[Andrew]

I just got done with the BEC exam. This is my first attempt at a CPA exam, and all I have to say is holy crap.

Going into the exam, i reviewed at least 250hrs for BEC and knew everything from Becker like the back of my hand, and this was definitely not the case on the exam. I think I only truly knew like 60% of the material.

The first MCQ testlet I feel like I only got like 3-5 wrong, and then the second testlet was ridiculous. After getting thru the 31 Qs, I had flagged like 12 of them because I had no clue.

SIMs were even worse. Not a single of the 4 SIMs was I feeling like I knocked out of the park. The written communications problems were not bad at all, but I feel like I just royally screwed up the SIMs and I have 0 chance of passing.

How do any of you feel after taking these exams? I already feel defeated, and have no idea how I am going to get thru these other ones without knowing my score sooner than June 29.

[CPAoneday]

Sounds like you aced it.

F – 91
A – 88
R – ??
B – 6/4

[CPAcandidate3]

How were you doing on MCQs when doing quizzes with new questions? If you were able to consistently get 70% or greater I wouldn't worry. Relax and enjoy some time off.

I'll add that just going off what you described I feel pretty confident you passed.

[Broken Toy]

I had a similar experience to yours with the first multiple choice section being really easy and the second being crazy hard. BEC is my 3rd test and the second multiple choice section of BEC was my hardest of any of the multiple choice sections including FAR. However I thought the SIMs were really easy. One SIM was calculating unemployment and one of the SIM documents provided the definition of unemployment and how it is calculated. I was a little surprised and disappoint that my exam had almost no cost accounting on it as I spent a lot of time getting ready for this topic. The written section was not terrible but I struggle as a writer so who know how that section went.

[turo9992000]

I feel dread after taking each exam. I want to go home and cry. I can't really do anything for the rest of the day because I feel like a failure. I feel that way for every CPA exam I've taken.

[Anonymous]

I took BEC in Q1 and the first testlet was way harder than I expected. The second testlet was definitely not “difficult” so I felt like I failed. SIMS were easy though and the written part is usually free points if you know how to write using key words and format it properly. It sounds like you did fine. You gotta remember that these exams are designed to be hard and you are usually doing much better than you think.

[Nate]

BEC was by far the weirdest experience for me of the exams I've passed. With BEC, I was sure I failed. It was my second time taking it and I was prepared to take it again. The first testlet felt fine, the rest felt awful. The score came out, and somehow I got a 90. Meanwhile with AUD and FAR, I was confident I passed and got an 83 and 88, which are still good scores but I find it funny they're lower than my BEC score, which I studied a lot less far and was way less confident about. BEC is a mystery to me.

[Anonymous]

Hey Andrew, I took BEC in Q1 and had the identical feeling as you. Felt like I missed a couple on the first testlet, the second one I flagged almost 10-12 and then the SIMS were all questionable. Given you studied 250 hours and I studied 60, I'm sure you were far more prepared than I was and I still got an 89. Remember – second testlet being hard is a good thing

[Adam]

Trying to guess if you passed or not is a waste of time..just go on to your next test and when you get results you'll know.

There is no magic if you feel horrible you probably passed..IDK where people get this stuff..but then again accounting students arent the most normal kids in the room.

The test is curved so its impossible to know how you did.

[Anonymous]

@Adam – Agreed. What's already done is done. Anyways, I don't think the exam is curved since everyone's exam score is entirely independent of other exam candidates, but I'm not the AICPA so what do I know.

https://www.aicpa.org/becomeacpa/cpaexam/forcandidates/faq/computer-faqs-3.html

[Anonymous]

@Adam @Big4BeanCounter yeah not sure about the curve. I have read through the scoring literature posted by the AICPA several times and they insist it's not curved however something smells like it has to be manipulated in some way.

@Big4BeanCounter what did you do to get such a high score on FAR? I am shooting for a retake with a little less than 4 weeks of study and trying to figure out how to make a pass possible.

[Andrew]

I think what people mean by “curve” is that it is just not a raw score. Everyone knows there are 12 MCQ pretest questions that are not graded, 1 SIM, and 1 Written Communication problem (at least on BEC). Also, harder questions have more weight to them if you get it right, as opposed to getting an easier question right.

But for me, I've been trying to recall what I was being stumped by and looking through my book to see if I did the SIMs right, but I think its just pointless now. Whatever happens happens. I am hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

In terms of Becker, I took the 3 Mock Exams they had for BEC and scored an 81 on the 1st, 75 on the 2nd, and a 90 on the 3rd. I know it seems like from my Becker scores and study time that I should be fine, but I just got this gut feeling that I royally screwed up on the SIMs…

[Superdude3000]

I've argued I the past as to why I think it's curved. At the end of the day the questions are weighted based on the performance of previous exam takers – this is how they ‘statistically validate' the exam. They have a benchmark percentage they try and hit for passing and adjust the weight of questions accordingly. This is why no matter how much the exam changes the passing percentages never change much. It isn't curved in the traditional sense of competing against the exam takers sitting in the same window as you, but instead competing with previous exam takers who essentially are the population who set the weighted amounts for the questions. My two cents anyways

[Anonymous]

@The People's Champ – Thanks for the complement, but there are way more exam candidates with higher FAR scores than mine – I'm probably not the best person to give you advice other than I just did what Becker told me to do and pounded MCQs like tomorrow is the judgement day.

@Superdude3000 – Right. We're never going to find out how the AICPA adjusts these passing rates. I wish they were a little more transparent about it.

[MIsconnie]

Your feelings and our guesses about your score do not matter, not even a little. I think you will be shocked on score release day by how well you did. I felt the same as you for what it's worth and it worked out for me. Just relax and start prepping for your next or take some time off to rest and wait for the score.

[simbaarusha]

I finished my BEC exam yesterday in San antonio.The multiple choice is easy,nut the simulation contains too much information.I planed to use 1.5 hours to finish the choices,and 1.5 hours to finishe the multiple choices,but i could not.For each simulation I need to read a lot. There are 8 spare choice for 3 blanks.such as formaula A,formula B,formula c, formula A+B,formula B+C, formula a+c,and even formula A+B+C.
I have to admit my mother language is not english,so my reading ability is limited,but I never met any simulation example in Becker and Ninja.I felt so depressed.

[Author]

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