[msgaillard03]

Please share some stories about anytime you’ve taken an exam and felt really awful about it. Either didnt finish or simulations were a blur and still PASSED!!!!

FAR-8/28/11

[smrichard]

I agree with kettik. Dwelling on your exam is a waste of time! I used to try to evaluate how I felt after an exam, but when I took REG in July I decided it wasn't worth my time to think about. I learned just in studying that you could totally feel like you got 100% after doing a test but got horrible results just because you read a question wrong. So why would the actual exam be any different?

I did my best and that's all I could do. I did my best not to think about it, but occasionally it would come to mind. Some days I thought sure, I definately passed because I really need this. If I didn't, I'm not sure I can retake it before I lose FAR. Other days I would think CRAP!!!! What if I didn't pass? Then I'll have to take two exams in Q4 which isn't easy with a full time job, a toddler, and a husband in school.

I decided to just let go and move on, and to try to be prepared for either result. I don't remember honestly if the testlets got harder or easier, and I have completely blocked out the sims. You know going in to this that it's going to be difficult. After you take your next test, just move on to the next one or just enjoy life.

FAR 82
AUD 81 (2007), 73, 80
REG 68 (2010), 76
BEC 58 (2007), 75 DONE!!!!

[NYCPA34]

I walked out of BEC & FAR convinced that I had failed. For FAR, the simulations were ridiculous. On one of them I had to completely guess. I took FAR first, and was actually thinking about just forgetting about taking the CPA exam because I thought i wouldn't have been able to pass FAR. A bit dramatic, but that's how i felt when i left the testing center.

For BEC, I wasn't confident on a lot of my MC questions, but the writing portion probably gave me a good boost. I felt that I studied too hard on the calculations, and not enough on the theory. I also studied the least on this one since it was my last one. I was really burnt out when I starting studying for it, so it was tough getting motivated.

It's really hard to gauge how you did, so you might as well just forget about it until the scores are released (I know that may be really tough to do).

FAR - 07/08/11 - 86 (Becker Fast Pass)
REG - 07/27/11 - 91 (Becker Fast Pass & Ninja Notes)
AUD - 08/13/11 - 93 (Becker Fast Pass)
BEC - 08/31/11 - 90 (Becker Fast Pass)

[kandisjoy]

My first testlet was medium, second testlet difficult, third testlet medium.

My sims were TERRIBLE. I mean, so terrible that I hadn't even heard of one of the topics before. I couldn't believe it was on REG. It should have been on FAR.

I walked out of my third attempt on REG feeling crushed. I was in tears. I was absolutely positive that I had failed. With all of the other tests I took, I walked out feeling pretty decent. Not REG!

I'm calling the California Board of Accountancy to request a refund of my app fee today. I was so sure that I had failed that I ordered the Wiley test bank and applied for a new NTS, and I was already eyeing the days that I planned to test (since my FAR expired in mid October). I'm still shocked that I passed. I was expecting a 60-something. And I scored “Stronger” on the sims?? What?? I thought that they were the reason I would fail! This is such a crazy test!

Maybe this will give you hope. Here's what my crazy score card looks like:

Ethics and Legal Responsibilities (15-19%) Comparable

Business Law (17-21%) Stronger

Federal Tax Process (11-15%) Weaker

Taxation on Property Transactions (12-16%) Comparable

Taxation on Individuals (13-19%) Weaker

Taxation on Entities (18-24%) Stronger

Multiple Choice (60%) Comparable

Simulations (40%) Stronger

All of my other REG score cards looked better than this, except I was always Weaker in sims before. The sims are so important!

FAR: 71, 77
BEC: 70, 82
AUD: 62, 78
REG: 71, 68, 85

CA Licensed 11/2011

[smrichard]

Congrats!!!

How did you get your score card? I thought they only sent those out with failing scores?

FAR 82
AUD 81 (2007), 73, 80
REG 68 (2010), 76
BEC 58 (2007), 75 DONE!!!!

[kandisjoy]

Thank you! California gives score cards out regardless of pass/fail. :o)

FAR: 71, 77
BEC: 70, 82
AUD: 62, 78
REG: 71, 68, 85

CA Licensed 11/2011

[Anonymous]

I always do horrible when I feel horrible. The better I feel, the better I do. I honestly never understand how anyone can walk out and say, “Oh my gosh!! I bombed so badly” and then they're like, “95 Passed!!!” Make no sense. Either you know what you're doing or you don't. There's no way you can guess your way through the questions and get a good score, let alone get a high 90.

[NYCPA34]

@CPAMAN

IMO, I think it has to do with the fact that when you're in school, and you're taking an exam you usually feel very confident with your answers. On the CPA exam, a lot of the questions are very ambiguous. I found myself praying that i answered the question they were asking for, usually making you feel you didn't do well.

FAR - 07/08/11 - 86 (Becker Fast Pass)
REG - 07/27/11 - 91 (Becker Fast Pass & Ninja Notes)
AUD - 08/13/11 - 93 (Becker Fast Pass)
BEC - 08/31/11 - 90 (Becker Fast Pass)

[rdubz728]

Just received my score for FAR. Got an 89. However, right after taking the exam in august, I was so positive that I wasn't getting anything above 80. Multiple choice went fine except for a few exceptions regarding IFRS. It was the Sims that made me feel as if I wasn't going to pass. Left about an hour for the simulations but I guess I was moving too slow. I left 1 and 1/2 simulation tabs blank and I didn't even touch the research tab. In addition to that, one of the simulations that I did answer completely caught me off guard so I basically guessed all the answers for that simulation. Taking all that into consideration, I thought I was definitely going to have to retake FAR assuming that I automatically had 15-20 points off my exam.

I just wanted to post this because I was so devastated after my FAR exam since the Sims totally dominated me. I couldn't even sleep for a few nights after the exam and was so mad at myself since I had studied so hard for FAR. So all those out there who bombed the Sims too, take my experience as a sign of hope. Have faith because there's definitely still a chance that you passed the exam!

BEC 2/23/11: 84
FAR 7/2/11: 89
REG 8/22/11: 94
AUD 10/4/11: TBD

[T-rex]

AUD–Had no clue how I performed.

BEC–Thought there was an excellent chance that I failed. The exam felt like the twilight zone.

REG–Was certain that I failed. The sims were ridiculous.

FAR–Was almost certain that I failed. The MCs were brutal and the sims even more so.

It was impossible for me to gauge my performance with any real accuracy.

AUD - 95, BEC - 85
REG - 85, Rawrrrrrr FAR - 88
Used Becker for all sections.
CA candidate not residing in CA

[Author]

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