[Kimberly]

I’ll try to keep it short as best as I can, but looking for some opinions.

I failed REG in January. I passed BEC in March. Waited until I took FAR yesterday before finding out my AUD score from May. I just found out I failed. By one, stupid point.

I felt pretty good about AUD, obviously better in the MCQ then the SIMS (and my score report indicates such). I was trending 91%+ for AUD on Ninja. I really knew the material pretty well.

My question. Obviously I had hoped to pass AUD and be 50% done. Now I get to wait until Q3 release to see if I am 50% done. I honestly was pleasantly surprised with how FAR went went last night, but you never, ever know. So I wouldn’t want to bank on it either way.

I had moved on from REG because I stupidly (rookies, take note!) scheduled 4 exams on an NTS when I applied last fall. I totally underestimated how long it may take for the exams. So I took the remaining exams on my NTS, hence, flopping from one to the other. I am getting the impression from reading many people stick with one until they pass it and then move on? Is that true? Is that the best way?

Ideally I don’t want to flop from one to another and back again, but without knowing my FAR score for 3-4 weeks, what is my best course of action? I had planned to review FAR (pass or fail AUD) so I’d be fresh for a retake if needed in mid-October. If I (and I know so many of us are in this boat) didn’t have to wait 3.5 months for a score, I would have re-taken AUD right away before moving onto anything else. But now I feel like I’m torn between restudying for AUD for October, or reviewing FAR in case I didn’t pass so that it’s still fresh.

I’d love advice because I am so torn and obviously also very upset at missing by one, stupid, stinking point. (I know I’m not alone in that either).

Sorry I couldn’t keep it short…:)

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

The stress and frustration of the CPA is just as tough as the tests. I took all 4 right away also, passed 2. I really feel like I would have passed 3 if I didn't have a couple things come up while I was studying for FAR. Regardless, it is possible. The nice thing if you pass FAR is that you'll be half way done and, then I don't think its too difficult to do two in a quarter. Mentally, I think most of us have been there. These tests aren't fun and all the study time they take really sucks, but keep your eye on the prize and you'll be fine. Give it a day or two to recharge then, use the failures to fuel for your future success.

[ixlr82day]

You missed Audit by 1 point. Is it too much to schedule a retake for Audit in this quarter say Sept 10? Cram Audit and hope for the best? I get you took Audit in May and that is three months ago but that is a really close score and I sometimes think that part of passing is the luck of the exam. If you get a test you know or if you get topics you don't. I scored 65 in November and did a retake in May after tax season and got a 76. I studied immediately after tax season and I am thankful I passed because I went from working 70 hr weeks to working 40 and studying 30. I was drained after that. The long delay sucked because I went immediately to FAR and just kept studying with my FAR exam on Monday…I am trying to focus on the exam but I am like the others who have one part left and I just keep on daydreaming and imagining I'm done and what I will do with all my free time. It's a battle.

You passed a part in March so your clock started and you have 18 months left for 3 more parts. The window can go by quickly so I would push to take another part this window. If you pass both of them you are 75% done with 4 more tries for Reg. If you pass 1 of the 2 then you have 4 more windows to pass 2. Good luck to you on your exam whichever way you decide! In the end you know what is best for you!

[ixlr82day]

Also to add….I flopped from exam to exam. I took BEC initially because I felt that was one I passed way back when I first started studying for the exam. I didn't study much but passed. That pushed me to study even though I honestly was not ready to start the CPA exam. I then took REG another strong area since I am tax but after that I did Audit and failed with a 65. I was torn because I already started studying for FAR and I went back to Audit for a week but switched back to FAR because I felt the FAR background would help me pass Audit since some of the area is tested on Audit. Plus I wanted to see how hard FAR really was. I failed FAR miserably but wanted to make the most of the second quarter window. Knowing tax season would hurt I went with Audit since it was easier and shorter and studied on April 17th for a month and a half.

I think you are doing fine and hopefully all your FAR knowledge will help you finish Audit. For me I was seriously concerned with my retake for Audit because it hit me that if I failed that then I would have three windows to pass two parts that were hard for me. For me FAR is not a part you can take with another part in the same window…the amount of info is too much.

Hopefully some of this info is helpful to you. Good luck!

[Kimberly]

@bhuekels – Your reply made me feel a bit better, thank you. I feel like you understand what I am saying. It's the whole mess that is stressful. And trust me, deep in my mind I obviously hope I pass FAR, because feeling 50% done would be much better motivation. But there is just no way to know and this wait will feel just as long as the other. May I ask, if you are waiting on your AUD score, are you reviewing that material or just going to study FAR again? That's my biggest trip up right now. Not knowing which to focus on after I take my few days to get my head straight.

@ixlr82day – Thank you for sharing your perspective. I am scared of the limited window as well. If it was 24 months, I'd feel okay, but 18 can seem short. I am just disappointed because I thought things would go differently. If I do pass FAR I'm right where I thought I'd be, at 50%, and I can feel like I'll see the light ahead. However, until then I feel stuck. I don't think a re-take in this quarter is possible. There are no seats at my facility or the next nearest. I also started a new job earlier this year and while they are good about me taking off for the tests, they don't want me taking off near the beginning of the month because of close.

That leaves me w/mid-October. But should I flop back to AUD or review FAR until I know I passed? I obviously hope against hope that I passed FAR, but if I didn't, I don't want to have to pick up the books for that one after a long wait. (I had studied FAR for 3 months; the other exams about 2 months).

Thanks in advance.

[Kimberly]

@bhuekels – Your reply made me feel a little better, thank you. I truly do feel the same way. I appreciate you sharing your experience. May I ask, in your situation, you are now waiting on an AUD score? Will you review that material or are you jumping back to re-study FAR? That's my current confusion. I have to take a few days and regroup (as I do after I take any test) and then move on, but I don't know which makes the most sense.

@ixlr82day – Thank you for your perspective. I am concerned about the window for passing, especially because at my age (older candidate too) I had hoped to be done and try to start a family in the next year before that window passes me by too. (My husband has been so patient as I took time to go back to school and then wanted to try the exams). That has only added to the stress, but that's besides the point. If I found out I failed a little earlier and hadn't been studying for FAR at the time I may have pushed for Q3, but it's impossible now. My testing center is booked in September, I have no NTS. I also started a new job earlier this year and while they are very good about letting me take off for an exam, I'm not supposed to take off the first 8 days into the month for close. So Sept is definitely out for those reasons.

That being said, do you recommend I flop back to AUD rather than see what happens with FAR? Obviously if I pass FAR, I'd be set to take AUD the 2nd week of October, and maybe try REG later in November. But it all hinges on FAR. So I feel stuck.

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