[Michelle]

I’VE JUST COME ACROSS THIS SITE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I FEEL SOOOO RELIEVED READING THESE COMMENTS…I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS HELL

i’ve never been a good test taker…..but this takes the cake…i studied for 3 months for audit …not everyday but pretty consistently….i even went back to review the entire book again. I had done all the homework TWICE…read…lectures…memorized…you name it. I thought i understood the material and memorized it and just knew it for the most part….When i was taking the exam and thoroughly reading the questions, my mnemonics popped into my head, i just felt like i knew it… and i felt confident i knew the right answers. i walked out not feeling totally confident, but just better than how i’ve felt for my past exams.

To make this short because i feel helpless, lost, useless, and incompetent…will there ever be a chance for me to pass if my scores are in the 40’s? I got a 42 on audit…and 48 in FAR…TWICE

and is anyone else taking Roger’s?? i dont think i’ve seen anyone mention his review course…that’s what currently taking….

please anyone, what am i doing completely entirely wrong? i don’t know what to do…i dont want to give up…esp the time, effort, money, etc EVERYTHING i put into this… I know i am not 100% stupid…but this score…is telling me something else

[JamaicaBro]

@rknight21. Thanks , I left REG for last as it was the section with the least changes coming into 2011. I took Reg in the 1st window of 2011 and had to be studying over the Christmas and new year holidays which was not fun lol. Well congrats on passing your first section and this is an excellent forum to get advice and motivation. Good luck with the other sections. Where in Jamaica are your from , I am from Kingston and worked mostly in Manufacturing and Distribution , never in a public practice firm. I found Becker adequate for all sections but just do not blow of the Ancillary material though as for Reg I had whole lot of question from those areas , but everybody's exam is different , but if you get comfortable with all the material ( which is the challenge) and you have good exam technique you should be fine.

[Herbieherb]

@Michelle you need to practice mcqs. Reading everything with no practice will get u a forty.

NEW YORK- DONE

[Im the Batman]

I switched from bisk to yeager. The only thing I was able to do differently: I studied a chapter or half a chapter a night, I paused the videos and wrote down what the instructor was saying in my notebook (helped me big time), and I would also pause to do the questions on my own and then listen to his explanation to the answer.

Afterwards, I would take 2 days before my exam to read my notes and just do a handful of questions from each chapter that I've already done. I also took that time to memorize stuff the instructor told me to memorize.

I failed each exam at least once, if not 2 or 3 times. Once I altered my studying techniques, I passed 3 straight since January and now I'm done with the exams.

I'm not sure if this works, but it worked for me. I went up at least 20 points on each exam. I don't want it to sound like I'm advertising for yeager, but it did suit my study habits.

I would also suggest buying a cheap desk for your bedroom and studying there if you dont have somewhere quiet to study. I had some serious concentration issues studying at my kitchen table my first couple go arounds.

Anyway, good luck! It's certainly possible.

– Batman

[Gina]

@Michelle, I agree with the Batman, it's definitely possible. My new study approach was almost identical to Batman's. The only difference was that I switched from Wiley to Kaplan/Gleim, but I do believe that all review programs work. Good Luck on your exams. You can do this!

@I am the Batman – that moniker of yours makes me laugh…lol. Love it!

REG 68,67,83(7/2010); FAR 43,71,80(8/2010); AUD 85(11/2010); BEC 74,79(2/2011)
NYS CPA 5/2011
EA 2/2011

[Anonymous]

Michelle – ANYTHING is possible. Yes, you can do this!!!! I've failed BEC twice, but just received a passing score for REG. This gives me more momentum to pass this beast, now. If you ever need to chat, etc…..e-mail me at amymc08@yahoo.com. I know what you are going through.

[Antonb1985]

Were in the same boat. I took aud, and scored a 46. I took my sweet time with mcq's and ran out of time on sims. I knew I failed to begin with but felt strongly about mcq sections as I was familiar with all of the material. No idea how I scored so low.

When I studied, I focused on learning, did not do whole lot of timed practice problems and I think that is what messed me up. But still I felt like 95% of material they threw at me, I know.

Now studying for a retest and will place primary focus on doing as many 30 question timed mcq's as I can. I think focus should be on bottom line, not memorizing every word in the book. Not aiming for a 99, I only need a 75.

[Substantive Testing]

@Michelle, You need to practice multiple choice questions until your eyes bleed. Most of the test questions require you to apply concepts; Therefore, if you know the concepts, but you do not have practice applying them, then scoring a 40 is completely normal. From my experience, I would say that 30% of preparation for these exams should be going through materials and 70% of preparation should be applying what you have learned on the first 30%. Do not give up, this designation is totally worth all the time and sacrifices, and I wish you the best.

AUD - 75
BEC - 75
FAR - 81
REG - 78

 

CPA ex-auditor

 

[Meg267]

It feels like I've been studying for BEC FOREVER. My first exam – 57. Ugh! I changed up my study habits and re-studied everything. Second time taking BEC – 68. Dang! Thought I really had it that time. I wallowed in self pity for a few days after that one. Again, I changed my study habits and re-studied AGAIN. The third time I was determined. I finally broke down and bought Ninja MCQ and pounded them at the end. Found out this week that I finally passed BEC – 78! Finally!

I just needed to find what study technique was right for me. It's completely do-able! You can do this! I really thought it was hopeless after the first failure, but now I'm so thankful that I kept pushing. Now I'm on to REG. Wish me luck!

BEC - 57, 68, 78
REG - 62, 82
AUD - 61, 76
FAR - 79

Licensed.
No one ever fails the CPA exam, there are only those who give up.

[fahadg89]

to be honest, like Rogers Review says this exam is not about IQ but about repetition. My opinion is that you didn't review the info adequately, simply from your score. i failed audit as well and i got a 67, but i knew going in to the exam i wasn't prepared enough. My suggestion would be to get a test bank, like the ninja MCQ and TBS and follow what parts your failing at and study does weakness intensively. Good luck, hope i was able to help. and FYI im a pretty crappy test taker. Barely graduated from school with a 3.1 GPA and didnt learn accounting till i started studying for this exam.

[Anonymous]

Yes! Don't give up.. may just need more time for review for retake. I've now passed all sections successfully and for my first attempt at FAR, got in the 40s. So see its doable. Keep pushing:D

[bronze5988]

@michelle
I only used Roger and also did not pass on my first attempt at BEC and my score was also pretty low. Although I liked the lectures, Roger's MC questions just did not help me feel prepared while taking the exam. Some say his questions are basic/simple. Definitely get yourself a supplemental review!
I have recently bought Ninja MCQ to help prepare for my retake so I'm really hoping it will help. We can do this!

@megan
Congrats on passing BEC! How did you study the third time?
I know I am a visual learner so that's why I have Roger review and I like to write things down, but that's what I did the first time and I did not pass.

[Meg267]

The first time I can say without a doubt that I didn’t take studying as seriously as I should. So the second time around, I wrote down everything. The third time, I went through all my study material again, writing down notes and then I planned for 2 weeks of straight multiple choice. I scored strong on my written communication so I didn’t worry about those at all. I spent 2 weeks pounding out Ninja MCQ and I seriously think that’s what pushed me over. The questions are great and give such good explanations for answers it made concepts easier to grasp.

For my study material I'm using Wiley.

BEC - 57, 68, 78
REG - 62, 82
AUD - 61, 76
FAR - 79

Licensed.
No one ever fails the CPA exam, there are only those who give up.

[bronze5988]

Thank you for you answer, @megan !
I scored weak in the written communication. I got questions that I just did not even know any “keywords” for so I tried to BS it but that did not help.
How did you prepare for this section?

[Meg267]

Naturally, I’m a strong writer; which I’m so thankful for! One thing that a Professor told me that’s stuck with me is when you’re writing a memo or essay – “tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them”. I ALWAYS use this format.

For the exam, I start with basically rewriting the question. I try to have at least 3 points or reasons for my answer. Then I finish with a summary of what I just told them. I tried to use as much “accounting language” as I could since the system grades on certain words or phrases.

When I took BEC in September, 2 out of the 3 written communication I wasn’t sure on, they seemed closer to FAR questions than BEC. I took a few deep breaths, and just tried my best. I tried to look for ways to figure out the question based on how it was worded and what words were used. If worse comes to worse, just make sure you write something, anything!

BEC - 57, 68, 78
REG - 62, 82
AUD - 61, 76
FAR - 79

Licensed.
No one ever fails the CPA exam, there are only those who give up.

[Vincent17]

Hi Michelle

I’ve just received my score for FAR and it’s a 42. What to cry, what to quit, it’s frustrating, I feel dumb, I feel like accounting is not my field, I feel I’m not meant to be an accountant and obviously not a CPA, I feel incompetent. I studied for nearly 3 months, did simulations, did hundreds of MCQ’s with FastForward Academy review course. I see this post is from 11 years ago and I wonder what did you do finally with the CPA goal and how did you manage this living hell. Hope that one day you read this message and give me some light and the end of the tunnel. If you wish you can reply to my email: joaho14@gmail.com

[Author]

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