OK...
Can anyone give some advice on this test???
What should I spend the limited time I want to spend studying this thing on????
OK...
Can anyone give some advice on this test???
What should I spend the limited time I want to spend studying this thing on????
Code of Ethics
Legal cases (historical data, US amendments, relationship between them)
Theory
Some stats
Names/Books/Dates and important trends in population growth
The next test isn't until May. You have plenty of time to set up a study schedule and get started. Don't push it back or blow it off. I suggest 5 hours a week to start, then increase from there.
OK, other test takers, what am I leaving out?
"We do not need any other Tutankhamun's tomb with all its treasures. We need context. We need understanding. We need knowledge of historical events to tie them together. We don't know much. Of course we know a lot, but it is context that's missing, not treasures." - Werner Herzog, in Archaeology, March/April 2011
Practice tests. Sign up for one of the two online services that offer practice questions. I was able to bill it here to the town as an educational expense. I also acquired the AICP practice test CD from APA. Take these tests early and often. It will help you focus on what you need to brush up on. Having a Broadband connection, as soon as I got the results from one of the practice questions, I would google anything that I did not know, and created my own study guide tailored to my needs.Originally posted by Salmissra
Also I did read the Green Book, although that was a very slow process that took second fiddle to what I found on-line.
I agree with Salmissra, set aside at least 5 hours a week. I did a lot of my reading while on the stairmaster at the local Y. Killed two birds with one stone. Unfortunately, now that I have nothing to read, I am not using the gym as often.
Good Luck
Planning is much like acting, as my old theater professor used to say, "If you sin, sin boldly, only you know if you are ad libbing." I follow this adage almost daily.
Just took the test. The most helpful reference I found was Ohio State University's On-line Web Course AICP Exam Preparation located here: http://knowlton.osu.edu/ped/ It is $75 and is very helpful. There are quizzes and six full length practice exams. It is a very good mix of Real Player lectures with PowerPoint and written explanations. I found it very helpful.
The other resource I used was the Green Book.
The other book I would recommend getting is Everyday Ethics for Practicing Planners.
The test is very comprehensive I ran into Ethics, History, Law, Statistic terms (no calculations), and some other things.
With the computer test you can go through multiple times. You can mark questions you are unsure of and you can leave questions unmarked. The computer will keep track of those questions. Best part was that you leave knowing your score.
I studied for less than a month and passed, but I am a year out of school. If I would do this over I would have studied for 5 hours/wk for about three months and really know it.
Good Luck!
“I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.” - Thomas Edison
I looked at the APA website for five minutes (enough time to read everything of value twice) and thumbed through my planning books for a couple hours the night before the test. If you keep abreast of planning issues you have won half the battle. The part on ehtics is common sense. It is the history, theory, and legal stuff you have to concentrate on.
Anyone want to adopt a dog?
I haven't taken it yet, but am looking forward to it as my opportunity to prove my worth as a planner.
I hope you kept your notes & textbooks from college. A friend of mine took the test and did fine simply by reviewing those and any study guides that the professors had given out. He used Carol Barrett's ethics book to get brushed up on all of the ethics crap that's on there.
The Green Book is your friend. There's also an ethics book by Carol Barrett that's a fairly easy read and shows you the ethical principles in real world examples.
"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."
- Herman Göring at the Nuremburg trials (thoughts on democracy)
Here is a sample question you are likely to see:
For what is Saul Alinski kown?
1. Designer of the Hoover Dam
2. Author of The Bellarosa Connection
3. Inventor of the Klingon Language
4. Organized rioting in Chicago during the 1972 presidential convention
5. Planned the first lunar colony
The answer is of course, um,... Yes, all of the questions on the AICP are that clear.
Anyone want to adopt a dog?
Wow....I would guess 4. But Alinsky died in 1972.
Thankfully what he feared really did happen.....the middle class moved to the right.
Use the following:
1. The Green Book - Don't read it cover to cover, use the AICP outline and pull out the most important information related to specific topics. Also, get a copy of the previous editions if you can. I found the second edition more helpful than the latest. The first is really good, but most people don't have that anymore.
2. Everyday ethics... - read through 20 or so of the scenarios. Also, memorize the Code of Ethis and learn to recognize it in word problems. I don't remember any question on the test that dealt with a specific portion of the code; the questions are more oblique.
3. The Chapter President's manual for law cases. If you can get a copy of the old manual, use that one - it's much more helpful.
4. Planning magazine. Skim the cover articles of the last three years. Familiarize yourself with recent trends.
5. There is a manual that was put out by someone at Parsons-Brinkerhoff in Orange County, CA that is amazing - tons of info.
6. Practice tests, though APA's are not very helpful.
7. Get together with a study group. There's too much info to digest on your own. I worked with three other municipal planners for about 31/2 months for about 5-10 hours a week. We all passed with pretty good scores.
I have some study guidelines I put together for the Northern New England Chapter when I did an AICP prep workshop last year. PM me if you want more info (it's all pdf'ed....guidelines, suggested readings, etc.)
"Growth is inevitable and desirable, but destruction of community character is not. The question is not whether your part of the world is going to change. The question is how." -- Edward T. McMahon, The Conservation Fund
Um. I don't think you really can fulily prepare for it. I guess you should study the green book and I would recommend the Planning magazines. Other then that you really need to just learn how they want you to think.
A question I remember from the test went something like this:
If you are a planning director and need to make a decision on what to do with an landfill that it closing, should you:
a) study the site
b) prepare a plan for studying the site
c) prepare a site plan
d) study a plan for preparing the site
e) defer the decision to the DPW, solid waste division manager.
To echo / repeat what others have said -
The Green Book
Also the APA website, Knowledge Exchange, Planning History Timeline
Oddball
Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves?
Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?
From Kelly's Heroes (1970)
Are you sure you're not hurt ?
No. Just some parts wake up faster than others.
Broke parts take a little longer, though.
From Electric Horseman (1979)
I took and passed the test in November...the best study guide of all is one put out by the Orange County (California) APA. It was free when I downloaded it, they may charge a few bucks for it. It basically lists EVERY planning topic alphabetically, in bulet point format. it's about 250 pages...after you read through it you'll be ready...also take the practice tests, just to get familair with the format and flow of the exam. They give you 3 1/2 hours to take the AICP, I was done in 90 minutes...
pray
We had to take an old exam to graduate from my undergrad program and everything that I can offer has been said... other than to get a good nights sleep and eat a good breakfast before you take it.
When compassion exceeds logic for too long, chaos will ensue. - Unknown
That is a trick question -- the Democratic convention was in Chicago in 1968!
You're not allowed to riot without a convention?
The best non-study advice I got about the AICP exam:
For each question, always imagine yourself being a mid-level planner for a mid-size city, handling multiple tasks.
If you do that, many of the answers might come naturally.
If you're a practicing planner, you probably don't need to study the functional topics (budgets, zoning, etc.). History, theory, and legal cases are my weak suits, and Ohio State's prep course is helping tons. More memorization than concepts.
Also, there are 43,560 square feet in an acre.
Ditto to the above. Plus take as many practice tests as you can via the CD's from APA. You have to have 'planning knowledge' and remember that it is not a comprehenisive test. Oh, and know how to calculate floor area ratios and know the ethics cold.
I am preparing for the Nov exam. You mentioned that you prepared some material for your exam. WOuld you care to share with me. I would really appreciate it. My email is uglobe(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Thanks
Sam
Moderator note:
edited email address for your protection against the spam bots
NHPlanner (or others) - please contact me. We are working on our Orlando Test Prep Course and want to share test prep material with our out-of-state colleagues--to improve our course and hopefully we'll add value to yours. Please call me at 407-447-9720 if you have info to share with our Professional Development Officers and visa versa.
would you be able to email me so i could obtain a copy of your exam materials?
chaz (at) wrtoole {dot} com
thanks
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