I am taking my third section which is Audit and it really seems to me like this section is deceptively difficult. Other sections had more straight forward questions but this section really tries to trick you in every way possible.
For me, FAR is way harder than AUD. I passedAUD on the first try, and it will be interesting to see how my first crack at FAR turns out. Hard to tell at this point. But the prep for AUD was much easier for me, and I'm not and never have been an auditor. I don't even play one on TV.
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I totally agree with Kenada about AUD and BEC being way easier than FAR and REG. I have absolutely zero auditing experience besides one undergrad class. My MBA degree did help me significantly with BEC. I would guess that about 80% of BEC was covered in various MBA classes.
@Yorker, I use Fast Forward Academy (not very well known) as my main study program. I read their texts (usually twice), do the MCQs and SIMS, and use their practice exams to gage my progress. I supplement with Wiley MCQs and CPAReviewForFree MCQs and for REG, I have used all of these plus the Ninja MCQs. For AUD, BEC, and REG, I have also used the Ninja flashcards because I picked them up when Jeff was having one of the $1 flashcard sales. So, kind of a hodgepodge of study material. Ha ha.
I've just started really studying for Auditing, read the first two chapters. Audit seems easier than FAR and REG so far. It seems if you understand it conceptually than it's very easy. If anything, it's boring, but not difficult. REG has some topics that are so tedious! Like I hated commercial paper when I first saw it, but it clicked after a while. FAR is the hardest exam, which is why I did it first. Did not want FAR hanging over my head.
I agree FAR was really difficult and the exam was a nightmare but I somehow managed to pass. REG was really easy and straightforward. AUD is just different in that the easiest topic can be made impossible based on the wording of the question.
AUD was the easiest for me, and BEC seemed to be the hardest. I'm pretty comfortable with the concepts in FAR, just loathe the volume of material. I can't speak for REG yet, 'cause that's next on my list.
I didn't take Audit yet but what I noticed even when I was in college, it's either you hate it or love it. I personally love Audit and don't feel intimidated by it. I would imagine more concepts and less number crunching would be easier but who knows. It seems like everyone has their section that they struggle with. I think FAR and REG are equally hard but I prefer REG because it is manageable. It's less material and Audit I believe is even less material. I don't know how it can get worse than FAR.
I found it to be the most difficult because it is both boring and abstract…A lot of the material is all tied in together to these abstract concepts and if you don't have it 100% clear you will just crash and burn. FAR and BEC were both easier for me. But as you can see everyone is different…there are a lot of people that feel the opposite way
I find MCQs okay, not too difficult but for some reason I DON”T GET the SIMS at all. I struggle with researching meanwhile I can't really help myself ….
While doing homework, I scored 70-80% on each chapter (MCQs) but I managed to have 80% of the SIMS wrong. I don't even want to think about the actual SIMS on the exam ;(
I can't find anything in the AL…that thing is a joke, or the sims are, or I am.
At any rate I just came from AUD and I need to change something because I will not fail that exam again. I feel so defeated. I fully acknowledge that I have to do something major to earn this.
I felt like AUD was the easiest section, but I have worked in audit for several years. FAR is so far the toughest section for me… Even though i passed it on the first try, I had to study for like 3 months for it! I loved studying for it, but hated the exam itself. As it was previously said, AUD is a really section for most auditors, but I can see how it can be the most diff one for non-audit peeps.
one last exam score to wait for......
FAR - 78
BEC - 84
AUD - 92
REG - 88
Auditing was by far the worst and most torturous part of my CPA exam journey! I despise auditing with passion. In what other area of our industry is OK to be wrong, ahem I'm sorry, misstated? Just make sure it's an immaterial misstatement, aka only just a litttlllllleeeee bit wrong, and it's totally cool. What?!?!
I work in tax and you know what misstatements get you in tax land? Preparer penalties. Ugh. Give the internal revenue code any day!!!! 😉
REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
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