[Kris.tina]

Hi Everyone!

I will be taking my first stab at the CPA exam on Feb. 10th for AUD and I am currently in the final review stages. I was wondering if anyone had any helpful tips or tricks for final review. Right now I feel really weak in the SIMS, so I’m devoting an entire week to reworking the SIMS for each chapter and the last week I am going to spend working just MCQ.

Thanks!
Kris

AUD - 02/10/2014 PASSED!
REG - 05/14/2014 PASSED!
FAR - 08/25/2014 PASSED!
BEC - 11/10/2014, 02/22/2015 PASSED!

[Kris.tina]

Tough_Kitty – I'm using Becker self review. I've been doing pretty well on time for the MCQ homework, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per question. I haven't done a practice test yet, but plan to on Friday. Right now I've just been going through the Final Review book and reworking the MCQ for each chapter.

Thanks!
Kris

AUD - 02/10/2014 PASSED!
REG - 05/14/2014 PASSED!
FAR - 08/25/2014 PASSED!
BEC - 11/10/2014, 02/22/2015 PASSED!

[M.O.D.]

If scores are low keep studying until they are high.

Going to prometric with low practice scores is like going to your wedding before your bride said yes.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[M.O.D.]

If scores are low keep studying until they are high.

Going to prometric with low practice scores is like going to your wedding before your bride said yes.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Study Monk]

If you knocking out questions in under a minute don't worry about the practice exam. Spend that time going over AICPA tutorial and research questions.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Study Monk]

If you knocking out questions in under a minute don't worry about the practice exam. Spend that time going over AICPA tutorial and research questions.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[tough_kitty]

Sounds like you are doing good! Remember to review all the “pass key” sections in your textbook a few days before the exam.

I used Roger and he gave some great advice on time management. The clock will be counting down, so you have to remember what time it has to show indicating you are running out of time….

For instance, AUD is 4 hrs long:

Testlet 1 – 30 MCQ

Testlet 2 – 30 MCQ

Testlet 3 – 30 MCQ

Testlet 4 – 7 SIMS

So, you should give yourself at least 30 min. per testlets 1-3, therefore your clock should show these times:

4:00 – Start

3:30 – At the end of testlet 1

3:00 – At the end of testlet 2

2:30 – At the end of testlet 3

That actually gives you 2.5 hrs for the simulations, so plenty of time! You probably can allocate 45 min per MCQ testlet and still have enough time for SIMS. I had 1 hr and 20 min to spare on AUD.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

Sounds like you are doing good! Remember to review all the “pass key” sections in your textbook a few days before the exam.

I used Roger and he gave some great advice on time management. The clock will be counting down, so you have to remember what time it has to show indicating you are running out of time….

For instance, AUD is 4 hrs long:

Testlet 1 – 30 MCQ

Testlet 2 – 30 MCQ

Testlet 3 – 30 MCQ

Testlet 4 – 7 SIMS

So, you should give yourself at least 30 min. per testlets 1-3, therefore your clock should show these times:

4:00 – Start

3:30 – At the end of testlet 1

3:00 – At the end of testlet 2

2:30 – At the end of testlet 3

That actually gives you 2.5 hrs for the simulations, so plenty of time! You probably can allocate 45 min per MCQ testlet and still have enough time for SIMS. I had 1 hr and 20 min to spare on AUD.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[iddyrashy]

I think if you practice to understand authoritative literature your chance will be high on SIMS. I find out that it is important to understand the concept when it come to SIMS.

I am nervous too, sometime the nervousness steer more problem.

tough_kitty, what is a reasonable score on practice test that can make someone comfortable. I am current around mid 80s and that drive me crazy.

AUD 89 (07/06/14)
REG 83 (08/27/2015)
FAR 78 (04/27/2015)
BEC 75 (11/13/2015)

TEXAS 2016

[iddyrashy]

I think if you practice to understand authoritative literature your chance will be high on SIMS. I find out that it is important to understand the concept when it come to SIMS.

I am nervous too, sometime the nervousness steer more problem.

tough_kitty, what is a reasonable score on practice test that can make someone comfortable. I am current around mid 80s and that drive me crazy.

AUD 89 (07/06/14)
REG 83 (08/27/2015)
FAR 78 (04/27/2015)
BEC 75 (11/13/2015)

TEXAS 2016

[tough_kitty]

iddyrashy: I have no idea 🙂 I didn't use Becker software and I honestly took only ONE practice test (just for FAR) with Wiley Test Bank when I was studying. The score was low but it is NOT any indicator!

Real exam has pre-tested questions and no one knows how the questions and sims are scored. CPA review materials cannot simulate this stuff, and in my opinion, the number of questions in a given topic you get on the practice exam is not a representative enough sample to make it count…talking like an auditor here 😉

So, the best way to study, according to tough_kitty, is to practice MCQs topic by topic until you get 80-90s and then come back to those topics AGAIN in a week or so to make sure you got them right for all the good reasons and not just by guessing!

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

iddyrashy: I have no idea 🙂 I didn't use Becker software and I honestly took only ONE practice test (just for FAR) with Wiley Test Bank when I was studying. The score was low but it is NOT any indicator!

Real exam has pre-tested questions and no one knows how the questions and sims are scored. CPA review materials cannot simulate this stuff, and in my opinion, the number of questions in a given topic you get on the practice exam is not a representative enough sample to make it count…talking like an auditor here 😉

So, the best way to study, according to tough_kitty, is to practice MCQs topic by topic until you get 80-90s and then come back to those topics AGAIN in a week or so to make sure you got them right for all the good reasons and not just by guessing!

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[Boate]

I would definitely recommend knowing how to work the AL for the SIMS. I failed AUD my first time around because of the SIMS. My rematch with AUD is on Feb. 20 so I'm kind of in the same boat as you right now. My first go around, I did not spend enough time becoming comfortable with the AL and didn't use the AL at all until the research question. My recommendation is going through the Becker MCQ at most 3 times because after that you'll memorize the answers. You know you're comfortable with a topic when you're reading the answer choices and in your head you're reciting why that answer choice is wrong. Do not only focus on why the answer is correct, also read up on why the other answer choices are wrong as that'll broaden your knowledge, that is what helped me the most this time around. I would recommend going through and reading up on each Audit Report for each kind of engagement and knowing the differences in the wording. Like tough_kitty said, re-read all the pass keys, better yet if you have the time re-write them, you'll retain it better. Good luck to you, hope we both come out with passing scores!!!

AUD: (65)(66) 77
REG: (66) (48) destroyed me mentally.....
FAR: (68) (66)(69)(71)
BEC: (63) 75

"Greatness is not some precious thing, it is no more unique to us than breathing. We are ALL capable of it."

[Boate]

I would definitely recommend knowing how to work the AL for the SIMS. I failed AUD my first time around because of the SIMS. My rematch with AUD is on Feb. 20 so I'm kind of in the same boat as you right now. My first go around, I did not spend enough time becoming comfortable with the AL and didn't use the AL at all until the research question. My recommendation is going through the Becker MCQ at most 3 times because after that you'll memorize the answers. You know you're comfortable with a topic when you're reading the answer choices and in your head you're reciting why that answer choice is wrong. Do not only focus on why the answer is correct, also read up on why the other answer choices are wrong as that'll broaden your knowledge, that is what helped me the most this time around. I would recommend going through and reading up on each Audit Report for each kind of engagement and knowing the differences in the wording. Like tough_kitty said, re-read all the pass keys, better yet if you have the time re-write them, you'll retain it better. Good luck to you, hope we both come out with passing scores!!!

AUD: (65)(66) 77
REG: (66) (48) destroyed me mentally.....
FAR: (68) (66)(69)(71)
BEC: (63) 75

"Greatness is not some precious thing, it is no more unique to us than breathing. We are ALL capable of it."

[iddyrashy]

I found out re-write notes very efficient too. This things is wide as a football field 🙂

AUD 89 (07/06/14)
REG 83 (08/27/2015)
FAR 78 (04/27/2015)
BEC 75 (11/13/2015)

TEXAS 2016

[iddyrashy]

I found out re-write notes very efficient too. This things is wide as a football field 🙂

AUD 89 (07/06/14)
REG 83 (08/27/2015)
FAR 78 (04/27/2015)
BEC 75 (11/13/2015)

TEXAS 2016

[Author]

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