INSPIRATIONS FROM ARCHITECT BOARD TOPNOTCHERS

Prophecy
Before the exam, there were a lot of amusing things that happened. A friend, who
claimed she has the ability to dream of things that will happen, texted me that she saw
my name on the list of topnotchers, he recalls. That was about three months before
the exam!
Before the review, hed joke around, telling his schoolmates and friends that he would
top the board exam. Maybe I wanted to make the joke and the fortune-telling a
reality. Maybe that was why I decided to aim for the top spot, Alexis says.
With rowdy optimism, he did get what he wanted.
But he had to go through a series of funny encounters on the day of the exam:
forgetting the room number assigned him, being overwhelmed and nervous (Alexis
says that taking a deep breath didnt work for him), and being intimidated by smartlooking examinees.
Then he hit his gold mine: three pages of questions were on the history of architecture.
My favorite subject back in college, he says.
His review routines, which entailed the appropriate use of long- and short-term
memory, served him well. The exam result was more than he could ask for.
2bU talks to Alex about university life, the whirlwind world of an Architecture student
and the words of wisdom he lives by.
How would you describe your college life?
My life in college was a battle between diligence and indifference. I experienced
failure in a few subjects. I am not the most diligent type.
Deng Xiaopings maxim; Hide your true strength, bide your time is somehow a
reflection of me. When it is time to come out, you come out, then strike fast with a
blow.
Describe a day in the life of an Architecture student.
Bankrupt days due to costly plates, zombie days after sleepless nights, and in the case
of UP Mindanaos Architecture students, days when there are flying miniature trees
and house models when you transport them to school on the habal-habal (a
motorcycle that is the main means of transportation around the campus).
Whats the best thing about studying Architecture and finishing it?
You can give the world a monumentnot a replica of an architect, but a building as
an expression of his/her thoughts. Architecture is an expression of thought in a
building. The cool thing is that it is a synthesis of science and art, and I could not
think of any art as practical as architectureyou admire it, you use it and you
experience it!
What advice can you give students and aspiring architects?
Listen to your teachers. I believe in this Japanese proverb: Better than a thousand days
of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.
Find a mentor and learn as much as you can.

What are the words of wisdom you always live by?

The only things you cannot do are the things you have not attempted to do.
Perseverance is the key to overcoming trying times.
There are also times people doubt and criticize you; do not get distracted, and use
these two things to fuel your drive toward victory.
Read more: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/57109/acing-it-or-how-heplaced-2nd-in-the-architecture-board-exam#ixzz4GLtp9mjn
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

TIPS & TRICKS IN THE BOARD EXAMINATION

Prepared by
ARCHITECT RAISON JOHN J. BASSIG
1st Placer June 2006 PRC Architect Licensure Examination
10th Placer March 2007 PRC Master Plumber Licensure Examination

This is a typical story of what could go through a mind of a board examinee. A board
examinee who did not prepare, relied on luck, and had no idea how to go about answering
the board exam questions. Thankfully, that did not happen to me. When I took the Board
Exams for Architects in June 2006 and for Master Plumbers in March 2007, my confidence
was sky-high. All because I was prepared. This leads me to my conclusion: "Talo ng
preparado ang matalino."
SETTING YOUR GOAL
The first and most important tip that I would give you is SET YOUR GOAL. Whether you just
want to pass and get a license, or maybe land a place among the top 10, or probably get a
grade of 90+ on the most dreaded subject, it helps if you have direction. The more specific
your goal is the better. Try to write it on paper and feel committed to it. Mine was to top the
board exams - and I did.
Now in order for you to work on that goal, you must have the RIGHT MOTIVATION. This is
the second and equally important tip. Your motivation is your drive in achieving your goal. It
could be anything from a person that inspires you (an idol, a crush, or a loved one) to a
material promise (like an all-expense out-of-the-country trip or a brand new car). It's up to
you! Use this to keep you going everyday. Use this to get you up early in the morning when
you normally wake up late. When you are motivated, you feel like you can do anything. Yes,
ANYTHING! So, this gives you a psychological advantage.
The board examination, just like any other sport or competition, is all about how you prepare
for a fight. It is all about setting your mind, body, and emotions straight before the main
event. During the preparations, YOU ARE YOUR OWN ENEMY. The less you know about
yourself, the harder it is to succeed in this undertaking. That is why you have to train hard.
What you do to your time is all up to you. You could sit back and relax if you want, but keep
in mind, all the others might have already gone far ahead in their reviews while you are still
sitting pretty waiting for that right moment.

DECIDING WHEN TO TAKE THE EXAM

Time is one of the most critical resources in your entire preparation. Once time goes by, it
can never be brought back. So speaking of time, the first question you have to ask yourself
is: "WHEN AM I GOING TO TAKE THE EXAM?" It may sound simple but believe me, this
simple question will determine how much extraordinary effort you may have to exert
throughout the rest of your review.
I know some people who spent 4 months studying, paid a lot of money for their review
classes, only to back out 3 weeks before the exam. For some unexplainable reason, they
found themselves "not yet ready" and would just opt to take the next board exam, which is
scheduled 6 months or 1 year later. Uh-oh. Now that's a lot of time gap until the next exam.
You would easily forget most of the topics discussed in the review center and you would be
forced to take refresher courses again later on. If they were unsure, they should have not
enrolled immediately. It's a waste of time and a waste of money. In my opinion, the only
logical explanation for their backing out is that they were half-hearted with their review. You
know, once you have decided that you are going to take the board -- GO FULL-FORCE!! As
the saying goes, "Todo Na 'To!". Never ever be half-hearted. That's why the sooner you
decide, the better your chances of making the most out of your time. In my case, I decided
to take the June 2006 Board Exam for Architects as early as November 2005. I had 8
months preparation.
PRC REQUIREMENTS: ALL THE HASSLES INVOLVED
Completing the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) requirements for filing a board
exam application is a total hassle. You are lucky if you don't encounter any problems here
and there. Depending on the board exam you are going to take, the PRC requires certain
documents you have to submit to their office (which is located in Morayta) before a certain
deadline (usually 3 weeks before your examination date). Check the PRC website for the
required documents.
Please. Please. Please. Submit the requirements ASAP! Don't cram. Getting all the
documents consumes a LOT of time (and money). Filing for a board exam application
should be the least of your problems once you are already studying for the board exam.
YOU DON'T WANT THIS TO INTERFERE WITH YOUR STUDY SCHEDULE. Imagine
yourself already 4 months deep in your review, and in the back of your mind, you are still
worrying if you going to beat the deadline for application because you havn't got your
documents ready yet.
KNOW THE COVERAGE OF THE EXAM
YOU SHOULD KNOW what subjects you are to tackle in your review. The PRC board
usually issues a curriculum showing the coverage of the examination. You have to know
how many days the exam is and what subjects would be taken in which days. For example,

the Architects board exam is scheduled for 3 days. For Day 1: we have the subjects History
and Theory of Architecture, Principles of Planning, and Architectural Practice. But these
subjects are compressed into one exam only. It is a 125-item exam that starts 8:00am to
5:00pm. Unlike the subjects in the first day, Day 2 is divided into three exams for each three
subjects. The 1st exam is Building Utilities, a 100-item exam that starts 8:00am to 12:00nn.
The 2nd exam is Structural Design, a 40-item exam that starts 1:00pm to 2:15pm. The 3rd
exam is Building Materials and Methods of Construction, a 60-item exam that starts 2:30pm
to 5:00pm. For Day 3: we have the subject Architectural Design and Site Planning, a
drawing-type exam that starts 8:00am to 5:00pm. Given all these data, I knew how to
balance my time and create some strategies in answering come exam day. I knew I have
less than 5 minutes to answer one question in Day 1. For Day 2, it becomes tighter with a
little above 2 minutes per question.
But going back to your review, you should determine which subjects covered by the exam
are you most comfortable with and which subjects are you having problems with. It's a good
strategy to study your favorite subjects first. These subjects are usually the ones you are
really interested in. The idea is to get you "IN THE ZONE". Think of yourself as a car that
needs a jump start. Once you get going on one subject, then that's the time you absorb the
other subjects along the way.
KNOW YOURSELF
The key to a successful board exam preparation is knowing one's self. Find out your
strengths and your weaknesses. Are you a fast reader? Do you easily comprehend anything
that you read? How good are you at numbers? Can you memorize dates well? Would you
appreciate a book by looking at illustrations or by reading the article itself?
You have to know yourself and seek for self-improvement. There are a lot of ways for you to
improve. Use your strengths to concentrate on building up your weak points.
TOTAL CONDITIONING
Believe it or not, preparing for the board is not just a walk in the park (especially if you have
set high goals in the beginning). If you really want to make the most out of your review and
achieve the goals you have set, then you must be prepared in all aspects, and I really mean
ALL: physical, emotional, spiritual, social, mental and even financial :)
Most of us are night-owls, we begin to study at night until the wee hours of the morning.
This is our comfort zone. This is where we feel we are more progressive studying. That's ok
as long as you still have 6 to 8 hours of sleep. I usually study from 11pm up to 6 am the next
morning, then sleep and wake up around 2 pm. Whatever your comfy zone is, feel free to
use it as you please. But as the board exam nears, there is a need to re-adjust your study
habits. About 2 to 3 weeks before the exam, you have to practice waking up early and
studying in the morning - not at night anymore. The idea here is to get yourself comfortable

"thinking" in the morning because the board exam starts in the morning. Else, you'll feel
sleepy and nauseaous during the exam. Also, be conscious of the food you eat 1 week
before the exam. Nobody wants to have an upset stomach on the day of the exam.
The hard-core reviewing should end at least 2 weeks before the exam. By this time, you
should have studied what you needed to study. The 2 remaining weeks should give you
time to relax and psych yourself. Ideally, a week before the exam, you should just be
browsing through your notes to refresh your memory. No more all-nighters. No more
burning your eyebrows. So don't stay up all night exhausting your energy cramming for
more information. That was my mistake when I took the Board Exam for Master Plumber
last March. Since I only had a month's preparation (because I was also working), I had to
exert more effort in my studies - more than what my body can take. Come board exams, I
was on Tylenol because of a fever. Sleep early the night before the exam.
A board examinee must also expect pressure from a lot of people. There are pressures from
your family, there are pressures from your relatives (especially those successful ones),
there are pressures from your friends and barkadas, from your office and even from your
girlfriend/boyfriend. The moment you decide you'll take the board exam and tell it to
someone, word really travels fast. They would be greeting you 'good luck', but others would
also expect you to do really good. I know some people who did not tell a single soul that
they'll take the board exam. Maybe they were too pressured or shy. You don't have to be
mum about it. Besides, whether you pass or fail, in time, everybody will still know that you
took the exams. TAKE ALL THESE PRESSURES AND PUT IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. If
you are motivated, these pressures would even help propel you to study harder.
Depends on your religious belief, it's already a habit that board examinees be going to
Baclaran or celebrate Holy Week in Manaog or complete the midnight mass during advent.
We would even buy paraphernalia and bring our pencils, rulers, and books blessed. Prayers
help a lot. Ask for His divine guidance. And pray for others too. But always remember all
these will be useless if not complemented by studying. As the saying goes: 'genius is 1%
inspiration, and 99% perspiration.'

TO ENROLL OR NOT TO ENROLL?

The best strategy to make the most out of the review centers is that YOU STUDY BEFORE
YOU ENROLL. The idea is to learn the subjects ahead before they even teach them. Don't
start the day in the classroom all shocked and awed about the topic the lecturer is teaching
because it is the first time you heard it. Review centers should help you familiarize again not learn everything from scratch.

TRIPLE-CHECK TWICE AND ORGANIZE

DO NOT RELY ON ONE REFERENCE ALONE. Try to check other books and crossreference it. Search the internet. Have discussions with some professors or friends about
inconsistent info.
During the course of your review, it is true that you have to make the most out of it and grab
as much information as you possibly can. But it is also true that you can only take as much
information for a certain period of time. This happens a lot. We borrow and photocopy a lot
of books and handouts only to find itself stacked up on your bedroom floor.
The index card would be your best friend in your review. Put information that you need to
memorize in index cards and always keep them handy. You could browse through them
while riding the bus or jeep. Use color-coded pens for highlighting old and new data. Use
post-it on books to help you keep track of notes and points of discussions.
PRIORITIZING THINGS
An effective board exam review relies on discipline on the examinees part. There are so
many temptations around: your favorite TV shows, the billiards hall, online gaming, etc.
Learn how to prioritize. Think of the board exam as a one-time deal .YOU WILL HAVE ALL
THE TIME IN THE WORLD AFTER THE BOARD EXAM. Use your time wisely. Instead of
watching TV for 3 hours, you could have understood and memorized a large portion of the
book your reading already.
MEMORIZATION TECHNIQUES
If you have good photographic memory, you have an advantage. Equally advantageous is if
you are a fast reader with good reading comprehension.
Try using play of words and numbers through word association. Example of questions in our
review: "Who was is the architect of Greenbelt 2?", "Who is the architect of Greenbelt 3?".
Through word association, I know that the architect of Greenbelt 2 is "Recio + Casas"
because they are two (2) individuals (note the number 2 in Greenbelt). For Greenbelt 3, I
know the architect is G.F. Formoso because I associate the 3G phone (note the G in G.F.
Formoso).
Use letters as symbols. Here's another example that appeared in the Master Plumber
exam. "Which is denoted by its Inside Diameter? a) Pipe or b) Tube"
I know that the PIPE is denoted by its Inside Diameter because I always write it "pIpe" (note
the capital I, meaning Inside). I know the the TUBE is denoted by its Outside Diameter
because I always write it "tubO" (tubo is tagalog for tube, note the capital O, meaning
Outside). Get the idea?
If your having trouble with numbers (like dates and laws) but good in memorizing visual
patterns, try using the cellphone keypad as a guide. You'll remember the pattern you create
while typing in the numbers more than the date or law itself.

Rearrange information found in books. Most of the time what is printed in books is not the
best way how you would read and memorize it. Take the case of the National Building
Code. I was memorizing 30+ types of pipe and their colors. In the book, it is arranged
alphabetically by pipe type. What I did was I arranged it by pipe color. I found out that there
are only 4 pipe colors so its easier to memorize. So I got 4 pieces of paper, painted them
Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green respectively, and wrote in each paper the corresponding
pipes. Voila. Easier to remember and understand.
There are lots of other tricks like forming Acronyms or Creating a Song or Story. Try to
create your own memorization tricks up your sleeves.
BOARD EXAM: IS IT JUST MEMORIZING?
Most people would say that the board examination is not really a gauge on how good a
person is. They say it only reflects how good a person can memorize. Well, they are partly
correct.
But then again, memorizing is not as easy as A-B-C. It takes hardwork and a lot of patience.
The most common mistake of board examinees is that they memorize just for the sake of
'enumerating' it. If you ask them what it's all about or how it works, they could not fully
explain. The basic trick is: DO NOT MEMORIZE; BUT FAMILIARIZE. When you are familiar
with the topic, you try to understand. When you fully understand, you try to analyze. You ask
questions, "Why is this so?" and "Why is that so?". Then after you have achieved all this,
you'll find it easier to memorize.