I have gone through all videos, flashcards and practice exams on PA, but I’m still missing something. I usually do great on the short quizes and 20+ questions, but when going to final practice exam I’m only scoring about 50% of questions. Anyone has any tips?
I’ve read the Ballast book, did another competitor videos and now with Blackspectacles, but I must be missing something.
Welcome to the ARE Community, @flaviananeri! We are happy to have you here. Congratulations on powering through the PA study materials!
Don’t fret about your performance on the practice exam. It’s very common to feel like you understand the material, but may have a difficult time applying that learned content to the exam format (and the ARE format in itself can be very tricky!). The practice exams are great not just to test your knowledge, but also to practice using the exam tools with the exact interface you will experience on exam day. Play around with the whiteboard, highlight, and strikethrough tools. Find your own tricks to make these tools work to your benefit.
When you complete a practice exam, be sure that you are taking advantage of the detailed score report that you are provided with. Identify sections that you are scoring lower in and revisit those lecture videos so that you gain a true understanding of the information presented. Review all answer explanations, including the ones you answered correctly. Dig into the explanations provided for correct and incorrect answers, as you will often find hidden information on adjacent topics here.
You will likely come across topics in the practice exam that was not specifically covered in the lecture videos, quizzes, or flashcards. This is intentional, as it is nearly impossible to deeply study for every single question that you may encounter on the ARE. We do our best to simulate exam day for you so that you know what to expect. If you come across an unfamiliar topic in a practice exam, use that as an opportunity to learn about something new!
Lastly, remember that you don’t need to score 100% on the ARE. For PA, you need to answer between 65 - 71% of scored items correctly to pass. This range varies per division. If you are scoring 50%, you are getting close! Practice, practice, practice - and you will get there!
Hope this helps 
Kiara Galicinao, AIA, NCARB
Black Spectacles