[Renz Benton]

NINJA Question –

This was my 4th attempt at the exam. I got a 46 a 57 and a 40 then passed with an 80.

I only used NINJA MCQ’s this time. In the past I watched yeager videos which for me was a waste of time.

I did not make it to the review stage, I still had 336 missed questions. I logged 141 hours and had 2349 total question attempts.

My average score was 56% and my average trending score was 71%.

I took it one section at a time. Answering all the questions…right or wrong I took notes that I could use to correctly answer the question the next time I saw it. After about 5 questions I would have enough notes that I could use my notes to answer the rest of the questions in that section. I did this for all the sections and It took forever about 4 weeks.

After my first run at all the MCQ’s I had answered about 50% of them correctly. Then I went back to the first section, reviewed my notes and took 5 questions from each section (the ones I got wrong on the first pass) It only took a few days.

At this point it became crystal clear which sections I did not understand so I spent about a week taking MCQs from the sections I had the lowest average trending score on. Once I got down to the last 600 missed questions I realized that they were the hardest questions.

With these final “hard” questions/sims I would answer them then reflect. I would walk away from the computer and go over the concept in my mind. I would ask myself questions like where does this go on the financial statements? What would the JE’s be? How would this transaction look from the buyers/lessee’s perspective? How would this transaction look from the Sellers/lessors perspective? Who would this information be relevant to? How would this transaction get into and out of the books? WHY? Then I reviewed the same question 2 or three times in a row memorizing the process/concept/formula/definition/fact (NOT the question and the answer its self) until it was second nature.

The week before I took the exam I only studied the “major” sections (the ones with the most MCQ’s). I strait up scrapped the sections I simply could not “get” and mastered the sections I understood. I took as many of the Sims as I could in the two days before the exam.

I scored “Weaker” on the MCQ’s and “Stronger” on the Sims to my surprise.

In hindsight If I were to do it again I would start with the Sims. I feel like they force you to have a strong understanding of the overall concepts. I would pick a handful of the most in depth MCQ’s and Sims for each section and review them over and over and over again.

Final Note: Some of the MCQ’s and Sims (in NINJA and on the actual exam) are trick questions that in my opinion are so far off the general concept that they confuse more than reinforce. There comes a point where you realize it takes so long to “get” the point that they do not expand or strengthen your understanding. There is a difference between hard questions that make you learn and hard questions that waste your time. I look for these and scrap them asap. Id rather blow a question on the exam that reaches a little to far then lose time on a few questions that I can think my way trough and get right with the extra time.

[IwannabeaCPA2017]

Thanks OP! Nice Job, this actually give me some hope that it is possible to pass despite getting in the 50's/60's. Now hopefully on my 4th attempt I can boost my score like yours.. heck I'm not even asking for that 40pt jump just give me half or whatever it takes to a 75! 🙂

[seju52179]

Same.
After the 2nd fail, I just did MCQs and studied questions that I got it wrong.
and day before the test, I just read my hand written notes.

[Earla Riopel (NYCARE)]

That's a big jump @RenzBenton! I need at least half of that 40 of yours, after my 2017 Q1/Q3 results.

Started purchasing Ninja products since Jan 2015. I should have been ahead in 2015/2016 with FAR, if I have taken advantage using Ninja products, as main MCQs/SIMs materials, instead of being supplementary in the last 2.5 yrs.

Well enough regrets. I am using Ninja MCQs/SIMs computer app and related products for my 2017 FAR Q4 exam and onward. It will be fun. So looking for the next exam already.

Sad to let go my older Becker/Wiley notes. But I think it's time to concentrate on Ninja materials, or my situation won't never change. Tired of getting 50s/60s.

Having the right materials at this stage is so crucial. The 18 months threshold has started almost two days, no time to waste.

I got the ‘Sniper' Ninja package. Thanks for sharing your CPA exam experience, especially using the Ninja products. It gives us more confidence on what we are studying.

[Lentilcounter]

@Renz Benton

Going from a 40 to an 80 is quite impressive. Congrats!

How much time passed between your third attempt with a 40 and your final attempt with an 80?

At what point did you switch to sims? Last week before the exam? Also, were you using NINJA sims? I struggle with the DRS simulations which I haven't seen in Ninja.

Thanks.

BEC = 72 (6/08/16)
FAR = ?
REG = ?
AUD = ?

[IwannabeaCPA2017]

@seju, I wished the MCQ worked for me, but it didnt. I think I did more MCQ this round but again I prob was memorizing answers and doing it for the sake of doing it and wasn't fully learning. Def need to reevaluate my study method for this section and set a game plan. Should there be a target % I should hit? I was struggling to go pass 60% on my recent attempt.

[Someday_I_will]

I used only Becker. Sims were so different on the actual exam. I would recommend to study the presentation of all actual statements…

REG - 75

[Renz Benton]

@lentilcounter
It was well over a year I took FAR in 02/2016 (40) and failed worse than the previous time I took it (57) 05/2015. I started taking the sims the last week I was studying this time.

For clarity I studied Sep 1 for 5 hours, Feb 2 through 4 for about 10 hours a day only reviewing my notes and working sims (just NINJA its all I could afford). I slept all day the day on Sept 5 because I was physically and mentally exhausted. I wanted to study but I was just done…like to the point of being sick done. On the day of the test 1:30 pm I slept/laid in bed till like 1 and rushed over to the prometric site…

[Renz Benton]

@iwannabeaCPA

For me passing the exam was due to doing well on the sims. So I would shoot for 75 to 80 on the average trending scores for each section MCQs and SIMS but ultimately the overwhelming difference was my general understanding of the concepts. So while I may have had a 60 or 70 for my average trending score I spent so much time on only the few questions that helped me truly understand the topics that the scores for that section were a moot point.

Don't let your studying lead you down a path where you try and master every situation conceivable. Find the questions/sims that take you through the steps you need to nail the concept. Going back to these questions will speed up the process of re-understanding the concepts.

[panic]

Congrats, that's awesome! Thx for sharing your tips

[Wannafree]

Wow what a jump !! Congrats man and sharing tips.It gives hope.It's really good to know that someone did better on SIMs.

[Wannafree]

@Renz,it's amazing you did better in SIMs,can you please share how you attempted those questions ,like email memos and DRS under time constraints ? My case is different , I know the concept and know the SIMs but get overwhelmed with amount of information to scan and after 2-3 SIMs I get panic and start rushing and guessing.I mock test I do better but in exam just failing.

[Author]

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