[cpawannabe91]

I have been on this journey for too long and I’m fed up. Need some opinions.

I was dumb, thought I could pass the CPA with the $200 study books from Wiley off Amazon. I had no money to spend on anything more. I almost got through with no additional courses but got hung up on Reg. I think my scores have been 68,74,74. Had to retake Audit. Friends shared some materials with me and I took a week off of work to cram in Audit and Reg and take them on the same day. I know, probably not smart but I don’t want to lose credit for any more.

It became clear to me in the week leading up i wouldn’t be prepared but today is the last possible day for me to test in this window, so what the hell? I took the Becker practice exams for both sections, trended 50’s-60’s but was running out of time so focused on memorizing some vocabulary and obscure rules that could score me some extra points, as well as reviewing my weak areas.

“What the hell” is right. I walked in feeling unprepared, sat through both exams feeling like crap but I have to keep trucking because “what if.”

I really thought I did all I could to pass this last failed REG exam. This exam, I maybe fell in the trap of “I know this all after 3 times,” but I tried to review everything.

I know people say “that’s how so and so felt” and they passed, but I just don’t have much hope. My sims in REG just killed me. Not terrible in nature; I just had never considered the particular questions/concepts tested.

Anyway blah blah blah. I’m sitting here in bed, can’t sleep. I don’t mean it as an insult to those who have been at this for longer than me, but at what point is it reasonable to say “maybe I’m just not good at this?” Or “this isn’t the career for me?”

I wanted to be a CPA because that is how you make yourself relevant in this field. Now I don’t know if it’s practicable. My husband is urging me not to give up but it’s so hard to stay motivated. I feel like I learn so much every time I study REG, but my exam results don’t reflect that.

I really, so badly, do not want to open an Audit or Reg book again. But I know if I don’t study until December 19th, I’m missing out on valuable time I could be using to study while it’s fresh in my mind so I can test in January.

Idk. Any recommendations?

[andjela]

I know how you feel and many people on this forum have been in the place you're in now. Finding motivation to keep going after failing a section is the hardest thing. If you need a mental break take one, give yourself a week or two, then get back into it. Your scores are not that bad, you were pretty close. And who knows, maybe you passed, we'll have to wait a couple more weeks to find out. Plenty of people have been in a situation when they were sure they failed and were pleasantly surprised on the score release day. I'm taking REG for the third time in 2 days. My AUD expires in Feb'18. If I fail REG again, I will retake REG and AUD in Q1. REG is by far the hardest section for me, I did pretty well on other sections (scored 84-86). I am determined not to let this beast of a section prevent me from getting my license.

[Elisabeth]

Have you looked into cpa review for free? You can sign up for a free account and work through the MCQ, which I have found to be more difficult than other review courses. For the SIMS, I read another post yesterday that suggested signing up for the free two week trial with Becker. This will give you access to some of the SIMS on Becker, which may help get you past REG. I don't know if any of the other free trails with other review programs have this, but it may be worth looking into. Keep your head up, you will get through this!!!

[Accounting Adam]

In my humble opinion.. a 74 can certainly be passing grade in some quarters and not a passing grade in other quarters.

You got unlucky girl. Know that. Then, you got unlucky again with another 74. You are smart enough for this but sure does seem like the ‘powers that be' have a different plan for you.

One thing people tend to forget is that you're not just wasting time. You will be better for each nugget of information you remember. By the end of this you will be an authoritative body of literature on taxes!

Also worth saying I would've bet my life I failed REG and gotta 75. I left the prometric after REG and went to the library to keep studying REG..

Dreams are born in misery and accomplished through anguish!

[mynameistim7788]

It's good that you have your husband to encourage you to not give up. I've been at this for 3 years and just kicking myself for not taking it under the old format more seriously. A friend of mine recently just passed the CPA exam under the new format and all he did was just pound MCQ's like his life depended on it. He said doing over 3,000 MCQ's and spending a few hours on how to master the authoritative literature was the only way he passed and he scored in the mid 80's on all 4 parts. I'm thinking about trying his method as I can't stand reading the textbook or watching the dry lectures.

[cpawannabe91]

Thanks, guys. I hate to whine even though that’s all this is but I feel like I don’t have a lot of people who understand. I have one coworker who started his exams and he is a great support but I’ve been at it so long.

My husband is great but he is naturally smart and has never had to try as hard at anything as I have so it’s frustrating when he tells me not to give up because I know he wouldn’t stick it out if he were in my place. I had been using CPAreviewforfree and I loved it. It helped me on every exam except REG somehow. Idk if I’m just not trying hard enough because I’m burnt out or what. I’ve been trying to pound the MCQ’s—-I’ve always been more of a hands-on student, anyway. That, and as much as I hate them, I really try to fit in sims.

Time will tell. Yesterday was exhausting though. I took REG and AUD. I almost don’t want to know my scores.

I think I decided I’ll pick the books back up and study til the 19. I just need a full couple of days of R&R

[Anonymous]

Paulje03, I'm glad you're taking those days of R&R and I hope you feel better afterward. It's great to be naturally smart, but this exam isn't about smartness, it's about persistence and dedication. As others have said, your scores are very close to what they need to be. And you are driving yourself hard. I took ONE exam two days ago and I still feel like I was hit by a truck. And I hate the SIMS too.

You're the one who has to decide if the stress is worth it. You can have a great career in accounting without the CPA license. But you have come a long, long way already.

Give yourself some rest and think about it later, and let us know how you are doing.

[cpawannabe91]

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone. Release is right around the corner and I’m terrified. I’m in the process of trying to not only move jobs, but to get in to an entirely new industry ( I work in government and unfortunately some of the stereotypes hold true 🙁 ). My experience has not gotten much interest thus far. I was going to wait for a “convenient time” after I passed all 4, but there really is no “convenient time.” If a miracle happened and I knocked both out…I would cry joyful tears. Fingers crossed 🤞 for all others waiting on scores, as well.

[Author]

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