How the ALE Is Organized & Scored

How the ALE Is Organized & Scored

Quick Answer: The ALE is given over two days: Day 1 morning covers Subject 1 (History & Theory/Practice), Day 1 afternoon covers Subject 2 (Structural/Materials/Utilities), and Day 2 is a full-day design exam covering Subject 3 (Architectural Design and Site Planning). To pass, a candidate needs a 70% general weighted average (GWA) across all three subjects and no individual subject rating below 50% — falling below 50% in even one subject fails the exam regardless of the overall average.

The Two-Day Exam Schedule

The ALE is administered over two examination days, following a session schedule set by the PRC for each sitting:

Day 2 is unlike the other two sessions: instead of only objective multiple-choice items, candidates work through an actual architectural design problem — a full-day board exercise in which they analyze a site and program, then produce planning and design solutions under time pressure. This is why review centers and self-study plans treat Day 2 as a distinct skill to practice, not just content to memorize.

The Passing Rule: 70% GWA, No Subject Below 50%

The PRBoA applies two conditions simultaneously, and a candidate must satisfy both to pass:

1. The general weighted average (GWA) across the three subjects must be at least 70%.
2. No individual subject rating may fall below 50%.

The second condition is a hard floor. Even a candidate with an excellent overall average fails the exam if a single subject drops below 50% — there is no way to "average out" a weak subject using strong subjects elsewhere. This design forces candidates to be competent across the entire syllabus rather than specializing in one or two subjects at the expense of a third.

How the Weighted Average Is Calculated

The GWA is computed by multiplying each subject's raw percentage score by its official weight, then summing the three results:

GWA = (Subject 1 score x 0.30) + (Subject 2 score x 0.30) + (Subject 3 score x 0.40)

Worked Example 1: A Passing Result

Suppose a candidate scores:

• Subject 1 (History & Theory/Practice, 30%): 75%
• Subject 2 (Structural/Materials/Utilities, 30%): 72%
• Subject 3 (Architectural Design & Site Planning, 40%): 78%

GWA = (75 x 0.30) + (72 x 0.30) + (78 x 0.40) = 22.5 + 21.6 + 31.2 = 75.3%

Since the GWA is above 70% and every individual subject is above 50%, this candidate passes.

Worked Example 2: A Failing Result Despite a GWA Above 70%

Now suppose a different candidate scores:

• Subject 1 (30%): 85%
• Subject 2 (30%): 90%
• Subject 3 (40%): 48%

GWA = (85 x 0.30) + (90 x 0.30) + (48 x 0.40) = 25.5 + 27.0 + 19.2 = 71.7%

At first glance, 71.7% looks like a comfortable pass since it clears the 70% threshold. But Subject 3's rating of 48% is below the required 50% minimum, so this candidate fails the ALE despite an overall GWA well above the passing line. This example is the single most important scoring concept for candidates to internalize: a strong overall average provides no protection against a subject-level failure, and Subject 3's large 40% weight makes a low score there especially dangerous to an otherwise strong average.

Retake Policy

Candidates who do not pass the ALE may apply to retake the examination at a future administration — the PRC schedules the ALE multiple times per year, so an unsuccessful candidate typically has another opportunity within months rather than waiting a full year. Consistent with the pattern followed by other PRC-administered licensure boards, examinees who fail repeatedly may be required to complete a refresher course through an accredited provider before being readmitted to a subsequent attempt; candidates in that situation should confirm the exact current requirement with the PRC or PRBoA, since specific refresher-course triggers can be updated by board resolution.

Building a Study Plan Around the Weights

Because Subject 3 (Architectural Design and Site Planning) carries 40% of the grade — the largest single share — and requires demonstrated design skill rather than recall alone, it deserves more than a proportional 40% of study time. A practical rule of thumb used by many review centers:

• Allocate review hours roughly proportional to each subject's official weight as a starting floor (30% / 30% / 40%)
• Add extra time on top of that proportional share for Subject 3, since design problem-solving improves mainly through repeated, timed practice rather than reading alone
• Build the plan over 6 to 12 months for most first-time examinees, moving from foundational content (laws, history, structural theory) toward full timed mock exams in the final stretch
• Reserve the last few weeks before the exam for full-length, timed practice of all three subjects at the actual PRC session lengths (roughly five hours per Day 1 session and a full day for Day 2)

Treating the ALE's scoring rule as a planning tool, not just a pass/fail formula to memorize, is what separates candidates who study efficiently from those who over-prepare in subjects they already know and under-prepare in the one subject that decides most outcomes.