[Joey J]

Hello Folks, I am so pleased to announce that I just received my IL AUD score, and its almost surreal as I passed with a 94. I know I was very confident this time going in and taking the text, but the SIMS had me a bit perplexed, but I tried my best and felt comfortable about most of them. I also felt very confidently about the MC, but you know with these tests you can never be sure. And yes, I got the same question 3 times! LOL!

The funny thing is that my score went up from my first attempt of 62. It’s almost surreal to even expect a 32 point jump in score, but let me assure you, it was all study attitude: I refused to allow any materials to be too cumbersome, confusing, or perplexing. Before I was like “Ewww, I hate AUD”. And this time I was like “Yeah, I may not prefer this stuff, but I am going to ace it. If others can do it, then so will I, no doubt”.

But I also freely admit that perhaps I got a bit lucky in the exam that I got, and I really felt (and still feel) awfully blessed that I got an exam that I can roll with.

With some slight modifications in study habits, study materials, priorities and overall mental attitude, I raised my score considerably. That means ANY of you can too, trust me. I feel so blessed, and I thank several of you on this forum for helping me reach for the stars and beat this roadblock. After almost breezing through the other parts, I got humiliated on AUD. And with good cause. It was my kryptonite. With some of your help, guidance, assistance and overall support (if not empathy), I am done with this.

Thanks again folks. Thanks very much indeed.

[Phllop]

Having just failed audit with a 74 this was an inspiring post to read. Congrats on your amazing score, I'll try to remember your story during my studying over the next month or so.

REG: 85
AUD: 74, 85
FAR: 74 (sigh)
BEC: 80 (don't even ask me how)

When I say C-P you say 'Ayyyyy show me the money'
-PO

[Anonymous]

Nice, Joey!

Your post is very inspiring and will help me especially in the coming months. These parts are turning out to be more impeding than I ever imagined due to their massive scope. Glad to hear you decided not to let anything obstruct you like I've been tending to let happen. It's very hard for me, and others, to let go of a topic if we haven't felt like we've mastered it completely.

Good job! Hope to see you on “the other side” some time in a few months.

[T-rex]

Impressive, Joey J! Nice job!

AUD - 95, BEC - 85
REG - 85, Rawrrrrrr FAR - 88
Used Becker for all sections.
CA candidate not residing in CA

[Joey J]

Thanks Guys. I appreciate the feedback. I didn't mean to sound like a gloat about the score, as much as I wanted to express that with only slight modification of mental dispositions, attitude and study habits, anyone can dramatically boost their scores, on any part of the exam that hinders them, like AUD did for me. Believe me guys, I wasn't ready to cry like some folks, but I was getting frustrated and anguished a bit about how I couldn't negotiate the AUD subject matter. But then, I just decided to take a step back, look at the big picture, and ask “what is going on here, with all these audit opinions, procedures, transaction cycles, etc. Where does it all fit in?”. So I kind of started acting like an auditor (which almost led me to jump off my roof), thinking like an auditor, and reacting like an auditor. That means, I broke each lesson down into the basic first, then started just filling in the detail to the basic “skeleton” structure I drew out about the audit process. I started finally getting where things come in, and where things are important. Soon, I saw that AUD really wasn't that bad, and that I had been missing the whole point, the whole process, and the whole reason for AUD. I was just kind of blowing it off and getting annoyed with it before, but that last time I took it, I thought like a mature accounting professional, like an auditor, like a businessman who is trying to get an audit engagement done. That made a WORLD of difference. So the major things I did was layer in Wiley book (and problems) with my Becker, thought like an auditor, and simplified/broke down all the audit process and ID'd where all the detail fits in to that ‘big picture'. I can't tell you how much of a difference that made. It's not so much the vendor you use, it's probably about what you identify with the most. Believe me, you guys can do it too. I am CERTAIN you will too. And to the folks who are still frustrated with a few sections (or just one), please don't give up. I almost lost credits if I failed this AUD, so I took it very seriously, mapped it all out, went into detail, and also…had some fun with it! Just didn't allow it to feel bulky and cumbersome. I am so happy, but I will be happier when I check back on this site from time to time and continue to watch people like yourselves pass this too. We all have different reasons for this CPA, but we all share the same journey. Cheers to that!

[IwannaBaCPA]

Congrats!!!! I just failed Audit with a 74 which stung pretty bad, but I know I'm going to get it next time!! Thanks for the inspiration!

BEC: 79 - April 2011
FAR: 78 - May 2011
AUD: 81 - May 2012
REG: 79 - October 2012
Ethics: Passed - March 2013
I am finally DONE!

[yankeeaccountant]

@Joey J

Great score..and very well said. Just failed AUDIT with the lowest score I have gotten on all of these CPA exams…so trying to gear up but still waiting on REG.

Enjoy the glow–you earned it.

[pshustler]

Congrats on the huge jump in score. Take that attitude to every section and you'll be fine.

I felt the same way on AUD. Just felt like the exam was written for me except for a couple of SIMS. I almost felt too good walking out so I was nervous

BEC - 86
AUD - 94
REG - 88
FAR - 89

[Joey J]

@Iwanna and @yankee: I'll be honest, when I didn't pass AUD (after actually trying hard on it), I felt that I was going to lost my credit on the other sections, and was starting to see why the CPA exam could be a huge albatross around the neck. I think a lot of people have an achilles heel during this exam process, and I certainly found mine on AUD. I have to be honest, it really was change in mental disposition and change in the way I mapped out the materials that made the biggest difference (and I won't forget the prayers!). I didn't have to do that with FAR, BEC and REG because they just came to me a bit easier than AUD. I can't make a blanket statement and say that my AUD method will work for everyone, but I gaurantee you something: it can't hurt, and it actually made it a little more fun to study for. AUD was tough for me, it really was something that I couldn't get my arms around. But then, I changed my test-taking and preparation style and it worked wonders. I almost gave my self a totally different persona (split personality?) for the exam. I truly hope you guys crank on your exams, and I will be on the lookout for it.

@pshustler: great scores on your exams as well! i already finished the other sections of the CPA, however. i also scored very well on BEC, FAR, REG because they just seemed more ‘up my alley' than AUD did. I thought AUD would bring me down when I blew it twice, and blew it by a wide margin. I was questioning myself, and questioning my ability to overcome the exam. I was wondering if just this one part, which most people say is easy, would be my demise. Glad/lucky it wasn't! Best of luck on your remaining exams (it seems like you don't need luck!). by the way, CUTE picture! is that your child? adorable!

[pshustler]

Daughter who just turned 8 months. Has her dad wrapped around her little finger

BEC - 86
AUD - 94
REG - 88
FAR - 89

[jwskog]

@Joey – Thanks for the inspirational post, especially after the results I received today.

Walked out of the exam feeling great, had several questions on the actual exam exactly as they appeared in Becker, felt great about the SIMS and still failed AUD on my 1st attempted CPA Exam. Frustrating start to say the least. Waiting for my REG score praying for good news…while I have a 2 week vacation before starting with a big 4 firm. Back to the drawing board.

“Don't give up…Don't ever give up” ~ Jim Valvano

[Joey J]

@jwsog: i know what you are feeling. after the 2nd time i took AUD, i walked out thinking “yeah, i didn't get a 99, but i felt that i passed”. i was wrong. i think perhaps you were in the same situation. the only thing i can think of is that perhaps, given some similar choices on questions, you picked the ‘wrong' one. that means, that you have to be very precise on AUD, know what part of the AUD cycle you are in, what opinion you are giving, etc. there is a lot of detail in AUD, where if you don't know most everything precisely, you will choose the ‘wrong' answer and still feel the exam was easy and you passed. that is some of the best advice i got on this website. people told me to get really intimate with the detail, memorize opinions, memorize exceptions, etc. they also said learn to apply in a real situation, to think like an auditor, not a test-taker. and it made a world of difference. if i may say so, if i were you, i would immerse myself into the detail a bit more, but not unless you have completely mastered the high level overview of what the heck all of this AUD stuff is and where does it fit into an engagement. once i did that, i felt that i couldn't lose. and you know what? this last time i took the test, i found myself saying “a-ha!” (much to the chagrin of people sitting next to me) when i saw several questions where two answers looked right, but i chose the right one because i knew with precision what was really being asked. i can see how this AUD thing can make people walk out feeling good, only to receive a non-passing score. go for it again but with a slightly different mindset and a bit more attention to detail like i did, and you will also kick it's butt! AUD is friend, not foe!

[Anonymous]

@Joey GREATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT job!

wow from 62 to 94????? You're a beast…

Did u finish your exam in time???

I finished my exam in 3 hours…. hopefully i did ok.

[Joey J]

@another74cpa: no, i am not a beast (subject to varying opinions of course), but thanks! the score improvement was ALL related to a better, more precise and confident intimacy with the materials. i started the CPA like some of those ‘shining stars' who get 90's in the first attempt. but then i got a reality check on AUD, and got punched in the face. and that was actually a good thing in some ways. i changed my mindset, adapted, and learned from my mistakes and oversights. life lesson learned: “don't get ahead of myself and take things for granted”. yes, i finished in time, but i took more time on the SIMS to proof and reproof, etc. not that many people would require it, but i did. i couldn't afford to overlook or miss something. the first time i took the AUD test, i read all these posts about how easy AUD is, how people finished in 2-3 hours, and how high they scored. since i was a high scorer in the other secfions, i started feeling too confident, too cocky. so when i took the test, i was feeling good just because i ‘finished' early. as a matter of fact, i felt i needed to finish early otherwise i may not be as smart as those other people who posted. stupid attitude on my part. ha ha, i got a reality check, and that right quick! BUT, the biggest reason i missed on the first two AUD attempts was because i just didn't know the materials well enough. if you knew the materials well and still finished early, i am sure you did well. in any regards, i am rooting for you to pull out a passing score!

[Anonymous]

@Joey Thanks!!!!!!

Did you pass all 4 parts????

[jomarie]

Thanks Joeyj, for sharing your story. I'm feeling a bit down today since I've now lost all my credits due to Audit. I'm starting from the very beginning with this exam. I'm still waiting on both FAR and REG and hoping to have passed at least one.

Started sitting in May 2002, on and off. But since 2008 I've been nonstop and my scores are....
AUD - 39, 48, 56, 65, 68, 73, 76!!! (Finally passed in Oct 2011!!!) Becker, NINJA, & Wiley
REG - 75 (Lost Credit) 72, 68, 73, 75 (Passed again in Aug 2011) Becker, NINJA, & Wiley
FAR - 65, 68, 75 (Lost Credit) 68, 73, 73, 80 (Passed again in May 2012) Roger, NINJA, & Wiley
BEC - 65, 68, 71, 72, 72, 71, 76 (Lost Credit)- 70, 76!!!! I AM DONE!!! - Roger, NINJA, & Wiley
After 10 long years of studying, I AM DONE!!!! Finally a Licensed CPA in the State of New York!!

[Author]

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