[jms10101]

I just took what I hope is the last CPA Exam of my life. BEC. I found that all three testiest had a combination of easier to extremely difficult questions. I cannot say that one was more or less difficult than another. The three writing assignments I thought went well.

I had two questions that I believe was contrary to what I was taught in review class. Many questions I had to guess because they were either never discussed in review or the subject was but not even close to applied in the manner that the question asked.

I had Very good homework scores, the best practice exam scores. All indications were that I could not fail. Yet I am not sure. I left feeling the way that I felt after leaving FAR. I passed FAR but barely. AUD. and REG, I felt good after leaving those exams and I scored very well. I am nervous. No way I could have prepared better for this exam. If I passed then it is over. If I failed then there is nothing more that I could do to prepare.

Subject matter was a smattering of everything. I cannot say that one dominated over another.

I used Becker self study.

Score released Dec 16.

[aaronmo]

Remember that the test is curved, and if you saw different material…so did most everyone else.

[jms10101]

Do you mean that the actual exam is curved? I never knew that. BTW, your scores are fantastic. Congratulations @ aaronmo

[aaronmo]

They deny it, but yes…it's curved. The way it works is they have different pre-expected values for a question. Say it's assigned 2 pts as a middle level one. Let's say everyone bombs it. They bump it to three. They also do have target pass rates in mind to some extent. It's not a HARD curve where they assign a score based on an exact bell curve, but it is changed to reflect score data – which is a curve.

Also keep in mind that of the questions in a section, a fixed number are experimental where they're trying to develop values.

Bottom line – you don't know what counted, or how things are scored.

I left FAR furious! I went in feeling pretty good – I did something I always seem to do and spend too much time working on the really obnoxious stuff. And then that stuff isn't on there. Then I get inundated with easier, but highly detailed stuff…which I'm less good at. I actively said screw this IFRS stuff while studying…and I de=prioritized it. Sure enough, I got 22 IFRS questions.

I left feeling awful – thinking 50/50 pass.

[jms10101]

Thank you for the info aaronmo. BEC does have a artistically higher pass rate than the other sections. I hope that it helps us both.

[aaronmo]

Sighhhh…wish I knew what you got hit with in advance! Anxiety level increasing.

[jms10101]

It really was a smattering of everything. I did not notice any one section dominated. When they say that everything is subject to the exam, they were not kidding.

[misoc23]

Oh man I am so nervous! My first testlet I finished quickly because I was well prepared. Second and third testlets I am not sure….Had a bunch of random IT questions that involved a lot of thinking. All the calc stuff was easy but the theory and IT made me nervous. Lets hope we all passed!

[jms10101]

Misoc23…it sounds like we definitely had quite different exams. Some of my calc stuff was not easy and not covered in that fashion in review courses. On the one hand, pass rates for BEC are higher than other sections and most people seem to have similar complaints about the exam. Then again, the exam was very difficult. Nothing that I could not learn, just not at all covered in review course.

[misoc23]

I was pretty prepared for the calculation questions. There were a few that were tricky but like I said the amount of IT got me….and it wasn't like simple IT questions. Lots of thinking required. I was surprised how little Econ there was!

[aaronmo]

That is NOT what I wanted to hear! I've spent by far the least time on IT, I hate the subject and don't see how it relates to the CPA exam.

Big picture, I'm not sure why we've allowed IT guys to push others into leaning their language…they're the tail and it's their job to communicate to internal and external customers. It would be like teaching an IT guy accounting terms so he could speak about his budget. It's non-sense.

[jms10101]

I agree aaronmo

[Nessie]

JMS, I am right here with you….sitting for BEC tomorrow. I hope it will be my last exam, but you never know. I didnt put in the normal time I usually put into these exams, so we will see.

Good luck on score release date, and I will check back in tomorrow!

REG Aug 20/15: 88
AUD: Feb 29/16: 80
FAR: Jun 10/16: 80
BEC?

Becker self-study, Becker Final Review & NINJA MCQS

[jms10101]

@Nessie, best of luck to you on this exam. I hope that you do great. Thank you.

[Author]

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