[Accountingbeans]

So I took REG yesterday and am scared because I don’t think that my MC got harder. If anything, I felt that the first testlet was the hardest and had the most calculations. However, I’m much better on Business Law which I felt like was more included in testlets 2 and 3. So how can I tell if the testlets got harder? What do you look for? I know it can be subjective, but does harder=more calculations, longer calculations, etc? Or just different topics? IMO, the questions were shorter and more straight forward than Beckers.

Also, can I pass if I had 3 medium testlets?

Newbie
BEC- August 31

[sweazy]

@ Tardis_Wobble

You say “You need to get at least one hard testlet to pass the exam.”

from the link you provided:

13. Can I get all medium testlets and still pass?

Yes, but for this to happen, you would have good but not excellent performance on the first two testlets, and then excellent performance on the last testlet.

BEC: 77
AUD: 67, 85, 87
FAR: 74, 74, 79
REG: ___

[NeedsA75]

I've taken all the exams. AUD was the hardest for me to spot whether or not the questions were difficult or medium. In fact, I couldn't really tell at all. Some of the questions appeared to have what could be two correct answers (or no correct answers) which could have been indicative of a difficult questions.

[CPA2BEE]

I was only able to tell on FAR and AUD. Once I began questioning my understanding and interpretation of the English language, thats when I knew they were getting harder. It was a night and day difference. If you can't tell, it probably didn't happen. However, that doesn't necessarily mean you failed or performed poorly. I couldn't tell on REG and that was my highest score.

FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85

ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016

[NeedsA75]

I couldn't tell on REG either and I scored a 92. Again, I wouldn't read too much into this IMO as difficulty is very subjective. You could have been extremely well prepared and the questions didn't seem that bad..

[Tardis_Wobble]

@Sweazy – right – which is why I said that if you pass an exam you most likely got a hard testlet. It's not impossible, but less likely that you pass with all medium testlets. I feel like this is fairly well known information?

From Roger

“As a result of the above four factors, it is not possible to compute your score on the CPA Exam based on the number of questions you answer correctly. You may, however, be able to predict the quality of your performance on the first and second testlet of MCQ by gauging the difficulty of the testlets that follow.”

I mean this dude thinks people are able to gauge testlet difficulty, so maybe we could all agree to disagree on this one? If you can't tell the difference, then you can't tell the difference – I believe you! But that doesn't mean that no one else can and that factors don't exist to assess difficulty. And I second what everyone else is saying – if you are well prepared, every question is going to seem relatively easy, and your testlets won't seem to get more difficult. That's where the subjectivity comes into play. I also don't think it's worth anyone's time to assess either before, during, or after the exam. You were either prepared or you weren't, you passed or you failed, but I think that's the reason why this forum exists – to commiserate and share strategies. To encourage and to build each other up. To have constant anxiety until score release with some anonymous internet strangers (which does in fact involve assessing testlet difficult and probably always will – you don't have to comment on these threads if you think they are stupid. It's really that easy).

So yeah, don't worry about it. There was a good chance that if you can't tell you were really well prepared. And everyone has more important things to worry about right now anyway, like March Madness. Let's all focus on sending positive vibes out for 3/21 score release, I'm pulling for everyone in this thread!

Q: How do you get a bunch of CPA Candidates/ CPA's riled up and fighting with each other in 5 words or less?
A. Mention “MCQ testlet difficulty”

FAR - 76 - [4]
BEC - 71, 73, September 9 2016
AUD - July 28 2016
REG - October 2016

Black coffee, stress, and cottage cheese pancakes!

[SaveBandit]

IDK, the only test I thought was OK in the midst of it was REG. The other ranged somewhere from really difficult to a complete nightmare from beginning to end (I'm looking at you AUD).

This test is purposely designed to leave the test taker having no idea whether or not he or she passed or failed. And they do a damn good job of it.

4 for 4

FAR 85
AUD 94
BEC 86
REG 90

[Author]

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