[Princesskimber]

It’s been a very about two years since I have posted on this forum. Even though I check in on a regular basis to get motivated and inspired.

Here is my story…Two years ago I started this journey. I took BEC and failed miserably. Then I refocused my energy into REG. Big failure! I decided to give up my CPA dream altogether. No more studying, no MCQs, I was free to enjoy the weekends. However I was always interested in how everyone was doing with their journey. After visiting this forum, I was motivated to give BEC another try. Paid NSBA and selected a test date. In the meantime I switch jobs and was my test date expire. I was done with this roller coaster ride.

At my current job, a coworker passed all the section on the first attempt. Argh!!!! If he could do it why couldn’t I. At this point i was determined. I signed up for AUD. Armed with a new study plan I had a date with AUD. I listened to the lectures, took notes. I combined Becker and Ninja notes into a format that was easy for me to understand. For WTB, I took 30 MCQs for each section until I receive a score of 75% or better. For any questions that I got wrong, I researched to get better understanding of the topic.

The test itself wasn’t easy or difficult. Walking out of the test center, I felt confident that if I failed it would be by several points. I was so disappointed and frustrated when I received my score. Another EPIC failure! I thought my study plan was rock solid. Now I am not sure what to do. I have BEC schedule in November and I’ve only started studying.

Seriously reconsidering this CPA journey. Do i have what it takes for these tests? Anyone out there in a similar situation? What did you do to to rebound back? Maybe I need a study partner to go through this together.

Any suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks

[KADFC]

I'm not sure if I'm in a position to say this, but shouldn't you be focusing on one subject at a time instead of jumping around so much? BEC -> REG -> AUD -> BEC. Are you just testing the waters or something?

Not sure if anyone else agrees with me, but taking MCs over a month doesn't work. On the last week, you probably will forget all the MCs that you did on the first week. That's why on the very last week, it's best if you start cramming as many MQs as possible. Keep it fresh. I'm not saying you shouldn't do MCs until the very last week, but don't count on that to help you, much.

FAR - 62 (10/2/13), 50 (5/30/14)
AUD - 73 (10/30/13), 66 (5/6/14)
REG - 69 (4/8/14)
BEC - 66 (2/27/13), 73 (4/21/14)

[KADFC]

I'm not sure if I'm in a position to say this, but shouldn't you be focusing on one subject at a time instead of jumping around so much? BEC -> REG -> AUD -> BEC. Are you just testing the waters or something?

Not sure if anyone else agrees with me, but taking MCs over a month doesn't work. On the last week, you probably will forget all the MCs that you did on the first week. That's why on the very last week, it's best if you start cramming as many MQs as possible. Keep it fresh. I'm not saying you shouldn't do MCs until the very last week, but don't count on that to help you, much.

FAR - 62 (10/2/13), 50 (5/30/14)
AUD - 73 (10/30/13), 66 (5/6/14)
REG - 69 (4/8/14)
BEC - 66 (2/27/13), 73 (4/21/14)

[tough_kitty]

“30 MCQs for each section”?!?!

I did ALL Wiley MCQs for each section at least 3-4 times even if I got over 80% on my 2nd try – I revisited them a few weeks later to make sure I still remembered the material! So total of 1,200 MCQs x 4! Not just 30….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

“30 MCQs for each section”?!?!

I did ALL Wiley MCQs for each section at least 3-4 times even if I got over 80% on my 2nd try – I revisited them a few weeks later to make sure I still remembered the material! So total of 1,200 MCQs x 4! Not just 30….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[barelystayingsane]

For myself personally, I would try to set a higher standard than 75% for the WTB questions. I would shoot for 80% or 85%, ideally 90% (although I know WTB can have very tricky questions) or better. If you're scoring 85% average on WTB, it's very clear that you have a firm understanding and there's no reason you shouldn't pass.

[barelystayingsane]

For myself personally, I would try to set a higher standard than 75% for the WTB questions. I would shoot for 80% or 85%, ideally 90% (although I know WTB can have very tricky questions) or better. If you're scoring 85% average on WTB, it's very clear that you have a firm understanding and there's no reason you shouldn't pass.

[barelystayingsane]

@Princesskimber can you clarify on the number of MCQs you did? I had assumed that when you said “section,” you meant 30 questions for each of the separate modules that WTB tests on for each exam (for example, Engagement Planning for AUD). But if tough_kitty read that correctly and that was for each exam, then yeah, that's nowhere near enough MCQs unless you're also doing the Becker ones.

[barelystayingsane]

@Princesskimber can you clarify on the number of MCQs you did? I had assumed that when you said “section,” you meant 30 questions for each of the separate modules that WTB tests on for each exam (for example, Engagement Planning for AUD). But if tough_kitty read that correctly and that was for each exam, then yeah, that's nowhere near enough MCQs unless you're also doing the Becker ones.

[tough_kitty]

I actually understood it the same way as far as sections for specific topics under each exam. But 30 is still low number if for some sections they give you over 100 MCQs to practice on!

I was wondering if she meant 30 or maybe 300??

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

I actually understood it the same way as far as sections for specific topics under each exam. But 30 is still low number if for some sections they give you over 100 MCQs to practice on!

I was wondering if she meant 30 or maybe 300??

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[Anonymous]

I read it as taking 30 MCQs at a time for each section until they got 75% or better on the section, not that they only did 30 per section. I do sets of 30 for each section after I read the chapters. Once I get to 75% for a topic I move on to the next chapter. The next time I sit down to study I do a set of 30 for the sections I have already done and make sure I'm still maintaining the 75% for each topic then start another chapter. During the last week or two of review I do sets of 60-90 covering all the topics to make sure I'm still retaining everything I had down previously. Then I start to just test on the items I got wrong in the last week. I did this for BEC and passed on the first try. I scheduled my exams too close together and didn't get through all the material for my first round with AUD and failed. So far I'm scoring in the 80s and 90s on 4 of the 8 main topics and I still have a month to go before my retake.

[Anonymous]

I read it as taking 30 MCQs at a time for each section until they got 75% or better on the section, not that they only did 30 per section. I do sets of 30 for each section after I read the chapters. Once I get to 75% for a topic I move on to the next chapter. The next time I sit down to study I do a set of 30 for the sections I have already done and make sure I'm still maintaining the 75% for each topic then start another chapter. During the last week or two of review I do sets of 60-90 covering all the topics to make sure I'm still retaining everything I had down previously. Then I start to just test on the items I got wrong in the last week. I did this for BEC and passed on the first try. I scheduled my exams too close together and didn't get through all the material for my first round with AUD and failed. So far I'm scoring in the 80s and 90s on 4 of the 8 main topics and I still have a month to go before my retake.

[Author]

Replies