[jeff]

Welcome to the Q4 2017 CPA Exam Study Group for BEC. 🙂

Introduce yourselves and let your fellow NINJAs know when you plan to take your BEC exam.

The Five Steps (NINJA Framework): https://www.another71.com/pass-the-cpa-exam/

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[Ana]

I'm not working off of my intuition rather the blueprint and how the aicpa said blueprints would translate to the test. To see for yourself you can check the analysis section of the blueprint and market influence is the first one. At the same time, IT doesn't have any analysis portions.
I'd be happy to have Econ and IT any day over cost accounting. Cost accounting and I don't get along.

[RB]

Ana I just pulled up that blueprint now, I really had not looked at it before beyond using what Becker outlines as the coverage percentages (although now I wish I had). I wouldn't rule it out either. It does show analysis as 50-60% of the exam coverage, but there's no reason they can't put a Sim on just the “identifying” part either, identifying which influence is in play or which part of your IT risk different things apply to.

With the variability of the tests it's hard to memorize every potential topic that comes at you, but have a good broad breadth, it seems the blueprint is a good road map for checking to see yes do I have the basics of this piece down at least?

[jenpen]

I'm really struggling on questions with diagrams! I just don't understand them. I watched a Roger video on YouTube last night and felt confident I could figure out what I was looking at, but with all the extra lines on them in the practice materials I always get them confused and can't figure them out. Any tips?

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[Anonymous]

Just got done with my exam today. 50% COSO 40% IT (50% COSO included IT testing as well ….)and yes that is the REAL EXAM no lies… 10% all other random crap. I didn't encounter any ratio analysis or cost questions. I dunno what in the world these A**holes at AICPA are testing.. we are not trying to become IT directors… My whole exam was from 2 topics… COSO and IT and the stuff they tested was not even included in anything that I have studied, besides from maybe 10 questions.

I strongly recommend to just go over everything related to IT. I have never seen the terms they have used in Wiley or Gleim.

I took Gleim/Wiley to prepare for this exam, I will get Ninja notes next to see how the MCQs line up, although Gleim's TBS are on steroids, I think based on the IT and COSO being tested on these exams, I might need to supplement other materials, especially for IT. If anyone has any recommendation for IT preparation, please do pass it down.

Waiting on results till Dec 22nd, but will be reviewing everyday since I am not sure how I did.

[Ana]

@rb the tbs portion of the exam is tested at the analysis level and not application. but of course the aicpa can pull any topicsor method out of thin air, with how broad their blueprint is and the absence of transparency. I followed this guideline for FAR and I think it worked well for me so I using it for BEC this time too.

@dan thanks for the input. Fingers crossed you passed!!! how were the sims?

[rencpa]

Jennifer, shot us an example of a question with a diagram. I am sure someone will help you. Remember, sometimes we miss something simple. It is nothing wrong with that BEFORE the exam. Just ask!

RB, you made me smile by seeing you here. And no you did not reveal anything! Don't worry. It is funny that after each exam, I tell my husband everything. Just cannot stop talking! (typical woman lol) Hope, he is not going to report me!! He probably, has enough of my exams more than I do!

Dan, I can imagine how you feel. It happens that sometimes, we get tested on something we do not feel comfortable. Ask yourself a question, “Am I the only one who struggled with this testlets… with the IT…. COSO?” You got a hard exam. There is always a hope! But I like your idea of reviewing until the score date. BTW, I think it is December 19, not 22. BTW, thank you for sharing your experience.

Ana, did you finish the Becker materials? I still work on chapter 2 (I left some topic not mastered)

[Anonymous]

Ana – the Sims weren't that hard.

Rencpa – Thanks for the support! I will schedule one for February, just in-case.

[Ana]

I finished the material last week, left two weeks for review. I feel like it'll be a miracle if I pass. My scores are all over the place (34-100%) and the honest truth is that I truly can't imagine one day being done with this one day.

Sometimes, in my case it took more time, the bec score does take longer. Especially if you're in the bubble. I wouldn't be surprised at all if many of our scores are delayed for bec.

[Ana]

dan you've given me major hope. I'm getting emotional just with the possibility that I might pass and be done. I'm gong to have PTSD after this experience.

[Starved_Wolf]

Just got back from taking my exam and not sure how I feel. I studied really hard on everything except for IT. I thought maybe i could read the chapter once and be okay. I spent so much time overstudying for everything else (topics that i barely saw on the exam) and understudying for IT ( i had so many IT MCQs-i started guessing at one point). maybe the IT questions wouldnt have been that bad if i had studied IT a little more but i dont know..

sims were.. i really dont know. i felt that 3 out of the 4 sims were okay but at the same time, i felt like i didnt know what i was doing. And then there was this one sim that was totally weird. i couldnt do it at all. they asked for something that i had never seen in becker before. It was 1 word that completely threw me off. I spent maybe 15 minutes rereading the question and couldnt figurre it out so i ended up guessing. The writing prompts were easy but theyre worth only 15% and between me guessing on the IT mcqs and guessing on some of the sims.. i dont know if i scored enough points to pass.

[CoachEmUp]

@dan_s and @starved_wolf sounds like we all got the same test. I can only assume that most of those IT questions were either pre-test or like us other candidates struggled with them. I'm convinced after using Wiley and NINJA for BEC that there is no possible way to study for the IT portion given that the exam used terms I had not seen and I saw almost all IT questions on both softwares.

3 more weeks of waiting!

[rencpa]

Well, I don't understand why all these CPA courses have not done any updates to their programs. I have been on this forum since late August/beginning September. From the beginning, I have been hearing people complaining about the IT and COCO.

At some point, I contacted Becker asking if their material is going to change. I was told, “We made any updates needed for a new exam”. It doesn't look from our experience. I am going to have my own next week.

Personally, I have a hope these crazy IT questions are pre-test questions. Let's hope! Let's keep studying.

Thanks for the exam feedback Dan, Wolf, and Coach.

@Ana, good job you finished everything! I am still little bit behind my schedule!

[jenpen]

@Ana I know exactly how you feel!!! I think I will be a little lost for awhile if I ever manage to complete these exams.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[jenpen]

@rencpa I'm not sure how to get an image here, but I'll try.

Here was the question:

The accompanying diagram depicts a manufacturing total cost flexible budget line KI and standard cost line OI. Line OJ is parallel to line KI, and revenues are represented by line OH. Which line on the graph represents the normal capacity, assuming standard costs are based on normal capacity?

And the diagram:

https://bec2017.ninjacpareview.com/ProductImages/bec-bisk13.JPG

A.
AB

B.
AC

C.
BD

D.
OG

Answer: D

Normal capacity is used to compute the fixed overhead application rate by finding the budget at that level of volume. Therefore, normal capacity is represented by the point at which the standard cost line (OI) and the budgeted cost line (KI) intersect.

That point is point I, which is on the dashed line GH, representing a volume level of OG.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[Rosystilettos]

Thank you all just finished BEC and figured I should give my input while it’s fresh on my mind. Didn’t get an IT simulation thankfully! I did get a couple of MC but not many and the ones I did get were not too bad comparing answer choices I hope I guessed them right :-/… If I need to retake I will focus on ROI, IRR, COSO, Payback period, foreign exchange rates, cost accounting, master and static budgets. Honestly think I’ll have to retake but this first shot gave me an idea of what my weaknesses are for next time. But I do hope and wish for a 75 to not go through this torture again :’( o well we shall see.

[Author]

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