[TheDeedtheGlory]

Hey all,

Not sure if this is the right place to put this but this is my first post and I wanted to share my experience with people who get it and have been there. Took FAR today and it was my first section of the CPA exam. I drove out of state for the test and studied for 7 weeks at over 40 hours a week after graduating in May. I am very lucky to have a few months without work in order to tackle what I can of the CPA sections. That is why this hurts so much, as the sims brought me down. Maybe I was too reliant on what Becker told me, maybe I should have researched what the SIMS were really like, but I just flat out ran out of time…Leaving three tabs almost completely untouched. A mathematically assured death sentence for an otherwise confident take on the MCQ’s, I had the knowledge, I did the work, but I didn’t plan for just how different real sims are to Becker. When that time ran out and I had those three tabs filled with random account titles and nothing more, I crumbled, barely able to communicate with the test center staff as I exited, not a shred of hope that I passed.

I will admit that I am not the fastest test taker on the planet, and many of my peers taking the exam seem to have run though practice exams much quicker than I did with similar scores, but I never worried because I finished them in time. Going in to the exam I wanted to allocate an hour to each section just as I did in practice that seemed to work just fine. By the time I reached the third section I was running into a few problems that tripped me up and I ended up getting to Sims with only 50 minutes. Ok, no problem right? I finished practice section in 30 minutes! [Open tab, shock] So I look through all of the tabs expecting the heft to taper off on at least a few of them, to no avail. Panicked I start in on the first one and realize I am absolutely going to have to hustle, three down with moderate confidence I have 15 minutes left, then the research and I somewhere miss managed the last 15 minutes, it all really just blurred together as I tried to somehow have 4 tabs and a calculator functioning on my screen with 4 minutes left…well I guess cash will have to be right for some of these right??

Anyway, I am confident that I will be visiting FAR again soon based on simple math but that’s ok as this is a journey and above all a test of resolve, for guts and glory. Good luck to all testers out there. And thanks for reading, I realize I wrote a novel here but it was really just for me to vent more than anything and if this is an inappropriate section for such a rant let me know and I will take my party elsewhere.

[M.O.D.]

Is it possible that the AICPA increased the difficulty on the SIMS and the review courses have not caught up?

Or is it that the test is impossible to finish in the allowed time, and the best you can hope for is 90%?

Or is it made intentionally so, so that you choose which MCQs or SIMS are your strength and only work those, thus increasing your passing chance.

Gleim emphasizes to take control of your test. If you don't know what will be on the test, how hard it will be, or how long it will take, and what is your strategy/response, that is not being in control.

I understand that an absolute guarantee is not possible, but I want to give it my best.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Anonymous]

Not true @MOD- The Becker practice test I took for FAR was ridiculously easy. The sims, in particular, were in no way representative of the actual test.

[TheDeedtheGlory]

It was a matter of reliance on only 1 source of information (albeit it a pretty comprehensive one) for my review, I will be diversifying for next sections. $1 flashcards are a good start!

[TiffaNiffaNi]

That is precisely why I do not know if doing the SIMS in Becker is beneficial. If those questions are not representative of the actual exam, then I think it may be best to allocate the time to studying and nailing the MCQs. I haven't decided. I take FAR 7/17.

FAR: 7/17/14- 79
AUD: 8/20/14- 91
REG: 10/1/14- 88
BEC: 11/10/14- 85

Becker Self-Study

[TiffaNiffaNi]

PS- I have seen a lot of posts where folks haven't finished SIMS. I think you passed. Don't get down on yourself.

FAR: 7/17/14- 79
AUD: 8/20/14- 91
REG: 10/1/14- 88
BEC: 11/10/14- 85

Becker Self-Study

[mla1169]

Tiffa, you'll come across a few people who feel differently of course but the general consensus is to get a feel for the SIMS but focus most effort on the MCQ. The important things with SIMS are to leave enough time for them of course, and to know the concepts because going in you have no clue what the format will be let alone the content. I can tell you for AUD I used Wiley and one ENTIRE SIM was on something that was mentioned in one sentence in the Appendix to the book. I to this DAY remember that SIM and have searched high and low and found very little reference to it anywhere. I wasn't able to find it in the authoritative literature either although I am sure it was buried there somewhere.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[JamesBJames]

I was never a fan of the SIMs that Becker gave for this exact reason, although I assume it's an issue regarding a lot of review courses. You don't understand how hard the SIMs are until you experience them at the testing center.

There's a small chance you passed. Regardless, in the future, you have to allocate more time for simulations — if they're worth 40% of the exam, it makes sense to give them about 40% of your allotted four hours. That's 1 hour and 36 minutes. When I took FAR and AUD, I made sure I had at least this much time when I hit continue on the third testlet, and I never felt rushed.

Good luck on any future attempts.

FAR: May 1st, 2014 - 91
AUD: May 29th, 2014 - 97!
BEC: July 16th, 2014 - 91
REG: August 29th, 2014 - 88

Licensed December 2015

Feel free to add me on LinkedIn by clicking my username!

[Java230]

When I read your post it was like me exactly… I left nearly four sections blank, I just guessed without reading because I ran out of time. I felt like a rock star going through the multiple choice bit I fell flat during Sims, I was 100 percent sure I failed but I passed. There is always hope.

Licensed WA CPA 2/2015
Government Auditor Since 2007

[TheDeedtheGlory]

Tiffa, I would make sure to understand the format and how you can optimize the space for all of the tabs and calc, but don't put too much weight on the actual questions. give yourself time. I should have, and will in the future it was a really stressful and expensive practice test 🙂 even though I got my hopes up when I saw some miracle stories on here, I can say I am fairly confident that I did not pass at all. Im over it and learning about Audit crap today, at least theres no bonds in there.

Thanks James, yea I need to focus on how I can comprehend the questions more quickly on my future tests and feel confident about picking my answer and moving on. Didn't think about the 40% thing, but it makes sense now.

Since I am on to the next one I am probably not going to respond much more to this thread because I want the past to stay there until August 4th score release (why so long!!!!) and so I can put my mind into AUD.

good luck to everyone studying and thanks for the thoughts and advise.

[Matt]

@Java230:

Man, I'm not sure if it's good or bad that I've been reading all these reassuring comments. I don't want to get my hopes up. I basically already told my parents that I failed.

Testing on the first day of the testing window really sucks. The month-long wait until score release is going to be excruciating.

AUD: 88
BEC: 79
REG: 81
FAR: 72 » 74 » 88

Study method: 100% watching videos, including solving problems covered therein; no books, paper, or pencils

[Kimboroni]

I'm a big fan of practicing SIMs, not because they help you see what the SIMs are like, but because they prepare you for the fact that just about anything can show up on SIMs. It's a big reality check so you can make sure you *really* know your stuff and aren't simply memorizing just enough to answer MCQs.

On test day, you have to go in there like a ninja and slice and dice the MCQs so you have plenty of time for SIMs. Don't know it? Move on. Don't eat up valuable minutes struggling with one MCQ. SIMS are worth 40% of the score, so give them about 40% of the time.

AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

[Anonymous]

I took FAR last year 2013 and run out of time in the SIMS. When I walked out of Prometric, I knew failed the test and I did when I got the results. It was a good experience for me to learn my weaknesses in the FAR exam. I am scheduled to take the exam next month. I changed my study habits after last year review. I also take 3 mini-quizzes per week and 1 long test per week. I just purchased the Ninja flashcards. They are great learning tool. I am currently using Wiley CPA review materials. The FAR review book puts me to sleep. I found it better by practicing the exams in the Wiley Test Banks and using the Wiley FAR book, intermediate accounting and government accounting books as references plus Ninja flashcards. My advice to TheDeedtheGlory is to start focusing on how he/she is going to develop another method of studying/reviewing for FAR or the other section. When I decided to take the CPA exam, I knew that there is 45-50% passing rate. So when I screwed up in the FAR test last year, I was not surprised. You just have to try again and have a different plan or modified plan of studying/reviewing for the exam. Keep on trying…

[RIST]

Lol. I had a hard but somewhat OK experience. I'm wasting my time checking answers now 🙁 My MCQs were long and hard in testlets 2 & 3 and my SIMS were all weird but somewhat doable with the research function. I'm Praying for a pass so feel free to Pray for me in a CPA Prayer Circle 🙂

After the exam I went and bought a whole large Pizza and I ate it all. I bought a bag of little donuts and had some of those too 🙂

So beat!

[Anonymous]

I saw a number of people on here say becker sims were easy!??? Oh lord, I find them crazy hard lol. Well I've only attempted/done f1-2. Working on f3 now.

[Author]

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