Ready for the California Supplemental Exam (CSE)? | Black Specs
Are you ready to take the California Supplemental Exam (CSE)? Learn study tips and next steps to approach your path to becoming a licensed architect...
ARE 5.0 School Licenses
Give your students the only tool they need to get licensed
Meet with someone on our team to learn how Black Spectacles can work for your program, and to get a custom pricing plan.
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Give your students the best chance to pass the ARE the first time
Black Spectacles members report passing ARE 5.0 at a 29% higher rate than the NCARB average.
ARE 5.0
Pass Rates
Black Spectacles Members
NCARB National Avg
84%
55%
⚠️ Updated February 2023
Unlimited access to the best study material
Black Spectacles isn’t just study materials—it’s an evidence-based curriculum designed by experts to help candidates actually learn the material and become better architects.
All our content is curated and reviewed by registered architects who are leaders in the field, and our internal team of learning designers and curriculum experts read through all the ARE guidelines to distill the most important information for you.
Plus, unlimited access means your students aren't the only ones who benefit. Your group license can be used by faculty, staff, or recent alumni who you want to help support on their path to licensure.
Enhance or replace your ARE class
All our content is mapped directly to NCARB guidelines and objectives, so your students will be learning exactly what they need for the exam. You can use our materials as supplemental materials for your ARE class, or you can use them to replace it entirely.
We know that everyone learns differently—which is why we’ve created a holistic learning environment with different materials that work for all kinds of learners. And with a school group membership, your students get access to all of them, automatically.
Manage your members and
delegate access
With new students coming in and seniors graduating, you'll have a lot of members to keep track of. As a group admin you can add and remove users to your group totally on your own time, whenever you need to make a change.
To help you keep track of who's making the most of your Black Spectacles membership, our group analytics reporting makes it easy for you to see who's signed in, which materials they've used, and which exams they've reported passing.
Even though all this information is available to you all the time, you don't have to go at it totally alone. When you sign up for a school group license, you get a dedicated account manager who can always answer questions, help troubleshoot, and be a resource for you and your employees to lean on.
25,000+ architects trust Black Spectacles for their ARE 5.0 study materials—more than any provider. See what they have to say:
Resources for schools & students
10 Tips for Surviving and Conquering Exam Day | Black Spectacles
Learn 10 tips for surviving and conquering exam day for the ARE 5.0.
How NCARB Develops ARE Items and Cut Scores | Black Spectacles
Did you know that NCARB follows an extensive process for developing each item, or question? Learn how NCARB develops ARE items and cut scores.