[Fading Novel]

I have been studying 24 hours a week for almost 7 weeks now preparing for REG. The exam is this Friday and to my surprise (unpleasant I might add) I did not do so hot on my practice test last weekend (67%) and am consistently performing at 65-70% on random chunks of 20 MCQs.

It was all clicking last week (or so I thought) when i was rewriting my notes and didn’t think this would be an issue. I have heard Jeff say on numerous occasions that we should not study for more than 8 weeks due to “diminishing returns”. My question to my fellow Ninjas is should I reschedule the exam to next week or make a drastic adjustment in the last couple of days before the test.

Thanks for the input.

FAR - 85 (CPAExcel with Ninja Notes), 71 (CPAExcel)
AUD - 79 (CPAExcel w/Ninja Notes)
BEC - 77 (CPAExcel w/Ninja Notes)
REG - July/August 2013, 74 (CPAExcel w/Ninja Notes & NO COFFEE during the AM test!)

[jeff]

Rule #1: Don't do practice exams – they're pointless and tell you nothing (others will wrongfully disagree 🙂

Keep going…keep pounding MCQs and take your exam

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[Fading Novel]

Thanks Jeff. It's been a Royal Rumble with all those MCQs so I'll continue to do those and hopefully I will be the last one standing in the ring after it's all done.

FAR - 85 (CPAExcel with Ninja Notes), 71 (CPAExcel)
AUD - 79 (CPAExcel w/Ninja Notes)
BEC - 77 (CPAExcel w/Ninja Notes)
REG - July/August 2013, 74 (CPAExcel w/Ninja Notes & NO COFFEE during the AM test!)

[smp73]

You can do this. DO MC until you want to puke. Have faith in yourself and I completely agree with Jeff….practice tests are pointless.

NYS CPA License # 113563
CIA: Done as of 2/15/14

Training for a half marathon post studying!

[D]

I agree with Jeff on the Practice Exams.

I used to do them until I saw him comment one time (similar to this comment) that they are a waste of time. Makes perfect sense though… Why spend your time hammering through 72 questions, then 7 sims, only to have to wait until after to go back and see what you got right and wrong. Time better spent is reviewing them as you go.

Better yet, if you really want to see your weak points, do a quick 30 question pop quiz and poll where your weak points are. Then do non-stop in those areas.

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AUD - 74, 77! (1/2016)
BEC - 80! (5/2016)
REG - tbd (8/2016)
FAR - tbd

Study materials: NINJA MCQ/Audio/Notes

"I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!"
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[Anonymous]

I would never do a practice exam. I almost rescheduled FAR 2 days before I took it because I was doing so poorly all of sudden on mcqs. I was distraught and completely miserable. I knew I'd studied all that I could. I decided to just take it and expected a retake. I ended up with an 86. Don't psych yourself out. Keep doing the mcqs. If your using Becker I think the progress tests are great. They pin point your weak areas and then just keep hitting those.

[ORcpaHOPEFUL]

I guess it depends on the practice tests… The Wiley ones I take online (came with my Roger review course) help a lot because they tell you if you got the answer wrong right after and you can guess again (but don't get that point obviously). I really like this and take it about five times right before an exam in between rewriting my Ninja Notes! I would agree they are pointless if you take the kind that doesn't show you the right answer until the end though- by that time you don't care what the answer is! Haha.

FAR: PASSED!! 64, 68, 79 on 2/27/13!
AUD: PASSED!! 73, 93 on 4/5/13!!!
BEC: PASSED!! 75 (phew) on 5/24/13!
REG: PASSED!!! 77 on 8/7/13 I AM DONE!!!!!

Experience: got it!
Ethics Exam: PASSED on first try (what a waste of money)

[MintsRGood]

I agree that grinding through a full practice test to then have to go back, grade it, review it, etc. is not efficient…but it does give you a taste of what kind of mental stamina you'll need to grind out the entire exam on test day if you are a newbie. It's one thing to fire off 30 questions in your PJ's on the couch or in your home office where you are comfortable, but it's an entirely different experience when you take your laptop to the library or a spare conference room or cubicle at work and put yourself thorough a full dry run practice exam. If you are newer to the exam process, I think it's very important to go through this exercise at least once so you know what you are up against and will have a measure of your pace in test mode (too fast, too slow, you get the point). 1-2 dry runs can help…any more full practice exams than that is a time waster! And if you are more of a “seasoned” test taker, like myself (I hate auditing), then I 100% agree that full dry run practice exams are pointless.

Don't reschedule…this is not your first rodeo so don't let that score spook you…keep banging out MCQs and RTMFQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will crush it on Friday!!!!!!! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[Anonymous]

I think that the Becker practice exams are good because they have brand new questions. I actually have never heard of the practice exams being pointless!! BUT if I think about it, I did have a great score on my 2nd practice final exam on FAR and ended up with a 73 on the real thing! To answer your question, I absolutely think you should take the exam on Friday! You have studied a lot and remember that the real exam is NOT that bad if you've study!!

[jeff]

Practice exams are pointless 😀

– No instant feedback

– Psychometrics not used

–Can make you over-confident

–Can make you discouraged

– Overall, a waste of 3-4 hours

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[jsmithsae]

I am going to have to agree with Splinter…i mean Jeff on this one.

BEC-75!
AUD-84!
REG-78!
FAR-83!
Ethics-Passed!
Experience-Got that too

Used Becker 2013 Self-Study & NINJA 10pt Combo Lite(AUD)

[jeff]

I'm more like Casey Jones 🙂

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[surfer4life949]

When I was studying for REG, I was consistently getting anywhere from 65-75% in the Wiley Test Bank doing new questions each set. It kind of made me nervous, but doing new questions definitely helped me understand everything.

B-85 OCT 2012
A-84 NOV 2012
R-90 JAN 2013
F-89 AUG 2012
Ethics-92 (3rd try)

I am DONE BABY!!!
Used Roger 2012 + Wiley + NINJA Notes

[Author]

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