[jm962011]

I took AUD on Tuesday, May 28 after spending the long week to cram. I used Becker and I got a 72.

I hardly recognized any Becker questions in my testlets!

Thinking of using Wiley and just doing a million multiple choice. Suggestions?

I will admit that I don’t do well with memorizing but the mnemonics help me a lot. As a Tax Consultant, I thrive in research so the simulations aren’t so bad for me.

I just want to pass and move on!

[ganudorm]

@jm – did you only study for a week? I'd recommend putting more time into it than that

@bio – could you use the AL to find answers to the questions? was it not helpful?

[Jsmi77y]

They throw those at you during sims because they give you a research tab. A lot of the answers are straight out of the literature.

REG - 68 | 71 | 88 | 86
FAR - 72 | 74 | 79
AUD - 66 | 70 | 77
BEC - 62 | 74 | 80

Guess that means I'm a soon-to-be CPA!

[Kenada]

AL is useful when doing your SIM's but don't say okay I am going to AL 100% when i reach the SIM's and not do any practice for them.

You should still do practice questions available on the SIM's in your test bank.

I find with research what has helped me is actually just doing the samples over and over again and learning where the main topics' are embedded.

AL does help – but in the exam you may not have so much time to re-search every question for the answers.

FAR 05/27/14; 786/110 - Done !

[jm962011]

@gan, no I studied much more than a week, haha. I'd say about 6 months of studying, mostly weekends but i went on vacation and did a year end close during that time. I did all the homework, watched all the lectures. I thought I was prepared. Sat down and did hundreds of questions.

All this AL talk makes me upset – you can't use the AL for the mc's!!! I'm just more upset that I didn't have any Becker mc's

[rbcpa]

I passed AUD on my third shot and you'll hear this over and over again but you really have to understand the material. The best way to understand the material is to utilize the test bank and understand why the answer is right and why the other three are wrong. Keep a notebook and jot down notes. The AUD book seems small but the test is a play on word so you really have to slow your pace and understand the call of the question.

As far as the sims go, I think the Wiley test bank has excellent practice. If you save yourself adequate time (1.5 hour) for the sims you can really use the AL and majority of the answers are all found in there.

If you aren't already using the NINJA AUDiO & NOTES – definitely invest in them – listen to them on your commute, at the gym, while doing chores, and then write the notes out 3-5x before you take your exam and you can definitely pass the exam on your next try.

Good luck and you can do it!

BEC - PASSED
AUD - PASSED
REG - PASSED
FAR - PASSED

[Gerg, CPA]

took me 5 times for AUD. stick w/ the same game plan as before, but add something extra – like NINJA notes or audio or the WileyTestBank. stick with it. it can be done

FAR - 1/26/2012 - PASSED (78, but Lost credit), re-do 11/27/2013 - PASSED (87)!
AUD - EPIC FAIL, 71, 69; 68; 5/25/2013 - PASSED (85)!
REG - 10/1/2012 - 72; 7/1/2013 - 73 UGH, 10/1/2013 - PASSED (85)!
BEC - 2/28/2013 - PASSED (82)!
Licensed CPA!

Used Becker self-study materials (just this for FAR original & REG #1), WileyTestBank, NINJA notes/audio, and Roger cram course for AUD #5, REG #3 & FAR reboot. CPA!

[mla1169]

I used the AL for every single sim the 3rd time I took AUD. The point is to leave yourself enough time for SIMS so you can do that.

I'm going to be honest, short term memory is much more a friend than long term memory. Studying 6+ months on weekends may work for a rare person but the most successful people I've run into have studied 20+ hours a week for 5-7 weeks.

For what its worth, I did over 2,000 MCQ's the last time I took AUD. At least 50-100 per day. May be overkill for some but it certainly paid off for me.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Lisa_Jane]

I failed the first time I took Audit. I thought I knew it better than I did. Since it is a lot of theory the questions are tricky and you have to really know the concepts. I took a lot of my own notes to make sure I could organize the info to understand the questions- such as the different kind of report opinions or rules on independence. I also downloaded released questions from the Internet and worked those. I used Wiley and I thought it covered the material well. I also downloaded authoritative literature from the AICPA site and read it- it actually made more sense than Wiley summaries of it did. The sims in the exam were hard. You have to know financial accounting concepts along with Audit, too. Keep working at it and you'll pass next time. Really know the MCQs- why the right answer is right and why the wrong answers are wrong.

FAR Passed 5/28/14
AUD Passed 1/22/13
BEC Passed 7/12/13
REG Passed 5/9/14
Virginia CPA license issued July 2014

[Lisa_Jane]

@mla1169 I totally agree with you! The short term memory will get you a passing grade. If you drag it out you forget so much!

FAR Passed 5/28/14
AUD Passed 1/22/13
BEC Passed 7/12/13
REG Passed 5/9/14
Virginia CPA license issued July 2014

[Anonymous]

Hi.

I took AUD on Monday, first time. I left feeling okay for half of the test, miserable about the other half. I used Wiley test bank and if I don't pass it, I will definitely invest in more MCQs maybe Gleim, or Becker. My TBSs were also quite different from what I've practiced.

[jackaroe]

Welcome to the club. Just be grateful that you didn't get a 74 – It feels much worse than a 72 (a score i received on another section ). Sims are my downfall. For multiple choice – try Gleim. Their MCs have been more macroscopic in nature than Wiley's – leading to a wider range for subject matter for each target. Definitely – don't make the mistake of wasting yoru time reading their books. There is way too much information in them for the CPA exam – YMMV. There is a lot of criticism towards Gleim but I think it is because a lot of CPA review programs (becker, roger, and yeager) that are tied directly into Wiley. I took it the same day you did and now we get to retake it with the new ‘CLARITY' standards. Best thing i did to get over the feeling of failure was to apply and receive the NTS for a rematch. Haven't started studying yet except for familiarizing myself with the clarity standards. Not looking forward to the time ‘suck'.

[hangin on]

Sorry, may I ask what does AL stands for?

[Anonymous]

AL > Authoritative Literature

[Author]

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