ARE 5.0 Construction and Evaluation Exam Prep
Master ARE Construction and Evaluation Exam Prep
We simplify the CE exam by demystifying construction observation, administrative procedures, and closeout so you can pass on your first attempt.
*Pictures of our actual students
Our Students Are Now Registered Architects at These Firms:
Pass the CE Exam With Total Confidence
Our proven system breaks down Construction and Evaluation concepts into clear, actionable steps you can apply immediately.
Picture yourself walking into the testing center ready for any CE question.
That’s exactly what happens.
What You'll Master in CE 101:
Mastering preconstruction activities from bid package preparation through contractor evaluation
Performing construction observations and documenting site conditions accurately
Handling construction administration including submittal reviews and change management
Navigating construction problems and applying proper resolution procedures
Completing project closeout procedures and warranty documentation
Everything in Your CE 101 Course
Comprehensive resources to help you ace Construction and Evaluation.
NCARB-Focused Video Lessons
14+ hours covering all CE objectives with step-by-step explanations
Strategic Practice Questions
200+ ARE questions progressing from foundational to advanced difficulty to build your skills
In-Depth Case Studies
Practice construction administration and site observation with two detailed case studies
AIA Contracts 101 Course
Full coverage of B101, A201, and G-series documents critical for the CE exam
CE Flashcards
Digital flashcards for construction administration vocabulary and key procedures
Virtual Tutor Support
24/7 instant help when you need clarification on complex topics
What Our Customers Our Saying About CE 101
Your membership includes much more.
CE 101 + Complete ARE Access
You’re getting way more than a single course. Your membership covers every ARE exam because Construction and Evaluation success depends on understanding concepts from other sections.
Why This Matters for Your CE Prep
Construction and Evaluation questions reach across multiple topics. Here’s what your membership includes:
AIA Contracts 101 - Deep dive into B101, A201, and G-series forms that show up constantly in CE questions
Building Codes 101 - Essential IBC knowledge for construction type requirements and inspection protocols
Pro Practice Foundation - Shared business concepts across CE, PcM, and PjM that accelerate your learning
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
ARE 101 Course Membership
Over 100 hours of video lessons, 1,400+ practice questions, and everything you need to pass all ARE exams.
Click any course below to see what's included
Meet Your ARE Prep Instructors
Learn from licensed architects who’ve mastered Construction and Evaluation and helped thousands pass the CE 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.
CE 101 FAQs
Get answers to common questions about the Project Management course.
About the Membership
Understanding the CE 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 CE or all the ARE courses?
You get access to all our ARE courses, not just CE. 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.
Here’s why that matters for CE: This exam is where you see architecture come to life in the field – construction observation, submittal reviews, watching a project get built. This is the stuff that makes architecture real. But you can’t properly understand construction administration without understanding how the contracts work.
To effectively pass the Construction & Evaluation exam, you need our AIA Contracts 101 course. Understanding B101, A201, and A101 is critical. We cover payment applications, change orders, construction change directives, and even integrated project delivery methods in our contracts course. This foundation makes CE so much easier to understand.
You’ll also need to cross-reference content from PcM and PjM. Here’s what’s important: PcM, PjM, and CE all have an entire objective about project delivery methods, and all three heavily rely on understanding B101, A201, and how these contracts outline how architecture is actually practiced.
That’s why there’s so much overlapping information between all three. What’s nice about Young Architect Academy’s 101 courses is we pull the content from PcM and PjM that’s applicable to CE and make it easy for you to find, so you’re not hunting all over for these connections.
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 CE 101 are listed above on this page.
Think of this as your ARE study guide combined with the official AHPP reference book.
For the Construction & Evaluation 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 there.
We also recommend the Project Delivery Practice Guide 3rd Edition from the Construction Specifications Institute. It’s a helpful resource and we’ll explain more inside the CE 101 course.
Additionally, Francis Ching’s Building Construction Illustrated and Codes Illustrated are very helpful resources for the CE exam. But we don’t just tell you to blindly read those books. Inside CE 101, we give you a strategic approach to help you understand how to use those books effectively to prepare for the Construction & Evaluation exam. That strategy makes all the difference.
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.
Look, if this isn’t clicking for you in the first week, we’d rather give you your money back than have you waste time on something that’s not working.
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.
Most of our students study CE on their commute – watching construction observation lessons on the train, doing practice questions during lunch breaks. The mobile experience makes that possible.
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. This is one of the things that sets us apart from so many other ARE exam prep companies.
But here’s what makes our CE practice questions different: They put you IN construction administration situations. You’re reviewing submittals. You’re handling non-conforming work on site. You’re making decisions about payment applications. You’re solving construction problems.
Every practice question is a teaching opportunity. We don’t just tell you the right answer. We explain why all the incorrect answers are wrong, how this concept connects back to each NCARB objective, and most importantly – how to think through these decisions like an architect during construction admin.
We’ve organized our practice questions into three levels:
- Level 1 (beginner)
- Level 2 (intermediate)
- Level 3 (hard)
These aren’t just practice questions. They’re a complete ARE practice exam preparation system.
We’ve learned that really challenging practice questions aren’t helpful when you’re just starting and everything is new. In fact, it’s 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 right answer, so much of our teaching happens inside the practice questions themselves while you practice recall and decision-making.
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.
I already have access to Amber Book and Black Spectacles through my firm. Would this still be helpful?
Yes. We’ve learned that 80% of our students have already used Black Spectacles and Amber Book before joining Young Architect Academy.
Here’s what we hear all the time: A lot of people come to us after using other prep companies because those materials don’t teach you how to THINK during construction administration – they just give you lists to memorize.
Construction admin isn’t about memorizing. It’s about understanding the relationships between owner, architect, and contractor. It’s about knowing how to apply your contract knowledge when problems come up on site. It’s about making the right decisions in real situations.
Nobody is only using one ARE prep company in isolation. It’s never one book, one prep company, one resource, or one video.
It truly takes a village to create every licensed architect.
We have a very different, unique, and strategic approach to studying for the architect exam. We encourage studying everything you can get your hands on that’s going to help you pass your exams.
If you have access to other ARE study materials, that’s great. Many people tell us they prefer our questions and our approach to construction admin the most.
How often do you update the CE 101 course content?
All the time. We never stop making it better.
- 2018-2020: Initial CE 101 videos were created
- 2023-2025: Significant expansion of practice questions and content
- 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 CE 101 course has been complete since 2018. But here’s the thing: Every time we hear from a student about what clicked for them, or what was confusing, we fold that insight back into the course. 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 additional 101 courses for AIA contracts, building codes 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 CE 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 CE content, check out the Contracts course, browse through practice questions, and see how everything connects.
Seven days is plenty of time to see if our approach to construction admin makes sense to you. And if it’s not the right fit, 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.
Got your questions answered? Join ARE 101 exam prep and get instant access to everything you need to pass the ARE CE exam.
UNDERSTANDING THE CE EXAM
What topics are covered on the ARE Construction & Evaluation exam?
Construction & Evaluation is where you finally get to see how everything comes together in the field. This exam covers construction contract administration and post-occupancy evaluation – basically everything that happens once the contractor gets involved.
The exam focuses on bidding and negotiation processes, supporting the construction process, and evaluating completed projects. You’ll need to demonstrate understanding of construction contract execution, construction support services (including construction observation and submittal review), payment request processing, and project closeout.
The exam is divided into four sections:
Section 1: Preconstruction Activities (17-23%)
Everything that happens before construction starts – and there’s more here than most people realize.
You’ll need to interpret the architect’s roles and responsibilities during preconstruction based on delivery method. This includes understanding bidding documents, procedures for distributing documents, pre-bid meetings, prequalification of bidders, and selection of contractors. You’ll analyze criteria for selecting contractors and evaluate aspects of the contract or design to adjust project costs.
Section 2: Construction Observation (32-38%)
This is the largest section, and for good reason. This is where you’re out in the field, watching the project come to life.
You’ll evaluate the architect’s role during construction activities, including site observations, action items, and documentation. You’ll need to evaluate construction conformance with contract documents, codes, regulations, and sustainability requirements. This includes analyzing completed work against project requirements, identifying non-conforming construction, and determining construction progress.
Section 3: Administrative Procedures & Protocols (32-38%)
The documentation that keeps everything running smoothly during construction.
Clear written communication is essential here. You’ll determine appropriate additional information to supplement contract documents, evaluate submittals including shop drawings, samples, and product data, evaluate contractor applications for payment, and evaluate responses to non-conformance with contract documents.
Section 4: Project Closeout & Evaluation (7-13%)
The smallest section, but critical for actually finishing a project.
You’ll apply procedural concepts to complete closeout activities, including warranties, record drawings, punch lists, and final payment applications. You’ll also evaluate building design and performance during the first year of use, using tools like user surveys and building commissioning.
Does CE 101 cover everything I need to pass the exam?
Yes. But you have to do the work.
Thousands of people have used this Construction & Evaluation 101 course and passed the ARE exam, but here’s what you need to understand: NCARB isn’t testing you on how many hours of videos you watched while sitting on the couch. They’re testing your ability to recall information and make the right decision in a moment’s notice.
That’s why so much of our content relies on teaching you through practice questions, not just videos. You have to do the work, complete the readings, and 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 CE exam preparation involves using our AIA Contracts 101 course. Understanding A201, A101, and the G-series forms is critical for the Construction & Evaluation exam. We cover these thoroughly in Contracts 101, which makes CE so much easier to understand.
What's the format and structure of the CE exam (length, passing score, calculator, etc.)?
The ARE Construction & Evaluation exam has 75 questions and takes 3 hours to complete.
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.
There’s a 30-minute optional break, making your total appointment time 3 hours and 40 minutes.
Is the Construction & Evaluation exam hard?
Yes, it’s a challenging exam. It’s not meant to be easy.
But here’s what I want you to focus on instead of the difficulty: How fascinating this material is. There’s actually a lot of genuinely interesting information being tested on the ARE Construction & Evaluation exam that you never learned in school.
What makes CE so interesting is understanding the relationship between the owner, architect, and contractor. Learning how construction administration actually works and seeing how the project comes together in the field – that’s when architecture stops being theoretical and becomes real.
Here’s what clicked for me, and what clicks for a lot of people: Construction can look like total chaos when you’re on site. But when you understand how the contracts and general conditions work together, you start to see how they bring order to that chaos. The contracts really outline how architecture is practiced as a business and how to think about architecture and construction.
It’s kind of life-changing when you realize this. It was for me.
It’s going to take time, patience, and practice. But rather than stressing about how hard it is, embrace how interesting it is and how this knowledge is going to make you a better architect and help you actually get projects built.
What is the hardest part of the CE exam?
The hardest part of CE is wrapping your head around all the little concepts that eventually fit together to create the big picture of construction administration.
There are a lot of smaller concepts you need to understand, and each one takes some time to learn:
- Construction Change Directives
- Change Orders
- Payment Applications
- Quality Assurance and Quality Control
- Shop drawing review
- Construction sequencing
- Bidding and procurement
- Addendums
Here’s what people get hung up on: They try to memorize all the details from A201 – how many days for this, how many days for that – instead of understanding the concepts behind why those procedures exist and how they work together during construction.
NCARB isn’t testing your ability to memorize AIA contract details. CE is all about understanding the relationship between owner, architect, and contractor, and knowing how to make the right decisions when issues come up during construction.
Good news: Once you learn these individual pieces and how they connect, it gets a lot easier. You start to see how all the parts work together. That’s when CE really clicks and stops feeling overwhelming.
Is CE 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.
CE is a great beginner exam. PcM, PjM, and CE should be the first three exams you tackle before moving into the more technical and demanding exams.
There’s significant overlap between PcM, PjM, 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?
CE (Construction & Evaluation) is what happens after construction documents leave the architect’s hands and go to the contractor. Bidding, contractor selection, construction observation, submittal review, payment applications, and project closeout.
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.
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.
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.
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 CE exam specifically focuses on contracts NCARB lists in the Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice. We cover A201 (General Conditions), A101 (Owner-Contractor Agreement), C401 (Architect-Consultant Agreement), plus Instructions to Bidders and other essential documents.
We really break down how the bidding process works and how project delivery methods impact construction administration. Understanding these contracts is fundamental to passing CE.
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 A201 and your A101, 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’s essential for CE preparation.
Will I learn about Standard of Care for the CE exam?
Yes. Standard of Care is a fundamental concept that appears throughout the ARE Construction & Evaluation 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 during construction administration.
Understanding Standard of Care is critical because it affects how you conduct site observations, review submittals, and respond to non-conforming work throughout construction.
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 CE exam?
The CE 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 CE 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 CE 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 PjM. 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 CE?
Getting so hung up on memorizing details that they miss the big picture of how everything fits together.
People try to memorize specific timelines and procedures from A201 (like how many days for this, how many days for that) instead of understanding the concepts behind why those procedures exist and how they work together during construction administration.
Look, NCARB isn’t testing your ability to memorize procedural minutia from the A201.
Instead, CE is all about understanding how an owner, architect, and contractor work together to get the building built, and knowing how to make the right decisions when issues come up during construction.
That’s exactly why understanding contracts holistically through our AIA Contracts 101 course makes CE so much easier.
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 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 CE 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 exams should I do before taking CE?
You should do every single set of practice exams you can get your hands on.
It takes practice learning how to read the question, think about it, and choose the right answer.
Here’s what makes our CE practice exams effective: They relate directly to the NCARB objectives and focus on real construction scenarios. You’ll practice construction observation decisions, submittal reviews, payment applications, and construction problem-solving. That’s what NCARB is testing you on with the Construction and Evaluation exam.
Start practicing answering as many questions as you can because that’s what the architect exam is really about. Your ability to answer questions correctly.
Do I need work experience to pass CE?
No. Lots of people have passed the CE exam who are recent graduates and don’t have construction administration experience.
Often, how you do it in the office every day is not the right answer on the ARE 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 years of construction experience.
When should I schedule my ARE CE 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 CE exam?
You’re ready when you’ve gone through all the 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 CE 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 CE three times in a 12 month period starting from your first failed attempt.
What should I do if I fail CE the first time?
Don’t immediately retake it.
Go study and take the Practice Management (PcM) and Project Management (PjM) exams. After you pass those, come back to CE.
Even though you didn’t pass CE the first time, the work you did was not a waste of time. It will actually help you with those other two exams, and those other two exams will help you with CE.
Focus on the bigger picture. When people fail CE as their first exam and just keep retaking CE over and over, they’re only seeing a small portion of the same information. People start to go insane when they keep doing the same thing. Studying gets frustrating when you’re studying the same content over and over without getting results.
Here’s the truth: Statistically speaking, most people fail NCARB’s ARE exams 3 to 6 times before passing them all. The goal is to get to the finish line.
If you understand this is part of the process and can keep moving forward instead of giving up because you failed a test you get to retake, you’ll make it. Take a holistic approach to your retake strategy.
What if I've already failed CE multiple times?
First question: Have you taken PcM and PjM yet? If not, go study for those two exams and then come back to CE.
We see people fail the same test over and over when they keep studying the same way. After you fail an exam, you need a different perspective.
A lot of people who haven’t found success with other ARE exam prep resources discover how Young Architect looks at things differently and it clicks. Look for different resources, different explanations, different approaches.
WHY YOUNG ARCHITECT ACADEMY
Why is Young Architect Academy different from other ARE prep resources?
We teach you how to study the way NCARB intends.
Most ARE exam prep companies give you their version of what they think you should study. They create summaries and cliff notes of the content, making you dependent on their interpretation.
We take a different approach. We teach you how to read and interpret the actual source material yourself. The AHPP, the NCARB objectives, the AIA contracts. We show you how to find answers and think critically about the content.
Here’s why this matters for CE: Construction administration questions on the exam require you to understand relationships between owner, architect, and contractor. You can’t memorize your way through submittal reviews, payment applications, or construction observations. You need to understand how the contracts work and how to apply that knowledge.
You can’t properly understand many CE concepts without understanding how the contracts work. That’s why we created our complete AIA Contracts 101 course. It’s not just about CE. It’s about giving you the foundation to understand construction administration holistically.
Other companies teach you how to pass one exam. We teach you how to become self-sufficient so you can tackle all six divisions confidently.
What makes Young Architect's teaching style different?
We teach understanding over memorization.
The goal isn’t to cram facts into your head. The goal is to help you understand the concepts so deeply that you can apply them to any scenario NCARB throws at you on exam day.
We focus on teaching you how to think like an architect during construction administration. How to evaluate site conditions, review submittals, process payment applications, and handle construction problems according to your standard of care and contract requirements.
We break down complex construction concepts into logical sequences that make sense. Once you understand how all the pieces fit together, the exam becomes much more manageable.
Our approach is about working smarter, not harder. Understanding the big picture makes everything easier.
What teaching resources and materials are included in CE 101?
Everything you need to pass the Construction and Evaluation exam:
Video Lessons: 14+ hours covering every NCARB objective for CE, broken down into digestible sections.
Practice Questions: 200+ questions that progress from foundational to advanced, helping you build confidence and test your understanding.
Case Studies: Detailed construction scenarios that mirror real exam situations, teaching you how to work through complex problems.
AIA Contracts 101: Complete breakdown of B101, A201, A101, and G-series forms that are critical for construction administration.
AHPP Reading Companion: Strategic guidance for navigating the Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice efficiently.
Digital Flashcards: Key construction administration terms and procedures for quick review.
Virtual Tutor Support: 24/7 AI assistance when you need help understanding challenging concepts.
Do I really need the full AHPP 15.0 or can I use the student edition?
You need the full AHPP 15.0, not the student edition.
NCARB bases many exam questions on content from the full version. The student edition is abbreviated and missing critical information you’ll need for the Construction and Evaluation exam.
Inside our ARE 101 membership, we’ve created an AHPP Reading Companion that shows you exactly which sections to focus on and how to navigate the handbook strategically. We show you how to study efficiently.
When was CE 101 created and how long has it been around?
CE 101 was created in 2019, built exclusively for ARE 5.0.
When ARE 5.0 launched, we knew candidates needed a comprehensive resource for the new Construction and Evaluation exam. We built CE 101 from the ground up based on NCARB’s objectives.
Timeline:
- 2019-2020: Initial CE 101 video content and practice questions
- 2023-2025: Expanded practice question library with more advanced scenarios
- 2024: Added AHPP Reading Companion
- 2025: Rebuilt website with improved navigation and virtual tutor support
We’re constantly updating and improving based on feedback from thousands of ARE candidates who’ve used the course.
How often do you update the course content?
We update content continuously.
When NCARB adjusts objectives or updates references, we update our content. When we identify areas where candidates struggle, we add more practice questions and clarification.
Our practice question library grows regularly. We’re always adding new scenarios and examples based on what we’re seeing from candidates preparing for the ARE Construction and Evaluation exam.
The beauty of our membership model is that you always have access to the latest content without paying for updates.
What's your pass rate and do you guarantee I'll pass?
We don’t advertise a pass rate and we don’t guarantee you’ll pass.
Here’s why: Your success depends more on your effort and persistence than on which study materials you use.
Statistically, you have about a 50% chance of passing any given ARE exam. That’s not because the exams are impossibly hard. It’s because many candidates give up after failing once or twice instead of learning from their mistakes and trying again.
The people who pass are the ones who keep showing up. They fail, they learn, they adjust their approach, and they try again. That persistence is what gets you licensed, not magic study materials.
Our job is to give you the best possible resources and teach you how to study effectively. Your job is to do the work and not give up when it gets hard.
How is CE 101 structured and organized?
CE 101 follows the NCARB objectives exactly, organized into the four main sections:
Section 1: Preconstruction Activities – Bidding procedures, contractor selection, and cost management
Section 2: Construction Observation – Site visits, documentation, and evaluating construction conformance
Section 3: Administrative Procedures & Protocols – Submittals, RFIs, change orders, and payment applications
Section 4: Project Closeout & Evaluation – Punch lists, warranties, and post-occupancy evaluation
Each section includes video lessons explaining the concepts, followed by practice questions testing your understanding. We teach the concept, then immediately give you a way to practice applying it.
Is CE 101 enough to pass or do I need to take the ARE Bootcamp?
Many people pass CE using CE 101 without taking Boot Camp. It’s really about you.
Some candidates prefer self-study with our comprehensive materials. Others want more hands-on guidance and accountability through Boot Camp.
The ARE Bootcamp is our 10-week intensive coaching program with live group sessions, personalized feedback, and direct access to me. It’s designed for candidates who want structured support and a community of people going through the exams together.
CE 101 gives you everything you need content-wise. Boot Camp gives you coaching, accountability, and community on top of that content.
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 your own and then join Boot Camp. Sometimes people sign up right for Boot Camp. Sometimes people are just looking for ARE 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.
How does the ARE 101 membership work?
You get access to ALL our ARE courses, not just CE.
Your membership includes:
- All six division courses (PcM, PjM, CE, PA, PPD, PDD)
- AIA Contracts 101
- Building Codes 101
- Mechanical Systems 101
- AHPP Reading Companions
- Virtual tutor support
It’s a monthly subscription starting at $129/month. Cancel anytime with no penalties.
The reason we do it this way: Construction and Evaluation overlaps significantly with PcM and PjM. You need access to all three to study efficiently. Plus, concepts from other exams help clarify CE concepts.
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