[financeguy]

So on Jan 8 I am taking AUD, and it will be my first cpa exam sitting. I have the Yaeger home review, and I have been studying since mid november. I hear everyone talk about the # of hours they try to spend studying for each section, but I have to realize that not always am I being efficient w/ the time spent studying.

For example, I may get through 100 mc questions in 2 hours, meanwhile someone else gets through 150 in the same amount of time. So I am just trying to say that using the total number of hours as a measure, is not always reliable.

Anyways to get to my point, I have done A LOT of studying. More than I have ever done for anything in my entire life. Yet I still don’t feel like an expert on this stuff, as there is just so much material, and I don’t have much real world experience. Now I DO know a lot of this material. I have learned a lot, but I am just wondering, how do you know if you are ready?

For those who already took AUD, what did you feel like before the test? Please share your experiences, thanks.

AUD - 81, BEC - 74, 80, FAR - 82, REG - 81
Done!

[zena]

I'm right there with you financeguy. I'm also taking AUD on Jan 8th, though it is my third exam. I have given up on actually remembering all the information in a way that I can spit it back out (as in answering flash card questions) but getting really good at figuring out the correct choice out of the 4 given options for a particular question. Basically, I know it when I see it but can't really just come up with it. This section has been the most difficult so far to get a handle on because there isn't much logical information to get a grip on. Well, there is some logic, of course, but there is also much new language and concepts. Usually after I soak up the material though the lectures and HW questions, I get to a point where it all starts sorting out and when I think of a particular topic, the relevant material comes to mind. I'm not feeling that for AUD yet, and, given my learning and retention style, it may never happen either. I'm just going to plow through the next 4 days and hope for the best on Friday. Wish you good luck!

FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used Becker

[Anonymous]

It's difficult to assess whether or not you feel ready for your first exam. Unfortunately there is no end-all-be-all solution to this; it's something you have to go through and experience for yourself. I felt there were a few topics which I hadn't entirely mastered going into the exam, but I did know enough to the point where I was comfortable with most of the questions.

For some of the more important topics for AUD (internal control, evidence procedures, reports), try to think if you would feel comfortable completing a written communication sufficiently. While it's not a good idea to try to guess what written comm's will be on the exam, I feel that if you can write a couple of strong paragraphs on a subject matter then you should be fine with most of what the exam throws at you regarding that topic.

I always take one or two days off before the exam to sit back and think: is there anything left that I'm still shaky on? This assumes that you've gone through all the material according to your study plan in adequate time and aren't rushed towards the end. If there are subjects on which you feel shaky, spend a bit of time doing a quick outline of the topics you find troublesome until you are more comfortable. This aggregate viewpoint often helps solidify an overall understanding that sometimes gets bogged down when learning material for the first time(s).

Ultimately I'd recommend resting the day before the exam and to stay relaxed while taking it. I think you'd be surprised at how much you know with a well-rested mind when judgment day comes. If you tense up you run the risk of overlooking or misreading parts of questions due to stress. If you cram the day before you may run the risk of fatiguing your mind to the point where it hasn't fully recovered by exam time (some people will disagree with this). As a little addendum, the wait for that first score was much worse than the time leading up to that first exam. Although by that point fate is not within your control, that first score brings a lot of closure and is useful for measuring your performance and study habits. At least for me anyways.

[zena]

CapitalGains, how was your REG exam? Your scores are amazing! Maybe you get a 99 on REG and next year we'll hear about you winning one of the Elijah Watt Sells awards… 🙂 Wouldn't that be cool!

FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used Becker

[Anonymous]

I'll be the minority by saying this but I thought REG was the easiest. The main concern for me on this exam was time; it was the only one where I felt any sort of pressure to move forward. I'm usually pretty quick at taking exams too (finished AUD with well over an hour left, BEC with around an hour, and FAR with about 30 minutes). I've had quite a bit of exposure to various tax topics prior to taking this section so that's probably why it didn't seem so bad. Unfortunately I don't think I'm in the Watt Sells range. There isn't much information on what the average score is for award recipients but I believe it's around a cumulative score of 390. I think straddling the exam between two calendar years (even though all sections were taken within three months of one another) doesn't help either. Not sure how it works in that situation. I'm hoping for some sort of state award but I'm not as optimistic about a national award.

[zena]

I heard 390 gives a better chance but it also depends on what scores others got. You never know… I was also wondering about the situation when not all exams are in the same year, but if you read the info on the award it actually says that one is considered for the year when the CPA exam is completed (i.e. last part taken/passed) so that would be 2010 for you.

If you had time trouble with REG I'm worried. I ran out of time with FAR, left a tab empty and put it some quick numbers in another and guessed on 4 MCQs so I can move on to the sims. With BEC I had about 15 minutes left after I took all the time I could on that last testlet. But I know REG is probably the most packed and time critical. We'll see…

FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used Becker

[zena]

CapitalGains, you got that 99 on REG after all!! Congrats! I think your 385 will put you in the running for the Elijah Watt Sells award. That would be awesome! Keeping my fingers crossed…. 🙂

FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used Becker

[Anonymous]

Thanks Zena! Unfortunately I'll have to wait until 2011 to know for sure, since I took my last exam at the beginning of January 2010. Hope your REG score turns out well too!

[zena]

Thanks, I hope so too. At this point, anything >= 75 will work very well for me… 🙂 I'm bracing myself for 3 more weeks of waiting, just so I can be pleasantly surprised if they come out sooner.

FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used Becker

[Guccimane]

there is no difference between a 75 & 99; who ever told you there was told you a wooper

in fact being CPA is not even a desired profession anymore b/c of the low pay and stressful environment

I wish I had went to school for something that could pay the bills but since I came this far I am stuck; I most likely will go back to school and become a dentist

83 Reg, 76 BEC, 94 Aud, 79 Far

Done ......!

[Anonymous]

I chose not to become a vet because I didn't want to be in school that long. Little did I know the time and money I would end up spending to get where I am now.

[Guccimane]

Yup; this is a little better than managing a McD's I guess…but they prob make more then me

83 Reg, 76 BEC, 94 Aud, 79 Far

Done ......!

[zena]

Guccimane, one is never stuck, that is just an excuse. I gave up 13 years of software engineering and I'm starting over in accounting. I am looking at jobs now paying less than half what I used to make and I have $30K in school loans too. It doesn't matter though, I am much happier now. The thing is, I used to think I was “secure” with my cozy job, great benefits and good salary, however, only after letting go I realized those were only shackles keeping me from being truly me. If you want to be a dentist, you should stop wasting your time and money on the CPA exam and do what you really want to do, for who you are. You don't have to be stuck. You will find freedom in letting go, you will find if you are willing to lose.

FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used Becker

[Guccimane]

OH I JUST WANT MORE MONEY; I ENJOY ACCTG I JUST FEEL RIPPED OFF FOR MY SERVICE/EFFORTS

I really just want to be my own boss; maybe get into a franchise; acctg is what my family does and I figured being a accountant would help run my own business; but I never catch a break the last two franchises I wanted to get into truned my application down b/c I did not have enough money….so with this crap salary I can get anywhere and with this economy I am nothing more then a slave to the bills……one day I think it will all work out for the best; I just wish I would have gotten into the market about 5-8yrs earlier then in 2002 when the acctg profession went into the dumpster

83 Reg, 76 BEC, 94 Aud, 79 Far

Done ......!

[Guccimane]

also since I think I am done with the exams I am going to learn a new language to help land a job the market is hot for ppl who speak atleast two languages

83 Reg, 76 BEC, 94 Aud, 79 Far

Done ......!

[Author]

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