[uglyduckie]

I normally do not write about my exam experiences, but because this is the first quarter under the new exam format and BEC probably had the most drastic changes, I wanted to share my BEC experience so that others can learn from it.

Background:
This is the second time I am taking BEC. I took BEC in Q1 and failed with a 74. Some people think that a 74 is the worst score you can get, but I was actually pretty happy with it. Sure, it’s a failing score and failing sucks, but I felt so terrible after my first BEC exam that I was certain I failed and was just hoping that my score was at least in the 70s.

Experience:
I definitely feel better after retaking BEC today than what I felt the first time in Q1. I think I do better on sims than on MC, so the change to include sims in BEC in Q2 was probably in my favor.

My timing goals were:
Testlet 1 (31 MCQ) – 45 minutes
Testlet 2 (31 MCQ) – 45 minutes
Testlet 3 (2 TBS) – 45 minutes
Testlet 4 (2 TBS) – 45 minutes
Testlet 5 (3 WC) – 60 minutes

The MCQ were about what I was expecting, which was a lot of questions on things I haven’t seen before, with a sprinkle of some topics I studied for. I couldn’t tell whether the second testlet increased in difficulty. I felt like I made a lot of educated guesses in the second testlet, but it might have been because I just didn’t know the content well. I stayed within my budgeted timing.

All of my sims were not easy, and even though some didn’t require a great deal of calculating, I still need time to work out the answers. I went over my budgeted time for the sims and didn’t have time to review my answers.

WC were OK. I didn’t know all the detailed answers, but I knew enough to write down as many relevant key words as I could think of.

I took the new standardized 15 minute break that doesn’t count toward the exam time. According to my test center, testers are allowed to access their lockers during breaks, but only for water, food, or medication. Because I had notes in my locker and I didn’t want to even appear like I was trying to look at my notes, I used the break only to use the bathroom and take a small cup of water from the water cooler in the waiting room.

I had two issues with the break. First, after I clicked the button on the computer to indicate I was going to take my break, I gathered my note board, calculator, pen, IDs, and locker key and took them to the check out desk. The lady at the desk saw everything I was holding and said that everything had to stay on my desk. She made me go back to the test room to return everything. I thought that was weird because someone else on the forum said he/she had to bring everything out of the test room. I came back to the check out desk with nothing, and then the lady told me that she needs my ID and locker key for me to check out. She did recognize that she gave me the wrong instructions previously. This was annoying and wasted precious break minutes. The second issue with my break was that it was difficult to estimate the amount of time I had left for my break. I didn’t see a clock in the test room, but even if there was one, if it’s not the same clock as the one in the break area, there was no way for me to know how much time I had left for my break before the clock started again. As a result, I took the shortest break I could and returned to the computer with only 3 minutes left. Definitely budget some time for checking in and out for breaks.

Advice:
– Do the AICPA sample test to become familiar with the types of resources and authority like formulas the exam will give you. You will probably work faster if you already know which formulas are given and which are not. I thought that the questions in my actual test today were more difficult than the questions in the AICPA sample test, so don’t let the sample test fool you.
– I am not going to recommend studying certain topics over others, just study everything to the best that you can because you never know what will be on your exam. My first BEC exam was super calculation heavy, but my retake exam was not. Some subjects tested heavily on my first exam were completely ignored in the second exam.

The wait for score release on August 21 (for BEC only) is terrible, worse than the bar exam with 8 hours-worth of essays that are all graded by more than one individual.

REG - 72, retake 2/11/2017
AUD - 7/30/2016
FAR - 10/08/2016
BEC - 12/10/2016

[cpa1982]

uglyduckie,

Thanks for the advice and sharing your experience. Hope you pass BEC this time. BEC covers so many different topics, you never know which section will be heavily tested than others. It would be interesting to see new exam's average score.

[Nutcracker2016]

@uglyduckie Thank you so much for taking time and posting this

[molly007]

Good morning,
I know I have used this site a lot to prepare for exams and thought it was fair to share my experience yesterday. I took the BEC for the second time. I failed in March 2017 with a 74 and totally dreaded re-taking with SIMs added, however, in the end I think they helped me.
I used Gleim to study and the product offered great practice questions for all three parts. I probably did around 5000 MCQ if you add the two times preparing together. I used the study question section mostly for MCQ because it continually let me know my percentage after each round. I would do around 50 a day letting it select from the entire section what to give. The SIMS were challenging but definitely got me ready for the exam. I think Gleim has around 3-5 for each chapter. They have 2-3 WC for each chapter as well. I am almost positive I did every one of them atleast once.
The test
I told myself before going in that I would only allow 40 minutes for the 4 testlet and 1 hr for the WC and that left room for overage. I definitely went over in the MCQs, but stayed on track for the other parts. The MCQs were not hard, but detailed and it seems like they always know how to ask a question with just enough to doubt yourself. I think this was my worse part in the exam. I don’t know that the second got harder either.
The SIMs were much easier than the Gleim practice ones and what I had read on other post. However, I had practice so many of Gleim anything would be easy. The Gleim definitely got me ready for it by having harder ones, but the exams were not as hard. As someone else stated, they did provide formulas for one SIM but you can’t rely on them because the format wasn’t just calculating, I used them as a reassuring confirmation. I did as a read somewhere else… I read both SIMs in each section before doing them and did the easier one first to make sure I finished it. I left boxes blanks if unsure and until I attempted all parts. I spent my remaining time filling in any unknowns, but I didn’t have many and I think my guesses were good.
The break was awesome. I loved having 15 minutes to stretch, I even walked outside to get fresh air and then went back in with 3 minutes left. I didn’t re-start at the moment, I sat in the seat and mentally prepared for the remainder of the test and figured out my time management based on the time I had remaining. I think I had 1 hr 45 min for the last half. It is nice to take the break and know you aren’t losing time, otherwise I wouldn’t do it.
The WC were great. I felt prepared based on the practice ones with Gleim and I did as others recommend. I did the outline of the memos on all three and fluffed after to ensure I had something for each one. I think this was my downfall last time. I ran out of time and didn’t even start on the third one and didn’t complete most of the second one. This strategy atleast gave me a shot if I ran low, but I had plenty of time for all three. I entered that section with 59 minutes on the clock.
Overall the SIMS I think helped me and definitely finishing the WC was good this round. If anything, the MCQs are my questionable area but I think I got enough right and the other areas will outweigh it. Atleast I am praying… need to move on to the last one.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you aced it! You made a 74 last time so that meant you just needed to fill in a few areas. I use Gleim also and it does prepare you well for these exams. You feel dejected after receiving your practice scores but that experience just makes you work harder to raise the score. Good luck come August.

[Anonymous]

@uglyduckie

Thank you for sharing your experience.
I am appearing for BEC next week.
Would you be able to share which topics were covered mostly in MCQs?
Also, topics on Simulation?

Thanks again.

[Author]

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