[Wannafree]

Hi FAR Gurus
I appeared for FAR on 10th March and felt I am a slow exam taker.I knew most of the MCQ ( 80% MCQ were calculation type ).Yes every next testlet was wordier and longer,I knew all those MCQ and tried my best to solve as fast as possible but took too much time ( 3H and 10M ).When I was in 2nd testlet I could smell the fail .
I want to know how to improve the speed ? Any suggestions is welcome and appreciated.Some of you finished the FAR MCQ in 2 hours ,please share how you managed it ? Last time I was engrossed in covering the wide topics of FAR and couldn’t imagine the disaster due to time management.When I do NINJA MCQ my average time is 1.10 Minutes.
I am desperately looking for ways to finish my MCQ in 1.45 hours as next time there will be 2 more SIMs and 18 less MCQ.
Thanks in advance

[Anonymous]

Other than continuing to practice MCQs over and over so you are familiar with the format and nature of the questions on test day, I would also recommend to try reading the last sentence of the wordier problems first BEFORE reading all the details. That way when reading through the question you will know what information to look for and which information might be irrelevant. This technique can be used for any test.

Look forward to hearing other ideas as well.

[Jdn9201]

I agree with Brickell – read the last sentence first, even in non calculation problems. Roger pounded this point in his lectures because they like to sneak info into a question to distract you. One of my other tips is never ever flag questions. Flagging questions is one of the biggest time sucks in the exams. You spend more time refreshing your memory on what the question is about and you second guess yourself out of right answers.
I would also say don't be afraid to take a break either after one of the testlets. It sounds counterintuitive but taking breaks really helped me maintain rapid fire focus. I took a break between every test let and still finished the mcqs in about an hr 45.

BEC - 88 8/29/15
REG - 82 11/14/15
AUD - 83 1/8/16
FAR - 80 2/29/16

[Wannafree]

Thank you Brickell and jdn9201 .15 Minutes break is allowed now so that's a good thing.All suggestions well noted.Liked this tip of reading the last line first.

[LJGIbbs]

The second I come to a longer problem or one that looks math intensive, I flag it and go back to it. I like to keep the momentum going during exams, so I answer the shorter, easier questions first. I don't even bother with anything else till those are done.

I finished the MCQ in FAR in about 2.5 hours and took two breaks (I'm also a fast test taker).

[Wannafree]

LJGibbs ,2.5 hours ? that's not even in my dream.Eager to know more.How much time you normally take for one SIM ? Do you allocate the time for each SIM or keep solving as don't have time constraints.

[LJGIbbs]

I spent about an hour on the Sims. I found them much more challenging than the MCQ and I'm pretty sure the sims are what brought my score down.

I think a did a couple sims straight through, then bounced between the remaining ones. Also had time to use the authoritative literature.

Again, I've always been a fast test taker though.

[Stilgoin]

My goal was to do each MCQ testlet in 45 min- but I usually did it quicker. I stuck to my schedule. I would write down on my boards what time I was supposed to be finished for each section and made sure I complied. This technique also keeps you from panicking. Letting one or two questions go is so much better than being panicked for the last two hours. Roger CPA has an excellent lecture on how to do the SIMS- his way is how I always did mine. Do the easiest sims first and work your way to the hardest. I would hit the research first, but sometimes if it was too hard to find, I would move on and come back later. The research can eat a lot of your time if you are not careful. I also alotted a certain amount of time for each sim and tried to stick to my schedule, just like the MCQs.

The main thing on MCQs is doing so many that you know the material and can get through them quickly. Also, when studying, do sets of 30 (or however many now) so you are accustomed to doing them the same way you do on the exam.

B | 62, 78
A | 73, 67, 79
R | 82
F | 59, 59, Waiting

Ethics | 93

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
~Winston Churchill

“In a world full of critics, be an encourager."

[Wannafree]

@Thanks Stillgoing,points noted.
@LJGibbs thanks ,you are fast takers but that tells me it's possible to do in 4 hours.

[Author]

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