ARE 5.0 Practice Management (PcM) Vocabulary Game
Exam terms with clues and explanations by OpenExamPrep.
About the ARE 5.0 Practice Management (PcM) Vocabulary Games
4 free word games built on 20 ARE 5.0 Practice Management (PcM) terms across 4 topics. Every game deals terms at random and shows what each term means, so you can keep playing as long as you like.
How to Play
- 1.Read the clue and type the term (3 to 6 letters).
- 2.Green: right spot. Yellow: wrong spot. Gray: not in the term.
- 3.Solve it in 6 tries, then read the explanation.
- 1.Swap two neighboring tiles to line up 3 of the same term.
- 2.Longer lines, two lines at once and chains score more.
- 3.Play until no swap can make a line.
- 1.Flip two cards. A matching pair stays face up.
- 2.Each pair you find shows what the term means.
- 3.Clear the board in as few moves as you can.
- 1.Find each listed term in the letter grid.
- 2.Drag across its letters: across, down or diagonally.
- 3.Find all five as fast as you can.
Explore More ARE 5.0
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
Free CEMore From This Family
Videos and articles for deeper review.
Topics in the ARE 5.0 Practice Management (PcM) Vocabulary Game
Business operations
Practice methods
Finance and risk
Service delivery
Sources for these terms (21)
- Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Continuation of Health Coverage (COBRA) · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Overview · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Workplace Safety and Health · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Choose a business structure · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Get business insurance · Source checked 2026-11-03
- SBA Adds Five New Surety Bond Partners for Small Businesses Competing for Contracts · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Circular 41: Copyright Registration of Architectural Works · Source checked 2026-11-03
- About Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN) · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Top 10 Business Credit Terms Small Business Owners Should Know · Source checked 2026-11-03
- AIA Contract Documents · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Integrated Project Delivery: A Guide · Source checked 2026-11-03
- P120 Project Cost and Schedule Management Requirements for the Public Buildings Service · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Primer on Project Delivery · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Experience Requirements · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Businesses That Are Open to the Public · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Continuing Education for Architects · Source checked 2026-11-03
- NBIMS-US V4 FAQs · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Commercial general liability insurance · Source checked 2026-11-03
- Exhibit Artifact Highlights · Source checked 2026-11-03
- ARE 5.0 Guidelines (October 2026) · Source checked 2026-11-03
About the ARE 5.0: PcM Exam
ARE 5.0 Practice Management (PcM) is one of six divisions of NCARB's Architect Registration Examination. PcM tests an architect's ability to run a firm: business operations and structure; finances, risk, and development of practice; practice-wide delivery of services (including AIA contracts B101 and C401); and practice methodologies such as quality management, HR, and recruitment. The PcM exam contains 65 items and you have 2 hours and 40 minutes. NCARB updates effective April 27, 2026 adjust 12 of 91 exam objectives and tighten the case study format across all divisions.
Exam sponsor: NCARB (PSI). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Questions
65 questions
Time Limit
2 hours 40 minutes
Passing Score
Scaled cut score (NCARB does not publish a fixed percentage)
Reported exam pass rate: 51%. NCARB 2025 division pass rate, all candidates (first-time and repeat); 48% in 2024 This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website
Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the ARE PcM vocabulary game free?
Yes. The game is free to play with no sign-up. Signing in adds AI explanations for any term.
How do the ARE PcM vocabulary games work?
There are 4 games built on 20 ARE PcM terms. In Guess the Term, a clue describes one term and you have six tries to spell it, with green, yellow and gray letters showing how close you are. In Term Match, six terms appear as colored tiles; swap neighbors to line up three or more of the same term, and each match shows what the term means. In Term Pairs, twelve face-down cards hide six pairs of terms; flip two at a time to find each pair, and every pair you find shows what the term means. In Term Search, five terms hide in a grid of letters, reading across, down or diagonally; drag across a term to circle it, and each term you find shows what it means.
Where do the ARE PcM terms come from?
OpenExamPrep researched each term from the NCARB (PSI) content outline and primary sources, listed under Sources on this page. The game is independent study material, not an official exam resource.
What is on the ARE 5.0 Practice Management (PcM) exam?
PcM contains 65 items across four sections: Business Operations (20-26%), Finances/Risk/Development of Practice (29-35%), Practice-Wide Delivery of Services (22-28%), and Practice Methodologies (17-23%). It tests how an architect runs a firm — business structure, AIA contracts, ethics, professional liability, finances, HR, and quality management. PcM contains case studies that present a project scenario with reference resources to analyze.
How long is the ARE PcM exam and how much does it cost?
PcM is 2 hours 40 minutes of test time; the full appointment is 3 hours 20 minutes, which allows for introductory screens, an optional 30-minute break, and closing screens. The exam fee is $263 per division as of 2026, paid to NCARB. State licensing-board fees and the NCARB Record subscription are separate.