I Built a Board Exam Reviewer for Filipino Architects

What happens when you realize an entire profession's exam prep is stuck in the photocopier era

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The Starting Point

The Philippine Architect Licensure Examination has historically had pass rates between 40-65%. Recent sittings have improved (the January 2026 exam hit 82%), but that still leaves thousands of architecture graduates who studied for five years facing a board exam with limited modern study tools.

Most reviewees rely on photocopied questionnaires passed down from previous batches, expensive review centers with fixed schedules, or random question compilations shared in Facebook groups. Much of that content is outdated, and nobody has verified it.

I thought: what if there was a proper online platform? Something that works like modern study tools, with spaced repetition, progress tracking, and verified content.

That's how Arkitekto started.

What Arkitekto Does

Arkitekto is an online review platform for the ALE, though "online reviewer" undersells what it takes to build one properly.

The question bank has 8,000+ practice questions covering all 3 ALE subjects: History, Theory & Professional Practice (30%), Utilities, Structural & Materials (30%), and Architectural Design & Site Planning (40%).

Review scheduling runs on spaced repetition using the SM-2 algorithm. Questions you get right come back less often. Questions you get wrong come back sooner, so your study time goes where it matters most.

Mock examinations simulate the actual ALE format: timed, randomized, and scored, with detailed results by subject area. Progress tracking covers study streaks, subject mastery levels, performance analytics, and achievement badges.

There are also study groups and discussions where reviewees can work through tricky questions together. Preparing for the boards is isolating. It doesn't have to be.

The Tech Behind It

I built Arkitekto with Next.js 16 (App Router with React 19) and Supabase for the backend. The full stack:

• Next.js 16 with Server Components and Server Actions for fast page loads
• Supabase (PostgreSQL + Auth + Row Level Security) for the database and authentication
• Tailwind CSS 4 with shadcn/ui components for a clean, consistent UI
• Zustand for client state, React Query for server state
• Lexical for rich-text bookmark notes
• SM-2 algorithm for spaced repetition scheduling

The architecture is straightforward: server components fetch data, server actions handle mutations, and RLS policies ensure every user only sees their own data.

The Hard Part Wasn't the Code

Building the platform was the easy part. The hard part was content quality.

I started with 8,000+ questions and thought the database was ready. Then the reports started coming in. Wrong answer keys. Outdated building codes. Questions that didn't match the current PRBOA syllabus.

I ended up running 12 rounds of review across the entire question bank. Automated checks caught formatting issues and obvious errors, but every flagged question needed manual verification against the actual sources: the National Building Code, RA 9266, the current PRBOA syllabus.

The lesson was humbling. In education, one wrong answer destroys trust in the entire platform. You can have the most beautiful UI in the world, but if users find a single incorrect answer key, they question everything.

Spaced Repetition for Exam Prep

Implementing SM-2 for architecture exam questions was trickier than expected. The algorithm was designed for language learning, where recall is binary: you know the word or you don't. Architecture exam questions are different.

Missing a question about structural design doesn't necessarily mean you forgot the concept. You might have:

• Misread the question
• Confused similar building code sections
• Known the concept but not the specific regulation number

I had to tune the ease factors and intervals to account for this. Getting a question wrong doesn't always mean "schedule it for tomorrow." Sometimes it means "show it again in 3 days with a different angle."

Row Level Security Changed How I Think

Using Supabase RLS was one of those decisions that felt like extra work upfront but paid off massively. Every table has policies that automatically scope queries to the authenticated user. Nobody accidentally sees someone else's study progress.

But it forces architectural decisions early. Every table needs a user_id column. Cross-user features like study group leaderboards need carefully designed database functions with SECURITY DEFINER.

The mental model shift: instead of "add auth checks in the API layer," the database itself enforces access rules. Once you internalize that, the entire application becomes simpler.

Building for a Niche

Filipino architecture students preparing for the board exam is a small audience. That turned out to be an advantage.

Every feature request comes with genuine context. Users tell you exactly what they need because the exam is real and the stakes are high. There's no ambiguity about what to build next: anything that helps them pass.

The community is supportive, the feedback loop is tight, and prioritization is easy because everyone shares one goal. Pass the ALE.

What's Next

Arkitekto is live and growing. The immediate focus:

1. Continuing content verification, so every single question is accurate and well explained
2. More detailed analytics, to help users see exactly which topics need more attention
3. A better mobile experience, since many reviewees study during commutes

The bigger goal is to become the definitive study platform for the Philippine ALE: a complete study companion that adapts to how each person learns, rather than just another question bank.

Try It

If you're preparing for the Architect Licensure Examination, or know someone who is, check out Arkitekto. The free tier gives you access to practice questions so you can see if it works for your study style.

The board exam is hard enough. Your study tools shouldn't make it harder.