[Anonymous]

IF scores come out the 31st (worst case remember) based on Q4 release data it takes the OAB about 7 days to post online so that means first week of April before I find out if I passed FAR.

IF NOT then I have several options: 1. change my BEC date from 4/30 to an earlier date and study like mad to get through fin mgmt and cost acct. The two areas that keep me from passing. Then I have to try and get FAR scheduled and taken by the end of May.

2. Change BEC to FAR, go over what I can only guess are my weak areas (won’t get letter for another couple of months) and take that sometime early April. Then I have to reschedule BEC for the end of May and hope I pass both.

Either way if I fail one or both I lose AUD in May due to the 18 month window. Now I come from a tech field and have been getting job posting after job posting for tech jobs. Is this a sign that I should chuck this whole CPA thing and go back to tech?

I’ve spent 3 years of my life studying for/taking CPA tests. I do have a job auditing and I love my work but this process is frustrating to no end. I could have gotten my PMP and been a six sigma black belt by now making a lot more money.

[WisconsinCPA2be]

You were so close on passing BEC. I would study like mad to get through fin mgmt and cost accounting. Wait to change your date until you get your score, but plan for the worst and study like hell to pass BEC. You were only 3 points away last time and you have several advantages now taking the 2011 version. The written communication should actually help your score! I know there is not a curve on these exams, BUT, a lot of people took BEC last year to get it over with before the written communication was added (I was one of those people). If you assume the AICPA wants to maintain a 50% pass rate and there were a ton of people that were extremely well prepared for BEC since they didn't want to take it in 2011, then you could have failed BEC in 2010 with the same test and answers that you would have passed with at a different time. Just a theory.

Paper Exam May 2002; AUD 62, LPR, 63, FAR 49, ARE 70
Paper Exam Nov 2003; AUD 72, LPR, 72, FAR 67, ARE 71
CBT 2010; AUD 83 FAR 76 BEC 78 REG 73,(2/28/11 NTS # 446) 75 and DONE!

[Anonymous]

I'd focus on BEC.. if you have already started and you can defnitely sit in April, I'd do the BEC.

IF, BIG IF, you failed FAR, then retake in May… if you lose AUD then retake June/July.. you're almost done 😉

Just focus on one exam. Nothing you can do IF you failed FAR at this point.. you said you are going to lose AUD IF you failed FAR.. focus on BEC.. what if you passed FAR.. then spent time studying FAR for no reason, then lose out on studing time for BEC.

[tableleg]

dhuffman, I also came from a tech background and also am having problems passing exams (you seem to have more luck than I). Do you think if you were not working a job and could devote all day to studying (please disregard the reality of the idea), do you think it would make it easier to pass the CPA exam? I am struggling with the same problems. The CPA exam just seems to be such a memory beast. thanks

[Anonymous]

@tableleg…not sure if not working would help or not, it's not an option. I have a daughter in college and I promised as long as she maintains a B avg I will pay for it. I spend on avg about 2 hrs M-W and again on F (Thur is off) and then 6 hrs each on Sat and Sun studying. I'm lucky in that my husband totally understands and pretty much does the cleaning and doesn't really need me to cook meals. Besides, I really love what I do which is govt auditing with some tax work during the busy season.

[tableleg]

dhuffman, I am just trying to figure out if I have not been studying enough or maybe just not smart enough for this exam. I have been studying a few more hours than you per week, and can not seem to get anywhere. Or maybe a combination of both (need to study more and not smart enough). Or maybe just a desire to return to the tech area. I also share your frustration. Well, back to Tim Gaerty.

[Anonymous]

I used Becker exclusively at first but failed BEC three times. I moved on to AUD and passed that. Then I did tax work on season while using Becker with Lambers as a backup and passed that. Used the Yaeger homestudy and Yaeger for BEC and got the 72. I believe I would have passed that but I had a bad reaction to some meds I was on which caused daily migraines. Then the day before I had to have a demorol shot for the worst migraine of my life. Only took the test casue I was losing my NTS. Used Becker and Wiley with some Lambers for the 70 in FAR the first time, still having migraines but not so bad as before.

I think you may need to either supplement your material or switch to a different teaching style. What I like about Lambers and Yaeger is it teaches you where as Becker assumes you are/were an accounting student and know the basics. I do not know the basics so have to be taught. Right now I'm using CPAExcel, the Wiley book, the Yaeger Cram and Gleim to supplement the amount of MCQs I do for my 5th attempt at BEC. I figure the more I do, the more I learn so any curveballs on the test I will be prepared for. You should also check out cpareviewforfree.com. It has a lot of questions some of which I did not see anywhere else.

[Author]

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