[ishagupta]

So I appeared for my FAR exam yesterday and left an hour for my simulations testlet. However, the sims were longer and tougher than I expected and I completed 6 out of 7 and with 2 seconds left, I hit submit. Then I got the pop up asking if I wanted to review the testlet or submit it but before I could choose, time ran out and the test automatically quit and took me to the feedback screen. I’m worried that my entire simulations testlet will not get graded. Has anyone had a similar experience or knows what happens in such a case? I’m really hoping that my testlet gets graded!!

[.]

It will be graded. Don't worry about it.

FAR - June 2016 - 88
REG - July 2016 - 89
AUD - Aug 2016 - review phase currently
BEC - Sep 2016 -

Wiley CPA Excel & Ninja MCQ

[SkiBum1990]

What was completed will count..no worries.

"The mind can only absorb as much as the seat can take"

B - 79
A - 68, __ (got bumped from Aug 4 release to Aug 23-THANKS AICPA)
R - Oct
F - Nov (HA! 1 month to study working full-time; love NTS rules)

[EvanH]

ishagupta, I too sat for FAR yesterday (8-21-16) and only left myself an hour to complete the simulations; I also only completed six of seven simulations. I know I'm not supposed to get specific here, but a coworker of mine recently had the same experience in July with a simulation we non-specifcally agreed was the same. I'm wondering if you had the same one we're referring to. In one of Crazy Phil's (Yaeger CPA Review) lectures, he claims simulations that appear to be from another planet in content and/or process necessary to complete are most likely pretest, so do them last. The format of the mystery simulation certainly smells like the direction the exam is going in next year. Maybe I'm in denial, but I need something to help me sleep for the next two-and-a-half weeks.

[Anonymous]

@EvanH. While I admire your attempt at not divulging CPA simulations, if what you are referring to is a document review simulation, it will very likely be graded. They did pretest for these types of simulations Q1/Q2. This is a common thought, and the AICPA does not want people skipping simulations based on format alone.

[Anonymous]

It would be nice if more time were given for the next exam – they did bump up BEC and (I think?) AUD from 3 to 4 hours. But with the new SIM format – assuming it's going to be materially different from and more difficult than the current one – is going to kick a lot of the average test-takers in the ass. Hard. I can't say anything conclusive since I haven't taken any sections quite yet. But, I will be taking at least 2 of the 4 exams in the new format next year. My dreams of CPA'dom are not as sunny as they once were. The exam is difficult enough as it is. Ohhhhh wellllll. 🙂

[EvanH]

@big4dcguy: Agreed; simulations should never be skipped, unless you don't have a choice and need to triage. I certainly wish I'd managed my time well enough to complete all seven simulations. My decision to address the mystery simulation late in the game was based more on its unclear objective and the disproportionate amount work necessary to complete it (both indicators of possible pretest material) and less on it being a document review simulation. Also, this wasn't the only document review simulation I was given.

[gigabyte2001]

Part of my test taking strategy is I always review all the questions in a testlet and start with the ones i know first. With SIMs that's pretty easy since there's only 7 of them. I literally work them in order of easiest to hardest in terms of both how well I know the answer and how much effort it will take (long calculation types that I know how to do come after short ones that I know and then things I don't know at all are done last.)
In the MCQ's I do the same thing, I run through all the questions in a testlet answering the quick & easy ones first, then a second pass for the long & easy ones, leaving ones I don't know unanswered & unmarked until the end.
In theory this strategy maximizes points by not focusing on things you don't know and running out of time before you get to the ones you knew and as a bonus, sometimes clarity for an early question will come in a later question.

B - 11/11/16
A - 4/16/16 87!!
R - 2/17/17
F - 7/26/16 - Waiting for 8/23

[Author]

Replies