[lreynolds]

I just took Reg and Aud and did terrible on them. I’m not sure if this just isn’t the right path for me or if I need to just reevaluate. I am using Becker and have used all the resources given to me even the exam final review. I failed Reg with a 29 so I changed my study habits and was very head strong and felt good about Audit then ended up with a 26. I just don’t understand and I need advice. Is the CPA just not for me?? Should I try a different review course?? I’m studying for BEC now but I just feel lost.

[Recked]

How many MCQs were you doing?
It sounds to me like you are going through the process and doing all the steps to check the boxes off, but the information is not really sinking in.
I used to skim/read the book in college and then think I was good for the exam, but the CPA exam is not that simple.
I think you need to figure out your learning style or method, and then give it another try. Whatever you were doing is clearly no helping you retain the information.
It might be the course, and it might not.
How many MCQs and how many hours?

[Elich]

@lreynolds @recked I have the same situation. I took Audit and failed with a really low score. I was so confident when I took the exam. I did all the targeted questions with Roger and felt like I was ready.

I'm planning to read the book once again and then do ninja MCQs. Advice please?

[Hank Scorpio]

Anything in the 30's or less is basically picking B the whole exam. If your scores were that low, you didn't study much. You actually have to go through the material and just not memorize the MCQ from Rogers. Study hard and you will pass.

FAR - 10/3/16
BEC - 69 - 10/31/16
AUD - November 2016
REG - December 2016

[alloverit]

I have some really weird (but effective) advice on this. As you can see my scores were okay, but I suspect that this odd trick may may helped me at least a bit.

As I went through the material, I would pretend to be explaining it either to students (as if I were a teacher) or to a client that needed to understand. I actually did some of this out loud, lol.

I should mention that I only did this for more complex topics that I felt I understood “in the moment” but may forget later.

The idea came to me in my undergrad as I had a friend who would call me and ask me to explain things…I found doing so benefited me more than him.

Of course, this only works if YOU ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND the material. As has been mentioned, do LOTS of multiple choice questions and read the explanations. After reading the explanation, paraphrase it as if you were instructing someone else (an imaginary friend) who needs to understand. I believe such a tactic reinforces the material AND builds confidence.

Good luck

[Jimmy Dugan]

I wouldn't switch review courses yet. You can definitely do better than 26 with Becker. Hard to tell what might help without hearing more about your study routine. Regardless, you definitely have to take stock of where you are in your studies by how well you do on the practice questions (on the first attempt). It is easy to fool yourself into thinking you are doing well if you are getting questions right that you have already seen. I would not sit for another exam until you are running 70%+. Most of what I have read here says that people do around 10-15 points better on the actual exam than practice exams, and that was definitely my personal experience. If you are getting 70's and above on random quizzes, there is no way you are going to get another 20-something.

Get a test bank like Ninja or Wiley and do a bunch of practice sets. Keep practicing until you are at least getting 70%+ right on random quizzes. Any less than that and it's hit or miss. Use the Becker SkillMaster videos for explanations on all the sims.

I would just focus on 1 that you've already taken and really get after it for a couple of months.

[wombataholic]

I have some really weird (but effective) advice on this. As you can see my scores were okay, but I suspect that this odd trick may may helped me at least a bit.

As I went through the material, I would pretend to be explaining it either to students (as if I were a teacher) or to a client that needed to understand. I actually did some of this out loud, lol.

This. I took notes on the material and forced myself to reword it each time I went through it. The idea is get to the point where you know the material well enough to teach it to someone else.

Licensed CPA
Passed each section on the first try with Ninja Notes/MCQ/Audio

[74phoenix]

@Lreynolds Sorry to hear that. To improve your scores, it will take LOTS of time and money.

Graduated 05/2016.
NY CPA Candidate.
Public accounting.
FAR COMING UP 07/07/2016 !! GOD HELP ME.

[Stevie]

Maybe you just need to change your studying style.

Don't try to memorize all the info in each chapter, it's too much.

Just focus on knowing the main points of the chapter and do mcq on that subject until you feel comfortable.

[lreynolds]

@hankscorpio thank you for non judgement response it was just what i needed in such a hard time!

Everyone else thank you for all the tips and encouragement. I think it’s true I’m trying to memorize not understand fully. The explaining tip is something I will definitely try in the future.

Study routine is Monday through Friday I study about 2 hours then Sunday 8 hours doing the lecture then MCQ then sims.

[Madhav]

Hi, My score were also in lower region when I took FAR and AUD. I basically was going through materials without learning the depth of the subject matter just to feel good that i covered all the materials. Off course it didn't work. So I changed from trying to cover too much materials to focusing on one topic a time and get good grasp of the materials. Also trying new TEST bank wont harm either.

[Hank Scorpio]

@lreynolds1045 Take your time and focus on the material. Listen to your course instructors at the beginning of the courses and follow their advice. You know how you study best so take that approach to this. I'm a visual learner and writing notes work for me so highlighting the whole book didn't work for me. I didn't read AUD and BEC at all. For FAR and REG, I read through areas I was weak on. Good luck

FAR - 10/3/16
BEC - 69 - 10/31/16
AUD - November 2016
REG - December 2016

[Skynet]

To the OP – Are you taking the time to read the questions on the actual exam to understand what they are asking for?

I ask this because the actual exam questions are not exactly like the Review courses. They will change a few words around which will completely change the questions and if you don't catch it, it will cause you to mark the wrong answers.

The other thing is are you taking the time to review previous chapters of the review course and create cumulative tests from them to practice so you don't forget? This was what i did to keep the information fresh and that i don't forget. Because the CPA exams is a cumulative exam, you need to make sure you don't forget the previous materials you have learned which is why i always tell candidates to create cumulative tests for practice.

The last question I have is, are you actually understanding the material from the review course? Running through the mcq's doesn't necessarily mean you are understanding the concepts or material. Some concepts on the CPA review course will take some time for candidates to understand while some would be easy to grasp especially when it comes to questions that requires calculations.

[lreynolds]

Thank you so much everybody for all the support, tips, and advice.

@hankscorpio thank you I really appreciate it truly

@skynet yes I do understand the material but through this post I realized I am trying to memorize not actually study and go back. I really need to just change my study style to what everyone has suggested.

Last question do I finish my 150 credit hours first then try again or just try again with the tests?

[Preksha]

@Lreynolds It isn't impossible but at the same time, you need to put in a lot of effort to understand the material. Do not just do MCQ's for the sake of doing them. Go through the wrong answers and figure out why they are actually wrong and why the right answer is correct. Make detailed Notes, revise them, go through the MCQ's and SIM's and then repeat the whole process again. I knew someone who scored a 58 the first time around and a 97 subsequently in REG. Do not give up. It isn't over till it's over.

[Jack_J]

@Preksha Interesting !!!! from 58 to 97 awesome! Please help this forum by providing more details ie what was his/her studying strategy and which review course was used.

[Author]

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