AICP Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the AICP exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 AICP Exam Format at a Glance
📚 AICP Topics to Study (75)
✍️ Sample AICP Questions & Answers
1. When a planning department faces budget cuts that threaten a community outreach program, an effective planning leader should first:
Documenting impact and advocating with evidence is the ethical and strategic first step before accepting budget eliminations.
2. What is a 'categorical exclusion' under NEPA?
Categorical exclusions are NEPA determinations for actions with no significant environmental impact, allowing agencies to bypass the EIS/EA process.
3. A planning agency is implementing a Geographic Information System (GIS). The primary administrative reason to conduct a needs assessment first is to:
A needs assessment identifies current capabilities, gaps, and requirements to ensure technology investments align with actual organizational needs.
4. In a multivariate regression model predicting median home values, a planner finds that R² = 0.82. This means:
R² represents the proportion of variance in the dependent variable explained by all independent variables in the regression model.
5. A city wants to reduce urban heat island effects. Which planning strategy is MOST effective?
Expanding green infrastructure such as urban tree canopy, green roofs, and permeable surfaces directly reduces urban heat island effects by providing shade and evapotranspiration cooling.
6. When is it most appropriate to use asynchronous communication methods (e.g., online comment portals) in planning engagement?
Asynchronous methods expand participation by allowing residents with work or family conflicts to engage on their own schedule.