[Excel14]

Anyone using Gleim, can you tell me if the Gleim SIMs are comparable in difficulty to the actual exam SIMs? Or, are the SIMs just more difficult than practically any you’d see with “any” study software? Just curious.

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[Excel14]

Bump…

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[nolan3387]

VERY similar. I use Gleim and I have nothing bad to say about it. I think it prepares VERY well. I have not used any other study software, so I can't really compare it to other materials. I have downloaded some apps on my iphone that have quizes, and I can say the Gleim ones are WAYYYY more similar to the CPA exam than those.

Have you taken a section yet?

AUD - 87
FAR - 82
BEC - 75 - Danced with the bubble and I won!!!!
REG - 73, 80

[Tarheelgirl]

I would agree. I am using Gleim and did every single SIM in the FAR book for my second try and passed. Their SIMS are defiantly similar to the exam. I have also seen some of the same SIMS in NINJA MCQ.

FAR - 46, 79 (7/8/14)
AUD - 56, 59, 2/23/15 3rd times a charm!
BEC - 69, 74 Really??
REG - April, I hope. Fingers crossed!

[Excel14]

@nolan3387: No, haven't taken any exams yet. Taking FAR in October (18th).

@Tarheelgirl: Good to know. When you say “FAR book”, do you mean Gleim Online SIMs?

PS: Just a footnote, but on my first pass through each of the Gleim units, I'm not scoring real well on any of this stuff (my personal counselor says it is to be expected). The counselor also told me not to keep doing MCQ over and over until reaching the 75, since Gleim plans on changing that in their study plan. My counselor stated that it is more important to stay on track with the units, and hit it heavy during a final review. I'm also only averaging overall, around 66%-70% on the SIMs, after about 6 units in. I sure hope I improve, and in a hurry. lol

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[nolan3387]

@Excel14 – That was about my average and I got an 82. To be honest, I feel like the Gleim questions were a little harder than the CPA exam sections. You also may need to tweak your routine to fit your study chemistry. For example, the way I did a unit was: 1) read section and take notes

2) do quiz questions in back of book

3) take MQ1

4) take T/F

5) take MQ3

6) SIMs

I know this is a little different than they suggest, but I tweaked it to where I felt I could learn the material the best. I also did not do this all in one sitting either. I usually did reading/notes/book MC one night, then the quizzes and SIMS the next afternoon at work. I took the notes because once I made it through the entire guide, I would go back a review my notes and do the quiz in the back of the book. That was my way of reviewing, as well as taking their comprehensive quizzes.

The great thing with Gleim is that the M/C and SIM format is EXACTLY like the CPA exam. When you sit for the exam, it looks and feels EXACTLY like a Gleim quiz/SIM. Just keep at it. Don't be discouraged about the scores your getting. If it was easy, EVERYONE would be a CPA 😉

AUD - 87
FAR - 82
BEC - 75 - Danced with the bubble and I won!!!!
REG - 73, 80

[Excel14]

I haven't taken extensive notes, but I do sometimes print out MCQ I get wrong, and scribble some notes as to why I got them wrong. Everyone sings the praises of taking notes, but with all of this material, it is very tough to find the time. I'm sure you can identify.

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[nolan3387]

I completely agree. The only reason I got in the habit of doing it was because when I finished my book, the only way to really go back and review was to read the chapters again. I didn't want to do that, but at the same time I didn't want to just keep taking quizzes. your way of printing off what you don't get and making notes will work great when it comes time to review. I just wanted something to be able to go back and “review” other than taking a quiz. Some of their quizzes don't cover everything in the chapter.

When I take notes, I don't write everything down. I try to only write down the things I may not understand, or I may have a hard time remembering. I usually only have 1-2 pages per unit. Then the night before exam/day of exam, I just sit and go through all my notes from each chapter. It is only about 40 pages, so it doesn't take a long time.

Like I mentioned earlier, everyone has a different way of going about it. I just wanted to share mine. You probably have a completely different way of learning and that is fine. The goal is to try and figure out what works best for you, and go about it that way. I know with Gleim they try to tell you the best way to go through the sections, and that doesn't work for everyone. Just keep plugging away at it.

AUD - 87
FAR - 82
BEC - 75 - Danced with the bubble and I won!!!!
REG - 73, 80

[Excel14]

Oh, I completely agree, and appreciate the tidbits. I am sorry if I came across harsh, since that wasn't my intent at all. I may very well regret not “finding the time” to take even minimal notes per unit; it's just that for right now, it is all I seem to be able to do, to keep up with the material in front of me. lol

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[nolan3387]

Didn't come off harsh at all. I think you are definitely on the right track. Once you get through all 20 units, go back through the notes and questions you got wrong from quizzes. This will help tremendously in the review process.

Good luck 🙂

AUD - 87
FAR - 82
BEC - 75 - Danced with the bubble and I won!!!!
REG - 73, 80

[Skynet]

I am using Gleim right now and their sims are just like the CPA exams.

[Excel14]

Good to know there is another person (Skynet), who claims that the SIMs from Gleim are similar. I realize that any test can have those “WTF” questions, but at least it's comforting to know that they are representative.

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[Tarheelgirl]

I did all the SIMS in the Gleim book. I am sure some of the same SIMS are online.

FAR - 46, 79 (7/8/14)
AUD - 56, 59, 2/23/15 3rd times a charm!
BEC - 69, 74 Really??
REG - April, I hope. Fingers crossed!

[Tarheelgirl]

I have yet to really see any MCQs that I have not recognized some of the language. Gleim is very detailed unlike some other review courses.

FAR - 46, 79 (7/8/14)
AUD - 56, 59, 2/23/15 3rd times a charm!
BEC - 69, 74 Really??
REG - April, I hope. Fingers crossed!

[Skynet]

Some of Gleims mcq's are extremely long too. They want you to budget 1.5 minutes per questions but with some of these long ones it takes at least that amount of time just to finish reading it and when you have to do multiple steps to solve he problem it takes even longer.

[M.O.D.]

@skynet

It is true, but I think the objective is to get it down to 1.5 minutes after you've practiced the steps a few times.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Author]

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