ARE 5.0 Project Management Exam Prep
Navigate Project Management Like a Pro
We break down NCARB's ARE Project Management objectives into simple, practical steps that prepare you for real-world scenarios you'll face on exam day.
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Tackle the PjM Exam With Total Confidence
Our proven method breaks down confusing delivery methods and coordination processes into simple, actionable steps you can use right away.
Therefore, picture yourself walking into the testing center completely prepared for any PjM question.
That’s exactly what happens.
PjM Topics You'll Conquer:
Understanding delivery methods and selecting the right approach for each project
Coordinating consultants, contractors, and project teams effectively
Managing schedules, budgets, and resource allocation throughout the project
Implementing quality control procedures and documentation requirements
Tackling PjM case studies and coordination scenarios with confidence
Your Complete PjM Exam Prep Toolkit
All the ARE study materials you need to master Project Management and pass.
NCARB-Focused Video Lessons
14+ hours covering every PjM objective with clear explanations
Strategic Practice Questions
180+ ARE questions that start with basics and gradually increase in difficulty to accelerate your growth
In-Depth Case Studies
Practice project coordination and delivery methods with three comprehensive case studies
AIA Contracts 101 Course
Complete coverage of B101, A201, and C401 essential for the PjM exam
PjM Flashcards
200+ mobile-friendly cards covering delivery methods and coordination terminology
Virtual Tutor Support
24/7 instant help when you need clarification on complex topics
What Our Customers Our Saying About PjM 101
Get more than just PjM prep.
Get PjM 101 + Full ARE Prep Access
This isn’t a single course purchase. Your membership includes all our ARE prep courses because mastering PjM means understanding concepts that span multiple exam sections.
Why This Matters for Your PjM Prep
Project Management questions test knowledge from different ARE disciplines. Your membership covers everything you need:
AIA Contracts 101 – Complete breakdown of owner-architect agreements and general conditions critical for PjM scenarios
AHPP Reading Companions – Strategic guides for studying the Architect's Handbook sections relevant to Project Management
Foundational Pro Practice Content – Core concepts that apply across all three pro practice exams for faster mastery
ARE 101 Course Membership
Ideal for independent learners
$129/mo
Includes:
- Access all ARE 101 Courses
- 1000’s of Practice Questions
- Interactive Video Lessons
- In-Depth Case Studies
- 24/7 Virtual Tutors
- Cancel Anytime
Try ARE 101 Risk-Free for 7 Days
We're confident you'll love our approach to PjM prep. If you're not completely satisfied within your first week, just contact our support team and we'll process your full refund. No questions asked.
ARE 101 Course Membership
Over 100 hours of video lessons, 1,400+ practice questions, and everything you need to pass all ARE exams.
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Meet Your ARE Prep Instructors
Learn from licensed architects who’ve mastered Project Management and helped thousands pass the PjM exam.
Michael Riscica
RA, CSI, CDT
A registered Architect in Florida and Oregon, Michael is the founder of Young Architect Academy and ARE Boot Camp. His passion is demystifying the Architect Registration Exam.
Lorenzo Franchina
RA
A registered Architect in New Jersey, Lorenzo has over thirty years of experience in architecture practice and has a natural talent for making complex topics simple
Your PjM Success Starts Here
Join thousands of ARE candidates who’ve used this comprehensive approach
to pass the ARE.
PjM 101 Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about the Project Management course.
About the Membership
Understanding the PjM Exam
Study Strategy & Preparation
Why Young Architect Academy
ABOUT THE MEMBERSHIP
What's included in the ARE 101 membership and do I get access to just PjM or all the ARE courses?
You get access to all our ARE courses which includes over 120 hours of video lessons and 1,400+ practice questions covering every ARE exam. We only sell one membership. Not individual courses, not multiple membership tiers. Just one.
The specific materials for PjM 101 are listed above on this page.
Here’s why we include everything:
Project Management is all about executing a project once you have a signed contract. But if you don’t understand what’s actually IN that B101 owner-architect agreement, or how the A201 structures the entire relationship between owner, architect, and contractor, you’re trying to manage a project without understanding the rules of the game.
We spent 5 hours in our AIA Contracts 101 course breaking down these contracts because they’re the foundation of everything. Once you understand how contracts work, project management suddenly makes sense. You’re not just memorizing processes, you’re understanding WHY projects flow the way they do.
Contracts unlock project management. That’s why we can’t teach you PjM properly without giving you access to the Contracts course. And once you have that foundation, you’ll need to reference PcM and CE content too because these three exams overlap about 60% of the same material.
We also have extensive content for people taking their first ARE exam, regardless of which one you start with. The AHPP companions and Wiley charts connect across all three pro practice exams.
Here’s the thing: You won’t use all this information at once. Our 10 years of data shows it takes 700 to 1,300 hours of studying to pass all six ARE exams. Some people do it in 6 months, but most take 2 to 3 years.
How long do I have access to the course materials?
As long as you’re subscribed to the ARE 5.0 membership. Our membership is month-to-month, so you stay subscribed as long as you need access.
What study materials are included vs. what do I need to buy separately?
Our course includes videos, audio content, practice questions, case studies, and more. The specific materials for PjM 101 are listed above on this page.
Think of this as your ARE study guide combined with the official AHPP reference book.
For the Project Management exam, you’ll need the Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice Version 15.0 (the full version, not the student edition). The student edition is missing substantial information you’ll be tested on.
You’re going to need the AHPP even if you use Black Spectacles, Amber Book, PPI, or any other ARE exam prep company. Studying third party ARE prep is never a substitute for studying the book they literally use to write most of the questions.
What’s great about Young Architect Academy is we teach you how to use the AHPP effectively. If your goal is to pass PcM, PjM, and CE quickly and efficiently, learning how to use the Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice is the fastest way to get you to that goal.
We also recommend the Project Delivery Practice Guide 3rd Edition from the Construction Specifications Institute. It’s a nice to have resource and we’ll explain more inside the PjM 101 course.
Can I cancel my membership anytime?
Yes. You can cancel anytime. There are no contracts or long-term commitments.
Your membership stays active until your next billing date.
What's your refund policy?
We want you to feel confident in your purchase. If within the first 7 days you decide the ARE 101 membership isn’t right for you, reach out to us immediately and we’ll work with you.
If you jump in and realize within the first week that our teaching style or approach doesn’t match how you learn best, just let us know. We’d rather process a refund than have you stuck with something that’s not helping you pass.
Also, it’s your responsibility to unsubscribe when you’re done using the membership or after you pass your last exam. We’re not responsible for refunding months you didn’t use but remained subscribed.
If you realize early on this isn’t the right fit, let us know. We’re reasonable people and want this to be a win-win.
Is this self-paced or are there scheduled classes?
ARE 101 membership is completely self-paced online learning. You study whenever it works for you.
Our other program, ARE Bootcamp, is different. That’s a live coaching program with scheduled meetings and set meeting times.
Do you have an app, or can I study on my phone and tablet?
We have something better than an app: a website that’s heavily optimized for mobile browsers.
We used to have an app, but our website actually worked better. So we got rid of the app and put all our energy into making the mobile browser experience fantastic.
Young Architect Academy works great on Google Chrome and Safari on your phone or tablet. About 75% of our students use the website on their phones.
Can I adjust video playback speed or listen to audio-only versions while commuting?
Yes, and we highly recommend it.
You can speed up or slow down any of our video lessons.
Sometimes we talk fast, so you might want to slow things down.
Sometimes you’ve heard it multiple times and want to speed through.
All our videos have closed captions, which makes it easy to study while commuting or in any environment.
Can I download videos for offline viewing?
All content must be streamed through the website.
The website works great on mobile browsers though, so you can study anywhere you have internet access.
Are the flashcards just definitions or do they include calculations?
All of our flashcards focus on vocabulary and definitions.
All of our ARE practice questions focus on understanding concepts.
From a study strategy standpoint: Every single exam has vocabulary specific to that test. One of the strategies we recommend is learning the vocabulary before you actually need to use it.
When you get to the part of the course where those terms come up, you already know what they mean and the concepts behind them. It helps everything move faster.
We have digital flashcards, but feel free to make your own on index cards too. Sometimes physically writing things out helps.
Do the practice questions explain why wrong answers are wrong?
Yes. And this is critical for Project Management because so much of this exam is about making the right call in complex situations.
Every practice question puts you IN real project management scenarios. You’re dealing with scope creep, managing consultant coordination, handling schedule conflicts, making budget decisions, navigating change orders. These aren’t abstract theoretical questions. They’re the situations you’ll face on exam day and in your actual career.
We don’t just tell you the right answer. We explain why the other options don’t work and how this concept connects back to NCARB’s objectives. That’s how you learn to think like a project manager, not just memorize processes.
We’ve organized our practice questions into three levels:
- Level 1 (beginner)
- Level 2 (intermediate)
- Level 3 (hard)
Really challenging practice questions aren’t helpful when you’re just starting and everything is new. It’s actually discouraging. The goal is to grow through our practice questions as you learn more.
Since NCARB is testing your ability to read the question and choose the best response, so much of our teaching happens inside the practice questions themselves while you practice applying what you’ve learned.
Can I sign up and share it with my study group?
No. If you enroll in our ARE 101 membership, it’s only for you.
At checkout, you’ll agree to our single user agreement which states the person who signed up is the only person who gets to use it.
This is actually a benefit to you. The single user agreement is what allows us to offer our product at such a low price.
How does this compare to Black Spectacles, Amber Book, or other ARE prep companies?
We take a fundamentally different approach than most ARE prep resources like Black Spectacles or Amber Book.
Most prep companies give you summaries and tell you to memorize their version of the content. They’re essentially saying “trust us, we figured this out for you, just memorize what we’re giving you.”
We teach you how to use NCARB’s actual objectives and the Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice. We’re teaching you to study the way NCARB expects you to study. Not shortcuts, not summaries, but actual understanding.
Can you pass using other resources? Sure, some people do. But when you understand the material instead of memorizing someone else’s cliff notes, you’re better prepared for the kinds of scenario-based questions NCARB actually asks. And honestly, you’re becoming a better architect in the process, not just a better test taker.
How often do you update the PjM 101 course content?
Regularly. We’re constantly adding and improving content.
- 2018-2020: Initial PjM 101 videos were created
- 2019: Created our comprehensive AIA Contracts 101 course, which is part of the foundation for studying PjM
- 2023-2025: A lot more practice questions and content was added
- 2024: The AHPP Reading Companion was added
- 2025: We rebuilt Young Architect Academy from scratch on a brand new website with better tools and user experience
The PjM 101 course has been complete since 2018. But we never stop making it better. The course evolves as we learn what works best for students and as the ARE exam evolves.
If you ever find a mistake, typo, or error in our content, we have an easy system for you to submit feedback. We update our materials on a weekly basis to make sure everything is accurate.
We’re not perfect, but we’re very proactive about quality control.
Do you offer any free trial or sample content before I buy?
We don’t offer free trials because we have way too much content to give you a meaningful sample. With over 120 hours of video lessons and 1,400+ practice questions across all six ARE exams, plus we have additional 101 courses for AIA contracts, building code and mechanical systems, a small sample wouldn’t do justice to what you’re actually getting.
Instead, we offer something better: Try ARE 101 Risk-Free for 7 Days.
We’re confident you’ll love our approach to ARE PjM prep. If you’re not completely satisfied within your first week, just contact our support team and we’ll process your full refund. No questions asked.
This gives you the chance to dive in and experience the full breadth and depth of our ARE 101 membership. Explore the PjM content, check out the Contracts course, browse through practice questions, and see how everything connects.
Seven days is plenty of time to know if this is right for you. And if it’s not, you get your money back.
We’ve also published over 50 episodes of our free ARE exam prep podcast, which gives you a great sense of our conversational teaching style and the type of content inside Young Architect Academy.
What happens if NCARB changes the exam while I'm studying?
NCARB typically gives everyone plenty of notice before making changes to the ARE.
NCARB announced they’re planning changes to the architect exam for fall 2025. As of October 2025, we’re still waiting to hear more details about what those changes will look like.
Whatever changes come to the architect registration exam, it will be incorporated into your ARE 101 membership.
We’re not creating a separate new product for the new version of the exam. Young Architect Academy is excited to start working on whatever updates NCARB announces.
UNDERSTANDING THE PjM EXAM
What topics are covered on the ARE Project Management exam?
Project Management covers the management of architectural projects, including organizing principles, contract management, and consultant coordination.
The exam focuses on office standards, development of project teams, and overall project control of client, fee, and risk management. You’ll need to demonstrate understanding of quality control, project team configuration, and project scheduling.
The exam is divided into five sections:
Section 1: Resource Management (7-13%)
Once you have a signed contract, it’s time to determine what resources will be needed to execute the project.
You’ll need to determine the composition of the project team and how each team member’s time will be managed and allocated. This includes understanding fees related to the project and consultants, anticipating specific responsibilities of the team, and assessing appropriate staffing levels relative to project needs and fees.
Section 2: Project Work Planning (17-23%)
Evaluating effective ways to develop and communicate a work plan with the assembled project team.
This includes using resources like Gantt charts or critical path schedules to identify key activities and milestones. You’ll need to modify schedules and work plans to incorporate feedback or changes, prioritize tasks and evaluate their impact on workload, and determine appropriate communication to the project team through documents like agendas, meeting minutes, emails, and memos.
Section 3: Contracts (25-31%)
This is the largest section. Analyzing the contracts that establish relationships between the architect, owner, contractors, and consultants.
You’ll evaluate and verify adherence to the owner/architect agreement (B101), interpret key elements of the architect/consultant agreement (C401), understand the owner/contractor agreement (A101 and A201), and integrate an owner’s consultant’s work into the project.
Section 4: Project Execution (17-23%)
Assessing management of the project’s execution. This is not about design-related decisions, but rather the necessary administrative procedures throughout the project.
This includes evaluating compliance with construction budget, analyzing changes in scope and scope creep, evaluating project documentation to ensure it supports the delivery method, and identifying requirements from authorities having jurisdiction to obtain project approvals.
Section 5: Project Quality Control (19-25%)
Quality control methods, procedures, and review processes to maintain proper Standard of Care throughout the entire project.
You’ll apply procedures for adherence to laws and regulations, identify steps in maintaining project quality control while reducing risks and liabilities, perform quality control reviews of documentation throughout the project life, and evaluate management of the design process to maintain integrity of design objectives.
Does PjM 101 cover everything I need to pass the exam?
Yes. But you have to do the work.
Thousands of people have used this Project Management 101 course and passed the ARE exam, but you can’t just stream hours of content and expect to walk in prepared. You have to engage with the material, complete the readings, and truly understand the concepts.
Young Architect Academy teaches understanding the concepts rather than memorizing data. We heavily emphasize strategy and making it easier. Working smarter, not harder.
Proper PjM exam preparation involves using our AIA Contracts 101 course. We created Contracts 101 specifically for PjM because there’s so much contract content in project management. Instead of taking a piecemeal approach (which doesn’t work), we decided to look at contracts holistically. Extracting contracts into its own dedicated course allows PjM 101 to focus more on application and using that contract knowledge in real scenarios.
What's the format and structure of the PjM exam (length, passing score, calculator, etc.)?
The ARE Project Management exam has 95 questions and takes 3 hours 15 minutes.
The passing score ranges between 58-71% depending on the specific test form you receive. Each form has slightly different difficulty, so NCARB adjusts the cut score to maintain fairness.
You get an on-screen calculator (you can’t bring your own). The exam includes multiple choice, check-all-that-apply, and hotspot questions where you click on images.
Case studies are included where you’ll reference project documents to answer questions.
Is the Project Management exam hard?
Yes, it’s a challenging exam. But here’s what I want you to think about instead of the difficulty: how absolutely fascinating this content becomes once you understand how everything connects.
Most of us went to architecture school to design buildings. Nobody taught us how to actually manage a project from contract signing through construction documents. The coordination, the scheduling, the consultant management. It all felt like administrative busywork you’d figure out later.
But here’s what happens when you really dig into Project Management: You realize that contracts are the instruction manual for how projects actually work. Once you understand what’s in the B101 owner-architect agreement and how the A201 general conditions structure the relationships between everyone on a project, suddenly the entire process makes sense.
You start to see why architects coordinate certain things at certain times. You understand why scope changes need to be handled the way they are. You get why quality control processes exist and when they matter most. It’s like suddenly understanding the system behind how buildings actually get delivered.
And here’s the best part: This isn’t just exam knowledge. This is the stuff that makes you effective at your job. When you can read a B101 and understand what services you’re actually contracted to provide, or when you can reference the A201 to clarify who’s responsible for what during construction, you’re not just a better test taker. You’re a better project manager.
Yes, this exam requires time, patience, and practice. But instead of stressing about how hard it is, get curious about how this knowledge is going to make you better at managing real projects.
What is the hardest part of the PjM exam?
Here’s what trips people up: They think PjM is about project management procedures, when it’s actually a contracts exam wrapped in project management scenarios.
You’ll get questions that look like they’re asking about scope changes, or consultant coordination, or quality control reviews. And technically they are. But the real question underneath is: What does your B101 say you’re responsible for? What does the A201 say about how this situation should be handled? Who has what authority according to the contract documents?
If you don’t know your contracts, you’re guessing. You might know general project management principles, but NCARB isn’t testing general principles. They’re testing whether you understand how architectural projects work within the contractual framework that governs them.
So many candidates show up thinking “I’ve managed projects, I’ve got this.” But managing projects in your office (where maybe nobody follows the contracts anyway) is completely different from understanding how projects are SUPPOSED to work according to the owner-architect agreement and general conditions.
The contract knowledge is the foundation. That’s exactly why we created an entire AIA Contracts 101 course. We couldn’t teach PjM properly without first teaching you the contracts that dictate how project management actually works. Once you nail down B101 and A201, the rest of PjM starts clicking into place because you finally understand the rules everyone’s playing by.
Is PjM easier or harder than the other ARE exams?
All ARE exams are challenging. Each one has its own character and looks at many of the same topics from different angles.
PjM is a great beginner exam. PjM, PcM, and CE should be the first three exams you tackle before moving into the more technical and demanding exams.
There’s significant overlap between PjM, PcM, and CE. Each exam is challenging in its own way, but taking them together as a group is strategically smart.
What's the difference between PcM, PjM, and CE, and what's the recommended sequence for taking them?
PjM (Project Management) is all about managing a project once you have that signed contract. Managing the team, the schedule, the budget, and executing the project from contract signing through construction documents. This is where you’re coordinating consultants, tracking resources, maintaining quality control, and keeping the project on track.
PcM (Practice Management) focuses on starting and running an architecture business. Finding clients, setting up the business structure, understanding ethics and regulations. It gets you up to the point where you sign a B101 owner-architect agreement.
CE (Construction & Evaluation) covers what happens after construction documents leave your hands and go to the contractor. Bidding, pricing, construction observation, shop drawing review, payment applications, and project closeout.
The sequence of these 3 doesn’t really matter. What’s actually more important is just getting them all completed before you move on to the technical exams.
There’s significant overlapping content between all three. About 60% of what makes up these first three ARE exams is similar material. It actually gets easier as you march through them.
Once you’ve learned the fundamentals of how project delivery methods work and understand how the contracts work, you’ll quickly see how each exam approaches the same topics and content, just from a different lens and perspective.
If your goal is to pass the architect exam efficiently, completing these first three exams before moving into the more technical ones is essential. This foundational content appears on every test. PcM, PjM, and CE are also more beginner-friendly exams than the technical ones.
How do I prepare for PjM scheduling and Gantt charts?
Scheduling questions on the PjM exam are more about understanding the concepts behind project planning and sequencing than they are about being a scheduling expert.
We have really solid PjM exam study material inside PjM 101 to help you understand Gantt charts, critical path method, and how to evaluate project schedules. The key is understanding how different activities relate to each other and impact the overall timeline.
Don’t overthink it. Start learning the basics early and practice reading and interpreting schedules. You don’t need to be a scheduling software expert, you just need to understand the logic behind good project planning.
What AIA contracts and contract documents are covered?
We cover all the AIA contracts that are being tested on the architect exam inside our AIA Contracts 101 course.
The ARE PjM exam specifically focuses on contracts NCARB lists in the Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice. We go beyond just covering these contracts – we also help you understand all the variations and minor changes between different contract types.
Here’s why this matters: Sometimes NCARB adjusts which specific contracts they reference or makes changes to the ARE exam. Our approach teaches you the foundation of how these contracts work, so you’re prepared for any minor changes NCARB makes. Once you understand the fundamentals, you can adapt to any variation.
The good news is that once you know your B101 and your A201, everything else gets much simpler. Inside Contracts 101, we show you how to navigate the contract portions effectively.
AIA Contracts 101 is the most comprehensive resource available to quickly master AIA Contracts. And it was created specifically for PjM preparation.
Will I learn about Standard of Care for the PjM exam?
Yes. Standard of Care is a fundamental concept that appears throughout the ARE Project Management exam.
We’ve created extensive practice questions to help you apply the concept and test your ability to make the right decisions as an architect managing projects.
Understanding Standard of Care is critical because it affects how you manage quality control, handle scope changes, and coordinate with consultants throughout a project.
Does the course explain project delivery methods (Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, CM)?
Yes. Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, Construction Manager, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), and more.
Project delivery methods is a topic we really enjoy teaching because once you understand this, it unlocks so much understanding about how to answer many other questions.
PcM, PjM, and CE each have an entire objective about understanding project delivery methods. So this is one of those foundational topics that will make everything easier if you master it sooner rather than later.
How much code knowledge do I need for the PjM exam?
The PjM exam is not primarily a building code exam. However, building codes appear on every single ARE exam in some capacity.
Building codes are a topic that requires time and repetition to really understand. Even though it’s not a major PjM topic, we strongly recommend beginning the process of learning building codes sooner rather than later instead of waiting until your technical exams.
Our ARE 5.0 Building Codes 101 course is an excellent introduction to building codes. Even just working through some of our Level 1 beginner questions would be beneficial.
STUDY STRATEGY & PREPARATION
How long does it take to complete PjM 101 exam prep and how many hours per week should I study?
It depends on the person, but the official answer is study as much as you can during the week.
If this is your first ARE exam, you’re going to spend more hours than if you’ve already studied for PcM or CE. These three pro practice exams build off each other.
It’s taking ARE Candidates approximately 300 to 500 hours of studying to pass PcM, PjM, and CE combined.
Here’s the good news: Depending on which exam you take first, it gets progressively easier as you study for more of this content because all this information builds on each other.
Focus on studying every day and winning by getting some work done every single day. Some days are going to be better than others, but keep showing up. The stuff we’re studying is absolutely fascinating.
What's the biggest mistake people make when studying for PjM?
Taking a piecemeal approach to learning contracts instead of understanding them holistically.
PjM is heavily contract-based. If you try to cherry-pick only the contract sections that seem directly relevant to PjM without understanding how B101, A201, C401, and A101 all work together, you’re setting yourself up to fail.
Here’s what happens with the piecemeal approach: You learn that the B101 covers basic services, but you don’t understand how those services relate to the A201’s requirements for submittals and coordination. You memorize that architects review shop drawings, but you don’t understand the contractual framework that defines your responsibility versus the contractor’s responsibility. You know scope changes exist, but you can’t identify when something is actually outside your contracted services.
You end up with disconnected fragments of information instead of a complete understanding of how projects actually work.
The other big mistake is trying to memorize contract details instead of understanding the concepts. PjM isn’t testing whether you memorized Section 3.6.4.2 of the B101. It’s testing whether you understand what happens when situations come up on projects and whether you can apply your contract knowledge to make the right decision.
That’s exactly why we created our entire AIA Contracts 101 course. It takes a holistic approach so you can see how all the pieces fit together, then PjM 101 focuses on helping you apply that knowledge in real project management scenarios.
Should I study for multiple exams at the same time?
Because of the overlap between PcM, PjM, and CE, there’s a lot of foundational content you need across all three ARE exams.
However, if your goal is to quickly and efficiently pass these exams, after you’ve seen the big picture, being strategic and focused on doing them one at a time will actually get you to the finish line faster.
What's the best way to study for the ARE PjM case studies?
Case studies are nothing more than open book multiple choice questions.
Knowing the content is 80% of the battle. The other 20% is staying focused and not wasting time in the documentation.
Look at each question individually and ask yourself: Do I have what I need here to answer this question? Or do I need to go back into the references? Don’t waste time looking through every piece of documentation. Think about what the question is really asking and work your way backwards into the documentation.
We have more information inside our ARE 101 membership about how to handle ARE Test Day.
How many practice questions should I do before taking PjM?
Every single one you can get your hands on. But here’s what makes PjM practice questions different: They’re about applying contract knowledge to real project situations.
You can’t learn contracts by just reading them. You have to practice using them. That’s what our PjM practice questions are designed to do.
Our questions put you in actual project management scenarios where you need to make decisions. A consultant misses a deadline. Scope starts creeping beyond what’s in your contract. The owner wants additional services. A quality control issue comes up during construction documents. The contractor asks you to approve something that’s outside your contractual authority.
Every question forces you to think: What does the contract say about this? What’s my responsibility here? What’s the right call?
That’s exactly what NCARB is testing. Not whether you memorized contract language, but whether you can apply it when situations come up. The more scenarios you work through in practice questions, the better you get at recognizing the patterns and making the right decisions on exam day.
Do I need work experience to pass PjM?
No. Lots of people have passed the PjM exam who are recent graduates and don’t have work experience.
Often, how you do it in the office every day is not the right answer on the architect exam.
We’ve seen over and over again that the ability to focus, concentrate, and not get distracted is actually much more valuable than having 20 years of experience.
When should I schedule my ARE PjM exam?
Start studying first.
Schedule your exam after you feel like you’ve done about 50% of the studying needed to be ready.
Then look at what’s going on in your life. Is there anything that’s going to interrupt you from studying really hard for the second half? Any holidays, any vacations, any deadlines? Make an educated decision about choosing a test date once you’ve looked at all this data.
Your personal life will always dictate your ARE schedule more than anything else.
Young Architect has never subscribed to the one size fits all approach of just spending 30 days studying for an exam. Are you studying 5 hours a week or 50 hours a week? We always measure it in hours and getting the work done.
How do I know when I'm ready to take the PjM exam?
You’re ready when you’ve gone through all the ARE study materials, done the practice questions, and feel like you understand the core concepts. But here’s the reality: You’re never going to feel 100% ready. There’s always going to be more to study.
Sometimes failing an exam teaches you more than studying for another 100 hours trying to avoid failure. The exam itself shows you what you actually need to know.
If you’ve done the work and put in the hours, schedule it. You can’t pass these exams without taking them.
How many times can I retake the PjM exam if I fail?
You can fail a specific exam three times within a 12 month period.
The 12 month period starts the first day that you fail it. So you can fail PjM three times in a 12 month period starting from your first failed attempt.
What should I do if I fail PjM the first time?
Don’t immediately retake it.
Go study and take the Practice Management (PcM) and Construction & Evaluation (CE) exams. After you pass those, come back to PjM.
Even though you didn’t pass PjM the first time, the work you did wasn’t wasted. That foundational knowledge is going to help you with PcM and CE. And then when you study for those exams, you’re going to see the same contract concepts applied in different contexts. Suddenly things that felt confusing about project management start making complete sense.
This holistic approach works. When people fail PjM and just keep retaking it immediately, they’re trapped in a cycle. Same study materials. Same approach. Same confusion. They keep hoping that somehow, magically, it’ll click the next time. But you can’t think your way out of a problem using the same thinking that got you into it.
You start dreading the material. Every study session feels like punishment. You’re burning hours and money on retakes without making real progress because what you need is a fresh angle on the same information.
Take PcM and CE, then circle back to PjM. These exams share about 60% of the same foundational content, especially around contracts and project delivery. You’re not abandoning PjM, you’re building the broader context that’s going to make PjM finally make sense.
And here’s the truth: Statistically, most people fail NCARB’s ARE exams 3 to 6 times before passing them all. This isn’t a personal failure. It’s how these exams work. The people who pass are the ones who keep moving forward strategically instead of getting stuck retaking the same test over and over.
What if I've already failed PjM multiple times?
First question: Have you taken PcM and CE yet? If not, stop retaking PjM and go study for those two exams. Come back to PjM after you’ve passed them with that broader perspective.
If you’ve already done PcM and CE and you’re still struggling with PjM, you need a different approach. Doing the same thing repeatedly while expecting different results doesn’t work.
Maybe you need different practice questions that test contracts in ways you haven’t seen. Maybe you need someone to explain project delivery methods from a different angle. Maybe you need to spend more time in the actual AHPP instead of relying on summaries.
We see this constantly: People struggle with other resources, then they work through how Young Architect teaches the same concepts and suddenly it clicks. Sometimes you just need to hear it explained differently, see it applied differently, practice it differently.
The content isn’t changing. NCARB’s objectives aren’t changing. But your understanding can absolutely change when you get a different perspective on the material.
Stop doing what isn’t working. Find different resources, different explanations, different approaches until something breaks through.
WHY YOUNG ARCHITECT ACADEMY
How is this different from other ARE prep resources like Black Spectacles, Amber Book, or just reading books?
Here’s the fundamental difference: We teach you to understand how architectural projects actually work according to the contracts that govern them.
Most prep companies give you summaries of contracts and tell you to memorize them. They pull out what they think are the important parts and say “just memorize this, trust us.” It’s faster that way, right?
But here’s the problem: PjM isn’t testing whether you memorized their summary. It’s testing whether you can apply contract knowledge to real project situations. And you can’t do that with cliff notes.
We teach you how to actually read and use the B101, the A201, the C401. We show you how these contracts work together. We help you understand what they mean and how to apply them when situations come up on projects.
Look, memorizing summaries feels efficient. But when you get a scenario question about scope creep or consultant coordination or quality control, you won’t be recalling bullet points from someone’s summary. You’ll need to understand the actual contractual relationships and how they apply to that specific situation.
When you truly understand how contracts work, you can handle any project management scenario NCARB throws at you. Not just on the exam, but in your actual career. You can reference the B101 when scope questions come up. You can apply the A201 when contractor coordination issues arise. You become a better project manager, not just a better test taker.
Understanding takes more time upfront than memorization. But it’s the only approach that actually prepares you for how NCARB tests this material.
What makes Young Architect's teaching style different?
We’re conversational and honest. We don’t pretend to have some secret formula that makes passing easy.
Our goal is to teach you how to understand this material yourself, because that’s the type of learning that works best for the ARE and carries into your career as a registered architect. We want to inspire you and make things clearer.
We don’t subscribe to the one size fits all “just memorize our summaries” approach to studying for the architect exam.
We acknowledge what it actually takes to pass these exams. We’re here to guide you and teach you how to think through this material, not to do the thinking for you.
Does this course follow NCARB's PjM objectives?
Yes. All of our 101 courses are based around NCARB’s objectives and teaching you how to understand what NCARB is telling you they’re going to be testing you on. We guide you towards understanding those concepts.
If you’re not studying NCARB’s objectives and using their resources, you’re not studying for the architect exam. You’re studying someone else’s summary of what they think you should know.
What if other prep companies say you don't need the AHPP?
I completely disagree. When you sit down to take the PjM exam, you’ll see exactly how the questions pull from the AHPP. The contract scenarios reference it. The project management situations are built from it. This isn’t hidden information.
Here’s what happens when you skip the AHPP and rely only on summaries: You get a question about managing consultant deliverables or handling scope changes, and you’re trying to remember what some prep company told you the answer should be. You’re not working through the problem, you’re trying to recall their bullet points.
But when you’ve actually worked with the AHPP and understand the contract concepts, you can think through the question using the same framework NCARB used to write it. You’re not guessing based on memorized summaries, you’re applying what you know about how projects actually work.
Yes, the AHPP is a substantial book. But here’s what we’ve seen over and over with thousands of students: It’s actually more efficient to learn how to use the book effectively than to try memorizing someone else’s condensed version of it. The book gives you the full context. Summaries give you fragments.
If you’re not studying NCARB’s objectives and using their official resources, you’re not really preparing for their exam. You’re preparing for someone else’s interpretation of what they think the exam covers. And that’s a much harder way to pass.
Is PjM 101 updated for ARE 5.0 and when was it created?
Yes. PjM 101 was built entirely for ARE 5.0.
PjM 101 was one of the first courses we created on Young Architect Academy and it was made from scratch exclusively for ARE 5.0.
Why is your membership so much cheaper than other options?
Our customers are the people actually studying for these exams. A lot of other ARE prep companies have strategically priced their products to sell to firms and AIA chapters, not to the individuals taking the tests.
Keeping our product affordable has been important to Young Architect since the beginning. A big part of our mission is to help people find success with their architect exams at every single price point. Starting from a free weekly ARE podcast, through cheap webinars, affordable ARE study materials, and the ARE Bootcamp is our most expensive but also our flagship product.
What's the pass rate for PjM 101?
Here’s the honest truth: No matter how thoroughly you prepare, there’s about a 50% chance you won’t pass on your first attempt. That’s just the nature of these exams. They’re difficult, and NCARB designs them that way intentionally.
But here’s what actually matters: If you grasp that passing all six ARE exams requires somewhere between 700 and 1,300 hours of focused study, and if you’re willing to keep pushing forward even after failures, your odds of eventually passing everything approach 100%.
The people who don’t ultimately pass aren’t less intelligent. They’re not less talented. They simply stop trying. They get discouraged after failing once or twice and they give up.
Persistence is what separates those who pass from those who don’t. Not some magical pass rate from a prep company. Not some secret study technique. Just consistently showing up, putting in the work, learning from your failures, and taking the exam again.
You have to genuinely want this. You have to be willing to invest the hours. You have to be willing to fail a few times and get back up anyway. The ball’s in your court. We can provide you with excellent study materials, comprehensive practice questions, and effective strategies. But you’re the one who has to put in the actual work.
And honestly? That’s exactly how it should be. This license has value precisely because it’s challenging to earn.
Will this help me in my actual job, not just for the exam?
Yes. All of the Young Architect courses, content, podcasts, and blog posts that we’ve created for the architect exam will not only help you pass the ARE test, it’ll help you be a better architect.
How is PjM 101 different from the free ARE exam prep podcast?
The free ARE podcast was created in March 2025 as a way for people to experience what we’re doing inside Young Architect Academy.
We don’t include it as part of the official content for PjM 101. However, the podcast episodes for the PjM exam are included inside PjM 101, and we strongly recommend going through each one as you work through the course.
One added benefit: We often create podcast episodes months in advance before they’re published publicly. However, ARE 101 members get early access to between 5 and 15 episodes that haven’t been released yet.
How is this different from the ARE Bootcamp?
Think of ARE 101 as joining a gym. Think of signing up for ARE Boot Camp as hiring a personal trainer.
ARE 101 is self-guided. It’s access to study materials. You go through it on your own at your own pace and schedule.
ARE Boot Camp is a program with a schedule and a really detailed curriculum. The weekly study curriculum is sequenced in a very logical way to make it easier to learn.
You’re meeting weekly on Zoom and moving through a curriculum that’s been tested and refined since 2015. Boot Camp allows people to find more time to study because they don’t have to worry about, research, and figure out what they should be studying.
There’s a lot of accountability, a lot of meetings, and a community element to it. People in Boot Camp are meeting together 3 to 4 times a week at various times to talk about different concepts and work on practice questions.
All ARE prep study materials are talking at you. ARE Boot Camp is the only program that’s going to talk with you and, through conversation and dialogue, help you understand how to put all these parts together.
ARE Boot Camp is our premium program with a lot of content and information that’s not a part of the 101 course membership.
Is PjM 101 enough to pass or do I need to take the ARE Bootcamp?
Many people pass PjM using PjM 101 without taking Boot Camp. It’s really about you.
Young Architect has never subscribed to the one size fits all approach to the architect exam. The one size fits all approach doesn’t work. We’re not machines or robots. We’re individuals.
Some people are looking for just study materials like the 101 membership. Some people need a lot more accountability to help them get there.
What if I start with this and want to upgrade to Bootcamp later?
Yes, that’s fine. A lot of people start on their own and then later upgrade to Boot Camp. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Sometimes it helps to get the lay of the land first on their own and then join Boot Camp. Sometimes people sign up right for Boot Camp. Sometimes people are just looking for study materials and that’s all they need.
We all learn differently. Not a one size fits all. But Boot Camp is a program that’s customized to each person to help them add this time-consuming task to their busy life.
There’s more information inside our ARE 101 membership if that’s something you choose to do.