REG – passed 75 in 2nd window 2011 (failed twice before)
AUD – passed 81 in 3rd window 2011 (scored 98 in 2008 – expired, failed in 2010)
FAR – passed 81 in Nov 11 (failed twice before)
BEC – waiting for score, took in Nov 11 (passed in 2009 – expired, failed in 2nd window 2011)
This is my first post. I usually just go on this site to get a good laugh out of the comments, but felt like posting today. My 2 cents on the exam and the process of taking it:
The longer you wait to start the harder it gets. This is a universal rule… I scored a 98 in AUD in 2008 with about a month of study time (2 weeks off before the test). After that I thought the rest would be a breeze. I had to work ridiculous hours and unfortunately in public no one cares about your personal goals… so I basically lost time and never got around to taking the others, although I paid for them. Moral of the story: you must have a very high sense of urgency.. something will always come up that will screw things up. Prioritize the exam, NO MATTER WHAT.. I passed BEC the following year and lost credit for both. By the time I started prioritizing it was far too late, and only after I lost credit did I realize the exams aren’t so bad, it’s the process that blows.
This year has been quite a battle.. but I stayed the course. I thought that giving up everything I like would help me pass. That doesn’t work. Since it’s a process, you have to keep yourself sane.. don’t give up everything, it’s going to take a while to pass all of them, so it’s not a sprint! Just be dedicated and disciplined. Don’t panic if you fail, each exam will be different and your changes of passing vary for each window since the exam is curved.. don’t beat yourself up, you always probably did better than you thought you did, just gotta get back to the drawing board and be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses.
As far as studying.. I used Becker for the most part. When I finally stopped wasting my time watching the videos and going over the questions, I started passing. You need to READ THE MATERIAL and understand the concepts.. there are no shortcuts! The questions on the exam will always be different than anything you’ll see on any study guide. Test your knowledge and study by thinking through the concepts and finding the logic. The simulation examples are not so bad though… Also, if you can’t pass using Becker, you probably have a mental block because you’ve taught yourself to look at information and approach problems a certain way.. solution – use another study guide to get a fresh look at the material.
Exam day – do not second guess yourself. You have the best chance of choosing the correct answer by using logic. Here’s something that makes perfect sense but none of us do.. allocate a lot of time to the simulations. They are weighted so heavily, why would you spend all your time on the MC??? Make it a point to complete all the simulations, even if you just fill it in with wrong answers, it’s worth more than leaving it blank.
Lastly, cross your fingers for my last score!!!
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