[Anonymous]

everyone or most pple say that the first testlet is always the “easy” one. What do you people mean by easy? You mean they test very basic concepts/questions??or you mean you studied like a lunatic and thought it was easy??

[Anonymous]

It means the first testlet questions will be testing u on the basic knowledge. If you do well, the 2nd testlet will be upgraded to a higher difficulty level, which in fact worth a lot more per question than the first testlet questions.

On the 2nd testlet, u will receive tricker/longer/wordier questions, so it will probably take longer to do.

Hope that help.

[Anonymous]

There's nothing easy on the CPA exam. You should expect easier and harder questions in every testlet.

I marked more questions in my AUD first testlet than in the other two.

[Tootsie]

I agree with 75. With BEC, my first testlet had a mix of easy and hard questions. The second testlet was a little trickier but also had some easy questions thrown in. The third testlet was easier than the second but I think I still marked some that were harder.

Easy to me is basic concepts, terminology, and simple calculations.

FAR - 76
AUD - 88!!! DONE!!!!!!!!
BEC - 76
REG - 77

never, never, never give up

[Anonymous]

No, the first testlet is not easy. It's just the least difficult of the 3.

[makinthemagic]

each testlet is either “medium” or “hard.” the first one is always medium. you can tell when you get a hard one. it's a good thing. it gives you a lot more points. second testlet depends on the results of the first, and the 3rd depends on the results of the 2nd. sims are not involved in this system. they are what they are.

Bec 4/11/11 91
Aud 7/11/11 75
Reg 8/31/11 80
Far 5/24/11 86
Ethics - 98
California Licensed CPA
Illinois Registered CPA

[katiekanton]

I had the same experience as 75. In AUD my first testlet was the hardest to me, but I think it's because I associate “hard” with “stuff I don't know” and “easy” with “stuff I know”. The first testlet was harder to me because it was the LEAST like the questions I had seen in my review material. I studied for months and knew almost all the answers in the second and third testlets, but the first one had questions I didn't remember seeing anything at all about.

AUD - 88
FAR - 90
REG - 85
BEC - 88

[RedRage00]

The only exam I've been able to tell it got harder was FAR. I could not tell if it was getting harder for BEC and REG. I mean, it wasn't easy as pie. They were pretty well rounded tough, but fair exams. I still managed to pass those without knowing if they were getting harder.

I just took AUD and I have no idea how I did on the MCQs. They were tough but fair. It took me about 2 hours to finish all 90. Some people on here said it took them only 1.5 hours for AUD. Mine were pretty tough though and I spent more time on them. I'm hoping that is a good sign lol The SIMS I got seemed like the easiest SIMS I've gotten out of all 4 of my exams. I found 1 word for word in the literature tab. That one better count! I'm hoping and praying that I pass because I do not want to see this stuff again.

Texas CPA
Licensed, March 2012

[Anonymous]

I haven't read all the responses here, so I apologize if I'm repeating others.

After spending a lot of time on this site prior to my first exam, I expected my 2nd testlet to get noticeably harder than the 1st if I was doing well. When it didn't seem harder, I started panicking and was certain I was failing. Same thing when I got to the 3rd testlet. And I ended up passing with 9 points to spare (and I know I lost a lot of points on SIMS b/c I didn't finish them).

In my experience, all 3 testlets had some easy questions and all 3 had some questions I had never seen in my study materials and had no clue about. So your first testlet may have a higher number of “easier” questions, but there will definitely be some hard ones in there, too. And don't panic like I did if it isn't obvious your testlets aren't getting harder. Mine could have gotten harder I just didn't know it – but to me they all seemed the same.

[RedRage00]

To me you never know because some people prepare and study more than others. What one person thinks is a hard testlet may be easier to someone else. That is why I don't freak out too much about it. I just try my best and move on.

Texas CPA
Licensed, March 2012

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