Yes, you can pass without practicing Sims - Page 5

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  • #190949
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Just wanted to make this post for anyone thinking they don’t have a shot because they didn’t go through the sims for one reason or another,

    for all three parts, I didn’t practice sims and ended with passing grades. Granted they were not in the 90s, but still enough to pass.

    My strategy was to review CPAExcel materials, do the MCQ after each section (did not watch lectures, just read book), and then use Jeff’s most given advice –> do MCQ religiously.

    I’m not saying sims are useless, since they help you gain a better understanding. However, if you’re tight on time, forget the sims, and focus on MCQ !!

    Good luck to all

Viewing 9 replies - 61 through 69 (of 69 total)
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  • #636213
    marti1nd
    Member

    @M.O.D – 3K questions to pass FAR with a 91 is very impressive in my opinion.

    When I took the exam, I practiced a few sims just so I could know the kind of questions they could ask as well as the format.

    Chances are the sims you get on the exam are not going to be anything like the ones that you practiced while studying which is the opposite of MCQ's. Most MCQ's that you practice for review will show up on the exam in some form or another.

    BEC: 10/2013 71
    AUD: 12/2013 75
    BEC: 02/2014 89
    REG: 05/2014 86
    FAR: 11/2014 81

    #636214
    marti1nd
    Member

    Also, this discussion can be applied to any part of the exam.

    I work with people that have passed Audit without studying for example. Another one of my co-workers passed BEC on a weekend of prep and the other three sections on two weeks of prep (he wasn't working at the time).

    The exam is different for everyone, some people find the exam incredibly challenging (like me) while others don't at all.

    BEC: 10/2013 71
    AUD: 12/2013 75
    BEC: 02/2014 89
    REG: 05/2014 86
    FAR: 11/2014 81

    #636215
    jeff
    Keymaster

    New for 2015: You can't pass unless you've downloaded the NINJA Study Planner

    https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-study-plan/

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

    #636216
    Martin
    Participant

    This is the definition of Webster when it comes to intelligence=

    a (1) : the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations : REASON; also : the skilled use of reason(2) : the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one's environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria (as tests)

    I see this thread is going on and on because someone got offended because another individual mentioned that this exam should be more challenging and it does not test your intelligence. As the above definition says Intelligence is the ability to assimilate and understand new information. If that is the case, lets check the following scenario=

    CPA Candidate A started studying for this exam in Jan 2014 using Becker, and by the end of second window (5/31/14), he had finished all 4 parts. This means that it took him about 5 months.

    CPA Candidate B started studying for this exam In Jan 2014 also using Becker and by 11/30/14 he has been able to pass only 2 parts.

    Is it safe to say the candidate A is more intelligent than candidate B?

    If we go by definition, and since we don’t know their background, we would have to say that candidate A is a lot smarter than candidate B, and since it was so easy for him to assimilate information, he is destined to also be more successful in his career than candidate B. As a matter of fact candidate B should just quit while he has a chance. He won’t be successful anyway, he is not that bright.

    Now lets look at their background to see if the above reasoning still holds. Candidate A had the same GPA as candidate B,but he just finished his Bachelors in Accounting. Candidate B finished his bachelors 10 years ago, and never tried to take the exam when he finished college. Candidate A was working 9 to 5 while candidate B works form 9 to 7. Candidate A has no kids as he is only 23 years old, and has no other responsibilities. Candidate B has 2 kids that demand his attention 7 days per week. Candidate A was studying 5 hrs per day and 20 hours on the weekend for a total of 45 hrs per week. Candidate B was studying 2 per day and 10 hrs per weekend for a total of 20 hrs.

    Now with their background explained, can we still say that candidate A is more intelligent than candidate B? The fact that candidate B finished college 10 years ago could play a role here? The fact that he has 2 kids could also play a role?

    Bottom line is that there is no way to really decipher here who is more intelligent than the other person just by comparing who finished first. There are just to many variables. The individuals who are not that intelligent are the ones that could not retain enough information to pass the exam, and those are not even on this forum cause they already gave up. To me the really bright individuals are the student who received the Elijah Watt Sells Award. . More than 94,154 individuals sat for the Examination in 2013, with 55 candidates meeting the criteria to receive the Elijah Watt Sells Award. One of those guys might be your boss in the future, and they are the perfect definition of intelligence. Also, if English is a language you learned 3 years ago, and you take the CPA exam and pass it then that you might be smarter than you think. I don’t see myself learning German in 3 years and going to Berlin to take their equivalent of the CPA exam. I would have to go toe to toe with a German candidate, hell no!

    Through God all things can happen!

    “You never fail until you stop trying.”
    ― Albert Einstein
    When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
    “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

    FAR= 72-84
    Audit= 73-82
    BEC= 74-75
    Reg=77

    #636217
    Rocky123
    Member

    @martin

    Thanks for that post. I hold the same view point as well. I couldn't have said it better myself.

    The tallest oak in the forest was once just a little nut that held its ground.

    AUD-PASS
    BEC-PASS
    REG-PASS
    FAR-PASS

    Rocky123, CPA

    #636218
    ScarletKnightCPA
    Participant

    @ M.O.D 12,000-15,000 mcq for all sections of the test, including 1 fail, fail coming from when I spent over 3 months reading the book and far less time cramming mcq.

    So given my work schedule, and the fact that I was taking MBA classes and studying for my MBA at the same time as studying for the CPA, what worked best for me was cramming MCQ. Me taking longer to read the textbook took too much time away from MCQ. 4/4 times that I took this strategy I passed the exam. Recall that a 75 is not a 75 percentile, so I am inclined to believe that it is less random luck than people seem to believe.

    And for FAR it was more like between 2,000 – 3,000 MCQ, I did more questions for the other sections.

    Far: 76 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Aud: 77 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Reg: 61, 76 (Wiley book, Wiley Test Bank)
    Bec: 86 (Wiley Test Bank)

    MBA in progress

    #636219
    ScarletKnightCPA
    Participant

    @ M.O.D No I wouldn't say that we are expert teachers but I wouldn't say the the review instructors are experts in how students learn neither, plenty of them recommend obscene amount of study times such as 4 or more months.

    Correct me if I am wrong but I believe that the Ninja method actually has simulations as a small part or non-existent part of the study outline as well.

    Far: 76 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Aud: 77 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Reg: 61, 76 (Wiley book, Wiley Test Bank)
    Bec: 86 (Wiley Test Bank)

    MBA in progress

    #636220
    Martin
    Participant

    Thanks Rocky!

    ScarletKnightCPA, this is the experiment I would love to see if it works. Can one pass these exams by just doing MC questions and reviewing the ones you got wrong? I think this would save a lot of time,but I dont see myself doing it since I dont know if it will work.

    Through God all things can happen!

    “You never fail until you stop trying.”
    ― Albert Einstein
    When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
    “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

    FAR= 72-84
    Audit= 73-82
    BEC= 74-75
    Reg=77

    #636221
    ScarletKnightCPA
    Participant

    Yes, that's what I did and plenty others have done so it's very possible although maybe not recommended. It might depend on how strong and fresh your existing foundation is however.

    Far: 76 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Aud: 77 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Reg: 61, 76 (Wiley book, Wiley Test Bank)
    Bec: 86 (Wiley Test Bank)

    MBA in progress

Viewing 9 replies - 61 through 69 (of 69 total)
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