Making the ARE Accessible
Findings from our joint study with the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) show that candidates of color are more likely to spend over $500 on study materials and less likely to pass the exam.
As part of the migration to PSI, NCARB wanted to ensure that all candidates have access to affordable, high-quality study materials. NCARB's release of free practice exams for each division was a key step in making the exam more accessible—and our early data shows that it's having an impact:
- All candidates who use the practice exams outperform those who don't on all six ARE divisions.
- Further, Asian, Black or African American, and Hispanic or Latino candidates using the practice exams have seen a larger impact on pass rates compared to white candidates—see the impact by demographic.
You can access the exams through your Record if you're a licensure candidate with an NCARB Record. And if you're anyone else, you can access a PDF version of the practice exams on our website. Learn how to access the practice exams.
We look forward to sharing more information on the practice exams' impact in the future.
