[ncjm304]

My thought process on SIMS has been that the best way to prepare for them is through studying the material and doing MCQ. However, the Sim Wizard on Gleim seems like it could be a good purchase. I feel like for REG the Sim Wizard could be pretty helpful. Anybody ever used this and thought it was worth the money? I am reluctant only because I don’t know how much time I want to spend working on SIMS and don’t want it to be money down the drain if I don’t use it enough.

AUD- 71,79
BEC- 72,77
FAR- 83
REG- 63,71,83

DONE!

[Anonymous]

SIMs are always a crapshoot. That said, I used Gleim for everything and thought it prepared me very well. Very high quality material. I had the full package, which is all the MCQs, books, and 2 SIMs per unit (times 20 units). I do think it's worthwhile to practice SIMs instead of just practicing MCQs, although I always practice the MCQs for any particular unit before I work on the SIMs. For AUD, I had one SIM on the actual test that was exactly like one in the Gleim software. I can get 90s on all my MCQs for a particular chapter and still get a 55 on the SIMs. They ask different questions or the same questions in a different way, which trips me up. I much prefer to be tripped up studying than on the actual test!

Even if you don't get similar SIMs on your test, if you treat the SIMs in Gleim like they are the real test, you will become much more proficient at finding the answers you need in the authoritative literature/IRC/etc. when you don't know the answer. I find that on the real test, they often come out of left field and so I'm heavily relying on my ability to quickly navigate and find the answer I need. Gleim is laid out exactly like the real thing.

[Anonymous]

I used Gliem (that I purchased) in conjunction with Becker (that my firm bought). Becker's videos and books were better, but Gliem's MCQ bank and progress tracking tools were way better than Becker. As far as sims, waste of time. I didn't practice a single sim other than a few minutes learning how to navigate the sims for the exam and did perfectly fine on them. You either know the material, or you don't. If you understand the material on at least a minimal level conceptually and aren't just memorizing, you'll be fine.

[Last Chance CPA]

Gleim is looking pretty good for attempt #5 for me. The only thing with Gleim, that's different from other MCQ/SIMs banks, is that it is much harder…almost unnecessarily harder.

For example, the Child Care Credit – I don't think it is necessary to know the 35%-20% $2000 per percentage point phaseout for a child care credit based on earned income. The exam doesn't test that level of detail (esp phaseouts). So you just gotta feel out what you need to learn.

Of course, I have failed 4x, so what do I know 🙁

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[Last Chance CPA]

@coloradoit – congrats on finishing! I know that you had a scare with the CO requirements changing…glad you finished. Wish us luck on attempt x.

BTW – Do you agree with my assessment of Gleim above? Did you study phaseouts – e.g., child care credit?

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[Skynet]

My tip – If you guy are trending well on the mcq's, then I suggest you guys just practice on the Sim's especially the last week or two. Don't worry about the mcq's. I did that for both AUD and REG and it worked. Gleim really does mirror the CPA exams.

I said in another thread before. The Sim's are just a different way of asking the same questions using the concepts that you have learned. Make sure to understand the explanations on the ones you got wrong.

Gleim may be very detailed and long but it does help you understand the concepts.

[Anonymous]

@Last Chance, thank you and GOOD LUCK! Only one more to go for you!

Funny you should write that… I have written that on pretty much every recent Gleim review, but I did not here since it was specific to SIMs. I agree 100%. My biggest problem with Gleim is that they test phaseouts and things that are not or should not be on the actual exam for REG. I kept going back and forth with them. I'd ask if we needed to know phaseouts and was told no, they would be given. Then I'd hit a MCQ question that has phaseouts and I'd ask specific to that question and was told yes, I should know them. It was driving me crazy because they're all but impossible to memorize. I finally asked Jeff on here and he listed out a few he felt like we should know (I'll have to find the link).

In my humble opinion, definitely know how much the credit is worth (% of expenses incurred, $x amount per kid, etc.) but don't spend too much time on the phaseouts. I tried to memorize the phaseouts that hit a rounded AGI # (ex: I think rental phases out at $150k) but not the ones that were $117,289 or some crazy # like that. I had a few questions for which phaseouts could have played a part but only one where I really doubted my answer. For the others, I felt comfortable that they were under the limit (ex: I had a vague idea that a phaseout for a particular credit starts at around $180k and the question was up to $140k).

[Anonymous]

I found it: https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/cpa-exam-study-advice-from-elijah-watt-sells-award-winner-shulem-rosenbaum

[zoctoman]

The best thing about practicing simulations is the time you will save wondering whether or not you should be practicing simulations? Think about it….even if people attested to passing without practicing simulations, you would always wonder whether or not you should be practicing them. If you do not practice them, you will most likely be intimidated by simulations come exam day. Let's say you have a difficult simulation, you may not have done any better if you had practiced sims, but you would be wondering whether or not you are doing poorly because you did not study simulations….

Get the peace of mind(and confidence). practice at least a handful of simulations, and save time wondering whether or not you should actually do them!

Audit(11/5/13) - 89
Reg(5/16/14) - 86
FAR(7/18/14) - 82
BEC(11/14) - 85

[Last Chance CPA]

@Coloradoit – Gleim is very detailed, and I will have to figure out what phaseouts are important, and what is too much. I think, having taken it 4 times, I kind of know that numbers and phaseouts are not an issue. I don't get the conceptual stuff needed to put me over the hump…

@Zoctoman – I plan to study every SIM on-line and in the book for TAX only. I think that, 3 days prior to the exam, SIMs will be my primary focus.

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[Anonymous]

What conceptual stuff do you need help with? The forum here is great, and I'd like to help if possible. Gleim sometimes does not explain enough of the “why” to help you understand the “what”.

[Last Chance CPA]

@coloradorit – Thanks for the help. It's just that my overall conceptual understanding is lacking. As I am not an accountant, and didn't really take a solid tax class, I am struggling. Tax is not logical, as there is a lot of memorization, and I keep mixing up basis (and FMV) for corps vs. partnerships vs individuals. I think I need to create a table. I think it is basically Individual and Entities Taxation that I need to beef up on and pray for good questions on exam day.

I am thinking about getting Roger Cram. It's all about getting enough in my head for a 75 like I did for the other exams.

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[Author]

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