[Welphgryn]

Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as everyone was telling me it would be.

It’s still tough, but I wouldn’t say it was waaaaaay tougher than the old exam.

[tvpaul]

That's good to hear. Take mine in 6 days and was a little nervous. How did you prepare?

[Anonymous]

I sat for it back in March and just missed a 75 with only a month of studying. Just recently rescheduled and luckily there were still 5/31 seats available near me. I have been studying and covering the material much more in depth so a lot of the areas that were on the exam that I felt a bit “iffy” on, I am much more comfortable with now. From what I can tell, REG is really like a puzzle since it has to do with business law and tax law. Pounding out the MCQs helps with pattern recognition and makes the material so much more easier. Sucks we won't get scores until mid-August though.

[CPA_help]

Did you think that the sims were comparable? Was the only difference that there were more of them? I am taking Reg at the end of may. I am very nervous because I had already taken it and failed miserably. Unsure how I will pass if they made the exam harder! Do you have any tips or insight on studying?

[Welphgryn]

@tvpaul

I used Beckers to prepare. Yeah, the nervous feeling was there for me too, mainly because I expected a revamped exam with much more complicated questions. It wasn't that at all though. It felt like I was taking the “normal” CPA Exam, instead of a ramped up CPA Exam. Good luck on your exam, rooting for you!

@CPA_Help

There were just more SIMS than normal. They weren't necessarily harder.

Regarding study habits, I study differently than most people. I cannot watch a lecture, read a chapter, and then do MCQ's… For some reason, I don't retain information that way.

What I do is this:

Take a section, go straight through all the MCQ's. I write down all of the ones I got wrong, and why I got it wrong. THEN I watch the lectures. Then I'll re-read my notes. Then I'll retake the MCQ's. The second time I do the MCQ's, I get near 90%-100% correct, but more importantly, I retain the information. It's a longer study route, but unfortunately for me, it's what worked for my puny brain.

Good luck on your exam too! Don't get discouraged. I have to retake FAR, so I'm in a similar boat. Just remember, commitment is what gets you started, but consistency is what gets you finished. Stay consistent and don't quit!

[Anonymous]

@welphgryn Thank you so much for this insight to the new exam. I am basically on the same path as you and almost the same study routine. I prefer to not take notes. I'm incredibly hard on myself which helps me to remember concepts and formula's. The lectures nor the reading means anything to me until I become familiar with the content. I'll do MCQ twice and after the second go through I just do progress tests and marked questions from sections. Thank you so much for sharing; it's awesome to see someone who also learns differently!

[Anonymous]

@Welphgryn and/or any one that has taking the new version

I sit for FARE, which is my last one later this month (knocking on wood). How is the user interface (UI) in the new exam? One of the things that really gets me frustrated is the font size or screen resolution on the SIMS. It seems like they set it at the highest level, which causes me to go back and forth reading the question, etc. Am I the only that that feels this way about this?

any-who – wanted to know if this was the case on the on the new exam?

[Corey]

I've got the REG exam in a week, and am freaking out…I used Roger first, following along with his lectures, and doing most of his MCQs and at least looking at his TBS's…but I get frustrated at times with his TBS/SIMs (same ting)…and the tax forms (like Roger practice gives the actual forms) just drive me crazy. Ninja SIMS seem much more “doable” since they give partial credit and are much easier to actually look at too…though I'm getting nervous now…I only really recently started with the Ninja practice, after having followed the Notes while listening to the Audio once through…I know they're meant to be listened to multiple times, but when I tried listening while driving at one point, that did not work and I had to focus more on driving. I know I should rewrite the notes, but I always was the guy who got to type notes in classes, so I worry how long it'll take to handwrite all of it. This will be my 3rd REG attempt, and last time I was so close…73 pre-changes. Considering how much I can't stand tax accounting, I'm getting really nervous…

I know I may be asking a lot, but basically I'd like to ask you to share anything/everything you can about the new one…I mean my biggest fear is the tax forms…I have minimal exposure to those things, so they are concerning to me…and the unknown of where the long or short SIMs are, and whether the Ninja stuff resembled the real thing for MCQs and/or SIMs…yeah, like I said…whatever you can share about the new format, I'd seriously appreciate it.

[Nikki]

Can someone who has taken the new exam format let me know what their timing per testlet was like? Last time I failed Reg because I ran out of time on the SIMS. I don't want to make that mistake twice. If the SIMS are going to be harder on this new format I want to leave more time for them.

[Corey]

I can't really comment on the new format just yet, but I can share a suggestion to help keep yourself from getting too caught up in a particular testlet…Roger suggested writing at the top of your noteboard, and I'm gonna share what I did with old format…at the start of each set, I'd write what the clock is at, and what it should be at when I should be done with that set, so for a 4 hour exam, for testlet 1 with, say an allocation generalized of 45 minutes, i'd write on my board, T1: 4h0 –> 3h15

Then, for the TBS's…assuming old version of 15 minutes per TBS, I'd give myself that goal…write the timing down…like # left by 1h15, by 1h0, 45m, and so on…I'm also nervous for the new one…hoping the new 2tbs set doesn't turn out to be 2 huge ones, but writing my target clock points down helped me stay on time pretty well, and told me when it was time to move on. Hope this at least helps with clocking yourself, so to speak.

[IGOTTHEKEYS]

thanks for the advice @Corey . I can also say that helped me a lot and plan to do that when i sit for REG in a week. I am also nervous, since this will be my new exam under the new format. I am planning to pound out all of Ninja and Wiley MCQ test bank. Is it worth it for me to go a bunch of DRS Sims or do a couple to get the feeling. I know knowing the MCQ Concepts is what's best at the end, but i get overwhelmed and nervous when doing those DRS sims and seeing a bunch of information thrown at me like i'm a full time professional (Soon to be one, haha). Any advice? Hopefully we can get through this struggle and see the light at the end of the tunnel 🙂

[IGOTTHEKEYS]

@corey

Is it worth it for me to practice the DRS Sims. i am horrible at SIMS especially the DRS ones and i'm wondering if i should practice a lot of those or just do a couple and get a feel of the format, etc.

I am pounding away all the MCQ for Ninja and Wiley Test bank and know that will help me to understand the material.

What do yall think?

[nickmk06]

@ n_123, I took FAR this past weekend. All of my DRS sims (which were all of them except 1) there was no way I could prepare for them. Many of the topics are random and just have to know the material.

As for time, I tried to do 35-35 than the rest of the time for sims and finished w/ 20 minutes late.

[joonpark1212]

The exam really covers everything it feels like, and time management is important than ever. Had to pull out everything I had in my head in order to finish the exam. Also i did find some questions ive never seen or dealt in any of the review materials i used.

[Cruzer]

I tried with Rogers recommended for FAR 45/45/30/60/60 and MCQ's went as planned, I think it took me 50 mins instead of 45 for each testlet. For the SIMS, you can't follow what anyone recommends because you have no clue which SIMS will be in each testlet. My 3rd testlet took me about 45 mins and I took my break with 1:34 left on clock. Then I don't remember my time from there on out but I finished with about 10 mins left on clock.

[Ajaz0810]

I really don't understand how we can prepare for the sims especially the DRS sims. Just know the material extremely well?

FAR 62, 66, 78
AUD 66, 55, 74, 72
BEC 79
REG

[Author]

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