[unDeR]

Greetings fellow forum goers,

I’ve been a lurker for the most part during my time here since I joined back in June, observing the trials and tribulations of those involved in this grueling process. I have looked to your stories for validation, inspiration, and hope. And it is on this day that I post my story so that it may perhaps lend a helping hand to someone else. I received a passing score this morning in Texas for REG, my last and arguably toughest section. On a side note, I relied on Becker for all the exams except for my third attempt at REG, for which I used the Wiley Online Test Bank (shout out to Jeff!). Moreover, I scored comparable on Multiple Choice and weaker on Simulations, so needless to say I feel very fortunate.

Now for the exam itself: I never quite expected the quantum leap I took from my 2nd REG attempt to my 3rd, and I don’t know quite what to attribute it to. I don’t want to say Becker is weak for REG, but clearly it wasn’t working for me. With that said, the Wiley Online Test Bank is an excellent tool that really tests your understanding of the concepts provided you give it an honest and thorough run. My approach was as follows: I ran through each section once initially, bookmarking those questions that gave me pause or that left me staring at the screen. Once I had completed each section once, I focused on the bookmarked questions for each section, taking off the bookmark only after I had convinced myself that I understood the reason for the correct answer (this is where honesty, and note taking, is key). Then I revisited the initial sections and completed them in full again in hopes of reducing the number of questions I bookmarked. Repetition is key and is directly related to one’s ability to retain the information. But don’t waste time spinning your wheels on those answers that came to you naturally. Don’t be afraid of giving yourself credit as you study, as this builds much-needed confidence.

As for the simulation tasks, considering that I scored weaker, I just made sure that I could navigate through them with ease. Understanding how the research function works is critical. I am positive that had I screwed up the research task on the actual exam, I would have failed. It is quite possibly what put me over the top. Simply put, you must master it.

I never thought I could increase my score by 19 points. I’m still numb just thinking about it. I was on the verge of losing my credit for AUD in June, so this process was really beginning to grate on my nerves. Given the nature of my score report, the Multiple Choice remains paramount to passing each exam, so it’s safe to assume that a passing candidate must be at least comparable in that department. As for the Simulations, they suck, more so for REG. All one can really do is hope that preparation for the Multiple Choice has a cascading effect in your favor. Luck of the draw as they say. But, if it helps anyone, you apparently can still pass while being weaker on the Simulations.

I must confess that I did rely on Becker for the ancillary material covering Ethics and Professional Responsibilities and the Federal Tax Process. These two topics seemed to be Wiley’s only weakness, but reading the information trumps doing questions in my opinion. And as many have suggested, I have no idea why these two sections are labeled as ancillary. And that is all I will say on that as it relates to REG. And if you’re not quite sure what I’m referring to, have a look below:

As is natural, I tend to take a little more interest in my fellow candidates here in Texas. So a special shout out to all of you, and especially to keeptrying. Your resiliency is truly admirable, and quite frankly you deserve to pass. I hope you are freed from your misery soon. And for those in Texas that recently passed the CPA Exam, did you simply order the Ethics exam from the TSBPA website, and how long did it take for you to receive your congratulatory letter?

Thank you all for indulging me. Best of wishes to each and every one of you!

Texas-licensed CPA