[D]

Brutal.

This was my 2nd attempt, after failing pretty bad back in Dec.
T1- Medium
T2- Hard
T3- Medium/Easy (so that probably means I didn’t do so well in T2)

(I will say I feel like NINJA MCQ prepared me well for the MCQs though.)

The sims were so much harder than I’d experienced in Dec though. Even the research question… and I usually nail those (I consider myself a black belt when it comes to finding/researching info).

However, the other 6 sims, really difficult computation and complexities. I’m seriously worried. I have until August to pass this one and REG (I start studying for REG now, and take it in 2 weeks). I was trending 74% with NINJA going into this, which I know isn’t ideally high, however I’m hoping I don’t have to find out what it’s like to take FAR in Q2.

Anyone have a horrible experience and end up strong?

… Gosh I hope the CPA Gods are in my favor this quarter!

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AUD - 74, 77! (1/2016)
BEC - 80! (5/2016)
REG - tbd (8/2016)
FAR - tbd

Study materials: NINJA MCQ/Audio/Notes

"I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!"
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[cwlanders]

I took FAR on 2/6 and just got my score back last night which showed I got an 83. I walked out pretty confident on the MCQ's but knew I bombed the multiple choice questions and told everyone I was for sure going to have to retake FAR. I agree that the sims this time felt multiple times harder than the ones from December. When I got a 74 on FAR in December I actually got stronger on the sims than others that passed, but this time I thought I was going to get in the 60's because of the sims. I was trending at 70.6% on Ninja which wasn't great either.

It sounds like we are in very similar boats. I also have until August to finish up and I will be taking REG March 10th to hopefully finish up just before the new exam is released. The CPA gods were in my favor this time so hopefully they give you favorable treatment as well! Good luck!

BEC - 91 (2/29/16)
AUD- 74, 74

[D]

Congrats @cwlanders!! And good luck with your REG studying and test. Hoping the we both fare well this quarter and can be done!

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AUD - 74, 77! (1/2016)
BEC - 80! (5/2016)
REG - tbd (8/2016)
FAR - tbd

Study materials: NINJA MCQ/Audio/Notes

"I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!"
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[Anonymous]

FAR in one word? RIDICULOUS. It was one of the dumbest tests I've taken in my life. But, at least it sorta told me what I needed to do in the future.

[jereumie]

As far as I know, there is only medium or difficult. If you think that you have difficult in the second and medium in the third, I think you should still have chance depending on your performance on sims.

When I took it, I felt like it was not as bad, and the sims were okay. I was expecting somewhere betwee 80-85, but I ended up with 81.

[Anonymous]

I've never heard of anyone passing all 4 parts in one window. If you pull that off, while working full time, then you belong in the CPA Hall of Fame.
Better you than me!!

[Anthony]

How are people determining a hard/medium testlet? I know that you start at a medium. but makes it a hard? Is it because you didn't know the material or because it was a not a heavily tested area?

I've look at the released AICPA from both medium to hard and can't seem to decipher the difference.

[hira.balal]

i am struggling.. help

[Anonymous]

Everyone gets a medium testlet of “relatively easier” questions as their first testlet. If you get X number of the questions correct, you'll get a “harder” second one – and you should notice that the questions are more complex than those of the first. Or, you might not find the questions harder because you know the material so well. I THINK the third testlet will be another “easier” one if you don't happen to answer enough of the ones in Testlet #2 correctly. But, I've also heard that if you have “Hard” Testlet #2 and #3, you don't have to get as many of those questions right in order to have a strong MCQ component score. If you're good on MCQ, you can do badly a few of the SIMs, or leave them blank, and still pass. There was one guy on here who said he left four SIMs blank and still got a score in the 80s. Although, there's no way to know if he actually did leave four blank. There are plenty who pass who leave a SIM or two blank and it means that their MCQ was strong. NOW…with the new version of the test coming up, there will be fewer MCQs. 72 instead of 90 for FAR and REG, and like 60-65 for AUD and BEC I think. The AICPA was getting wise to the fact that too many people were acing the MCQ by clever guessing/intuition, and they're tightening the belt on that now. Which is probably good. The real world is not about multiple choice questions. Then again, the SIMs aren't real-world either but they often come a little closer to it, even if the format of some of them just sucks beyond belief.
Returning to your original question though…. In my case, I got three easy testlets on FAR. The questions never got any harder. They actually got easier as the test went on. In that case, I would have had to knock it out of the park on the SIMs in order to pass, and that didn't happen. I knew I'd flunked even before I did the SIMs. But, it's not over until it's over!! Finish the marathon, even if you're the last one to the finish line.

[CPA so close, so far away]

Took far on 1/12/16. I was 100% confident I bombed FAR. I knew there was no way I passed. Ended up with an 89. Don't beat yourself up before your get your score in hand.

[kschroe2]

@TXCPAGAL12 I had a similar experience as you. I had a medium testlet, then what seemed to be a much harder testlet, and then got a much easier testlet on the 3rd (to the point where I laughed cause they were super simple so I knew I screwed up the 2nd). When I got to the sims I felt like they were way more complex, and on topics that I wasn't expecting. I had two sims where you just had to do computations and I could have sworn I got 0s on both of them since I didn't know how to even go about them since they were so complex. The other sims I felt like I got maybe half of each one correct (a lot of IFRS rules I did not know). I walked out of there for sure I failed.

Just found out and I ended up with a 79! So definitely stay positive while you wait, you just have to do better than the average!

[CPA8675309]

@jereumie, can I just say that you're my hero/heroine? I don't think everybody can pull of all four sections in one window so you should feel proud. For example, it took me what feels like ages to get through the material in FAR. What's been your secret for preparing so quickly? Do you concentrate only on MCQs and sim practice?

Oh, FAR in one word: Torture.

[jereumie]

@CPA8675309

My only motivation to do all 4 parts because I did not want to deal with all the changes in Q2. Also, I knew someone who passed all 4 in one window while working fulltime. SO I figured if she did it, why not me? So I thought I give it a shot.

I spent 1 month studying for FAR, 3 weeks for BEC, 12 days for AUD, and 4 weeks for REG. I decided to give less time on AUD becuase I audit.

For all 3 parts I have taken so far, my emphasis was to know the concepts, but rather understand than memorize. It will all come to the mind and therefore, solve the problem when you see what you understand in a question form. So, I can tell you straight. I did not do any mcq's besides the mcq's that Roger goes over in the lectures (about 10-15 questions per chapter).
I went through the lectures in full once, while taking thorough notes. But like I mentioned, I spent most of the time understanding. I did not memorize anything.

Then, about a week before the exam, I started reviewing the notes. (except for AUD. I just did not have any time to review because I was so short on time).
If my notes are vague, I went back to the book. If I still didn't understand, I watched the lecture again. I did not do any questions until the last couple days to the exam. I spent some time doing questions. (For FAR, it was a little different. When I was reviewing, I did about 10 questions per chapter).

In total, for FAR, I only practiced about 300 questions (there were 32 chapters or so). For AUD and BEC, I only did 90 questions in total. On the top of that, I did not practice ANY SIMS.

I emphasize again, if you know the material, you shouldn't have problems while solving the problem. This was my approach. And so far, it worked.

I hope this helps 😀

[jereumie]

@CPA8675309

Thank you,

If I could share my story a little bit, the only motivation I had was because I did not want to deal with all the changes in Q2, plus I knew someone who passed all 4 in one window while working fulltime, so I figured if she did it, why not me. So, I thought I give it a shot.

I studied 1 month for FAR, 3 weeks for BEC, 12 days for AUD, and 4 weeks for REG. I decided to give less time for AUD because I audit.

My approach is very different from most of the people. I spent most of the time learning and understanding the materials. I watched the entire lectures (I use Roger and Roger only) while taking good notes.
I spent time to understand, not memorizing, because in the end, they do all make sense.
I was always thinking if you know and understand the material, you should have no problem solving the problems.
At this time, the only questions I did were the ones on the book that Roger goes over (10-15 questions per chapter). I spent 0 time on doing any MCQs on my end.

Then, my last week before the exam would be my review week (except for AUD. Having only 12 days were just barely enough to cover all the lectures and materials. So I had no time to review). I read through the notes I took, then if some notes are vague or nothing comes to my mind, I referred to the book. If the book still does not get me understood, I watched the lectures again. But usually, it will come back in time.

Couple days before the exam, I spent some time on MCQs. I did about 10 questions per chapter (for FAR, I did 10 questions per chapter as I was reviewing. For AUD and BEC, I did questions on the last couple days). In total, I did about 300 questions for FAR, 90 questions for BEC and AUD. (FAR had about 32 chapters, and BEC and AUD had about 8 – 10 chapters).

As you can tell, I spent minimal time on doing MCQs. PLUS, I SPENT 0 TIME ON SIMs. I can assure you since my approach worked, if you know/understand the materials, you can solve the problems.
My scores aren't the highest in the world, because my prep time was just so little to fully know and study everything, but hey, I passed three so far in a month and half.

To wrap up, my emphasis is UNDERSTAND the material rather than memorizing. It will all come to your mind when you see the key words in the question, and you will be able to solve it.

I hope this helps. 😀

[A]

@jereumie, that's very impressive. I envy your ability to digest the concepts so quickly. 🙂

B - 77 (2.27.16)
A - 81 (4.18.16)
R -
F -

Roger Review + Ninja MCQs

[Anonymous]

There seriously needs to be a step-by-step publication written (broken down by each day) about how to pass the CPA exam in one testing window while working full time. After all, “If I can do it, you can too”! Sort of.

[Author]

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