Congratulations on your journey to AICP certification!
Why AICP? Learn more at planning.org
The process for becoming a certified planner is easier than ever with the new One Path to AICP. The new streamlined process allows you to take the AICP exam before you have completed the necessary experience. Once you have passed the exam, you are designated as an AICP Candidate. Both need to be accomplished before becoming AICP.
There are three steps to the process, and the deadlines are posted on the AICP website.
ELIGIBILITY PRE-CHECK
Visit Are You Eligible? to review the experience requirements for AICP Certification, download the AICP Certification Guide, and use the Eligibility Pre-Check resources designed to help you understand how your experience fits into AICP Certification.
STEP 1: REGISTER ($255)
Schedule your in-person or online remote appointment to test for the upcoming AICP Certification Exam with Prometric. The exam is administered twice a year. so be aware of the deadlines for registering for the exam.
STEP 2: TEST ($0)
See APA’s tips for exam preparation and links to resources to help you succeed. Join the study group organized by the Idaho Professional Development Officer (PDO).
STEP 3: APPLY ($255)
After passing the AICP exam and earning the required amount of professional planning experience, submit your education and employment verifications, and demonstrate your experience meets the AICP definition of professional planning experience. Download the Planning Experience Assessment Worksheet to review the professional planning experience requirements for certification.
AICP Office Hours
The spring 2024 AICP certification cycle will be here soon! Information about the One Path process, deadlines, exam prep materials, etc. can be found on the APA website. After reviewing the materials and FAQs, please register and join APA staff for a Q&A on any (or all!) of the following dates:
· Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 11:00am CT
· Monday, February 12, 2024 at 1:00pm CT
· Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 12:00pm CT
Office hours are open to members and nonmembers. Questions? Please email AICP@planning.org.
AICP Certification Diversity Scholarship for the Spring Cycle
Interested in scholarship for the May 2024 AICP exam or the June 2024 Experience Assessment? The window to apply for the AICP Certification Diversity Scholarship will open January 8, 2023. Please visit the APA website for more information.
Please direct all questions to AICP@planning.org.
STUDY, STUDY, STUDY
A useful tip from Diane Kushlan, APA Idaho’s PDO: A couple of starting suggestions is to develop a strategic plan on how you will be studying for the exam. There is so much information that is covered starting out can be overwhelming. One first step might be to look at the exam content outline and for each sub-area under each topic, check them off in one of three categories: (1) you know all about that subject; (2) you know something about the subject; or (3) you know very little about it. Then start your studying in the areas where you know very little. For managing your study time, keep in mind the percentage of topic areas covered in the exam. The area of the exam that historically has the lowest success rate is in Plan-making and Research and Assessment Methods, so if this is an area where you don’t have as much background, you might want to start there. The exam covers nine major topic areas, each encompassing several subareas. It includes questions from all nine topics but may not necessarily include questions from each sub-area. The nine areas and the percentage of the exam devoted to each area are as follows:
Study Resources
- Research and Assessment Methods
- Fundamental Planning Knowledge
- Communication and Interaction
- Plan and Policy Development
- Areas of Practice
- Plan Implementation
- Management, Leadership, and Ethics
For answers to questions or more information: https://www.planning.org/certification/ or contact Diane Kushlan, FAICP, Idaho Chapter Professional Development Officer (PDO) at dkushlan@fiberpipe.net