Our Preparatory Courses for the Landscape Architect Registration Examination were developed over 20 years by Ray Freeman, ASLA. At his retirement, we worked with Ray to adapt his materials into online webinars.
We meet in real time, from 8:30 am (Pacific Standard Time) until around 4:30 pm PST, with a break for lunch. Our password-protected Zoom classroom allows us to learn from the group’s diverse practice experiences, mark up design problems on a shared screen and discuss exam issues. In 2022 we began recording these sessions for webinar participants to use after the weekend is over. If you are not available on webinar day, or prefer to participate anonymously, we can now accommodate your specific needs. Contact us if you have questions.
It’s very rewarding to take this virtual sabbatical with design professionals from all across North America. Feedback has been pretty positive, see below…. Join us!
For test period November 27 – December 13, 2023
December 2023 will be the official launch of CLARB’s new LARE 2023 Blueprint. Registration for our webinars is open! All sessions are recorded, so if these dates don’t work for you, contact us if you’d like to attend on your own schedule by watching the videos after the course is over. Live sessions begin at 8:30 am PACIFIC time.
The December exam will include graphic problems on all sections of the LARE. We will include new lecture, study, and practice exam materials for all sections. CLARB is still releasing information about the new 2023 Blueprint, including new practice exams that are due in mid-September. We anticipate our updated materials will be ready early in October.
Fall Registration is open.
October 6, 7, 8 2023
Grading, Drainage & Stormwater Mgmt (old S4)
$450 (including registration fees)
REGISTER (Eventbrite)
October 13, 14, 15 2023
Planning & Design (old S3)
$400 (including registration fees)
REGISTER (Eventbrite)
October 21, 2023
Construction Documentation & Administration (old S1 and 4)
$225 (including registration fees)
REGISTER (Eventbrite)
October 22, 2023
Inventory, Analysis & Project Mgmt (old S2)
$225 (including registration fees)
REGISTER (Eventbrite)
November 3, 4, 5
Grading, Drainage, & Stormwater Mgmt repeat (old S4)
$450 (including registration fees)
REGISTER (Eventbrite)
Did you attend one of our webinars in the past?
Purchase the updated 2023 Blueprint study materials and you can audit the new webinars at no additional cost. Contact us (with the date of the webinar you previously attended) to get a promo code.
What about 2024?
We are looking forward to some fresh guidance from CLARB as we move into the new Blueprint, and our materials will be refined and updated as we go. We always incorporate new info as it becomes available so all study materials are current and up to date. 2024 webinars will continue on as usual in March, July/August, and October/November.
We will be fine-tuning webinar formats and registration fees early in 2024. When the new dates are set, all planned webinar dates for 2024 will be posted here.
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Watch this space and subscribe to our mailing list for more information!
Construction Documentation & administration (OLD S1)
This intensive one-day course provides an in-depth overview of the exam and exam-specific test taking tips. We review CLARB’s test specification topics and use practice exams to assess your knowledge. This section contains a lot of process-oriented material around contracts and construction administration, and some materials and construction detailing that was formerly in the old Section 4. Candidates find plain, simple explanations and discussion of common project processes and roles invaluable. The CD&A Syllabus contains approximately 110 pages of information and 140 practice questions. We have also developed graphic format AIT practice problems for this section – new for the 2023 Blueprint.
Inventory, Analysis & Project Management (old S2)
This intensive one-day course provides an in-depth overview of the exam and exam-specific test taking tips. We review CLARB’s test specification topics and use practice exams to assess candidates’ knowledge, while providing study material to help fill in the gaps. This section contains a lot of information that must be memorized and we can help with sorting the work. The IA&PM Syllabus contains approximately 155 pages of information and 150 practice questions. The 2023 Blueprint also includes graphic format AIT questions for this section, and we will practice with new course material.
planning & DESIGN (old S3)
Over the course of three days, we will prepare for this section, which has been one of the most challenging of the four LARE sections in the past. 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 P&D 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.
GRADING, DRAINAGE & Stormwater Management (old S4)
This intensive three-day course prepares candidates in building technical skills and comprehension. 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 skill, speed, and accuracy. The GD&SW Syllabus contains over 400 pages of information, and includes 210 test questions and 30 Advanced Item Type problems in separate packets that include the problem and its solution.
OTHER RESOURCES
Independent Study Materials:
We are hard at work updating for the 2023 Blueprint! Study materials will be available in October. Join our mailing list to be notified when we are ready.
**If you would like to purchase the old Section 4 study materials, including videos, for a discounted rate of $175, email us directly. These materials will be out of date after the last October run of Section 4.**
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If you can’t make the webinar, we can mail you hardcopy, bound course materials at discounted rates and connect you with a study group. Allow ten days for shipping. Postage is included in these costs but CA sales tax will be added at purchase. We can also provide the same materials in pdf form if you prefer same-day access. Includes everything except webinar/video access.
All sections and question formats are being updated for 2023! Thanks for your patience while we get them ready.
Const Doc & Admin (S1), $120: Includes Syllabus book with practice tests in current multiple choice format and new graphic format AIT practice problems.
Inventory, Analysis, & Project Mgmt (S2), $120: Includes Syllabus book with practice tests in current multiple choice format and new graphic format AIT practice problems.
Planning & Design (S3), $250: Includes Syllabus book with practice questions in current multiple choice format, AIT problems and solutions. We also include the old 2008 LARE Reference Manual and our ‘Maps and Plans of the LARE’.
Grading Drainage & Stormwater Mgmt (S4), $275: Includes Syllabus book with practice questions in current multiple choice format, AIT problems and solutions, and Extra Help annotated step-by-step guidance for most AITs.
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Free LARE resources:
Section O – our general guide to the LARE’s current format and good strategies for test preparation. Updated to include our best advice for 2022’s new exam format.
2008 LARE Reference Manual—scanned pdf of the old reference standards
CLARB’s Eligibility Requirements by state—interactive map here
Information about being a beta tester for our new California Supplemental Exam online course
Sign up for our mailing list. We limit our emails and always include an unsubscribe option.
“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.”
“I’m extremely happy I took this course, and the Zoom format was actually helpful and efficient—more affordable doing it virtually than paying for a plane ticket and hotel. I would recommend it to everyone”
“I wish more people knew about this course. I enjoyed it so much. I wish we could have done it for four days, not just three! Thank you, Sarah, very much.”
“The course was fantastic—just what I was looking for to steer me in the right direction to prepare for Section 4.”
“Sarah is so knowledgeable and made me feel much more confident about taking the exam. As someone who takes a longer time to learn things, I appreciate how patient, considerate, and encouraging Sarah was. She wants us to succeed!”
“Just wanted to reach out and say thank you for your incredibly informative class. I felt more confident walking out of Exam 4 than any of the other exams. I’d play the recordings on the TV and watch from the treadmill in the weeks leading up to the exam. I think that, coupled with my dog-eared and over-highlighted syllabus, really made a difference.
Thanks again for your class – I’ll be recommending it to anyone I know studying for the LARE!”
“Just wanted to let you know I PASSED!!! Thank you for all of your tutoring help. I will be taking section 3 in December.”
“I’m currently starting to go through your CSE prep course, and I am excited for the content that you have developed. I believe you are doing such an important thing in helping people figure out how to study for this exam (and the LARE exams).”
“I wanted to let you know I finally passed Section 4!!! Thank you so much for your support, your course and your time, really appreciate it.”
“I recently took your Section 2 course and really loved it… (the recorded sessions) really helped me to hear you talk through the topics and hear thoughts/questions from other participants.”
“… I wanted to report back that I ended up passing all 4 sections! I am very appreciative of you and the planning and care that you’ve put into the course. In addition to just covering test specific content, you made it interesting and engaging and the courses were very inspirational. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the work you do as I know it is a labor of love!”