How the plan builder works
PSI's bulletin gives each of the twelve subject areas a number of the 115 scored questions. The builder uses each count over 115 as that area's share of your study time:
- Question counts, in plan order: Procurement and Contracting Requirements 31; General Requirements 25; Site Construction 15; Concrete 6; Masonry 4; Metals 6; Wood 5; Thermal and Moisture Protection 5; Doors, Windows, and Glazing 4; Finishes 5; Mechanical and Plumbing Systems 6; Electrical Systems 3. They total 115.
- The plan starts with the two largest areas, Procurement and Contracting Requirements and then General Requirements, and takes the rest in outline order.
- With 3 or more weeks, the last week is a final review across all twelve areas at the outline shares.
- With at least 12 study weeks before it, every area gets its own weeks: share × study weeks, rounded by the largest-remainder method (everyone gets the whole-number part, then spare weeks go to the largest fractions). Every area gets at least one week, so the smallest areas end up above their share.
- With fewer than 12 study weeks, an area larger than one week's share is cut into equal parts (share × study weeks, rounded up), and neighbouring parts share a week, grouped so the weeks carry about equal weight. A shared week shows each area's part of it.
- Within an area's weeks, its topics are spread in order.
- Each week splits the hours you entered: half on learning new material, three tenths on practice questions and a fifth on reviewing what you missed, each rounded to 5 minutes. The review week is practice and review only.
- The free 10-question check opens week 1 and week (weeks ÷ 2, rounded down) + 1.
The plan runs up to 52 weeks. The bulletin lists area names only, with no topics under them; the topic labels here are our own short names for what each Bid Bond lesson covers. Study each one from your own copies of the listed references; this page does not reproduce any of them.
Worked example 1: 8 weeks at 9 hours a week
A candidate has 8 weeks before the exam and can study 9 hours a week.
- Week 8 is the final review, leaving 7 study weeks. One week's share is 1 ÷ 7, so about 16.4 of the 115 questions.
- Procurement and Contracting: 31 × 7 ÷ 115 = 1.89, rounded up to 2 parts of 15.5 questions each. General Requirements: 25 × 7 ÷ 115 = 1.52, so 2 parts of 12.5. Every other area is under one week's share and stays whole.
- Grouping the parts into 7 weeks of about 16.4 gives: weeks 1 and 2 Procurement and Contracting; weeks 3 and 4 General Requirements; week 5 Site Construction with Concrete (15 + 6 = 21); week 6 Masonry, Metals, Wood, and Thermal and Moisture Protection (4 + 6 + 5 + 5 = 20); week 7 Doors, Windows, and Glazing, Finishes, Mechanical and Plumbing, and Electrical (4 + 5 + 6 + 3 = 18).
- In week 5, Site Construction takes 15 ÷ 21 = 71.4% of the time and Concrete 6 ÷ 21 = 28.6%.
- Every study week is 9 hours: 4 hours 30 minutes learning, 2 hours 40 minutes of practice questions and 1 hour 50 minutes reviewing misses. The review week is 5 hours 25 minutes of practice and 3 hours 35 minutes of review.
- Share actually given to Procurement and Contracting: (2 + 31 ÷ 115) ÷ 8 = (2 + 0.2696) ÷ 8 = 28.4%, against 27.0% of the questions. General Requirements: (2 + 0.2174) ÷ 8 = 27.7%, against 21.7%.
- The free check opens week 1 and week 8 ÷ 2 + 1 = week 5.
Worked example 2: 16 weeks at 10 hours a week
A candidate has 16 weeks and 10 hours a week.
- Week 16 is review, leaving 15 study weeks, enough for every area to have its own weeks.
- Exact week counts: Procurement and Contracting 31 × 15 ÷ 115 = 4.04, General Requirements 3.26, Site Construction 1.96, and every other area under 1 (Electrical Systems is lowest at 0.39).
- Whole parts give 4, 3 and 1 for the three largest and 0 for the rest. After the spare weeks go to the largest fractions and each area is given its one-week minimum, the counts are 3 weeks for Procurement and Contracting, 2 for General Requirements, and 1 for each of the other ten: 3 + 2 + 10 = 15.
- Each study week is 10 hours: 5 hours learning, 3 hours of practice and 2 hours reviewing. The review week is 6 hours of practice and 4 hours of review.
- Share given to Procurement and Contracting: (3 + 0.2696) ÷ 16 = 20.4%. Electrical Systems: (1 + 3 ÷ 115) ÷ 16 = 6.4%, against 2.6% of the questions. A long plan gives the small areas a full week each; move time back to the big areas if the checks say so.
- The free check opens week 1 and week 16 ÷ 2 + 1 = week 9.
Using the plan and the checks
The free 10-question check shows which subject areas are weakest. Take it at the start, put extra time into those areas in their weeks, and compare at the midpoint. The question counts tell you where the points are, and your own scores tell you where you lose them. For an eight-week plan with tabbing and timed practice, read the NASCLA study guide; for the counts themselves, see the NASCLA exam outline; for the books, the NASCLA reference books guide. Drill which book to open with the NASCLA reference finder, and the facts with the NASCLA flashcards.
What the planner does not do
It does not say how long anyone should study, and it does not predict a result. The hours are yours; the plan only splits them. A large question count does not mean an area is hard for you, so adjust after each check. PSI's current bulletin controls what the exam covers, and it can change.
NASCLA study plan questions
How many weeks should I study for the NASCLA exam?
That depends on the weeks you have, the hours you can give each week and how much of the work you already do on the job, so the builder starts from your weeks and your hours instead of a fixed number. Enter both and it spreads your own time across the twelve subject areas, then ends with a review week.
Which NASCLA subject area should I study first?
The builder starts with Procurement and Contracting Requirements, because it carries the most questions, 31 of 115, then General Requirements at 25. If your free check shows a smaller area scoring much lower, move some time there; the counts show where the points are, and your score shows where you lose them.
Is the free 10-question check enough to know if I'm ready?
No. It is a quick read of your weakest subject areas, not a prediction of your score. Take it in week one to see where to spend extra time, take it again at the midpoint, and move review time to any area that has not improved. The Bid Bond course then adds a lesson for each subject area and four full-length timed practice exams.