[Q]

Can anyone share their experiences?

Thanks

[M123]

Can't expound on the nature of the exam but it was harder than I expected. I'll call it “mini-FAR” (in Dr. Evil voice).

Practice time management on the written and sim portions. How are your trending scores?

[Q]

Thanks but when did you took bec exam?

[M123]

Q2. First round of changes.

[kpine1852]

Took in Q3 and I second @M123. Definitely a mini FAR.

[Q]

Please elaborate.

[Earla Riopel (NYCARE)]

We are in the same boat – taking 2017 Q4 BEC.

Just to give you a little background, I haven't (really) studied BEC since 2011, with a 63% mark.

Recently, I took 2017 BEC Q1 (NTS expiring)-studied for 2 days, and took 2017 BEC Q3 (just to test drive the new format), studied a day or two. Serious. Both attempts landed me around 50s. It's expected, so no complaint.

For the 2017 BEC Q4, if tomorrow is my exam, I would:
– Visit the AICPA website. Try its Sample Test.
– Do a few recent MCQs, preferably AICPA newly (2015/2016) released exams.
– Make sure to be comfortable with the calculation format, topics that are oftenly tested.
– Comfortable with Cost accounting – variance analysis calculation
– Make an outline for all possible Writing Skills topics. Also, have a ready writing template in mind.
– Read the appendix/glossary of BEC textbook/MIS textbook/business computers textbook for IT terms.
– Get used to the ‘Research' app.
– Re-read the Corporate Governance topic.
– To get the feeling, if I am ready for the exam, I will read my notes/textbook outline briefly, see if I missed something and work with my weak ones.
– During the exam, stick with this max. time allocation: 50-50-25-55-60.

I still got 8-9 weeks to (really) study for my coming FAR/REG/BEC exams.

Good luck

[Floreat]

I think BEC is a sleeper that many of us underestimate. I sat for it on 9/7/2017. I left feeling not so good about it but ended up with a pass. It was hard to gauge the MCQ's difficulty from testlet to testlet because they just came out the gate HARD. SIMs, for the first time ever, were not horrific a la FAR & REG. They were just run of the mill tricky and vague – as is their nature. WC was straight forward in the sense I knew the topics, but under pressure couldn't articulate that level 5 answer.

When I left the exam, I wondered why they call it BEC. I don't know what everyone else got, but my test should have been called the “BEC by way of COSO & IT Exam”.

Take the AICPA practice test for sure. If you have time, list and ruminate on the 3-5 critical topics in each section of your review materials. Sleep well tonight, stay positive and pass your exam tomorrow. We all know (and so do you), you can do this.

I just realized it's the 5th and you've probably already sat. I hope you passed. Report back with your experience, if you can.

FAR: 80 (10/28/2016)
AUD: 85 (2/6/2017)
REG: 68 (5/31/2017) Dragon Slayer Recalibrating for 11/2017
BEC: 79 (9/7/2017)

[Q]

Hi Floreat,

Thanks for your tips.

Same experienced BEC focus on IT and COSO in MCQ.

The simulations, half of them are computations, and half of it are conceptual.

Written communications are straight forward.

Time management is a key.

I hope to pass. Thank you again.

[Author]

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