[728daniel]

Becker Question –

So after my first not-so-great practice exam which can be found here https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/reg-practice-1-need-advice/, I decided to take the 2nd practice exam. And here are my results.

Testlet#1 24/24 = 100%
Testlet#2 23/24 = 95%
Testlet#3 19/24 = 79%

SIMS#1 100%
SIMS#2 100%
SIMS#3 67%
SIMS#4 100%
SIMS#5 20%
SIMS#6 100%

I thought during exam#1 I kinda rushed through the exam and didn’t check any of my MCQs answers and had 1.5 hour left. However, same thing happened during 2nd exam. Every first go of every question I was able to come up with an answer and at the end I still had 1.5 hour left again. Exam is scheduled for 8/26. What are your thoughts guys? What should I be doing at this point. I think my week areas are in bankruptcy (preferential transfers in particular) and estate and trust (what and when is taxable and all that..)

Any advice guys? Thanks!

[reallytired]

I'm studying REG right now too and I'd say you are doing way better than I am! How are you studying? I am doing decent in blaw but still having a rough time with tax stuff. I think someone in your previous post mentioned that you add about 10 points to your Becker score and that is what you will most likely get on the exam, so you are probably in a great position! I would just spend the next week going through your weak patches.

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[728daniel]

@reallytired

Nice to see someone suffering with REG too. nonono jk. I have been doing progress tests and re-reading the notes I wrote. On top of that I also search online for more reg questions to practice.

Yeah..I heard about the 10 point bump but wasn't sure if that was true. I mean with BEC my actual did come out about 7 points higher than Becker but I feel like this could easily go either way. When is your exam?

[Trele6]

I think you will be fine with practice scores like that. I got a 65 on Becker and an 87 on the actual test.

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[reallytired]

I took FAR last month (find out score on Tuesday) so I don't know if the 10 point bump is true in all cases! I hope it is because I scored a 64 on my final exam with Becker (which I unfortunately rushed through because I wanted to see my grade) so there is a slight chance I passed.

My exam is 9/2, so I am finishing up with the rest of blaw stuff today and tomorrow and then I will be reviewing my notes and redoing the mcq. I plan to take a final next Friday to gauge my progress and then probably take one the Tuesday before my exam!

I would say you are at a pretty comfortable spot for REG and to just spend the next week doing exactly what you said you are doing: practice tests and reviewing notes!

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[Trele6]

@reallytired If you are struggling I would make sure you know the tax part better than the blaw part. If you don't get the tax bit, I don't know if you can get a passing grade.

For Blaw, make sure you know the 1933/1934 stuff pretty thoroughly, agents, commercial paper, and ethics/professional responsibilities. If that is all you know for Blaw you can probably squeak out a good bit of points and let the tax part get you over the hump into a passing grade.

It will be unlikely that you get a SIM on Blaw also.

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[728daniel]

@trele6

WOW…a 20 point bump? Did you take the MCQs times 60% and SIMS times 40% when you came up with the 65 Becker score? I am literally shocked by it.

What do you think of Becker in preparing you for REG? Are the sims similar in terms of length and difficulty? During the 2 practice exams I always had 1.5 hour left…This makes me think if I should spend more time on the MCQs. But at the same time I don't want to leave not enough time for SIMS…

@reallytired

I am sure you passed FAR. No worries. I kinda wish I had taken that first instead of doing it last lol. It looks like you are taking a Becker exam when I go take the actual haha. Keep each other posted!

[reallytired]

@trele6, Yeah I plan on focusing most of my efforts on tax stuff. I scored somewhat decently on the homework the first time around for tax (usually around 70-80%) but blaw I have scored around 80-100% on all the homework.

Unfortunately the 1933/34 stuff is currently my issue, I have been getting confused on them so I plan on going back and laying out the differences and similarities of the two! Thank you for the advice though, I appreciate that! I will continue to look at agents, commercial paper, and ethics as well!

I think the worst part of tax for me is the personal tax stuff, I get confused on what is above the line or below the line for AGI. I might just reread the whole chapter.

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[Trele6]

@728daniel I think I forgot to do the 60/40 split. I just added up all correct answers and divided by the number of questions and it came out to 65%. I thought Becker did a great job on REG, it was my best score so far. However I will say my test avoided a few of the topics I absolutely did not want to see. I didn’t know AMT, FARM, or M1’s very well and didn’t need luckily. I felt the SIMs were challenging, but not unbearable. I nailed the research question also. I think I had over an hour left also. I do MCQ really fast. My averages for all four topics is 33 seconds per question. I just took Audit and did 90 MCQ’s in 64 minutes. I’ve finished every test with over an hour to spare.

@reallytired, if you are doing that high of an average on Blaw you are probably fine. Just make sure you remember and keep doing progress tests with it so it stays fresh. I think I saw somewhere that you are not using Becker. I think Becker had a pretty mnemonic for the above the line versus below the line if I remember correctly.. Don’t recall off my head but you can probably search and find it I would hope.

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[reallytired]

@728daniel Yes I am glad I took FAR first because I had a lot more motivation to study than I do now! Fingers crossed I passed because I truly do not want to open that book back up. Have you already taken AUD?

Ah you are right! We will both be testing at the same time. Yes let's check back in a few weeks to see how our experiences went, good luck, I know you will do great!

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[728daniel]

@reallytired

Becker doesn't have mnemonics for above/below the line items but on this forum someone had created one.
SHIT IM ASS DOPE for above the line adjustment to get to AGI
S = student loan interest
H = health savings account
I = IRA
T = Tuition and fee deduction
I = Interest early withdrawl penalty
M = Moving expense
A = Alimony paid
S = Self employed health insurance
S = Self employed contribution plan (Keogh)
D = Domestic production
O = One half self employment tax
P = Paid attorney fee
E = Educator expense

COMMITT for below the line itemized deduction
C = charitable contribution
O = Other miscellaneous
M = Miscellaneous subject to 2%
M = Medical expense
I = Interest
T = Taxes
T = theft and casualty

[reallytired]

@trele6 I am using Becker! I wonder why I don't remember the mnemonic, I will go back and try to find it because I love all of the mnemonics they give us, it is the only reason I felt confident about the governmental stuff in FAR.

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[reallytired]

@728daniel Hahahahaha I LOVE the above the line mnemonic!!! Thank you so much for showing me this, I am about to write it down and memorize it!!

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[728daniel]

@trele6

Ahhhh That explains it but I think after all the 10 point bump still holds true in your case. Glad to hear that sims aren't unbearable. As far as the research question is concerned, how did you tackle it? Do you search for the key words in the questions? Do you use advanced search?

@reallytired

No I haven't taken AUD yet. I plan on studying that after REG and take it the first week of October before leaving for training (I start KPMG 9/28). Yeah I know…that means FAR, supposedly be the hardest, is during work haha. What a smart move!!

[reallytired]

@728daniel Oh how funny, that is exactly my boat too! I start at Grant Thornton on 9/26, take AUD 10/1 and leave for training 10/2! We truly are in the same boat. I have heard nothing but great things about KPMG, my old roommate started there this week and already loves it. Yeah that is why I took it first, so I only actually have to study BEC while working (if I pass them all the first time).

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[728daniel]

@reallytired

lol this is really funny. like we couldn't even have planned it this way if we tried. I have AUD 10/1 too haha. Let's beat this beast together!

[Author]

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