With Ray Freeman’s retirement, we will be offering his popular series of Preparatory Courses for the Landscape Architect Registration Examination as online webinars in real time.
Sarah Gronquist has taught exam preparation and university level courses in the Bay Area since 2002. She has developed and taught courses in grading and drainage, construction detailing, planting design, business practices, and professional practice. She began her lecture career with Ray Freeman as a co-teacher for these LARE preparatory courses in 2005. We are delighted to be able to continue to offer this useful series of courses.
Detailed information about the 2021 courses follows below. All classes are current with the 2017 exam format, and have been updated every four months. We meet in real time, from 8:00 am (Pacific Standard Time) until around 4:30 pm PST, with an hour break for lunch. Our password-protected Zoom classroom allows us to share our diverse practice experiences, mark up design problems on a shared screen, discuss exam issues, and establish a post-class national study network of LARE candidates. Class materials are shared several weeks before we meet as pdf documents.
It’s very rewarding to take this virtual sabbatical with design professionals from all across North America. Feedback from 2020 has been pretty positive, see below…. Join us!
“Also just wanted to let you know how AWESOME your S4 class was. You helped me understand this stuff tremendously!!!”
“I credit a large portion of my passing Section 2,
on the third attempt, to the course you taught in October.”
“Thank you so much for your help! I’ve really been enjoying the
weekly study groups that formed after the class too, it’s all been very helpful. “
“I just wanted to send you a quick note to thank you for all your time
and effort with the class this weekend. It was very helpful, and you did great
handling this new, virtual format. I didn’t think I’d like a zoom class,
but you changed that.”
“Thanks to your course and the study group after,
I passed Section 4! I already signed up for
the Section 3 course.”
“Just wanted to let you know that I took your review courses
a few months ago for sections 3 and 4, and I ended up
passing them both in the December session! Your course
was really helpful and much of the studying I did was
by reviewing your materials and then doing further research
on topics I didn’t feel familiar with.”
< For test period April 5-17, 2021 >
February 12-13, 2021 (Section 1-2)
$350 (including registration fees)
February 19, 20, 21, 2021 (Section 4)
$450 (including registration fees)
February 26, 27, 28, 2021 (Section 3)
$350 (including registration fees)
March 12, 13, 14, 2021 (Section 4) (added due to demand)
$450 (including registration fees)
< For test period August 2-14, 2021 >
June 11, 12, 13, 2021 (Section 4)
$450 (including registration fees) Register on Eventbrite
June 18, 2021 (Section 1)
$175 (including registration fees) Register on Eventbrite
June 19, 2021 (Section 2)
$175 (including registration fees) Register on Eventbrite
June 25-27, 2021 (Section 3)
$350 (including registration fees) Register on Eventbrite
< For test period December 6-18, 2021 >
October 22, 23, 24, 2021 (Section 3)
$350 (including registration fees)
October 29,30,31, 2021 (Section 4)
$450 (including registration fees)
November 5-6, 2021 (Section 1-2)
$350 (including registration fees)
SECTION 1: PROJECT AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT/
SECTION 2: INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS
This intensive two-day course focuses on preparing students to take Sections 1 and 2 of the LARE. The course includes an in-depth overview of the exam and exam-specific test taking tips. The bulk of our time is spent reviewing CLARB’s test specification topics and using practice exams to assess candidates’ knowledge. The Section 1 and 2 Syllabus contains approximately 310 pages of information and 285 practice questions.
SECTION 3: DESIGN
Over the course of three days, we will prepare for Section 3: Design. Students will be exposed to the fundamentals of planning and design skills that CLARB considers necessary to pass this section, and we will practice applying problem solving techniques on sample test questions in graphic and multiple response formats. The Section 3 Syllabus contains approximately 370 pages and at least 235 practice test questions. Students also receive separate packets containing 25 design advanced item type (AIT) problems with solutions, for practice during class and for follow-up study group use.
SECTION 4: GRADING, DRAINAGE AND CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION
This intensive three-day course focuses on preparing students to take Section 4. This course includes a look at material that is typically covered on the exam and strategy tips for analyzing and answering advanced item type questions (AITs). The course will include a short refresher on the fundamentals of grading and drainage. We will focus on building and reinforcing skills essential to successfully completing section 4 of the LARE. The Section 4 Syllabus contains over 400 pages of information, and includes a minimum of 210 test questions and 42 Advanced Item Type problems in separate packets that include the problem and its solution.
You can also download this information as a single pdf.
OTHER RESOURCES:
- Section O is our concise general guide to the LARE’s current format and good strategies for test preparation. It is free to download from this page. During each course, we review this material briefly but participants are expected to familiarize themselves with these general facts prior to coming together for class.
- If you can’t make the webinar, we can mail you hardcopy, bound course materials at discounted rates. Allow 2-3 weeks for shipping. Postage/handling is included in these costs.
- S1-2: newly updated for 2021! Many copies of 2021 books available. Includes Syllabus book with practice tests, $200
- S3: No copies currently available but we will be reprinting the updated 2020 books soon – let us know if you want one. Includes Syllabus book with practice tests, AIT problems and solutions. $250
- S4: 9 copies of 2019 books available. Includes Syllabus book with practice tests, AIT problems and solutions $275
- 2008 LARE Reference Manual – scanned pdf of the old reference standards
- CLARB’s Eligibility Requirements by state – map here
- Information about being a beta tester for our new California Supplemental Exam online course
- Now you can earn CEU credits for your APLD membership! Let us know if you are an APLD member and need documentation.
- Sign up for our mailing list. We limit our emails and always include an unsubscribe option.