At the 2008, AIA national convention in Boston, a group of intern architects gathered for a late dinner after the conference sessions. We were all harping about taking the Architect Registration Exam, sharing tips and recounting roadblocks. We decided to issue a challenge to each other to get licensed by the next convention a year later. A yahoogroup was started. The name of the group was ARE Hate, to show our disdain for the monkey on our back.  We started with about 20+ members taking the exams, all in various stages of exam taking. We provided good-natured ribbing as well as support for those taking exam that we all love to hate. Today’s current crop of test takers have moved this to Facebook and we are even tracking progress with a Google Sheet.

Testimonials from already registered ARCHITECTS were posted to motivate everyone. Stories from Louis B. Smith Jr, AIA, NOMA, and R. Steven Lewis, FAIA, NOMAC about their licensure journey were some of the earliest posts to the group.

This site brings those stories to the public.

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Are you an architect? Then you probably have a story about your licensure journey. Share yours here.

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ArchStories was created and is edited by Katherine Williams, NOMA, AIA, LEED AP. Katherine is a licensed architect in Northern Virginia and currently a Senior Project Manager at a DC university. Katherine has written extensively about the architecture profession, diversity in the industry, and community development. She has served as editor for multiple publications and was the NOMA magazine editor from 2009-2014. She also writes at katherinerw.com and is publisher/editor for bwa-network.com.