contributed by Shannon Schilling, ASID [owner, Design Details / proud NCIDQ certificate holder / thirtysomething]
Yes, I’ve done it. I’ve taken The Test (a.k.a. the NCIDQ Exam). Every part of the test was difficult, including the decision to take it. I struggled with the idea that perhaps I didn’t need the professional appellation to verify my design skills. 
I also struggled with all of the “What-ifs”: What if I failed” What if I failed several times” What if everyone found out that I failed” What if… well, you get the picture. The bottom line came down to this: I knew that not trying would nag at me indefinitely, and that What-if ultimately trumped all of the others.
Baby Steps
With the decision made, I made the first move. I logged onto NCIDQ.org and downloaded the application. It was a huge accomplishment and a huge document. Feeling very accomplished, I arranged the ream of papers neatly into its very own pile on my desk, deciding that I would take the next step on a future bold day.
About two months later, my eyes fell onto the slightly dusty, yet still very neat, stack of papers crowned with the NCIDQ header. Try as I might, I couldn’t look past them. I knew that it was time to take action.
I read the introductions and proceeded to look over the application requirements. My part really wasn’t too difficult. I filled out my portion of the paperwork, and I began calling clients and colleagues to provide me with the needed references. I needed three, and surely those could be obtained within a couple of weeks, right” With the goal of submitting my paperwork in time to take the fall exam, I contacted my targets immediately. All three agreed to write letters, but all three wanted to know what to say. “Oh, whatever you think,” I said breezily, but adding, “I’ll send you an email with information the NCIDQ has supplied.”
Letter Pressed
A couple of weeks later, I had not received a single reference letter. I called my contacts, and all three had experienced some life interferences. What’s a girl to do” I calmly requested that they each provide the reference letter in the next couple of weeks, and each one again agreed. After all, I could still pay the late fee and get it in by the end of the week. However, two weeks evaporated, and I had received only one. The deadline had come and gone, and the madness of the holidays was upon us all. The test would just have to wait.
Lesson one had been learned: If you want a reference letter, write it yourself, and get your “writer” to edit it. It isn’t the time required to write the reference letter that holds people up, it is the uncertainty of what to write. So just do your colleagues and clients a favor by giving them a starting point, covering all of the requirements. Each writer can embellish your standard letter much more quickly and with much less stress than having to create his or her own letter from scratch.
New Year, New Form
Shortly after the holidays I began again trying to collect my references. This time, I knew exactly what I needed. One thing that I almost missed was that the year had changed; therefore, I had to redo my original application. The applications are specifically dated for each particular test, and the one you submit must coordinate with the test that you are applying to take – i.e., Fall 2008, Spring 2009, etc.
When I had finally collected all of my references and filled out the correct application, I mailed everything off. Whew! What a process. Since I had missed all of the fall deadlines, I was now scheduled to take the test in the spring – March 30 & 31 to be exact. Now for the studying…
STEP-ing Up
The June prior to the NCIDQ Exam that I was hoping to take in the fall, I committed to taking one of the ASID-sponsored STEP classes, which are offered around the U.S. multiple times a year. I recommend it for anyone planning to take the test because not only did it help me understand what I needed to study, but it also helped me understand the test a great deal better.
The instructor referred to the test as “NCIDQ Land,” and he made it clear that the rules in NCIDQ Land are very different than those that we might apply to our daily routines. For instance, I learned that in NCIDQ Land, a space on a floorplan exists only if it is labeled. I also learned that my weakest area was commercial design contracts. While I’ve done some small commercial jobs, I had never had to deal with the details of commercial contracts, and I was definitely lacking in knowledge in that area.
Additionally, the STEP class provided me with some great insight on how to manage my time during the drafting portion of the test. Of course, I’ve only taken this one STEP class, but I suspect that they all vary depending upon the teacher and (somewhat) upon the students. If you are lucky and have a teacher as well versed as mine, then you will reap the benefits of more test-taking tips than you ever imagined.
Crucial Pursuit
At that point I had valuable knowledge about the structure of the exam, the right materials, and a full understanding of my weaknesses. I was ready to study. And read. And study, read, read, read, study, and then read some more.
My goal was to get in two hours of studying in each day. Keep in mind that I own my own business and have two young children. To say the least, study time was difficult to come by. I think the most important part for me was to create a schedule and a study system, which consisted of:
• reading all of the text first;
• going back, highlighting, and making notes;
• and, finally, creating flashcard questions and quizzing myself until I knew every one of them, including all of the study guide questions.
E-Day One
Finally the big day arrived. I was so nervous and anxious that I could hardly eat breakfast. I delivered myself to the exam site appropriately early and with all of the necessary documents. We were required to bring our NCIDQ acceptance letter (that allowed us to pay a large sum of money to take a really difficult test), our ID, and any materials that we might need.
The first section flew by, and I barely remembered any of it once it was over. I calmed down after lunch and actually recalled a few of the questions, recounting them to my family and friends. (They were appropriately impressed!) Day one was down and day two coming up.
E-Day Two
Day two of the test is the part that is most feared due to the time constraints, and it consists of two parts. The first section requires the test taker to space plan a given area, taking care to comply with all of the set parameters. The second part is usually a continuation of the first part, adding on to the project by requiring you to complete an electrical plan, a reflected ceiling plan, and a detail of a specified area. Again there are precise requirements that must be met and notations that must be included to receive a passing score.
Thanks to my Old World ways, I still perform all of my space planning and quick drafting by hand, so I had no fear of that part. In fact, I finished the first section with an hour to spare, and I used that time to carefully check all of the instructions to make sure that I had met all of the requirements.
The second section, however, almost took me all of the allotted time. I don’t do a lot of reflected ceiling plans in my business these days, so I probably took more time than necessary. I particularly like doing details (hence, the name of my company), so I saved that part for last so that I could use any extra time working on that element.
I still had time to spare, but I turned in my appropriately numbered packet complete with all sketch papers, happily packed by bag, and exited the building.
Over & Out
Finally, it was over! I was absolutely exhausted and elated at the same time. I treated myself to a peaceful lunch, loving the fact that there was not a single study material in sight. Then the next week I took off to go hiking with my family because, after all, too much work and not enough play makes Jill a dull girl.
It was an excruciating wait to find out my exam results, but it was worth it. The fateful day that my notification from the NCIDQ board arrived was a joyous one because all of my What-ifs turned out to be needless: I passed all three sections, checking this milestone in my interior design career off the list. And it felt good – real good. Hmmm…I wonder what’s next…
