[Sherry Alexander]

My husband and I both graduated with MLAs in 1992 from CalPoly Pomoa. Where are you planning on living/working after graduating? Are you working in the field now, or will this be a career change?

[Sherry Alexander]

I asked CLARB why they couldn’t simply scan the 11 x 17 redlines and have them available for viewing at a Prometric Test Center for ONE hour. It would save a lot of driving time for those of us many hours away from the venues where we can view the hard copies. CLARB answered that they are not going to change their methods now, and there will not be any redline reviews available for the June 2012 Sections C or E. This is disturbing because as others have commented, upon reviewing redlines some candidates have appealed the failing grade and ended up receiving a passing score. I’ve heard a lot of stories positive and negative about redlines.

[Sherry Alexander]

Have you passed Section D as of Sept 2011?

[Sherry Alexander]

I agree with the person who wrote that you should consider a graduate degree in another, perhaps related field. I have a BSc in Business, and MLA in Landscape Architecture. I’m very happy that I got both degrees.

 

If you have to quit your job, or work only part time to return to school, I wouldn’t do it. It’s extremely expensive to give up employment where you’re getting experience. Wouldn’t consider financial aid either unless you can get a grant. The only way a student loan can be modified or forgiven is to pay it off, or if you die. Student loans have a way of hanging on a long time, and can compromise your future considerably.

[Sherry Alexander]

Hi Wendy: Did you take Section E last June? I’m thinking about taking it this June 2011.

[Sherry Alexander]

Hi Laura: CONGRATULATIONS ON PASSING SECTION D! Now you’ll have some words of wisdom to share with others who suffered through it. How do you think you did on Section C or E?

[Sherry Alexander]

Hey Laura, CONGRATULATIONS! You must feel GREAT!

[Sherry Alexander]

CLARB not recommending TSS? That must be a mistake . . why not call CLARB and find out? Before I took Section D the third time (and passed!), I read TSS almost cover to cover. By the time I read TSS I had the advantage of knowing the types of question on the two Section D exams I previously took.

Yes, there were questions on the exam directly from the TSS text. RE the Sunset Western Garden Book – good question, I would also ask CLARB about that. There are plant species in the Western Garden book that are adapted to a very broad range of climate zones. As far as I remember, the plants on Section D were in that category. Good luck in March taking the exam. Landscape Architects Portable Handbook was very helpful also; that’s in addition to all the PPI 2 pass material I had. How many times have you taken Section D?

[Sherry Alexander]

I agree with the previous two posts from Dean and Sarah. There’s plenty of info out there for Section D. The first time I took Section D I concentrated on PPI 2 Pass. The second time I studied the following:
Time Savers
Landcape Architect’s Professional Handbook
Landscape Architecture Construction by Landphair and Klatt
Site Engineering for Landscape Architects by Strom and Nathan

but still didn’t pass the second time – and felt worse because I had studied so much more. The third time I concentrated on reading all of Time Savers and the Professional Handbook. There were many questions on the test that were almost word for word out of those two publications. You’ll feel GREAT when you pass!

[Sherry Alexander]

Yes, I agree with you regarding the title of Landscape Architect not being clearly understood like the title of “Architect.” However, I wonder how much better the public’s perception of the profession would be with a name change.

One of the issues is that Architects and Professional Engineers can stamp any plans that we design, but conversly, we cannot stamp any of their plans. They often wonder why they need us at all.

I’m going through the licensing process at this time, and therefore cannot refer to myself as “Landscape Architect.” Instead, I say that I work in Landscape Architecture. “Landscape Associate” is the title that all of us are called here at the California Dept of Transportation (Caltrans).

It’s great that you have people asking what you do for a living! You must be meeting people who are interested in others.

My friends and I notice that at parties or other gatherings that we learn a lot more about others than they learn about us. That is, if given the chance, most people love to discuss what they do, but aren’t all that interested in what others do for a living. But on the occasion that we tell others that we work in Landscape Architecture, almost always the response is “oh, I’ll LET you come over and design my yard.”

I usually politely say that I do not do residential landscape design. Most likely people would not say such things to those who work in other professions such as (to a chef ) “I’ll let you come to my house and cook for me, ” or (to a clothing designer) “I’ll let you come over to my house and design clothes for me,” or even (to a housepainter) “I’ll let you come over and paint my house, or let you come over to give me suggestions on what colors to use on my house.”

Over the years I’ve decided to no longer be offended by these remarks, but am amused by these offers of “letting me come to their house to give them suggestions.” It’s really not the fault of the public that they don’t know more about our profession. I don’t know what promotional programs CLARB or ASLA has, or what we should do to promote our profession.

To compare ourselves to architects isn’t quiet fair to any of us. We all know that everyone needs some type of shelter – take a look at Maslow’s hierarchy. Architects design structures to house us. But designing “pretty flower beds,” as many think that we do, is just not essential to life. It’s only when we have other basic needs met that we start looking at the aesthetics of our environement.

There just isn’t enough public knowledge about the scope of our profession.

[Sherry Alexander]

Ouch Domenico, that must really hurt. Many others feel the same way you, or have felt that way but finally passed. Read all the posts about the LARE and you’ll see what I mean. Just keep trying! I passed D after three tries.

[Sherry Alexander]

Hi Laura: Just keep trying and you’ll eventually pass!

Let me know what study material you have – Sherry_Alexander@dot.ca.gov
If I have anything that you don’t have I’ll be glad to send to you. Believe me, I know just how you feel! My scores both times that I took Section D were worse than yours. The second time I took it my scores were worse than the first time.

I took Section D three times before I passed. I’m completely surprised that I passed Section D in Sept 09. The first time I took A, B, and D, (Sept 08) I passed A and B. Not passing Section D was a complete shock, since I felt confident with the material. Then when I took Section D again in March 09 I was absolutely sure that I passed. Unfortunately, I was even more shocked and felt worse for not passing again. I’m a disciplined studier, not a slacker, and I put in 100s of hours researching and studying.

Here’s the methods I used to pass: A

fter taking the exam each time I wrote down all the questions I could remember. Then when I found out that I didn’t pass I researched all the questions on the Internet.

I also used the StormwaterAuthority website and found it helpful. Additionally, I visited parks and other public places and looked at how structures were assembled, fasteners used, went to Lowes and Home Depot and looked at fasteners, reviewed woodworking, garden structures, patio, stone masonry books (spent time at Borders books too), really knew how to read a nomograph, Q=CiA, wood sizing charts, knew every type of heavy earth moving equipment (looked on the internet), stopped while driving or walking by a construction site and looked at equipment and tried to identify and how it was used, thoroughly reviewed Time Saver Standards, reviewed flash cards. When I went over the PPI study material and incorrectly answered questions I made it a point to understand why. I now have notebooks of study material just on Section D.

Can’t really say what material I studied that helped me pass though. The majority of what I studied wasn’t on the exam. That’s what was so frustrating. There were a number of questions directly from Time Saver Standards on all three Section D exams that I took.

However, when I took Section D for the third time I felt terrible just 10 minutes into the exam. I just knew I was going to have to take it again. Problem is I didn’t know what else to study. When I checked the scores yesterday I was prepared to see FAIL again. I was truly shocked that I passed this time. Two of my co-workers have taken MC sections multiple times. When I got my score I made sure not to act completely elated in case they didn’t pass again. It’s really painful not to pass when others around you pass.

Putting the exams in the right perspective helped. For me this meant not allowing a test to either define me as “smart” or “dumb or defective.” What also helped was thinking about how I viewed others who had passed after the first, second, third, or more times. Truly, I don’t stand in awe of those who pass the first time (my husband passed A, B, and D the first time in Sept 08). He was surprised he passed because he did not feel confident after A,B or D.

Sure, I’m glad for everyone who passes the first time, but don’t think they are amazing beings. I’m really more impressed by those who keep trying until they pass. After we get registered it won’t matter how many times we took the LARE anyway. Yeah, putting out the money is painful, as well as all the study time. But I have to say that I learned so much more by not passing the first or second time. Also, as my husband said, he could have passed by just one, two, or three points, and I could have failed by just one point.

Just keep on striving, and you’ll eventually pass. Maybe next time will be the final time. By going through this process, you’ll have much more empathy for others going through the process in the future.

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