Now that ARE 4.0 is officially here, we thought it wouldn't hurt to go over all of the information you need to know about the new exam and transitioning from ARE 3.1 to ARE 4.0.

Information That Applies to Everyone
Whether you are a New Candidate or a Transition Candidate, this is what you need to know before you head to the test center:

1. Candidates are no longer allowed to bring a calculator into the test center. All divisions of ARE 3.1 and ARE 4.0 include an on-screen, scientific calculator for your use.
2. Although the main content of the ARE 3.1 and 4.0 exams remain the same, the Site Grading and Mechanical & Electrical Plan vignettes are different. When preparing for these vignettes make sure you are using study guides and the practice programs that correspond to the version of the exam you are taking.
3. ARE study guides for both versions are free and can be downloaded from NCARB's web site (3.1 and 4.0).

Information for Transition Candidates
If you have passed any division of the ARE prior to 15 May 2008, here is what you need to know:

1. ARE 3.1 will be available in Prometric test centers through June 2009.
2. If you have not passed all remaining divisions of ARE 3.1 by the end of June 2009, you will be transitioned to ARE 4.0.
3. You can use the Transition Chart or Reverse Transition Chart (PDF link) on NCARB's web site to develop a plan to minimize the impact of transitioning from ARE 3.1 to ARE 4.0 in July 2009.
   
   • Note: Only one division of ARE 3.1 has a direct correspondence to its ARE 4.0 equivalent, all other divisions require a combination of ARE 3.1 exams. No partial credit will be granted, you will need to have passed all corresponding ARE 3.1 divisions to receive credit for its ARE 4.0 equivalent.
4. Your Rolling Clock will keep ticking along. You have five years from the date you passed your first division to pass all the remaining required divisions of the ARE.

Information for New Candidates
If you are just starting the ARE, here is what you need to know:

1. Beginning 1 July 2008, new candidates must have an active NCARB Record to be made eligible to take the exam. Why? When NCARB's Member Boards voted to approve concurrent testing of ARE and completion of the Intern Development Program (IDP) last year, they had one condition—that candidates have an NCARB Record. This applies to all jurisdictions, even if your jurisdiction does not allow early access to the ARE or require completion of IDP.
2. ARE 4.0 has seven divisions (compared to ARE 3.1's nine divisions). Each division focuses on one content area.
3. Six of the seven divisions have multiple-choice, check-all-that-apply, and fill-in-the-blank questions as well as graphic vignettes. One division (Schematic Design) has two vignettes, but no multiple-choice questions.
4. The cost of each division is $170.
5. The ARE 4.0 Guidelines contains important information about all divisions of the exam, including appointment timing, and can be downloaded from NCARB's web site.

To learn more about ARE 4.0, visit the ARE 4.0 section of NCARB's web site.

News From the 2008 NCARB Annual Meeting and Conference
The Intern Development Program (IDP) took center stage at the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards' (NCARB) 2008 Annual Meeting and Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, last month. Member Boards representing 51 of the Council's 54 jurisdictions attended the Annual Meeting and considered 12 resolutions. Three were directly related to IDP and two were related to the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®). The most debated resolution both prior to and during the Annual Meeting, Resolution 2008-07 (also known as the "Six-Month Rule"), passed with a vote of 49-1.

The rule stemmed from a 2005 study conducted jointly by AIA and NCARB that suggested regular reporting would help facilitate more accurate reporting and a better internship experience. For the last three years, NCARB Member Boards and committees have debated and discussed how to best incorporate the suggestion before bringing the rule to a vote last month.

The resolution will require interns establishing a new NCARB Record on or after 1 July 2009 to submit training reports of no more than six-months duration within two months of the end of each reporting period. On 1 July 2010, the "Six-Month Rule" will go into effect for all interns.

The resolution is also dependent on a "fully tested and operational" online reporting system. Should the online reporting system not be fully tested and operational by the end of 2008, each implementation date will be pushed back and will go into effect six months after the system has been deemed fully operational by an independent tester. Members from AIA, AIAS, and the National Associates Committee (NAC) will also have an opportunity to test the system. NCARB expects testing to begin on the system this fall with a release of the system by the end of December. Once the electronic system is released, paper submissions will be phased out.

Member Boards that arrived in Pittsburgh hesitant about the Resolution 2008-07 said that all of their concerns had been addressed and answered by the NCARB Board of Directors, Committee on the Intern Development Program members, and NCARB staff throughout the meeting. Many delegates expressed their belief that the resolution was a step in the right direction for overall improvement to IDP and voiced their confidence in NCARB leadership from the voting floor.

The resolution was amended by Member Boards to allow parents of newborn infants or newly adopted children to receive a six-month extension of the reporting deadline upon proper application. The same extension was also applied to the Five-Year Rolling Clock for the ARE through Resolution 2008-04. The other ARE related resolution added ARE 4.0 Exam Equivalents to the Handbook for Interns and Architects.

What edition of the AIA documents should I study for the ARE?
At this time, ARE 3.1 and ARE 4.0 utilize the AIA 1997 documents. A process is in place to update all items to the 2007 and 2008 AIA documents. Please visit our web site, www.ncarb.org, for continued updates.

Personal Calculators
Effective 1 July 2008, ARE candidates will no longer be permitted to bring a personal calculator into the test center. All divisions of the ARE 3.1 and ARE 4.0 will include an on-screen, scientific calculator for your use.

ARE Vouchers
Current vouchers for
ARE examinations (version 3.1 or earlier) will expire when the holder of the voucher is transitioned to the ARE 4.0.  Please contact the ARE Helpdesk (formerly ARE Operations) at 800-896-2272 for information about how you can convert your current voucher to an ARE 4.0 voucher.  You will need to return your current voucher(s) and send a certified check/money order for any additional funds required. All new vouchers will be valid for one year only from date of purchase.