ARCHED & TIL-A Preparation

The Science of Admission

Preparation isn't just about reading books. It's about mastering the exam's unique constraints: section gating, negative marking, and the rigorous Knowledge Matrix.

The ARCHED Exam Structure

For the 2025/2026 cycle, Politecnico di Milano uses a rigorous 50-question format. Crucially, this is a ranking exam with strict penalties and timing rules.

SectionItemsTimeWeight
Reading Comprehension1020 min20%
Logical Reasoning1020 min20%
Knowledge & History1020 min20%
Drawing & Representation1020 min20%
Physics & Mathematics1020 min20%
TOTAL50 Questions100 Minutes100%
+1.0 Correct
0.0 Blank
-0.25 Incorrect
Section Gating Enforced

Decoding Knowledge Levels (KL)

We track progress not just by score, but by cognitive depth. To pass ARCHED, you need to reach KL3.1 in at least 3 domains.

KL0Beginner

Pre-Foundation

Concepts are unfamiliar. You rely on intuition or guessing. High risk of negative marking.

Needs Immersion
KL1Foundation

Conceptual

You understand the rules but work slowly. You often fall for "distractor" answers.

Untimed Drills
KL2Competence

Operational

Reliable accuracy on standard questions. You can explain the "why", but speed is average.

Timed Sets
KL3Mastery

Fluency

Automatic recognition. Resistant to traps. You can solve harder questions in under 45s.

Exam Ready

The Complete Knowledge Matrix

Your roadmap from beginner to admission-ready. We measure "Knowledge Mastery" separately from "Exam Skills".

Domain
KL0
Pre-foundation
KL1.1
Foundation Concepts
KL1.2
Foundation Fluency
KL2.1
Core Competence
KL2.2
Transfer
KL3.1
Section Ready
KL3.2
Competitive
Reading Comp
Passage map
Spot topic vs detail
Main idea
State main claim
Inference basics
Answer implied Qs
Logic in text
Track argument steps
Tone & intent
Infer purpose
20-min pacing
Finish w/ accuracy
Trap-proof
Resilient to traps
Logical Reasoning
Logic symbols
Translate words→logic
Conditionals
Apply if/only-if
Patterns
Solve sequences
Argument tests
Find assumptions
Hybrid reasoning
Switch methods
20-min pacing
Control skip/attempt
Accuracy lock
Avoid near-misses
Knowledge & History
Timeline anchors
Place eras roughly
Institutions
Identify key bodies
Art styles
Recognize styles
History context
Connect events
Mixed culture
Retrieve fast
Rapid recall
Answer under time
Precision
Avoid look-alikes
Drawing & Rep
View vocabulary
Name plan/elevation
Orthographic
Interpret views
Axonometric
Infer 3D from 2D
Perspective
Vanishing points
Scale & measure
Compute from drawing
20-min sprint
Solve visual sets
Trap control
Catch rotation traps
Math & Physics
Number sense
Manage units/signs
Algebra fluency
Simplify & solve
Geometry
Area/angle rules
Functions
Read/transform graphs
Physics models
F=ma, Ohm, etc.
20-min pacing
Pick battles
Resilience
Keep points
Foundation (Untimed)
Core Mastery (Mixed)
Exam Ready (Timed)

The Other Axis: Exam Skills (ESL)

Knowing the answer is only half the battle. Our course specifically trains "Test Execution" as a separate skill set to ensure you don't panic on exam day.

Pacing Strategy

The 2-Minute Rule: Training your internal clock to abandon "time-sink" questions immediately.

Penalty Discipline

Calculated Risk: Learning when to skip (0 pts) vs. when to guess (-0.25 pts) based on probability thresholds.

Typical Student Progression

1
Foundation Sprint (Weeks 1-4)

Bring every domain to KL1.2. Learn the test format.

2
Core Build (Weeks 5-10)

Push weakest domains to KL2.2. Begin timed mini-sets.

3
Section Mastery (Weeks 11-16)

Reach KL3.1. Master section-gating discipline.

4
Rank Optimization (Weeks 17+)

Stabilize scores. Focus on tie-breaker domains (Logic & Reading).

Don't guess your level. Measure it.

Take our free adaptive assessment to see exactly where you stand on the Knowledge Matrix.