Professionals preparing to take the next version of the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) now have two new resources: The ARE 5.0 Handbook and ARE 5.0 Community. Developed by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), these free study tools offer candidates valuable insight into ARE 5.0, which launches November 1.

ARE 5.0 Community

The ARE 5.0 Community is an online forum where candidates can come together to ask questions, share best practices, and interact with NCARB’s exam experts. Inspired by the ARE 4.0 Community, which has more than 7,000 members, the forum is designed to provide candidates with accurate and dependable information about ARE 5.0.

“The community provides candidates with a supportive place to meet others studying for the exam and chat directly with NCARB’s Examination team,” said Director of Examination Jared Zurn, AIA, NCARB. “This is just one of many resources NCARB has developed to help candidates prepare for the November launch of ARE 5.0.”

To access the community, members can login with their NCARB Record or create a free NCARB account. Explore the ARE 5.0 Community at www.ncarb.org/ARE5Community.

ARE 5.0 Handbook

In early September, NCARB released the highly anticipated ARE 5.0 Handbook, a guide that provides a breakdown of each exam division, sample questions, suggested study resources, and more. Candidates can also reference the ARE 5.0 Guidelines for an overview of exam policies.

Each ARE 5.0 division will include 80 to 120 questions and incorporate the latest testing technologies— including case studies that simulate real-world practice. The divisions also align with the recently launched Architectural Experience Program (AXP), making the path to licensure easier to navigate for candidates and their supervisors.

Candidates looking to test in ARE 5.0 can begin scheduling exams on November 1. As an incentive to take the new exam, the first 600 candidates to test on each division will receive a $100 gift card.

For more information about ARE 5.0 visit www.ncarb.org/ARE5.