Welcome to Programming & Analysis (PA) — the first of the design-focused ARE® exams.
If you’ve made it this far, you’ve already tackled the heavy-hitting pro-practice tests (PcM, PjM, and CE). Now it’s time to think like a designer again... but with strategy and analysis behind every move.

PA is all about seeing the big picture — how the site, environment, and program shape your design decisions.

Resources to Help You Pass

• Join the ABC Club – your full ARE® study system and community

• Join ABC Club Premium – includes Mind Over ARE™ coaching, study calls, and replays

• Free ARE Resource Library – instant access to essential tools and tips

• Explore all our free ARE Resources here

What to Expect on the PA Exam

This exam bridges research, analysis, and early design.
You’ll evaluate sites, understand constraints, and translate information into strategic design decisions.

Think of PA as the macro-level design exam — setting up everything that PPD and PDD will dive deeper into later.

Environmental & Contextual Conditions (14–21%)

How does the site affect your design?

• Topography, drainage, and vegetation

• Environmental hazards (like flood zones or contamination)

• Sustainability and climate response

📚 Focus on: how environmental conditions shape building placement, orientation, and overall health, safety, and welfare.

Codes & Regulations (16–22%)

Understand the limits before you design.

• Zoning codes and site restrictions

• ADA and ANSI requirements

• Energy codes and fire separation rules

📚 Focus on: how to find the right information and apply it to real site scenarios.
If you’ve never worked on site plans before, study your local zoning codes to get familiar with how they’re structured.

Site Analysis & Programming (21–27%)

This section tests whether you can evaluate where and how a building can sit on a site.

• Feasibility studies and access points

• Utilities and setbacks

• Reading surveys and site plans

📚 Focus on: identifying constraints early. Understand how slope, views, and orientation affect performance.

Building Analysis & Programming (37–43%)

The largest section of the exam.
Here, you’ll look at how the building relates to the site — sun, wind, orientation, and context.

• Adjacencies and spatial relationships

• Reuse and adaptation of existing buildings

• MEP systems and structure basics

• Accessibility and life safety

📚 Focus on: integrating all systems conceptually. PA isn’t about detailing...it’s about reasoning through design logic.

Study Tips

1. Start with the ARE Handbook – Use it like a checklist. Revisit it often.

2. Review key books:

   • Building Construction Illustrated by Francis D.K. Ching (great for understanding building systems and site relationships)

   • Sun, Wind & Light by G.Z. Brown (perfect for passive design, orientation, and environmental strategies)
     ➡️ For a full list of recommended books, download the Free ARE Resource Guide.

3. Practice, don’t just memorize – The PA exam is about understanding concepts, not recalling definitions.

4. Use active study tools – Inside the ABC Club, you’ll find visual study aids, site analysis exercises, and case study practice.

5. Understand the “why” behind answers – When you review practice questions, don’t just mark right or wrong. Study why the correct choice works.

6. Pay attention to adjacencies and site relationships – If you get a drag-and-drop adjacency diagram, remember to rotate the shapes. Direction matters.

7. Know your building codes – especially IBC Chapters 3, 5, 6, and 10.

The Mindset That Helps You Pass

The PA exam rewards critical thinking. It’s less about perfection and more about logic: what’s safest, most efficient, and most appropriate for the site and program.

If you hit a wildcard exam (one that feels totally different), don’t stress it! Failing doesn’t mean you don’t understand — it might just mean you got a tough form. You’ll nail it next time.

Homework

As a thank-you for reading, grab your free ARE® 5.0 practice problems from our Activity Book for Architects.
They’re designed to reinforce key PA concepts and help you study smarter.

👉 Download your ARE® homework here

Final Thoughts

Programming & Analysis is where design thinking meets data.
If you can read a site, interpret constraints, and justify your decisions, you’ll pass!

Stay curious, stay consistent, and remember... every exam gets you one step closer to becoming licensed.

Happy studying,
Bryn