Virtual Workshops

RSVP, ask questions on the topic ahead of time and attend Virtual Workshops every Sunday at 2pm CST

Jessica Ritter avatar
Written by Jessica Ritter
Updated over a week ago

We put together a curriculum called Virtual Workshops, to get you live, weekly, in-depth exercises accompanied by a Q&A session lead by a practicing architect.

Virtual Workshops are included with an ARE 5.0 Expert subscription and come with every learning tool available (Videos, Practice Exams, Digital Flashcards, Quizzes)

Each ARE division's Virtual Workshop will occur every Sunday at 2pm CST for 2 hours via video meeting.

For the first portion of the workshop you’ll partake in an immersive exercise covering 1 of 4 common topics ARE candidates struggle most with in that division and collaborate with peers on the solution. Then you will have time for Q&A with full access to a licensed architect the entire time.

You'll have the opportunity to learn the trickier topics with an instructor walking through each question and concept while you collaborate with peers who are also currently studying for the same exam.

FAQ
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How We Did It

We convened our ARE Committee, a group of highly qualified architects who continuously evaluate the topics candidates struggle with the most. They then created world class exercises for you to hone your skills in these problem areas. If that wasn’t good enough, we doubled down and thought, “let’s put Expert members in front of a licensed architect in a live setting, every week, to review these concepts and hammer them home.” 

For 2 hours every Sunday, have access to a licensed architect who will guide you through these curated, in-depth exercises, and then a live Q&A.

How It Works

Virtual Workshops run in a 4-week cycle, with no start or end date. Once your Expert subscription starts, you can hop into the cycle, and in 4 weeks you’ll cover all the topics.
If you elect to stay for more than one month, you’ll review the same topics again, but with new exercises - so you can really ensure you’ve mastered these concepts.
Each Virtual Workshop is independent and does not build off one another, so you can truly join at any time.

And remember, with your Black Spectacles subscription, you get access to content for all six divisions, so you can switch over to a different exam’s workshops at any time.

Preview Virtual Workshop exercises

Work through exercises from Virtual Workshops along with our coaches in the following ARE Live episodes:


Virtual Workshop Tools

RSVP - Plan on attending this workshop? Click the blue RSVP button to let us know, we’ll send you an email reminder the day of the Workshop. This button turns into the ‘launch workshop’ button 5 minutes before the Workshop starts.

Submit a Question - Use this button to submit a question on this topic to the instructor. They’ll cover it during the Q & A during the second hour.

Calendar icon - Add future workshops directly to your calendar.

Community - Participate early and read up on the current discussion for the exam you’re prepping for in our ARE Community. See if others have the same questions you have.

FAQ

Q: What if I miss a Virtual Workshop, are there recordings available?

A: Virtual Workshops are held as live interactive workshops and require participation from each member attending. Recordings of each Virtual Workshop are not available.

Q: Are the presentations and exercises available to download?
A: Virtual Workshops are only held as live interactive workshops to cover the exercises and aren't available to review after the live session. The exercises and answers covered are only available to complete and review during each live Workshop.
We've also built an ‘add event to calendar’ for each workshop so you can add future workshops to your calendar with a click.

Q: How long do you recommend attending Virtual Workshops before being ready to take an exam?
A: We recommend completing 4 Virtual Workshops, consecutively, to complete a cycle of all 4 topics. If you attend for a second cycle, you’ll review the same topics but with a different exercise.
Each Virtual Workshop is independent and does not build off one another, so you can truly join at any time.

Q: Can I attend multiple Virtual Workshops on the same day?

A: All Workshops are held live, every Sunday at 2pm Central. Expert members have the ability to attend one Workshop each week for the exam of their choice. You will get access to content for all six divisions with your subscription, so you can switch over to a different exam’s workshops from week to week but cannot attend 2 meetings on the same day.

Q: What system requirements are needed for the Virtual Workshops?

A: Before your first Virtual Workshop, ensure you’re setup for success with the following:

  • Strong internet connection - 5 Mbps and above

  • Computer with the most updated version of your browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)

  • Working computer microphone

  • Pencil and paper

  • Zoom installed on your computer and have tested ability to use Zoom on this device

  • Plan to be ready to join the meeting 5 minutes before start time.
    To join the meeting, you must RSVP ahead of time and then click the Launch button in your Dashboard. The Launch button will appear no more than 5 minutes before 2pm CST.

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