[728daniel]

I have been studying AUD using Becker for about 2 weeks now and have been feeling like crap. I am now at A4 and it is seriously killing me. I understand the nature of AUD is 99% conceptual but still…the book and lectures are words after words and paragraphs after paragraphs to the point I kinda gave up on them and went with just hammering MCQs (not sure if it is a good move…any thoughts?)

Homework wise I think I am okay. First go around usually averaged a 65-70% and I learn as I do them. Second go around scores are mostly in the 80’s. Progress tests wise are in the high 80’s low 90’s. Is this a good sign?

OHHHH and the sims… How representative are Becker SIMs of the real exam? especially a4 lol. The ones in A4 are ridiculous

AUD 93
FAR 3/10/2017
BEC 87
REG 84

[Valar Dohaeris]

Tim Gearty sucks in AUD. Again, I wrote Becker. They just did not deliver the goods on the lectures and text. You could literally open up a random page and have zero clue they were talking about a non-issuer review. Turn the page, and same story.

And the MCQs with explanations like “this is the better answer”? Give me a break. The problem with AUD is you can't plug in an answer and work out the problem. There's nothing to solve for. You either know it or you don't. In a typical AUD MCQ, you can easily eliminate 2 of the answers as wrong, but you might as well flip a coin between the remaining two.

AUD - 81
BEC - 83
FAR - 83
REG - 84

CPA

Finance Manager

Experienced in Big 4 audit, regional audit, and technical accounting consulting

BEC - 85
AUD - 81
REG - 84
FAR - 7/24/16

[Larry]

Make sure you read the questions carefully on the exam. One word changes everything. The answer choices go like this:

a. 100% correct
b. 99.9% correct
c. 99.8% correct
d. 99.7% correct

It was hell. Thought I failed because of the sims as well. I was in shock when I found out I passed with an 83.

AUD - 83
BEC - 76
FAR - 78
REG - 82

Licensed in Florida

REG - 82
FAR - 78
BEC - 76
AUD - 8/27/16

[njvath]

@728daniel – my strategy the 1st time around was to attend the live courses (because I signed up for the live course before this option was discontinued in my area recently) and do the homework, review (re-do all MCQs and notes) like crazy the week before the exam. The 2nd time around, I did the Becker lectures and re-did all the MCQs until I was done with A6 then I worked backward on the MCQs until I got back to A1 (I did a few sims here and there). For FAR and BEC (which I passed on my first try) I found it essential to use flashcards but I didn't do that for AUD (regret this looking back) so I will be doing that next time around in addition to the Ninja MCQ. When I say flashcards…I mean the Becker ones (I bought them with my package) although, I did make some of my own too (especially for BEC).

Re: your question about the AUD Sims…(Without giving too much info away) No, they most likely wont ask for simple calculations. They are much more in depth. On my last AUD test I swear they mixed up the AUD sims with FAR sims.

Becker

FAR - 76
AUD - 74, 74
BEC - 83
REG - TBD

[728daniel]

@Valar Exactly how I feel. Questions with “most likely” “least likely” are really subjective and like @Papogator24 pointed out, all choices are correct but which one is the most correct one which for a English-as-a-second-langauge-er like myself, it is very difficult lol…

@Papogator24 Congratz on passing! What was your strategy with Becker AUD? Do you do all of the sims? watch all lectures? MCQs? mind sharing more?

@njvath What would you say you learned most from? by watching lectures? by doing MCQs repetitively? or something else?

AUD 93
FAR 3/10/2017
BEC 87
REG 84

[njvath]

I learn most from nonstop MCQs and flashcards but I always feel like initially watching the lectures is more helpful than just reading the chapters because it ties everything together (I know there are people here who would disagree and say to skip the lectures and just read the text because the lectures are a waste of time). I think there is value in the lectures because they usually throw in helpful scenarios or examples or other hints that help you to visualize and apply things that you wouldn't get with just reading the text.

Becker

FAR - 76
AUD - 74, 74
BEC - 83
REG - TBD

[728daniel]

@njvath I might be one of those people who would disagree….at least for AUD. I found BEC and REG lectures to be understandable. However I don't know what is with AUD. I am always lost when I try following the lecture. Maybe if I go back and watch them (after having done and learning from MCQs), it would be better. What are your thoughts on the AUD Sims?

AUD 93
FAR 3/10/2017
BEC 87
REG 84

[njvath]

IMHO I dont think that going through the Becker sims prepared me any better than the MCQs. On most of the chapters, I didn't really attempt the Becker sims until my final review. I have heard some folks say that some of the sims they've seen on the exams are almost word for word the Becker sims (obviously, they would change the #'s & $'s, etc) but I've never seen that. Especially my last AUD exam, I'd have been better off doing the FAR sims in preparation for my AUD sims…ugh. Can you tell I'm a little bitter? Surprisingly though, my first time taking AUD I did really well on the MCQs and poorly on the sims and on my 2nd attempt I did really well on the sims and poorly on the MCQ's (that is what the NASBA score reports say anyway).

Becker

FAR - 76
AUD - 74, 74
BEC - 83
REG - TBD

[728daniel]

@njvath that means you are gonna nail both MCQs and SIMs the next time you take it. I have just been reviewing/redoing a1-a4 sims/mcqs yesterday and today and so far I THINKKKKK I have a good understanding of them. AUD is funny tho. I can't seem to pull the stuff top off my head but when I see a question I know what to look for. Hopefully a5-a6 wont be too badd

AUD 93
FAR 3/10/2017
BEC 87
REG 84

[Anonymous]

Taking Audit on Oct 1st as well. Gosh yess A4 gave me nightmares for sure, especially those transaction cycles SMH.
A5 and A6 aren't that bad at all. They should go by pretty fast.
Im so scared of the sims tho, heard people are getting “far sims” on their audit exam now lol

[728daniel]

@Annie what is your strategy? Lectures? MCQs? How are you doing with the homework and sims?

AUD 93
FAR 3/10/2017
BEC 87
REG 84

[Anonymous]

@daniel Basically I watch lectures or more like just let them play (I zone out so bad as soon as Gearty starts talking lol). Don't really learn much from lectures tbh. Then just do all the HW MCQ. I feel like I learn most from doing MCQ and reading explanations. I was getting around an average of upper 70s doing HW the first time (A4 hw was like 60 tho haha). As of sims, A4 sims got me stressed out a bit lol.

[Nancy]

I've spent all day attempting to do A4……….and find myself doing anything BUT study my mind is wandering every possible place listening to Michael Brown……..ahhhhhhh

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - 78
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - 82

BEC: 78

REG: 82

AUD: February 20, 2017

FAR: January 2, 2017

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13

[728daniel]

@Annie same here. I lose focus very easily when I watch the lectures. I think so far a1-a4 I have a solid understanding from doing MCQs. Yeahh…A4 sims is a monster.

@NancyD8 A4 takes a long long longggg time. It is a lot of material with different cycles and what you should do to test them.

AUD 93
FAR 3/10/2017
BEC 87
REG 84

[Anonymous]

yeah I agree with Daniel, A4 took me the longest to get through. So many tiny details and ofcourse not being able to focus made it a lot worse haha.

@daniel how do you go about the review? how much time are you planning on leaving for that?

[728daniel]

@Annie I should hopefully have a5 and 6 done by the end of this week. I start work 9/28 so that gives me about 10 days to review. I plan on maybe looking over the flashcards to see if they are of any good. If so I would try to memorize them. I may read the book too since it may have become easier to understand after learning from the MCQs. At the same time I know I will keep taking progress tests to retain the information. Ohh.. and the practice exams. I will maybe do one the first day and the other during mid-review. How about you?

AUD 93
FAR 3/10/2017
BEC 87
REG 84

[Author]

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