Hi Everyone-
I'm taking the exam May 11. Right now very I am pretty stressed out wondering what may be on the exam for "current topics" i.e Census 2000 questions? Any reflections on the 2001 exam? How did people find the AICP CD-ROM study guides?
Thank you in advance.
For current topics, study back issues of Planning magazine, at least those going back for a few years. Also check up on the new urbanism and smart growth Web sites.
My study plan was fairly simple -- a couple of second-hand AICP study guides and browsing the Green Book for a couple of weeks, then a hotel room at the exam site the night before, with a final read-through of all the exam guides, cover to cover. Get eight hours of sleep, and a full breakfast over a newspaper and a couple of cups of decaf. Don't do any studying the morning of the exam. Stay away from those cramming in the exam room, or quizzing each other -- if you hear anyone say "Burnham," "Riverside," "Radburn," "Ambler versus Euclid" or "arbitrage", just stay away.
BTW, stats. Yes, there's a lot of statistics questions, but they're not as esoteric as you would think they are. They do go beyond mean, median, and mode, but there's no need to memorize any long equations. Ethics questions aren't horrific brain-busters; most seemed like common sense, and didn't require esoteric on-the-fly interpretations of a memorized AICP Code of Ethics.
I'll never be an AICP geek, per se, but I did good on the exam, and now have those coveted four letters on my Planning magazine mailing label. The giddy feeling wears off after a couple of months, and you eventually regret getting "AICP" printed on your checks and your driver's license.
Don't forget that AICP also stands for:
Association of Independent Commercial Producers
Association of Islamic Charitable Projects
American International Concession Products
Association of Insurance Compliance Professionals
American Institute of Collaborative Professionals
AIDS Insurance Continuation Program
Growth for growth's sake is the ideology of the cancer cell. -- Edward Abbey
Thanks Dan, we've three people here studying for the exam, most of us are kind of freaking out from using the LanPlanPrep in the CD-ROM study guide. Some of the questions there are just mind blowing as to "Why the frick would I need to know what type the Edwards Aquifer in Texas is?"
A) Sand and Gravel
B) Bedrock
C) Fractured Bedrock
D) Karst
Living in the PacNorWest I don't know how this is a test question.
How you studied seems to be how I'm studying, past guides, flash cards and the Green Book.
Thanks for the tips.......................
I used the CD-ROMS last year, and frankly, they weren't as helpful as I would have liked. Far too much on groundwater/wellhead protection (and not one single question on the exam).
My best bets study wise:
The Green Book
The CPC Study Guide (ask your local chapter's professional development officer about a copy)
Planning Magazine
The one thing the CD-ROM was helpful for was guaging how much time I was using to answer questions. If you're not a good "test taker" practice your test taking skills (take notes in the question book, answer those you're certain about, come back to the remaining questions...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
Hi Everyone!
I too am studying for AICP this year, and getting very nervous...
Luckily I am in a study group with about six other people and I find these sessions very helpful.
With regard to the CD-Roms, I don't find them especially helpful (I certainly wouldn't depend on them or anything) but they are good to look at during my lunch break or if I don't feel like sitting down to read a chapter. Plus, that one CD with the sample test questions is kind of nice because it tries to explain the answers to the questions.
Best of luck to everyone taking the exam - 18 more days!!!
Well I would say that if you think back to your geography classes you might remember that texas was once under water and it would not be a stretch to say the Edwards aquifer was made up of limestone hence my vote for D) Karstsmarty wrote:
Thanks Dan, we've three people here studying for the exam, most of us are kind of freaking out from using the LanPlanPrep in the CD-ROM study guide. Some of the questions there are just mind blowing as to "Why the frick would I need to know what type the Edwards Aquifer in Texas is?"
A) Sand and Gravel
B) Bedrock
C) Fractured Bedrock
D) Karst
Living in the PacNorWest I don't know how this is a test question.
How you studied seems to be how I'm studying, past guides, flash cards and the Green Book.
Thanks for the tips.......................
And a planner might want to be aware of the special properties of Karst as Karst aquifers can be vulnerable to contamination and sink holes and such..
And there you go Smarty
Ahhhh, good old geo-graphy. But WHY is this a question on supposedly a NATIONAL test. What about questions on Washingtons GMA Laws. What about a question on contaminents in Lake Whatcom (those sole drinking water source for Bellingham)???
That's all I was asking..................Hula Hopper.
I wonder if birds know it's Tuesday?
Hi,
A few of us have been studyign for the exam and seem to be running into alot of discrepanices bewtween the Local Guide Book, teh CD ROM's and teh Study Guides from Mike Waiczis. Here a 2 questions maybe someone can help us with?
1. Which year was the Standard Zoning Enabling Act Passed?
The local yellow book saya 1922, but the CD says 1926 and the explanation is based on the result of the Euclid case. It says it was prompted by the Euclid decision and passed under the direction of president Hoover in 1926. After research on the internet we found teh same discrepanices. Any ideas???
2. In Nolan the court used the _________ test to determine whether the access condition advanced a legitimate state interest?
The answer in the book is "rational nexus". But on the CD the answer is "essential nexus" and it says "rational nexus" has to do with impact fees. Any ideas???
If anyone else has any conflicts please let me know and maybe we can sort them out.
Thanks
1st question: I don't know when the Standard Zoning Enabling Act was past. I thought it was 1926, but all of my study materials are out on loan right now.
2nd Question: "Rational Nexus" is the answer I've always heard. I've never heard the phrase "Essential Nexus"
As for pre-exam jitters...
I found that the practice tests by Mike Waiczes were harder than the exam itself. Look and see what areas are tripping you up, and then study those weak spots. Overall, Waiczes' questions were pickier and harder than those on the test.
I would be very surprised if the AICP exam asked about the Edward's Aquifer or any other specific site in the country. If a specific site is mentioned, then there would have to be something truly unique about it. It would have to be a "first" or "the biggest". Otherwise... there are just too many Aquifer's to memorize all of them.
Study the things you can memorize, and don't sweat the rest.
My favorite explanation for the AICP behind my name:
"Any Idiot Can Plan "
Most of what we do seems pretty common sense. It's just a matter of taking the time to look at the big picture. Otherwise, why would we be encouraging citizen participation and the inclusion of people who have no planning education behind them?
If I can pass the test, you can pass the test. Study the big events, familiarize yourself with the law cases, familiarize yourself with management and budgetting techniques, but don't get bent out of shape over it.
AICP also stands for Any Indiot Can Plan.
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