[Anonymous]

Just got back from my exam and all I can say is that I’m devastated.

This is my first exam so I prepared long and hard for it. At least 200 hours of study using Becker. Went through optional MCs 3 times and 4 times for all non-optional MCs. It reached a point where I could memorize all the Becker MCs and scored 90-100%+ for my 4th attempt. So I felt somewhat confident when I went for the exam since I felt like I understand most of the concepts and there’s really nothing else I could do to better prepare myself.

Well I was dead wrong. I took the 1st testlet, and I started to click the reminder flags and by the time I was done with the testlet, I realized that I had like 7-8 of the MCs with reminder flags checked. I kinda started to panic because I am the kind of the guy who either knows the stuff or not. I could never leave a question and come back later to get it right. Needless to say, I spent 30 minutes reviewing my 1st testlet before I moved on and I did not feel good about it.

The 2nd testlet felt a lot harder than 1st testlet, it gotten to the point when half of my answers were flagged. There were way too many MCs that I could knock out the 2 wrong answers and just can’t figure out the right answer between the last 2 choices. So I gambled on most of the ones that I know there’s a 50/50 chance.

The 3rd testlet felt VERY easy compared to the 2nd testlet but I still have 5-6 flagged that I wasn’t sure about the answer. In addition, I encountered 2 questions that have 1 out of 4 answers that are exactly the same as 2 questions I answered previously in the 2nd testlets. This was a huge WTF to me, because the 2 questions in the 2nd testlets were the ones that I had to take 50/50 chance and the duplicate answers appeared in the 3rd testlet which I had to take 50/50 chance again. I decided that if a answer came up twice in 2 different questions, it wouldn’t be the right answer so I opted for the other answers. Long storm short, after the exam ended, I checked the book and I was wrong in picking those answers. So I got 4 questions wrong instead of 2 questions wrong because these questions have the same correct answer, just WTF…..

Well the nightmare isn’t over yet. After the torturing MCs it came the holy grail, simulation. Out of 7 simulations, there were only 2 that I felt like I kinda know and the other 5 were straight up fill in the blank. Even those 2 that I think I was 75% right on the 1st one and maybe 60% on the 2nd one.

So overall this is a terrible experience, I have not felt this bad about an exam since college, when I took the corporation exam which was so difficult that anyone who got over 60% correct got an A. I originally planned to knock AUD out and focus on REG in November, however, with today’s performance, I don’t really know if I am fit for this.

Lastly, it’s really not helping when you have to wait an entire month to get the test results, even though you know that you failed it >.<

[barelystayingsane]

I also took AUD this morning! I know how frustrating it is to feel devastated after an exam. 🙁 Good news is that your second testlet felt harder than the first. That probably means that you did well on the first one! Having an easier third testlet is totally normal. I had an easier third testlet on all my previous exams. Honestly, I'd rather be in your shoes. I felt pretty confident about most of my MCQs today, which is usually a bad sign (i.e., you didn't do as well as you thought, so you got all easy testlets).

Interesting about the sims, though… I had two research sims, three very straightforward sims, and two crazy, out-of-left-field sims. They were also all very short. I'm sorry you got stuck with so many awful sims. 🙁

Give yourself the rest of today (maybe tomorrow too) to feel sorry for yourself, but after that, don't let the exam have power over you! There's nothing you can do about it until November 1. Starting to prep for REG will help take your mind off today!

Good luck!

[barelystayingsane]

I also took AUD this morning! I know how frustrating it is to feel devastated after an exam. 🙁 Good news is that your second testlet felt harder than the first. That probably means that you did well on the first one! Having an easier third testlet is totally normal. I had an easier third testlet on all my previous exams. Honestly, I'd rather be in your shoes. I felt pretty confident about most of my MCQs today, which is usually a bad sign (i.e., you didn't do as well as you thought, so you got all easy testlets).

Interesting about the sims, though… I had two research sims, three very straightforward sims, and two crazy, out-of-left-field sims. They were also all very short. I'm sorry you got stuck with so many awful sims. 🙁

Give yourself the rest of today (maybe tomorrow too) to feel sorry for yourself, but after that, don't let the exam have power over you! There's nothing you can do about it until November 1. Starting to prep for REG will help take your mind off today!

Good luck!

[Gatorbates]

First of all, it was your very first exam, so it was all new to you. In my past, it seems like with Audit, Becker OVER prepared me. It got to the point when I was studying, that I ended up “memorizing” the answers since many were repeat questions … which forced me to look at the reasoning behind the question.

You NEVER know how you do until you get that score back. There are exams I thought I got a 50-60 on, and ended up passing. There are exams I thought I got 80-90 and ended up failing. With the pre-test questions, and different weights on various questions, there really is no way to know. So just sit back and wait … don't panic. You never know. And one word of advice, since you are a first timer … take the exam closer to the “score cutoff” date (i.e. October 20). Taking it on the first gives you over a month to wait. Taking it on the 19th makes your wait only 2 weeks. Well worth it to minimize the anxiety/panic.

Licensed Florida CPA:
B: 71, 73, 79
A: 83
R: 78 (expired), 77
F: 74, 74, 80

It's finally freaking over.

[Gatorbates]

First of all, it was your very first exam, so it was all new to you. In my past, it seems like with Audit, Becker OVER prepared me. It got to the point when I was studying, that I ended up “memorizing” the answers since many were repeat questions … which forced me to look at the reasoning behind the question.

You NEVER know how you do until you get that score back. There are exams I thought I got a 50-60 on, and ended up passing. There are exams I thought I got 80-90 and ended up failing. With the pre-test questions, and different weights on various questions, there really is no way to know. So just sit back and wait … don't panic. You never know. And one word of advice, since you are a first timer … take the exam closer to the “score cutoff” date (i.e. October 20). Taking it on the first gives you over a month to wait. Taking it on the 19th makes your wait only 2 weeks. Well worth it to minimize the anxiety/panic.

Licensed Florida CPA:
B: 71, 73, 79
A: 83
R: 78 (expired), 77
F: 74, 74, 80

It's finally freaking over.

[sarita]

I haven't taken AUD yet (I take it tomorrow), but just know that everyone feels crappy after they take an exam… especially the first one! I walked out of FAR fighting back tears. I was certain the SIMS destroyed any chance I had in passing. I even told everyone I knew that I was certain I failed – but I passed with an 82. I think the first exam is the worst because you're not used to taking standardized exams. It's completely different than what we did in college. Each question is weighted differently, the exam gets more difficult if you're doing well, and there are pretest questions. So, you're bound to feel uncertain about several questions. Also when I took BEC, my testlets went medium, super hard, then easy. I was sure I failed that one because of my third easy testlet.. but I also passed it (another 82, go figure).

So wait it out. I promise you that most people feel exactly the same way walking out of that thing! I'm sure I will also feel like crap tomorrow 🙂

At the very least, be happy you've gotten the first one out of the way!

FAR 7/3/13 - 82
BEC 8/21/13 - 82
AUD 10/2/13 - 92
REG 12/3/13 - 88

DONE!!!! CA Candidate
Beat the 12/31/13 clock!

[sarita]

I haven't taken AUD yet (I take it tomorrow), but just know that everyone feels crappy after they take an exam… especially the first one! I walked out of FAR fighting back tears. I was certain the SIMS destroyed any chance I had in passing. I even told everyone I knew that I was certain I failed – but I passed with an 82. I think the first exam is the worst because you're not used to taking standardized exams. It's completely different than what we did in college. Each question is weighted differently, the exam gets more difficult if you're doing well, and there are pretest questions. So, you're bound to feel uncertain about several questions. Also when I took BEC, my testlets went medium, super hard, then easy. I was sure I failed that one because of my third easy testlet.. but I also passed it (another 82, go figure).

So wait it out. I promise you that most people feel exactly the same way walking out of that thing! I'm sure I will also feel like crap tomorrow 🙂

At the very least, be happy you've gotten the first one out of the way!

FAR 7/3/13 - 82
BEC 8/21/13 - 82
AUD 10/2/13 - 92
REG 12/3/13 - 88

DONE!!!! CA Candidate
Beat the 12/31/13 clock!

[Anonymous]

I failed AUD 2x before I passed, and I spent more than 600 hrs of study in AUD. So, don't get discourage. As long as you do your best in the exam and never give-up, that will be okay.

[Anonymous]

I failed AUD 2x before I passed, and I spent more than 600 hrs of study in AUD. So, don't get discourage. As long as you do your best in the exam and never give-up, that will be okay.

[Anonymous]

I feel your pain. Audit had the trickiest questions of all. I wish I could talk about two of the sims from my audit re-take because they were so horrible that it was comical. The good news is that the other exams are more straight-forward and involve numbers, every accountant's best friend.

danlee- don't stress too much about your score. Hopefully, you passed, but the worst case is that you retake audit in the next window. Focus on studying for your next section until the scores are released.

[Anonymous]

I feel your pain. Audit had the trickiest questions of all. I wish I could talk about two of the sims from my audit re-take because they were so horrible that it was comical. The good news is that the other exams are more straight-forward and involve numbers, every accountant's best friend.

danlee- don't stress too much about your score. Hopefully, you passed, but the worst case is that you retake audit in the next window. Focus on studying for your next section until the scores are released.

[jack.frost]

Don't worry. I just got back after my AUD exam and the MC questions were quite difficult (about 1/3 or 30 questions for me). Simulations were a bit easier than FAR's, but I felt like some of the questions were too vague in details (resulting in various interpretations of what was actually being asked)

[jack.frost]

Don't worry. I just got back after my AUD exam and the MC questions were quite difficult (about 1/3 or 30 questions for me). Simulations were a bit easier than FAR's, but I felt like some of the questions were too vague in details (resulting in various interpretations of what was actually being asked)

[WalterWhite]

@danlee- Try not to sweat it too much. I think the the majority of people who take these tests walk out of them at least somewhat nervous. From my own experience, I thought that I had about a 50-50 chance at passing REG after taking it, and was even less confident after FAR, but I ended up passing both. You seem to have put in a lot of time and effort into studying, so there's a chance you could end up surprising yourself and passing. If I were you, I'd try to get it out of your head until the score release and just focus on getting ready for REG.

REG-86 (4/13)
BEC-83 (5/13)
AUD-74 (7/13)
FAR-78 (8/13)

[WalterWhite]

@danlee- Try not to sweat it too much. I think the the majority of people who take these tests walk out of them at least somewhat nervous. From my own experience, I thought that I had about a 50-50 chance at passing REG after taking it, and was even less confident after FAR, but I ended up passing both. You seem to have put in a lot of time and effort into studying, so there's a chance you could end up surprising yourself and passing. If I were you, I'd try to get it out of your head until the score release and just focus on getting ready for REG.

REG-86 (4/13)
BEC-83 (5/13)
AUD-74 (7/13)
FAR-78 (8/13)

[Anonymous]

Just took AUD this morning, we actually had very similar experiences sounds like. I flagged around the same number of questions as you in each testlet. I also got 2 sets of 2 different questions that were literally exactly the same, and I didn't know the answers to either of them. Really really pissed about that. SIMS were all over the place for me. A few seemed really easy and others were very difficult.

One thing I've learned is that it's pretty difficult to gauge what your score will be walking out of the test, ESPECIALLY on your very first exam. I walked out of REG and FAR with the exact same feeling you seem to have now, ended up passing both. Try not to let it eat away at you, you still have 4 weeks till scores will be released. For now blow off some steam for a couple days and stay confident going in to your next test

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