Frequently Asked Questions

Bite-size study modules for all six ARE® 5.0 divisions: PcM, PA, PjM, PPD, PDD, and CE; currently 561 modules in total. Each module card carries the key rules, exam traps, and buzzwords for one topic, backed by 850+ exam-style practice questions with full answer logic and 353 redrawn exam diagrams: contract maps, curves, timelines, site and solar graphics.

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. Create a free account and you can open the first three modules of every section, in every division, plus the first section quiz in each division, enough to feel the format and the writing before you pay anything. Everything else shows as locked until you subscribe.

Every module has a Low / Medium / High confidence control. Rate honestly as you study and the app becomes a map of exactly what to review next; you can filter each division to just your low-confidence or flagged modules, and your dashboard shows per-section progress at a glance.

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 850+ 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 in development, and will be included in the subscription at no extra cost when they ship.

Full access to every module in the Lunchbox, currently 561 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 unlocks the same full access; 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 module access 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.

We meet over video for an hour, focused on whichever division you're prepping. Bring your weak modules and questions; you'll leave with explanations that stick and a plan for what to study next. Single sessions, no package required.

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. The examples in sessions come from real projects, 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.