Frequently Asked Questions

Bite-size study modules for all six ARE® 5.0 divisions: PcM, PA, PjM, PPD, PDD, and CE; currently 629 modules in total. Each module card carries the key rules, common misconceptions, and buzzwords for one topic, backed by 1,400+ exam-style practice questions with full answer logic and 521 original instructional diagrams, including contract relationships, timelines, site and solar concepts, building systems, and other visual study aids.

Around the modules you get section quizzes, per-module confidence ratings and flags, private notes, and a progress dashboard that tracks all six divisions.

Yes. NCARB® revised the ARE® 5.0 exam objectives and case-study formatting effective April 27, 2026, and the Lunchbox modules, practice questions, and quizzes are maintained against those current specifications. When NCARB® changes the exam, the affected content here is reviewed and updated; those updates are included in your subscription at no extra cost.

Yes. Signing up puts you on Arch Lunchbox: Starter, which is free and needs no card. Starter includes the first three modules of every section in full, so you can read complete modules end to end, and every other module opens to its Purpose card so you can see exactly what it covers. Confidence ratings, flagging, and your own module notes all work on Starter, and the first section quiz in each division is included. Arch Lunchbox: Pro opens the rest of each module: the key terms, tables, diagrams, key rules, exam traps, and practice questions.

Every module has a Low / Medium / High confidence control. Use it as you study, then filter a division to find low-confidence or flagged modules. Your dashboard also shows progress by section.

Yes, each section quiz saves your attempts, last score, and best score. After any attempt you get a full review of every question with the correct answer and explanation, and you can export those results as a PDF to keep or print.

The practice engine is the 1,400+ exam-style questions built into the modules and the timed section quizzes: every NCARB® section in every division has one, with score tracking and a full answer review after each attempt. Full-length mock exams that mirror the ARE® 5.0 format, question count, and pacing are live for PcM, PjM, PA, PPD, and CE; PDD is still in development. All are included in the subscription at no extra cost.

Arch Lunchbox: Pro opens every module in the Lunchbox in full, currently 629 across all six divisions (PcM, PA, PjM, PPD, PDD, and CE), plus the practice questions, diagrams, section quizzes, and progress dashboard. New divisions and modules are included as they go live, at no extra cost.

Yes, on the pricing page you can pick 1 month ($39), 3 months ($105, save $12), or 6 months ($180, save $54). Every option is the same Pro plan; the longer terms just bill less often and cost less overall.

Yes. The subscription has no commitment; many students subscribe for the two or three months around each exam, then cancel from their account settings when they're done.

Click Get Pro on the pricing page and pay securely by card through Stripe; your modules unlock right after checkout. Cancel anytime from your account settings.

There's a discount-code field at checkout on the pricing page; codes from promotions apply automatically before you pay. Group rates for firms putting multiple staff through licensure are available on request; get in touch.

No, tutoring sessions are available on their own at $90/hour. That said, sessions are most effective when we can target your module confidence ratings, so the two work best together.

Sessions are one hour over video and focus on the division or topics you choose. Bring any questions or modules you want to review. We’ll work through them together and finish with a clear plan for what to study next. You can book one session at a time.

Brian, a California-licensed architect, AIA, Associate DBIA, and LEED AP BD+C who tutors all six ARE® 5.0 divisions and works in practice. Sessions use realistic examples informed by current professional practice, not flash cards. More on the about page.

When you're signed in, your confidence ratings, flags, notes, and quiz history are saved to your account and synced automatically, so you can rate a module on your phone at lunch and pick up on a laptop that night. A copy is also cached in your browser so the app stays fast. The modules page has Export and Import tools too, if you ever want a JSON backup of everything.

Nothing is deleted; your ratings, notes, and quiz history stay saved to your account (and in any backup you've exported). If you re-subscribe later, you pick up exactly where you left off.