Nessie,
I failed FAR by two points and here's what I can share with you to maybe help you to pass using Becker.
Becker is a fine for taking and passing the exams. I've passed my exams using Becker almost exclusively. Their self-study stuff is not amazing by any means but it's certainly a viable study material to take and pass the exams.
Here's where I failed to plan for success. I had one more chapter to thoroughly review before I sat. Maybe two, but I saw exactly zero questions on the chapter I glossed over. The day before I knew that I needed another two or three days to keep working. But we all know the likelihood of me rescheduling from 2/27 to 2/29 on 2/26 would have been very very slim. And I felt very good about my general preparedness going into the exam.
After missing audit by one point (and then like six points the 2nd time) I altered my exam strategy. That is how I take the actual test. I try to have two hours to answer the simulations. I got pretty close to that goal with this last test which helps me quite a bit from the mind-game perspective.
From the standpoint of studying the Becker material. I go through the multiple choice questions almost exclusively. I think we'd chatted about the complete and utter waste of time it is to go through the lectures with a highlighter working the text as if it's an adult coloring book. Moreover, I would set a plan to have reviewed ALL chapters before the exam day at least once comprehensively and a second time less so.
I unfortunately got stuck on a few chapters early on for far too long and conversely didn't have enough time at the end to cover all the material thoroughly. And the chapters I missed had comprehensive or simulation questions at the end.
Lastly, the format of the exam changed slightly. One of my simulations was very confusing. It was asking a question that had to be answered with a number. However, the data displayed on the page had no numbers. It took me a lot of precious time to discover that this question had three tabs at the top of the page:
(1) The question
(2) The authoritative material
(3) The data to answer the question
I was in a slight panic when this happened which did not expedite my ability to locate the other tab to answer the question. I was so confused I tried putting “less” and “more” into the boxes and the computer was all like:
“Uh, no buddy, this needs to be a number”
So then I was all like:
“But there are no numbers to calculate the numbers here!”
I figured it out and answered the question but it also wasn't clear if they wanted the amounts entered as positive or negative amounts which I 2nd guessed myself on as soon as I got in the car and started heading back.
I'm mostly over the fail now. But I am pissed at the stupidity of these exams. It's a racket, it is a very painful process and I'm just fed up with the Jedi Mind Trick B.S. of all of it. I don't know who NASBA, the AICPA or any of these other fools think this test weeds out.
But it does not keep the public safe. I would argue as a whole it makes things less safe to have all of us wasting an immense amount of creative mental energy studying for these tests. And then to get a test that happens to be focused on a few of your weak spots when the person next to you taking the same section of the exam might get lucky on a few of their guesses and studied less than you and were less prepared and they happen to pass.
And that letter you get in the snail-mail to tell you you failed is insulting and worthless. You're provided as close to no actionable information about how you did on the exam as possible. Why bother sending this? It's useless, wastes paper and postage.
I've already rescheduled for May 23 and I will pass it that day. The only silver lining to this whole process that I can find right now if that any other standardized test I ever take will seem easy relative to this.
Good luck everyone-
Aud 74, 70, 78
BEC 76
Reg 83
FAR - February 27, 2016
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