[Anonymous]

Looking for feedback. I am currently using Becker to study for REG. I have no complaints but feel like it may not be sufficient – I have already memorized many of the answers. I am thinking about buying Gleim’s testbank for supplementing (I will definitely buy Gleim’s SIM Wizard, at least for REG). Is there anyone else out there who has done this? I think Gleim’s approach to review is very different from Becker’s, so I don’t know if that would help or hinder me. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I can say that Gleim is more than sufficient by itself. I have not used Becker so I can't compare the questions. Gleim is very different from what I can tell – 20 units per section, and Gleim focuses a lot more on the “why” than Becker. I see a lot of tricks I don't like with Becker, like “pick the lowest answer” or “pick the most restrictive answer” and Gleim is only focused on the reasons the question is correct or incorrect. I have heard people say that Gleim questions are harder than Becker.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the feedback! The setup for Gleim is different, right? Like only do random selections of MCQs instead of plowing through them in large batches?

[Last Chance CPA]

Gleim is much harder than WTB and Ninja, I can assure you that much. I am averaging very low on Gleim. Half the questions are unnecessarily long and difficult. I guess it's like a baseball donut (Gleim)…when you get to the plate (Prometric), you will hit it out of the park…

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

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

[Last Chance CPA]

@ErikaG28 – I do “customized” quizzes of 20 or more at a time. I find 20 MCQs are optimal. I choose only those that are found on-line, because I am working the book separately. I was doing non-tax to get them out of the way, but now I am selecting “all”.

I am averaging an awful 68%, and it's my 5th time 🙁

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

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

[Anonymous]

Gleim suggests you do the MCQs in sets of 20 and that was mainly what I stuck with. I did longer tests occasionally if I wanted a more representative sample of how I was doing over one or more chapters, but primarily studied in sets of 20 after Dr. Gleim set me straight. 🙂 So if you've done the first and second MCQ, the TF, and read the book and watched the audiovisual (not in that order), keep doing random MCQ tests of 20 each on that chapter until you do well.

My exam rehearsals were usually low to mid 80s. I'd take them 2 weeks out instead of 1 and use those 2 weeks to REALLY drill down on weak areas.

[rp 12]

@ErikaG28 – Gleim has 20 chapters all across the part. I am a Gleim user, and used it to pass AUD, and now am preparing to give BEC on 7/24 using Gleim. They have the largest test bank in the CPA Review market. Also, it is hard MCQ's compared to others in this industry. I felt it prepared me well for AUD. See if you can also get SIM wizard.

"Success in life comes when you simply refuse to give up, with goals so strong that obstacles, failure, and loss act only as motivation"

AUD: 68, 62, 77✔ (expires 10/31/16)
FAR: 53, 48, XX (retake 6/16)
REG:
BEC: 53

[Skynet]

If you see my scores under my Sig, those passes are all from Gleim. I didn't have much luck with Wiley's or Lambers. I surely was not having any chance in Hell with Bisk for sure.

[jeff]

Does Gleim still put EA and CMA adapted questions in their CPA Exam test bank?

[Skynet]

I wish I could answer that Jeff. All I know is that their format for each of their test banks is pretty much similar with the same customization ability.

[Last Chance CPA]

I wouldn't know what EA and CMA questions are, but Gleim gives no indication that they use either…

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

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

[jeff]

According to this post – they're still in there ( https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/gleim-3#post-709749 ).

NINJA is loaded with only AICPA-licensed questions, so if other vendors have more difficult questions, my assumption is that they are adapted from other exams, which aren't within the scope of the CPA Exam.

Using the above baseball analogy – practicing with the “Hard” AICPA-licensed questions is the baseball donut.

Practicing with EA questions is warming up in the on-deck circle with a steel pipe full of concrete.

Helpful for bodybuilding? Sure.

Hitting a Baseball? No.

[Anonymous]

I agree that the EA questions are uncalled for but I only know of one for sure that Gleim used. My post was based on what you told me about Gleim using EA and other sources in addition to the single question I had asked them about. I found maybe 5-10 questions out of 2500 for Gleim REG that were unreasonably difficult (the other sections were okay). Honestly, I found roughly the same % of incorrect questions using Ninja. I think Ninja MCQ is a great product and worth the money despite the very low error rate so I am not complaining. I also think Gleim is awesome despite the very low unreasonably difficult question rate.

I have asked several questions re: Ninja and have yet to hear back months later, but I defend you every time someone puts up one of those annoying “ninja sucks” thread because it's a darn good program for the price, nobody's perfect, and that error rate translates to not even half a point.

Continuing the analogy, bear with me because I know nothing about baseball, but I think Gleim's difficult questions are more the equivalent of practicing for a 90 mph curveball when your pitcher is, well, me. (I think pitchers throw the balls, haha?)

Of course, these are my subjective interpretations!

[jeff]

If you emailed me and asked me a question about a possible error and I didn't respond, then that's my fault completely, and I apologize for that.

Curious: In your 2015 REG materials (Jan-May exams) – what is the Section 179 expense deduction listed?

[Ag12thman]

I have several friends that have passed with Gleim and highly recommend it. I came close to going with them.

FAR: July 2016

[Anonymous]

It happens to all of us, it's not a big deal, and I think anyone starting a thread calling you a name because you missed an email or two is uncalled for and classless. I still tell everyone $47 for Ninja MCQ is a killer deal. And this forum kept me sane many long score-release nights.

Their limit was $2M if I remember correctly. I remember Ninja had a different limit.

[Author]

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