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Professional Development

AICP Training, Exam and Study Resource Information

APA LA, OC, IE AICP Study Session 

Saturday, March 30th
8:30 AM - 2:30 PM
University of Southern California
Cost: $40. Lunch is provided.

Prepare for the AICP exam in May or November with APA LA's annual AICP Study Session. Distinguished faculty and planning professionals will give targeted lectures and answer questions on a variety of exam topics, including housing, historic preservation, planning history, urban design, planning law, and planning ethics. Enrollment is limited. Reserve your spot today: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/345674.


November 2012 AICP Exam Results: All applicants receive their unofficial test scores at the testing center. Official test scores will be mailed in mid December or early January.
 
Have you already taken the AICP Exam? All the information you need is here:
http://www.planning.org/certification/postexam.htm
 
The Exam is given twice a year in May and November. The next exam application window is for May 2013.
The normal calendar for the May exam is:
Early Applications accepted beginning in December 2012.

Early Bird Deadline: Mid December, 2012
Application deadline: Early January, 2013 

Be prepared to make the deadlines. Please check back often for complete details as they become available.
Preparatory Information can be found here:  http://www.planning.org/certification/examprep/
 
May 2013 Exam

Application window open:                                              December 1, 2012

Early Bird Application Deadline:                                    December 15, 2012

Final Application Deadline:                                            January 24, 2013

Early Bird Notification Date:                                          February 15, 2013

Final Notification date:                                                  April 4, 2013

Testing window:                                                            May 7-21, 2013

 
 

APA is also accepting applications for the  Advanced Specialty Certification exams

Visit the National APA website for information about ASC that includes eligibility criteria, application instructions, an Exam Candidate Bulletin, a suggested reading list to help you prepare for either the AICP CEP or AICP CTP exam, and testimonials from some of the experts who helped APA develop the criteria and exams for both credentials. Also, sign up to receive e-mail alerts from APA about Advanced Specialty Certification in the months ahead.
 

Be in the vanguard of certified professional planners! Earn an Advanced Special Certification in environmental or transportation planning and demonstrate to your peers, employer, and colleagues in related professions that you are both an expert and leader in your chosen specialization.

2012 AICP Training Opportunities:

New study programs for the MAY Exam are currently in the planning stages. Check back often for the most current information.

Also check the websites for the Orange County, Inland Empire, and San Diego APA chapters for training events (websites as follows):
California APA website: http://www.calapa.org
Orange Section: http://www.oc-apa.org
Inland Empire Section: http://www.ies-apa.org

Click on the link for the schedule and info for San Diego's AICP exam prep classes, every 1st and 3rd Saturday, starting Feb. 20th. The training has been updated to reflect the content of the exam, based on my November audit and several others who recently took the exam. There is limited seating of 25 people

San Diego Section: http://www.sdapa.org/exam/index.php

We hope to be able to offer other training opportunities through LA APA in 2010.  Email blasts will be sent about these events.

 

AICP Exam Questions

For questions regarding the AICP Exam, please don’t hesitate to contact Pintu Behera, Professional Development Coordinator at pbehera@planning.org.

Applicants can refer all exam related questions to aicpexam@planning.org.

Reduced Exam Fee Scholarship Program:
This program was put into place to offer assistance to those individuals who may defer taking or are unable to take the AICP exam because of the high cost. Please contact Marissa Aho, AICP at marissa@raa-inc.com if you would like to be considered for this program.

Please see below for additional information and requirements.

Exam Application:

Beginning with the 2005 exam cycle, AICP introduced a new application that combines the application and registration steps into one form and one fee. This eliminates the previous two forms and separate fee payments, and makes the process easier for applicants. Education and employment verifications for each degree and job listed in the application will continue to be required in order for your application to be considered complete for review. The single fee for the online application (which combines the previous separate application and registration steps) is $450. APA has developed an online interactive application web program that is user friendly and provides a cost benefit to APA and exam applicants.
Once your application has been approved, you will be notified and receive information that will include exam preparation resources. Your name and contact information will be forwarded to Thomson Prometric (our test administrators). Thomson Prometric will, in turn, send you an Authorization to Test (ATT) with instructions to schedule your appointment to take the computertized AICP exam at one of more than 300 test centers in the United States and Canada. The AICP exam will continue to be offered in the pencil and paper format to international applicants.
The Authorization to Test (ATT) will come to approved applicants directly from the test administrators, Thomson Prometric, in about six weeks following completed application submission. If it is not received by the end of the sixth week, contact Thomson Prometric at 609-720-6738.
Previously approved applicants may come back and use the same new application form to pay for the next exam. Once logged on, the system will recognize the applicant's approved status with prompts to complete only the contact and exam information pages of the form and pay the exam fee.
Exam takers will receive their test results before they leave the testing center.
Information about the exam and eligibility can be found through the AICP website:
http://www.planning.org/aicp/index.htmE-mail: AICPexam@planning.org
The National AICP office can be reached at (202) 872-0611.

Study Resources:

The Chapter Presidents Council publishes a study manual that is only available through the State Professional Development Officer, Kim Christensen (KChristensen@elsegundo.org).  The Chapter Presidents Council (CPC) Study Manual for the 2010 AICP Examination is expected to be available in February. 

National APA also has preparation materials available in a CD-ROM self-study course through the Planners Books Service. You can obtain more information regarding this course through the National APA web-site here.

 

Reduced Fee Scholarships for the May 2013 AICP Exam
If you are NOT already a member of AICP or FAICP, AND you meet the minimum educational and experience qualifications required to take the May 2012 AICP Exam, AND you are experiencing real financial hardship… consider applying for one of the APA California AICP Exam Reduced Fee Scholarships.  The deadline to apply by email is 5 PM on Tuesday, January 17, 2012.

This scholarship program was put into place to offer assistance to APA members in California who may defer taking, or are unable to take the AICP exam, because of its high cost.  All applications received by the deadline will be evaluated by a subcommittee of the Chapter board, and a final determination of Chapter scholarship recipients will be made by January 20, 2012.