[FutureCPA2019]

Hello Everyone,

I just took BEC and feel completely drained by the exam. I’ve taken AUD (90) and FAR (87) so far and didn’t feel this bad leaving those exams. Today I wanted to cry leaving BEC. The thought of just leaving in the middle of the exam definitely crossed my mind as I found it to be so challenging. I used Wiley and Ninja MCQ to prepare for the exam. However, I didn’t score very high on Wiley mock exam (71 and 80), which crushed my confidence. AUD and FAR mock exams were pretty close to my actual scores, so seeing 71 on BEC mock exam was devastating. I just felt like no matter how much I studied, there was still so much new material in the MCQ that I was practicing.

My actual exam experience was horrible compared to AUD and FAR. I marked about 5 MCQ in the first testlet and 8 MCQ testlet. I ended up either blindly guessing them, making educated guesses, or figuring out the answer (hopefully, it was the correct answer). The second testlet was slightly more difficult than the first testlet. Overall, I think I did OK on the MCQ. Simulations were horrible. Too many calculations and attachments. I already know I made some stupid mistakes on some of them. Overall, I feel like I did slightly worse on them than I did in MCQ. I completed all of the writing assignments, but I wouldn’t give myself 100% on those, probably 75% if I was grading myself.

Did anyone have similar experience? If so, what did you end up getting? If you took BEC during Q4 2019, what was your experience like? I can’t believe I’ll have to wait for four week to find out my score!!! My hope for an early release because the last early release happened when they also had almost two weeks between the last day of the grading period and the score release day. Usually they grade them in one week or so. On the other hand, I’m afraid to check my score. Thank you for reading my post.

[monikernc]

BEC is tougher than people say. I studied longer for that exam than any of the others. The exam experience, before the 2017 changes, was painful, to say the least.
One thing that makes this experience a little better is scheduling your exams for the least amount of wait time till score release. I always kept reviewing while waiting for a score – just in case. My plan was always to pass one before moving on to the next so shifting gears was not something I did while waiting.
Your scores reflect your ability to prepare so just hang in and accept what's done is done. If you pass, great! If not, prepare again and don't let it get you down. There is a lot going in these exams and sometimes it just doesn't go your way. Wait and see. Stay busy but relax.

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[Kmont003]

I know exactly what you mean. I took my test on Monday and walked out feeling like I’m never going to pass this test. At least you were able to complete the WCs. I was only able to finish 1 WC and with only 20 minutes of time so god only knows how bad that was. The other 2 I did not even touch. Mostly my fault for not timing myself properly. Took too long on the MCQs but they were so hard. I had to read them like 5 times. For the sims, I guessed on a bunch of them as well as on the MCQs. I feel like Becker didn’t prepare me that well. I am thinking of purchasing different study material. I will have to wait until the beginning of November for my score and I can’t retake until January so this puts me really behind on my study plan. I think this test is harder than it should be. I don’t know how other people passed it with such high scores. It’s really taken a blow on my self-esteem…lol!!

For those who are getting ready to take it, here is my advice:

– COSO: not as heavy as most people have said but know the basics. I had 8 or less questions on this topic.
– IT: it’s a lot so know that stuff well. Becker doesn’t do a good job preparing you for this part so I suggest you get other study material. There were a lot of terms I had never seen.
– Economics: I had like 5 questions and not too difficult.
– Variance Analysis: know this like the back of your hand. Lots on this including sims.
– Analytical Ratios: they give you those so don’t worry about memorizing them but understand what the changes mean.
– Cost Accounting: oh my!! I hate this topic and boy were there questions on this in my exam so make sure you know this.
– WACC/ROI/Residual Income are some other things I remember seeing as well.

Do the practice AICPA practice exam. Especially the sims. Very helpful 😉

[Cartman]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences. How many hours of studying did you guys do for BEC?

[Kmont003]

I studied for 3 weeks…about 100 hours. I feel like I should have studied another 50. It was that hard. For Audit I studied for 10 days…about 80 hours and passed with an 84.

[Kmont003]

Another piece of advice…

Try to do the first 2 testlets of MCQs in one hour if you can and give yourself 2 hours for the sims and 1 hours for the WCs.

[monikernc]

frikkin' forever. almost 3 months. i originally planned on 6 weeks to study. at first nothing would stick and i had to keep hitting the same material over and over and over again. finally, things started to sink in. but the topics kept changing and i started to feel like i had ADHD. it was ridiculous. i rescheduled for six weeks out and finally after reviewing the same crap again and again and again i finally felt ready. i lost all respect for the material. i didn't care anymore. i knew i had to pass because there was no way i was going through all of that material again. the exam was only 3 hours and no SIMS when i took it in 2016 and it was ok. i didn't ask for a handheld calculator and was miserable. another keyboard in the room kept clicking. there was an awful noise from outside. i forced myself to keep studying while i waited for the score. i was relieved when i passed. it took so long! i hated it.
i hope you did well, though. you only need a 75.

Kmont003 – you are probably violating non-disclosure rules with your post. don't reveal so much about exam content. it is wrong and the powers that be do troll out here.

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[Kmont003]

How am I violating? I basically said that everything is on the exam just some topics more than others which the AICPA already discloses the percentage of each topic on the test. I wasn’t specific in the types of questions. I was very broad with my descriptions. Besides, everyone knows that every test is different and you can’t rely on one persons experience and assume that your test will be the same.

[Amber]

Currently working a problem that I cant seem to figure out. CAPM problem, RFF of 4%, Market return of 10%, Beta of 1.25 what is the expected return? Seemed easy except when I got to the answers my options were..

A. 1.38
B. 15
C. 15.75
D. 16

Am I crazy? Is it not 11.5%?
X=4+1.25(10-4) no? I dont understand. Someone tell me I'm not crazy.

[Kmont003]

@Amber I had the same question and I came up with the same answer you did and I have no idea.

[Amber]

!!!! Well at least I'm not crazy. I stared at it for what felt like 10 minutes like do I really not know this?!?

[bigstakk]

Where did you guys see that question? Has to be an error.

[Kmont003]

It was on the exam. When I first saw it I was like “yay! An easy one I know” and that was short lived.

[damieF]

@amber probably a pretest Qs. Did you also get Variance, Divestures, Accounting ratios on your sim? who else got those 3 on their sim

[say]

I got 11.5 as well.

[bigstakk]

why would a pretest question have the wrong answers as options. That makes no sense.

[Author]

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