[Anonymous]

NINJA Question –

Just want to make a public service announcement.

If you are planning on taking REG using NINJA only and you DO NOT have an MST or average-heavy background in tax, you will not pass the new version of the exam.

NINJA REG is not nearly detailed enough to prepare you for this exam. The new SIMs will destroy you regardless how many NINJA MCQs and practice exams you take.

There may be a few exceptions to this who can pull out a pass (likely with a lot of luck on their side) however based on the conversations on this forum alone you can get a sense of the frustration.

Just retook REG using NINJA only and Becker free trial. I have put in at least 300+ hours and have passed both AUD and BEC within two months of each other (NINJA only), yet REG has been the challenge.

If I did pass this time around, it’s mostly thanks to the detailed and to-the-point content I studied in Becker’s free trial to get me over the hump.

Not saying NINJA is a bad course, but it is definitely outdated for the current exam. Do yourself a favor and buy Becker for REG, you won’t regret it.

It’s comparable to the REG exam wanting you to be able to build a house, and NINJA only teaches you how to draw one.

[Bourne]

Somebody just took a hard exam and is taking it out on Ninja. You could've switched review courses after the first two weeks of realizing that realistically.

[jenpen]

I took REG last month and used exclusively Ninja, as well as using Ninja exclusively the first time around for the old format (this is the only one I passed on the first try). I disagree with your assessment. I felt prepared for most of the MCQs and the simulations were not that bad. They certainly hit on a few weak areas, but that is not the software's fault. I didn't feel confident coming out of the exam, but I never do, so that's not a surprise. Also, I don't practice SIMs so I don't even know what kind of options Ninja has there. But overall, I felt like I did for every other exam I've taken this year. We will find out in a couple of weeks how well it works for the last 2 sections.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[Anonymous]

Not taking it out on NINJA. This is an objective review. I've had success using NINJA only on previous sections, however it is not sufficient for the new version of REG especially if you don't have a background in tax.

Registering to retake the exam alone is nearly $300. I recommend for anyone planning on sitting for this section to buy the Becker review as it is current and up to date including DRS and enhanced SIM practice questions, which NINJA does not. And considering SIMs are 50% of your score, that's kind of a big deal.

[Anonymous]

@Jennifer curious, do you have a background at all in tax other than undergrad courses?

The NINJA practice questions are like baby questions compared to the real deal nature of the actual content on the exam.

Maybe it's possible I could have had super difficult testlets and SIMs because I did well on the exam, but for as much time and ground covered on thoroughly practicing NINJA (even more so than I've studied for sections passed), the content on the actual exam is clearly well-above grade and requires higher order skills than what is available to practice in the NINJA review based on my experience.

[jenpen]

I do taxes at work, yes. But working on a tax return doesn't really help me more than understanding how the forms work. It's all data entry so if you're not paying attention then you won't learn. I also have a background in business law, but I seem to have forgotten a lot of it in the last 3 years so that didn't help as much as it did on the first round.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[Radez]

I did general ledger accounting, next to no overlap with tax. I didn't use NINJA, used Roger, so only speaking to your insecurity on the SIMs. I remain certain that for at least one of the SIM questions, I applied the wrong paradigm at the outset and got every section of that question wrong. My general sense was that I had failed the SIMs. I hadn't done enough work to identify the relevant criteria that would allow me to choose the right approach given the various fact patterns I encountered on the exam. I passed.

I get that the process is fraught. Just throwing this out there in the event it provides a small measure of comfort. I hope you pass.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Jennifer and Radez.

I just want to share again for those reading that I have had success with NINJA on previously passed sections, but REG only seems to be out of date.

I only missed passing it the first time by a few points, so I am hoping the fact that the exam was more difficult this time around + the amount of time I've re-studied the material that that means I did better and PASSED.

Anyway, thanks again for your thoughts guys. Just wanted to share my honest experience.

[Bourne]

Thanks for your thoughts Brickell, good to know going forward. Hoping for a pass for ya!

[Recked]

[emichelle2321]

@BrickellCPA – fingers crossed that you did pass! I sit on the 10th and am beyond nervous.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! Good luck to you too, Michelle.

I just looked up a few questions that I was questionable about on the exam. And it looks like I answered them correctly so that's a relief 🙂

Waiting on FAR and REG scores…the 19th can't come soon enough!

[VanDammage]

I thought that Ninja was great for AUD and BEC, and it helped me crush those sections. I agree though that I didn't feel like it was very helpful for the REG sims. Wiley's full course wasn't either, so I don't think it's necessarily a glaring weakness with Ninja. The only REG sims that I found anywhere that were even slightly similar to the ones on my actual exam were on the AICPA practice exam. I did find the MCQs pretty helpful for REG though.

[jenpen]

That's great to hear about BEC @VanDammage. I take that tomorrow and I've been hitting Ninja MCQs for it hoping that would be enough to get me through. Sounds like it'll give me a fighting chance at least.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[jeff]

Wow – that's a lot of blanket statements 😀

Before I respond – I want to look at your NINJA MCQ stats, but your forum email isn't showing up as a customer, so please email me.

jeff@another71.com

-jeff

[Recked]

[Author]

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