BEC is killing me

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #186522
    Kls238
    Member

    I’ve been studying BEC for a couple weeks now, but I feel like I’m making little progress. I started by taking notes and working that MCQs after each section to ensure I’m understanding the concepts properly. After I finished all chapters, I rewrote my notes and made tons of fact nuggets like Jeff suggests. I was scoring 70-80s on Becker, so I started the NINJA MCQs and free questions I found. I’m completely bombing them (50-70%). I feel like a lot of questions are really random or really in depth where I don’t recall my study materials ever going over.

    I wanted to take my exam within the next two weeks, but I no longer feel ready and I’m not even sure what to focus on. When I passed REG, I felt like the topics overlapped to a large degree and I had a sense of what to devote my time to the week before the exam. I see very little overlapping with BEC and I’m having trouble remembering so many topics. Anyone have any advice on what to really focus on and how to remember so many different topics?

    Passed all sections.

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
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  • #578751
    jopa16
    Member

    I've found it really helpful to, at the beginning of my review phase, go back through every chapter and read every single page. As you're going through, note down what pages(I use google keep) contain tricky topics and/or things you have trouble remembering. It is really tricky to remember stuff from chapter one when you haven't seen it for a month.

    REG 2/26/14 - 90
    BEC 4/08/14 - 92
    FAR 5/31/14 - 90
    AUD 7/09/14 -

    #578752

    I think most people go through a phase when they are just beginning their review where they bomb the mcqs. I know this and still freak every time. You should see quick and drastic improvement shortly thereafter as you begin to hone in on the specific topics and subtopics that are causing the issues. BEC is definitely more scattered than the rest but I bet if you tried you can come up with three topics you most need to work on. As Jeff put it it's the topics you least want to see on exam day….

    MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

    #578753
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    An important thing to keep in mind is that the MCQs are percentage correct – not at all comparable to the CPA exam! I am not sure if these tests are designed to be proportionate to the exam (____ is 10% of the questions, _____ is 15%, etc), but assuming they are not, look at the areas you are falling short in, and excelling in. If you are falling short in minimally tested areas and excelling in heavily tested areas, relax, and breathe (the exam breakdown is available on AICPA's website). Even if it is vice versa, remember – a 75 is not 75% correct!! Within each testing window, perhaps even each score release, there is good evidence that a benchmark is set for pass/fail. Once they separate the passing and failing candidates, only then do they assign scores in a percentile fashion.

    Good luck to you!!

    #578754
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    It is also killing me. I don't know how to study for all this material.

    #578755
    vanadium3
    Member

    lol did you see that BEC had the highest passing rate at 58%?? wth.. i hated BEC.

    trick is that you want to practice MC until you get 80%+ right. and sometimes it's just a hit and miss on the test. keep plucking guys!

    CPA

    #578756

    Practive MC questions to death. I used CPA Excel and Wiley Test Bank as a supplement, which offered a lot more different questions. Focus on the areas you are weak in! It will be frustrating but try to remember your mistakes. The more questions you tackle, the better you will get and the more likely you will pass.

    FAR – Passed

    REG – Failed, Passed

    AUD – Passed

    BEC – Passed

    Did it!!!!!!!!!

    FAR - 84
    REG - 71, 75
    AUD - 90
    BEC - 84

    Did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    #578757
    Quinacridone
    Member

    Kls238: You will be ready in two weeks. For two weeks out, you seem about where I was. Time to start your hard-core reviews.

    For Becker, the week before my BEC test I was getting 90s and 100s on my progress tests. I also had the Ninja MCQs and was getting far lower percentages correct (70s). Make sure you know the core formulas because you know those will show up on the test (you just have no idea which ones). Keep working those MCQs till you have your percentage higher in Beckers, but DO NOT neglect the Ninja MCQs. I noted that the Ninja MCQs asked the questions differently, which gives you a new perspective and Ninja asked questions on some topics not covered in Becker which increases your exposure to topics.

    All said, I passed the test, despite being one of those in the first part of the Q2 testing group that had the test from hell (questions on laws I had never heard of and computations I had never ever encountered before). I was shocked at a passing score, but I did it. Even with a test from hell!

    REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
    FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
    AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
    BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

    Florida CPA 24 July 2014
    (Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

    #578758
    Lisa_Jane
    Participant

    I dreaded BEC the most because I never took a Finance class and I hated Cost Accounting. What helped me was doing the McQs over and over to build confidence. I also used the Wiley Test Bank and found it helpful. I would not put off taking the exam because you forget the material so quickly. There is a lot of memorization with the ratios so make some flash cards and note summaries for tricky concepts and you can review those as the exam nears. That's what I did and I got a decent score. You can do it!

    FAR Passed 5/28/14
    AUD Passed 1/22/13
    BEC Passed 7/12/13
    REG Passed 5/9/14
    Virginia CPA license issued July 2014

    #578759
    Kls238
    Member

    Thanks for input everyone! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one struggling or that has struggled with this exam. I've always seen it has one of the highest pass ratings, and I see people say they've studied and passed this exam in far less time than what Ive studied.

    Since my first post, I've done tons of MCQs and I'm doing a little better. I've also been making FCs for almost every question I get wrong. It might be over kill, but I really don't want to have to restudy for this section again. Plus, it's the only thing helping me remember so much content.

    Passed all sections.

    #578760
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I with you on BEC. Someone here referred to this test as a little monster.

    #578761
    Lisa_Jane
    Participant

    @Kis238- You are doing everything right- great idea to make a flash card on the items you missed in MCQs. Practice the essay strategy, too. Leave enough time for the essays. I cut it short on my exam but I still came out OK. Keep studying every day and you will pass. Best of luck!

    FAR Passed 5/28/14
    AUD Passed 1/22/13
    BEC Passed 7/12/13
    REG Passed 5/9/14
    Virginia CPA license issued July 2014

    #578762
    Kls238
    Member

    I could use some advice again… I've gone through all MQCs, and I'm averaging 70-80 on Becker and NINJA MCQs. I've memorized most formulas and every word to the NINJA audio/notes. Is that enough to pass BEC? I'm thinking about moving the exam up from the 10th. I just want to be done with this exam.

    Passed all sections.

    #578763
    Lisa_Jane
    Participant

    @KLs238 – do not reschedule the exam. Scoring an average of 70-80 on practice MCQs is fine. You need to study hard but keep your perspective. You can do this. Keep reading the text and doing the MCQs until exam time. Get a good night's sleep before the exam, get some exercise in every day, try to eat healthy instead of going for junk food, stay positive, and you will do fine.

    FAR Passed 5/28/14
    AUD Passed 1/22/13
    BEC Passed 7/12/13
    REG Passed 5/9/14
    Virginia CPA license issued July 2014

    #578764
    Kimboroni
    Member

    I'm with Lisa_Jane. You are getting good scores and still have a whole week left to study. Take it on the 10th– more time would probably mean burnout. You've got this.

    AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
    FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
    REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
    BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

    Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

    #578765
    OnTheRoadtoCPA
    Participant

    Hi guys – I have my retake in BEC on Saturday morning. Will anyone be going through this with me around then!? We're in it together!!!

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
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