[Adidas Slogan]

Just got my audit score and ended up not passing. The worst part is I completely bombed it after going in prepared and coming out confident. I’ve taken FAR and AUD and got below a 50 on both. It just feels like I’m doing something completely wrong, like my sims score didn’t count or I missed a whole section. I really thought I would have gotten at least a passing grade on this one. Anyone else absolutely bomb thier first exams and come back to pass? I suppose I’ll take audit again in January and try to pass. Just feels like I should be scoring in at least the high 60s.

I’m using lectures and WTB to study, running through tons if MCQs and SIMs so I felt super prepared.

Any tips or help would be greatly appreciated. Congrats to all who passed

AUD - 5/30/14

[tarheeljosh]

@Adidas Slogan, for what it's worth, I've taken a different approach to studying than most and it's worked for me so far (3 tests, 3 passes). Everyone was telling me, “Do THOUSANDS of MCQs and SIMs and you'll get it”. I figured out pretty quickly (about week 2) while studying for my first test that I was learning the questions rather than the concepts. Since then, I've really focused on taking excruciatingly detailed notes during the lectures, doing the assigned MCQs and SIMs with the teacher during the lecture and understanding it before I let the video keep playing, intensely reviewing my notes and REDOING only the assigned MCQs and SIMs, but focusing on WHY the answer is right and why the other options are wrong. That's it. I've got access to Wiley Test Bank and the rest of the questions in the Wiley Text book, but I've chosen to focus on the concepts and drive them home with the assigned questions rather than trying to be vaguely familiar with every question available to me.

One thing I've found to help on my last 2 sections (REG and AUD) is using an app on my ipod to record myself teaching my notes while I'm reviewing. That way, I have to review the material well enough to teach it and then I have my notes in audio form to listen to in the car and the day of the test.

I know that goes against conventional wisdom, but that is what has worked for me and hope it may be useful for you. In a nutshell my advice would be (1) make sure you're putting in enough FOCUSED hours to learn the material (2) make sure you're learning the concepts rather than just the questions you're answering. Good luck and stick with it!

And the great adventure begins...

FAR- 82 (5/2013)
REG- 83 (8/2013)
BEC- TBD
AUD- 85 (11/2013)

James 1:2-4
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

[tarheeljosh]

@Adidas Slogan, for what it's worth, I've taken a different approach to studying than most and it's worked for me so far (3 tests, 3 passes). Everyone was telling me, “Do THOUSANDS of MCQs and SIMs and you'll get it”. I figured out pretty quickly (about week 2) while studying for my first test that I was learning the questions rather than the concepts. Since then, I've really focused on taking excruciatingly detailed notes during the lectures, doing the assigned MCQs and SIMs with the teacher during the lecture and understanding it before I let the video keep playing, intensely reviewing my notes and REDOING only the assigned MCQs and SIMs, but focusing on WHY the answer is right and why the other options are wrong. That's it. I've got access to Wiley Test Bank and the rest of the questions in the Wiley Text book, but I've chosen to focus on the concepts and drive them home with the assigned questions rather than trying to be vaguely familiar with every question available to me.

One thing I've found to help on my last 2 sections (REG and AUD) is using an app on my ipod to record myself teaching my notes while I'm reviewing. That way, I have to review the material well enough to teach it and then I have my notes in audio form to listen to in the car and the day of the test.

I know that goes against conventional wisdom, but that is what has worked for me and hope it may be useful for you. In a nutshell my advice would be (1) make sure you're putting in enough FOCUSED hours to learn the material (2) make sure you're learning the concepts rather than just the questions you're answering. Good luck and stick with it!

And the great adventure begins...

FAR- 82 (5/2013)
REG- 83 (8/2013)
BEC- TBD
AUD- 85 (11/2013)

James 1:2-4
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

[xindyblue]

@Adidas Slogan

First of all, I'm sorry for the outcome. I'm waiting for my AUD score (IL) so I'm probably not the right person to give advice yet, but here is what I noticed.

I studied AUD with Becker, and whether it's Becker or Wiley, their MCQs are typically much harder than the actual exam questions. HOWEVER, while I was taking the actual exam I realized that they (AICPA) try really hard to word each MCQ as tricky as possible, for most of it. You mentioned you were well-prepared, so there is a strong chance that you made your decisions too quickly during the actual exam, without **CAREFULLY** reading each question and selections.

I've taken REG (84-Passed), BEC (85-Passed), FAR (68-Retake), and by far AUD exam's wording is the most trickiest IMO, and I almost wanted to punch the monitor during my exam since I could see the examiners' faces on the monitor laughing at me.

Just go out and do some deep breathing (I do this all time when I'm stressed), or go to a gym and hit a sandbag for like 2 minutes. Have some good rest for now.

Other than that, good luck with everything!

p.s. I mean tricky wording for the multiple choices, not the wording for actual question itself.

[xindyblue]

@Adidas Slogan

First of all, I'm sorry for the outcome. I'm waiting for my AUD score (IL) so I'm probably not the right person to give advice yet, but here is what I noticed.

I studied AUD with Becker, and whether it's Becker or Wiley, their MCQs are typically much harder than the actual exam questions. HOWEVER, while I was taking the actual exam I realized that they (AICPA) try really hard to word each MCQ as tricky as possible, for most of it. You mentioned you were well-prepared, so there is a strong chance that you made your decisions too quickly during the actual exam, without **CAREFULLY** reading each question and selections.

I've taken REG (84-Passed), BEC (85-Passed), FAR (68-Retake), and by far AUD exam's wording is the most trickiest IMO, and I almost wanted to punch the monitor during my exam since I could see the examiners' faces on the monitor laughing at me.

Just go out and do some deep breathing (I do this all time when I'm stressed), or go to a gym and hit a sandbag for like 2 minutes. Have some good rest for now.

Other than that, good luck with everything!

p.s. I mean tricky wording for the multiple choices, not the wording for actual question itself.

[littlenumberrobot]

@Adidas Slogan – Audit is very easy to start memorizing the questions in MCQ's. For my fifth and final showdown with Audit I took a different approach and watched videos, took notes, read Wiley, took more notes then did the MCQ. And I used the same Wiley Test Bank as my prior tries, just waited until I solidified my knowledge better.

CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

(Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

Ethics 90%

[littlenumberrobot]

@Adidas Slogan – Audit is very easy to start memorizing the questions in MCQ's. For my fifth and final showdown with Audit I took a different approach and watched videos, took notes, read Wiley, took more notes then did the MCQ. And I used the same Wiley Test Bank as my prior tries, just waited until I solidified my knowledge better.

CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

(Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

Ethics 90%

[Adidas Slogan]

@tarheel thanks. Definitely going to focus on more of the concepts. I felt strong on the sims more this time tha.n far but they can ask anything so maybe more of a focused effort on the topics will help.

@xindy. I felt so confident because I was scoring 80 percent on the quizzes and exams a I had a form grasp on the information. I read all the answers, and knew the reason why the other 3 were incorrect so I felt good about knowing the most complete answer. I feel like I'm missing something. Because I'm scoring so low after studying every night for a couple months. I appreciate the knowledge, definitely hitting the gym tonight.

@ little number. Yeah I agree. I definitely did some of that, but after I would go trough in my head why the others were wrong. I definitely need to take more notes it seems, I take notes during the lectures but maybe writing them again would ingrain it in my head.

Thanks guys

AUD - 5/30/14

[Adidas Slogan]

@tarheel thanks. Definitely going to focus on more of the concepts. I felt strong on the sims more this time tha.n far but they can ask anything so maybe more of a focused effort on the topics will help.

@xindy. I felt so confident because I was scoring 80 percent on the quizzes and exams a I had a form grasp on the information. I read all the answers, and knew the reason why the other 3 were incorrect so I felt good about knowing the most complete answer. I feel like I'm missing something. Because I'm scoring so low after studying every night for a couple months. I appreciate the knowledge, definitely hitting the gym tonight.

@ little number. Yeah I agree. I definitely did some of that, but after I would go trough in my head why the others were wrong. I definitely need to take more notes it seems, I take notes during the lectures but maybe writing them again would ingrain it in my head.

Thanks guys

AUD - 5/30/14

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