come off as negative or unclear, at least to me. I too try to carefully respond to…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic LARE SECTION A - woes for a 24 year veteran in the industry.... in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:34:54 +0000

i feel your pain. it’s a frustrating guessing-game process. I think your 24 years experience is what’s hurting you. It seems like the LARE poses questions and answers that are based on LARE world, not the real world. I came across so many practice test questions that i COMPLETELY disagreed with the correct ‘answers’ that were given. I polled other…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Career Advancement in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 22:27:43 +0000

I would say almost all of the above! Everything except getting the advanced degree. In my 4 years out in the working world I’ve really tried to delve in to all the stuff they don’t teach at school…networking with other professionals, learning about subject matter not directly included in landscape architecture, emerging green technologies, etc.…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic In memorium of an ambassador and icon in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 22:15:30 +0000

Doc was an amazing man….we should all be so blessed to live a life as full as his! I’m sorry I wasn’t able to attend his memorial service; it sounded like it was a wonderful tribute to his inspiring life. Rest in peace doc.

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Workplace Efficiency in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:26:32 +0000

I appreciate everyone’s interesting responses. I guess i’m in a unique situation- i’m a ‘junior’ level employee with more advanced responsibilities. This is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because I know the ins and outs of every single project they hand to me…meeting with the client, setting schedules, coordinating with other…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic Workplace Efficiency in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:03:56 +0000

This brings up another roundabout efficiency issue. How efficient can you really be if you’re being inefficiently managed in your office? What if you’re the most organized, well structured worker in the office….who’s being tossed into a chaotic work pattern by the ‘higher ups’? Who is ultimately responsible for the ‘efficiency’ of the office?

I…[Read more]

Elizabeth Renton replied to the topic What Graduate Degree would you recommend as the best complement to an Undergrad in Landscape Architecture? Pros and Cons? in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:11:50 +0000

i think that environmental engineering would be a great complement to your undergrad LA degree. I too have often thought about pursuing this…i’ve wondered if having that ‘engineer’ title behind my name would give me more respect outside of our discipline!! Too often i voice ideas at project meetings but they get quickly dismissed by a…[Read more]