[halfCPA]

I was just wondering what people thought about the differences in difficulty level between the 2nd and 3rd testlets. I took FARE last week, and my 1st testlet was visibly easier than the 2nd, but I couldn't make much of a difference between the 2nd and 3rd. Is that normal or can people usually tell a big difference between the last 2 testlets?

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated! Thanks!

[jeff]

If interested…

#28 "How do I know if I’m getting the “hard” testlets?

https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/october-special-free-cpa-exam-e-book

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 76
REG - 92

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS)
NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE | Another71

[needtopass]

I just took FAR for the second time on Monday and I am worried because my testlets didn't seem to get any harder. In fact, my third testlet was a piece of cake. (that's why I'm terrified). I got a 69 the first time, but I wasn't prepared at all. I spent the last 8 weeks studying hard. My first and second testlets seemed to be somewhat challenging, but the third was really easy. My sims were very basic and I got lucky with topics that I felt comfortable with.

February 18th can't come fast enough!

[Anonymous]

I couldn't tell a bit of difference in my testlets for FAR, and I was convinced I had failed. Came out with a 77…I think sometimes you can psyche yourself out worrying about the difficulty of the testlets when in fact, you may have just been getting questions that you were better prepared for.

[Will_it_ever_end]

needtopass – I am in the exact same boat. I was retaking after a 69. My first testlet was not bad at all, second was noticecably harder and the 3rd seemed pretty easy (this scares me). Sims were not bad at all. Only one really gave me trouble but I was still able to get something down.

REG 97, FAR 69,82, AUD 80, BEC 71, 81 - It finally ended!!

[Patrick909]

With FAR, I found the changing degree of difficulty to be most pronounced, more so than REG or AUD, in that order. In fact, in AUD, I was slightly worried that I wasn't doing so well, because the testlets didn't seem to be getting much harder. Maybe I was overprepared for that one.

But FAR……the third testlet nearly caused me to panic. The two sections in the entire CPA exam that caused me the most panic were 1. FAR, 3rd testlet, and 2) REG, 1st sim.

[Anonymous]

The whole 3rd testlet issue has me freaked out. For FAR, I thought the 3rd testlet was cake. The 2nd testlet was the most difficult as far as being wordier and having more calculations, but I didn't think it was impossible.

If you do poorly on the 2nd testlet, is the 3rd easier? I don't think it means I failed the exam though, just that harder questions have more weight.

I also think candidates' views of difficulty are subjective. I may have thought it was cake because I knew that material well. Who knows?

Is it February 19 yet???????????????

[Anonymous]

CPAWannaBe – How did you feel about REG? I thought my first testlet was easier, second and third more difficult (some questions weren't anywhere in my review materials). And the simulations were killer. I had to leave half of the first one completely blank and the rest of it was a total guess. I was just curious as to what yours was like since you passed. 🙂

[Anonymous]

REG was a blur. I was so blindsided by the entire thing I can't believe I passed. I did not see any increase in difficulty in the testlets. My sims were vague and of course on topics I was not strong in, but I put something. I always start with the communications tabs first and put as much into those as I can. My topics on them were easy for me. I think that's what may have helped because I ran out of time on the rest of the simulations. No way did I do well on all tabs. I cried tears of joy with my 75!

[Anonymous]

I am sure I will do the same if I happen to pass! Thanks for the info! I had easy written communication topics as well, and fortunately, writing is my strong point, so I put 110% into those since I was clueless on the rest of the tabs!

[Anonymous]

I took far, passed with a 81 (including a weak communication tab) which means i did well on the mc questions. I did notice a difference between 1 and 2 testlets, but between 2 and 3 no. The reason is that testlets i think are easier, medium and hard. you start at medium i think then go to hard and if you do sufficient at hard for testlet 2, testlet 3 wil be hard as well.

[Author]

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