[thepozno]

Hey Fellow Ninjas,

I failed audit for a second time only improving my score from a 66 to a 67. I prepared this time by reading the Ninja Book until I felt like I understood the concepts, and hammering MCQ’s. My trending was 87% and average was around 70%. I did about 1500 -2000 problems and was on the software about 40 hours. Going through the test I was probably overly confident, I completed every section in about 30-35 minutes and the only hard section I thought I had was the 3rd section which was super difficult. For the SIMS I had a FAR heavy sim (which I bombed), and a few other crazily worded, unfamiliar type problems. I tried to use the AL but I got burned out after a while, thinking I could only hurt myself by further changing answers. So in all I spent about an hour on the SIMS. I appreciate all the perspective people have given in this forum and will use Moniker’s study method to mastering the AL, and hopefully the SIMS on this next retake. Obviously I know there’s no shortcuts- but I do think this could add points to my score.

My question is about study materials. I have NINJA 10 point and plan to read each section again and then work those multiple choice sections (until I can get 90-100%). After I’ve done this for each section I’ll go back and supplement with old questions and SIMS. However, do y’all think it is necessary to purchase another CPA review course? I think having video based lectures ( not like Becker’s) could be helpful in overall comprehension. I was looking at Rogers Cram Course in particular or maybe Wiley. I think I can put in 80-100 hours before another match with Audit early January.

If anyone has perspective, or has had an experience similar to mine please share! Best of luck to you all on your CPA journeys.]

[Claudia408]

For my 2nd attempt at audit, I don't think I learned anymore than I did for my first one. Because for my 2nd attempt I continue to hammer away with the wrong study materials, Wiley test bank and Ninja 10pt combo. I think the only thing that helped me in round 2 was reading the question carefully. So I went from 62 to 70. For my 3rd attempt, I knew my review course wasn't cutting it so I purchased Roger. The lectures are great and I feel like it helped to fill in the holes, but I still think the MCQs on the exam are so very tricky bc I got weaker in MCQ and stronger on SIMs which is how I managed to pass.

I think you read through the questions too quick and you should definitely get a different review course. 67 is still quite away from 75 and going over the same material from the same review course a 3rd time will feel like you know it all (which you don't) and you won't be filling in the holes. You need a different way of explaining the concepts to you. Just my suggestion…

Good luck!

BEC - 75 (3x)
AUD - 78 (3x)
REG - 67, 66, Aug 1
FAR - 54, Sept 8

[He3Miner]

got a 69 first time and a 94 the second…with AUD, its really important to understand the wrong answers in my view. so don't don't just look at the correct answer. The questions require a lot of attention to detail and also, think about the concept tested in a more holistic way within the overall audit process. That helped me because unlike REG, FAR and BEC it seemed that understanding the audit process would help me get to the right answer as opposed to just remembering facts and concepts, because when i saw a question i remembered how that concept fit into the overall audit process and the impact to the audit risk model…Good Luck!

[thepozno]

Thank you so much Claudia and He3Miner!

I agree 100%. Purchased Roger CRAM and going to work that along with Ninja MCQ's and the Book, and maybe Roger IPAD Questions ( I think there's 3000 of them). The Roger Cram course seems to be just Lecture Videos ( about 7-8) hours so I want to make sure that once I've watched these videos and digested the material, I spend the next couple weeks efficiently. Still working on a test date.

Also, I realize now that thinking holistically instead of just quickly searching for the right answer can add some points to my score. I need to slow down and think of what's being asked in the context of the flow of an audit.

He3Miner, can you speak a little more to your study process, time spent ( though I realize that's not everything) and so forth from going fro a 69>94. Thanks again you both!

[Marcus]

Aud is hard, I got a 66, 72, 73, and finally an 84. I used roger, and roger solidifies the concepts, but their testbank lacks. I wouldn't slowly digest the material per se, b/c you can work MCQs. Also I was reading that SIMS could be worth up to 45% of your score depending on what kind of testlet you pull. So make sure you STUDY the sims. My first three attempts I got weaker in the sims and take it they only give a snapshot of your test on the score report, but on my fourth attempt it finally said comparable. But what really worked for me was using the NINJA MCQ/SIMS and yes I went through all 83. I wanna say like 15 to 20 are research, but the others are really good practice. I would write out 1 – 83 and write the topic if I didn't score above 70 I would rework it until I did and I would star it. And to make sure I wasn't memorizing it, I would come a few days later to the starred ones to see if I could score above a 70. And if I could move on if I couldn't rework it.

[Anonymous]

@Marcus I also retake and for my retake I had 20 days and I started from scratch even though material was fresh on my mind ,I had Yaeger and they use the wiley book (and garry tells you everything , you need to know for the exam even though he himself reply the mails and even called me several times whenever I had problem in understanding any concept ).
when I was reading and watching the videos second time then everything started to making sense and I did all the wiley mcq's and ninja mcq's.
must read the explaination for the right and wrong answer , this gives you lots of information .
and I must say use the wiley cpa excel free trial for 14 days for the ethics chapter because they touch every points in detail .As you already taken the exam two times , you may know how important this chapter is . for me ethics is the most important chapter in entire book.
And last ,don't forger to use the AL for the sims and do try to use the advance search function this saves lots of your time.

[Dave71]

I am in the same boat. I received a 73 on my AUD test on Nov 28th with about 3 weeks of studying. To be honest I reset my AUD Ninja MCQ and I am currently at a 78 percent avg and 83% trending for MCQs. Starting today, I will go over my areas of weakness with my Becker book (only gone through 400 of the 1300 Ninja MCQs). Nov 28th stats (for anyone that is curious): Comparable on the Sims. MCQ I received weaker overall: 3 subjects were weaker, 2 comparable and 1 superior. I retake January 6th.

Best of luck to anyone retaking or testing in general for this upcoming quarter!

REG - 10/12/2015 77
AUD - 01/06/2016 75
BEC - 01/16/2016 75
FAR - 02/27/2016 68 Retake 05/13/16 70 Retake TBD

[He3Miner]

@thepozno

The first time I took the test and got the 69, I really didn't study like I should have because other life things (like having a newborn) happened but my notice was going to expire so couldn't reschedule.

The next time around I believe I studied for about 6 weeks for 20 hours per. As far as method, I used Becker and the Wiley book (not bank). I didn't listen to the Becker lectures in whole before working MCQs because I have found for me personally I wont remember all what was said, but would maybe listen on my drives to and from work and mainly would refer to them within a particular MCQ I was working if I felt I needed to better understand something or wasn't getting something.

What I did do was get the 6 month complementary access to AICPA Online Professional Library and referenced GAAS a lot during my studies. For example, when I was working MCQs related to beginning the engagement, I would reference the audit standards that related to that part of the audit process. Engagement planning and Obtaining an Understanding, then refer to the standards for that…move to the next part of the process…Understanding internal controls and assessing control risk (what controls are effective for a particular situation): work problems and refer to GAAS. And really read the standards and have a better understanding of them.. then to the next step…responding to assessment, affect to (IR*CR*DR) and gathering evidence (what type of evidence is needed for proper response)…then reporting. And then understanding the differences between those requirements and other non-audit services (SSARS, etc)

So that's what I meant when I said holistically and not just trying to remember facts but how those particular facts fit into the overall audit process, just as if you were an auditor going through an audit.

Again, a lot depends on what study methods fit you the best…that is just what I found to work for me. Again,I found it definitely more important to work the problems and understand both the wrong answers as well as correct. For example, if the question is asking about controls testing and you don't know the specific control or when that testing would be performed, but can realize that all the other answers provided refer to substantive testing, well you would know they are all wrong. So understanding whats being asked relative to the over all audit process helped me.

Hope this helps you!

[Author]

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