[Anonymous]

I do not have audit experience so was intimidated by audit. Do people with audit experience have an edge over this subject?

This forum is for non-auditors who passed audit or are studying audit to share their experience and study strategy

[kambsa]

Hi Accounting_geek,

I am a non-auditor and never had audit experience, but I passed the AUD exam on my second try. I reviewed Becker self study, did their MCQ, and supplemented with Wiley book questions. I just did the questions over and over until I learned the concepts really well. Then I practiced the sims from both courses. The last two weeks I redo all the questions and sims. I also made flashcards for my weak areas.

AUD - Passed 88
REG - Passed 87
BEC - Passed 78
FAR - Passed 75

[fsu9er24]

I'm an auditor, at a Big 4 nontheless, and I'm 0/2 on AUD. Passed all other three sections the first try.

Honestly, experience has very little to do with the AUD exam. It's ALL memorization, and a lot of useless information that one doesn't need in the field.

From my experience – I get cocky with AUD, and don't study because I think I know it and get a 74. Don't fear, its actually an easy exam if you put the time in.

BEC 86
REG 78
FAR 77
AUD 95

[Minimorty]

My friend Common Sense told me that people who have audit experience have a leg up on people who dont. That being said, there is no reason that you should not be able to pass on the first try even if you dont have audit experience. I also used Becker and supplemented with Wiley. For my final review, I skimmed over the Ninja notes to keep things fresh. Just study for the exam like you would any other section. Put everything you have into it and go into the exam over-prepared. Good things come to those who earn it.

[fsu9er24]

I have also never used the NINJA framework, and decided to use it for AUD. Works wonders. Re-writing the notes is MANDATORY and very helpful. I have re-written the notes twice and gone through all of Wiley in the past 2.5 weeks, and feel ready for AUD right now. I think I want the NINJA audio 🙂

…AUD is also nice because you can knock out MCQ FAST.

BEC 86
REG 78
FAR 77
AUD 95

[Minimorty]

@fsu – Yes, good point. The key to learning the material is speed. The faster, the better, right?

[yankeeaccountant]

non-auditor and passed the exam . For me, it wasnt easy. But everyone has their own “beast”

It is passable—rinse and repeat baby!

Good luck accounting geek!

[fsu9er24]

haha mini…probably why I am 0/2 on AUD 🙂

BEC 86
REG 78
FAR 77
AUD 95

[PistolPete]

I have internal audit experience, and I found it to be beneficial. I was able to compare questions to how we would normally handle them in our department. It's a small leg up if anything.

FAR - 68, 79
AUD - 82
REG - 71, 71, 80
BEC - 76

CMA
Part 1: October 2013
Part 2: January 2014

[Witchkizzle]

AUD was the hardest exam for me and was the one section I had to retake. I didn't prepare like I should have and made a 71. Luckily I knew my major mistake, took some time off, came back and hit the books for a couple more days and retook it with success.

No audit experience (I work in the tax department of our firm). I used Becker self study and did not come substantially close to finishing all lectures or MCQs. Had I completed the course, I may have passed on the first try but I will never know now, nor do I care. My advice, prepare better than I did. By that I mean more than you think you need to. I thought I would be fine and took a hubristic fall from the CPA gods graces.

You can do it, if you understand the material. That can be said with any section though.

Texas CPA
Licensed 03/12

[Tina82]

Yes definitely. I have zero audit experience and passed on 1st try; have tax experience and failed. Working is typically very different from taking the exam. The upside is being more familiar with the terminology but everything (or almost everything) should be covered in your review materials so if you put in the time you can pass.

R - 74;88
A - 84
B - 74;89
F - no study = 67; May 15 = 87 & done

[Anonymous]

Passed it second try (75) w/ no audit experience. It's def. do able, as long as you study everything and don't skip chapters in the book (common sense, I know…but I learned that the hard way:).

Utilize the research tab during SIMS if you get a SIM that you have no clue about….it may be helpful! For the MCQs, understand why you are getting them wrong/right. Don't memorize, but rather understand….though AUD requires lot of memorization!

It's doable, good luck!

[Givemesleep]

Passed Aud first try, absolutely no Aud experience, I am in tax.

If you study anything enough you can pass. Aud is doable with

Practice. All parts are hard, I found Aud the easiest of the 4. Bec is a

Killer for me, but this second try is going very well so far. Must do

Well on sims for Aud success. Know the reports inside and out.

Reg 11/15/2011 - 80
Aud 02/28/2012 - 81
Bec 05/31/2012 - 78
Far 08/31/2012 - 83 Do you believe in Miracles, YES !!!

CPA License received 10/2012 !!
CFE License received 04/2013 !!
EA License received

Givemesleep

[IndianaCPAGuy]

I'm a non-auditor, and AUD was the only test I had to take twice: 73 the first time, and 87 the second. Always felt the real auditors had an edge on this one.

Licensed CPA in Indiana

[jenuno01]

I have almost 2 years of Internal Audit experience, I thought I would pass AUD with flying colors on my first try… I failed! Just proves that experience has nothing to do with it… if anything, it probably gave me a false sense of confidence lol

Class of 2012

[Anonymous]

@accounting_geek – what type of work do you do?

I worked in Audit at Deloitte for a year about 10 years ago. When I left there, I went into the corporate world. My experience with A/P, A/R, Payroll, etc. prepared me much more for the Audit section on the CPA exam than working in Audit did. Therefore, I didn't have to spend much time learning transaction cycles.

Like others have stated, Audit is mostly theory. How many times does an auditor actually come across an opinion other than unqualified in practice? Probably rarely to never.

I firmly believe that no matter what your work experience is, you can pass these tests if you put in the required time and effort.

[Author]

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