[shawn in VA]

Hi Everyone,

I took AUD today Sept 10. This is a second time taking. First time got a 69. I have ZERO audit experience, work in tax only, and put in 50 hours the 1st go around. So the 69 was a surprise (in a good way i guess).

As for today the 1st testlet of MCQ was not too bad, second testlet of MCQ was a step harder but nothing crazy.

The third testlet had a DRS which took a while. The other SIMS were not too bad, BUT one was definitely more on the FAR side.

Here is my odd experience and question—-I got 2 research SIMS. Does that mean one is NOT counted, or is there a possibility BOTH count and another NON research SIM gets thrown out ? Please let me know. I know one I nailed, and one not sure about.

BTW – can you get partial credit on Research SIM? For example if you get the AU-C part right but mess us the rest do you get partial credit? Sounds like a dumb question but just wondering.

My allocation of time
1st testlet- 45 mins
2nd testlet – 1 hour
3rd testlet- 45 mins- DRS in this testlet took forever balanced by a research SIM which took less time
BREAK
4th testlet – 45 mins
5th testlet – 37 mins. had a reasearch question which saved me otherwise probably run out of time.

8 mins left on clock- never felt rushed during exam.

Thanks

[Superdude3000]

Ya one is pretest, others have posted about this with aud and apparently they also struggled with one of them. My assumption would be the one you struggled with us the pretest which is why they're testing it in the first place.

[Superdude3000]

Also, as far as I know there is absolutely partial credit for research. Would suck to lose all credit on a question just because you got the paragraph wrong. Best of luck on score release date Shawn!

[Anthony]

Not true. There is NO partial credit for research questions. It's either one shot or nothing. Jeff himself, has talked to the AICPA with this. This is another myth that keeps flying around, but it is not true.

https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/partial-credit-for-research-question/#post-1601348

[shawn in VA]

Superdude-

thanks for the explanation. I am happy to hear that HOPEFULLY the research SIM I struggled with gets tossed if I got two research SIMS. the other one was not bad at all but did take some time (15 mins) it was my last SIM in testlet 5.

I actually have 2 scores on SEPT 19 coming- BEC and AUD. would love to pass both, but will be satisfied if I get one pass and take the other in mid OCT and FAR Dec 10.

[Anonymous]

I also took the AUD exam on 9/10 and also got 2 research questions. I don't believe I got any FAR SIMS but definitely a lot of audit procedures and the DRS weren't that difficult. The MCQ and SIMS all seemed pretty short too. I finished the MCQ in an hour and left the exam with an hour left.

Seeing how the exam didn't seem to get any more difficult, I feel like I probably didn't end up passing. Did anyone expierence something similar?

[shawn in VA]

Eleu-

I took on 9/10 as well . maybe we got the same exam…I had two research SIMS. 1 SIM was kinda FAR like as it had JE's.

1st testlet MCQ was easy-medium. 2nd testlet was medium–def. a step up from the 1st testlet but nothing terrible.

I am just praying the research question I messed up on gets tossed. the other research question i got for sure.

[industryCPA]

Unfortunately, there's no partial credit for research and just because you got 2 research doesn't mean one is pre-test as far as I know. I've searched this thread before and people have said both but there's no proof one definitely isn't counted. I had two on my test on 8/19 and I have my fingers crossed they both count.

[HGOK]

I remember either AICPA or this forum said the Aud exam will have 72 mcq, one research and 7 other sim questions. That's why people are assuming one is the pre-test if you had two research questions.

[VanDammage]

I don't think that 2 research sims necessarily means that one is pretest. I'm not sure why they'd even need to pretest research questions, since you've got access to all of the necessary guidance to answer them correctly.

I had two research sims on my audit exam back in July, and I'm almost certain that neither were pretest. They both seemed like normal, standard research questions. One of my other sims was extremely difficult and something that I hadn't seen in any study text. It was technically in the FAR study text, but not in such an in-depth manner. I suspect that both of my research sims were actual graded questions.

[shawn in VA]

I am the one who originally posted this thread and there seems to be NO CONSENSUS so far on this thread on whether 1) if you get 2 research SIMS – is one not graded?
2) can you get partial credit for a research question. i.e. you put “AU-C” but mess up the rest.

I cannot believe the AICPA cannot be transparent about these 2 matters. They are such basic questions.

[Superdude3000]

I'm going off of what Roger says. He claims that if you get 2 research then one is pretest. It does make sense of you think about the fact they pretest all their questions, why wouldn't they pretest research questions too? Also the fact research questions are so quick and easy it wouldnt really be fair to allow others the opportunity for those ‘essentially' free points and not others. Somebody did post saying you can't get partial credit on a research which is crazy to me but whatever… I unfortunately do not work for the AICPA so maybe I'm just talking out of my a** but that's what my assumptions are. Hopefully won't have to give a damn in a weeks time!

[HGOK]

AICPA is not going to tell you that one of the research is a pre-test, even though that is the pre-test question.

[Zyx]

I took aud on 9/8 and had 2 research questions as well. My experience was very similar to you guys. 2nd testlet got tougher but nothing crazy. Sims were doable. I felt pretty walked out of the room that kinda scared me. But I was prepared and knew materials well enough to pass. It seems like an exam trend to me that who took the exam during that time had similar exam!

REG: 77 x2
BEC: 81 x3
FAR: 68 retake 10/1
AUD: 8/27

[Author]

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