Transcript AICP Exam Prep Session

AICP Exam Prep Session
APA National
Conference
San Antonio, TX
April 22, 2006
1:00 – 6:00 PM
Schedule
•1:00 – 1:30
–AICP Exam Basics
–Studying for the exam
•1:30 – 2:45
–Land Use Planning
–Plan Implementation
Part I
•2:45 – 3:00 Break
•3:00 – 4:15
–Exam Tutorial
–Plan Making
–Plan Implementation
Part II
•4:15 – 5:30
–Transportation
–Ethics
–History, Theory, Law
•5:30 – 6:00
–Sample test
–Questions
Presenters
• Anna Breinich, AICP
– Pennsylvania Environmental Council
– Former Pennsylvania APA Professional
Development Officer
• Jennifer Evans-Cowley, PhD, AICP
– Ohio State University
– Ohio APA Professional Development Officer
• Veronica Rosales, AICP
– City of Sunland Park, New Mexico
– Texas APA Professional Development Officer
• Mary Margaret Shaw, PhD, AICP
– American Planning Association
– Professional Development Program Manager
Purpose of this session
• To improve understanding of the AICP exam
process, purpose and content
• To encourage participants to make informed
decisions about taking the exam
• To present some substantive information and
some advice but not all of the information you
will need to know to pass the exam
• To present information that will be useful to
majority of people in audience
Notes available online
To get copies of presentation slides, after
the conference, go to
www.planning.org/2006conference and
follow instructions to session S401,
AICP Exam Prep
Who may take the exam
• Member of the APA
• Meeting education/experience
requirements
– MA/MS from PAB program
• 2 years experience
– BA/BS in planning or MA/MS from nonPAB program
• 3 years experience
– Other BA/BS/MA/MS
• 4 years experience
– No degree
• 8 years experience
Professional experience means
•Influencing public
decision making in the
public interest
•Employing a
comprehensive point
of view
•Applying appropriate
planning processes
•Having professional
level of responsibility
Why take the AICP exam
• Enhanced opportunities for jobs
– AICP preferred
• Enhanced salaries
– 2004 median for non-AICP was $52,000
– 2004 median for AICP was $65,000
– Of course, other variables matter greatly
• Experience, type of employer, region of
country
• Prestige
– Recognition of achieving professional level
of skills, knowledge, and abilities
How to apply
• Application is online
– Go to: www.planning.org > AICP logo >
Certification
– Suggestion: Read the FAQ’s
• Cost is now $425
• Must send verifications of
employment/education to APA office
– Allow ample time…
• Receive Authorization to Test from test
administration company
When and Where
•Exam is given over 12
days in each of May
and November
•Exam is given at
about 350 different
commercial testing
centers
•May take test only
once during each
window
What happens during the exam
•Exam is on computer
•Exam is 4 hours
–½ hour tutorial
–3 and ½ hours for 170 questions
•20 are pre-test questions
•Easy to mark questions to return to
them before submitting
•No penalty for incorrect answers
•Receive unofficial results immediately
•Receive official results after testing
window closes
•Note: problems do happen
What to study
• Exam tests knowledge (40%) and skills
(60%)
• List of reference books is on website
– Bookstore price at conference is 20%
discount
– Conference price on study manual & CD is
$156
– Most available through libraries/interlibrary loan
• There are many free resources available
online (following slides)
Distribution of exam topics
•Plan-making (20%)
•Plan implementation (20%)
•Ethics (15%)
•History, theory, law (15%)
•Emerging issues (10%)
•Functional topics (20%)
Environment, land-use,
infrastructure,
transportation, economic
development, community
redevelopment, design,
preservation, housing,
rural planning
How to study
•
•
•
•
Keep in mind that it is a multiple-choice exam
Keep in mind that it is a national exam
Do memorize
Study in whatever way has worked for you in
the past
–
–
–
–
Read and re-read
Form study group
Make flash cards
Write notes, outlines
• Look for exam prep session offered by your
APA chapter PDO
When studying functional topics
(Slide 1 of 3)
• Look for historical figures
– Daniel Burnham, Frederick Law Olmsted (Sr. and
Jr.), Clarence Perry
• Look for theories
– Of what cities should be (Ebenezer Howard; Stein
and Wright; Le Corbusier; new urbanists)
– Of how planning should be done (Advocacy
planning; Rational planning)
• Look for federal programs
– NEPA; NFIP; National Interstate and Defense
Highways Act
Studying functional topics
(Slide 2 of 3)
• Look for legal decisions and principles
– Mt. Laurel; Euclid v Ambler; eminent domain;
takings; right to farm
• Look for techniques and trends
– Urban growth boundaries; TIF; environmental
impact assessment; TOD; inclusionary housing;
deed restrictions; façade easement; TAZ;
secondary containment; concurrency; cost-benefit
analysis; CDC’s; adaptive reuse; CPTED; charrette
Studying functional topics
(Slide 3 or 3)
•Look for
measurements
–Mean, median,
mode, range,
standard deviation
–Floor to area ratio
–Location quotient
Exam results 2004 & 2005
•Total number
examinees
•2,531
•Overall pass
rate 63.4%
Repeating the exam
•71.3% of
people taking
exam for first
time passed
•35.7% of
people
repeating exam
passed
•Suggestion
Study
Differently
for a
Different
Result!
Exam scores
Passing
scaled score
is 55
Day before the exam
• Get directions to testing center
• Know how long it will take to arrive
assuming delays
• Know where you will park; which
subway exit to take…
• Check for correct spelling on your ID
and your authorization to test
• Pack your photo ID
• Generally not a good idea to cram
• Get plenty of sleep
On Exam day
• Be rested and well fed
• Be confident
• Focus on what you must do – others in test
center have their own agendas
• You are not penalized for incorrect answers
– If you do not know an answer, narrow down the
choices to improve probability of guessing correct
answer
– In dire situations, guess (25% chance of being
correct)
• It may be one of the 20 pre-test questions
• It is a national exam
– Do not concentrate on how things might be done or
expressed in your particular community
Exam administration questions
• Questions about special needs, special
circumstances
• Contact AICP Exam Administrator,
Lydija Saric in the APA Chicago office
– 312-431-9100 ext. 6384
– [email protected]
Moving on
• Other presenters with substantive information
on
– Plan making and implementation
– Land Use and Transportation planning
– Ethics
– History, Theory , Law
• Sample test 5:30-5:45
• Your questions 5:45 – 6:00