[CPA-Man]

I need to vent. I have one section left after getting my passing score on AUD a few weeks ago. But I swear REG is worse to me than the other 3 sections combined times 10. At this point, I feel like breaking something or crying or both and I’m a grown ass man.

This is my THIRD time taking it and my exam is in 3 days and I still feel about 99.72% sure I’m going to fail miserably. Again. I’ve been studying for 4-6 hours a day even after working 8-10 hours on my actual job that also pisses me off and stresses me out. I took this week off to study and have been studying literally 12 hours a day and I’m STILL getting stuff wrong constantly. Still forgetting rules. Still can’t get through a sim without feeling like giving up.

There are just soooooooooooo many ****ing rules and exceptions and thresholds to remember and I can’t keep it all in my head. Even the b-law stuff is annoying as hell to memorize. And then with how annoying the MCQs are, the sims are so, so much worse. At least for Becker anyways, the sims feel insanely complicated compared to the rest of the sections. I literally can’t even get the research questions confidently because trying to search through the IRC is horrid unless you figure out the magic phrase that won’t turn out 20 results to look through. Like WTF man.

I really really want to get this freakin exam done before busy season but right now it’s looking like I’m going to be taking this exam a 4th time. What am I doing wrong??? How are people passing this crap

[Amber]

I feel the same for FAR. I can't seem to finish in time. Got a 50 the first go and I studied nonstop the last 6 weeks about the same as you time wise each day and still don't feel like I made progress. I've realized over this process that while I feel like I should take every second Im free to study it just didn't help me. Try to take a night off each week and breaks in your sessions. To clear your mind a bit may help. Once I review I look back over anything I got less than 50% on and then focus my time on that. My issue was with remembering things instead of understanding. So I would youtube videos on a couple topics I really struggled with to have someone put it in plain english for me. I too took REG 3 times. Got a 65, a 69, and then a 77. So I just squeaked by. After you look at it so many times I think it starts to set in without knowing it. I've never left a test feeling good and somehow pulled out 3 passing scores. I 100% feel your frustration. This process made me feel so defeated 90% of the time. But we will get there! You've got this!

[CH89]

Let it all out, it's okay to vent. This exam, for me at least, has definitely pushed me to my limits to the point of getting frustrated, angry and the likes. It sounds like you need a break from studying at this point, and try and find something you enjoy doing in life. Which my not sound ideal now given that your just a few days away from your exam. Relax, clear mind, and try and be positive. You've passed 3 out of 4, you can definitely pass REG.

During those hours you are studying, it is just doing SIMs and MCQs non-stop? Do you dedicate some time to review your own notes or any notes provided by your review course? As mentioned above, be sure you're understanding these concepts and not just memorizing answers.

I hope this is an encouragement. You're not alone in having to take an exam multiple times. It took me 3 tries to pass REG, and 6 tries to pass AUD. Keep pushing on it, know your limits, and know what you did wrong and need to improve on. We are all rooting for you to pass REG. You can pass REG!

[water]

You shouldn't worry about memorizing all thresholds. Some of them will be given to you in the problems. As long as you know whereabouts the thresholds are (~$1M for Sec 179, ~$25/26M for ‘large' corps)

I know the feeling of practicing SIMs for your last exam. It is excruciating. But it will help you immensely on test day. Try to sit down and get done 20-25 SIMs in a day including research. If you aren't sure how to solve them, look at the exhibit documents for a bit then submit the SIM and read the solution. You just need to know how to approach each kind of SIM and use the exhibits.

[monikernc]

I found using the tax forms and completing them as I studied really helped. Also, working back from the answers to the sims and walking through all calculations really helped. Comparing what they wanted to what I thought they were asking really, really helped.
Make sure you know how to read the instructions to complete the sims as required during the exam – 0's no 0's, blank no blank…
You don't have to memorize thresholds and rates, as such, those will be provided.
Pull bus law in as you study other sections – dropping the tax topics while you do bus law risks forgetting all of one to do the other. Bus law is a beast. Do look at https://www.law.cornell.edu/ to see how the IRC is organized and understand how to search it to get to things quickly on exam day. Same with UCC.
Be sure your materials are up to date with all of the currently tested law changes – CARE AND SECURE ACTS must be in there.
You can do this. You will do this. Go ahead and cry as we all know grown ass men do from time to time – get that out of your system then just start fresh with a new attitude.
Don't fret about the times you previously took the exam – those are history. Focus on this one effort and set a goal of no more retakes. Positive self talk always makes THE difference. Now, go get it!!

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[Skynet]

I need to open up a bar when I retire from accounting😂.

This bar will be catered to all CPA's, CPA candidates, accountants, etc.

It will employ former CPA's and accountants who will listen to all the Candidate's problems and vents.

Jeff of A71 will sponsor our softball team.⚾🏆

There will be an Octagon where CPA's can fight each other in an MMA type match.

Peter Olinto will be on the big screen 24-7.

[Sam]

I felt the same way about Reg; I got the other three done, felt good about my process, then felt like I got hit by a semi-truck. It made BEC, FAR and AUD feel like algebra and REG was calculus. When I hit a patch like you're describing, I had to get up and cool down – spending time outside, going for a run, etc. You have to be in the right headspace to take all this in, especially during final review. Studying too much in a limited amount of time turns into cramming, which may hurt you during the actual exam. You have to trust that you know more than you realize, and just spend most of your time on your weakest sections.

To echo water, as long as you have an idea of the thresholds, you'll be alright. Don't forget you can use the authoritative literature on all the Sims, not just the research question. I found it great to quickly check a threshold or rule. To echo monikernc, cry your eyes out; anyone who'd judge you for that clearly hasn't taken one (no less 3 – and passed) of these dreadful exams. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Good luck! Bring this CPA home!

Skynet – I love that proposition lol, I'm in

[calvinus]

It took me 12 sections to pass, so trust me, I know the feeling. But just like that, it will all be over in an instant. And being on the verge, you'll surely know that joy soon.

And having been in public for two years since then, even though I can vouch that nothing I learned for the exam has had any real-life value (not that it's useless, but just that a CPA's job is way easier than the exam), I still look back fondly on the exam as one of the hardest challenges I've had to overcome.

[Jen200215]

It’s going to take me 11 times if I pass and I’m on a 12/31 deadline before I lose FAR so I completely understand. I have a meltdown weekly right now 🙂 I take REG this week and I’ve found the Ninja sparring replays really help. He has a way of applying logic into what he’s teaching that takes out some of that memorizing. Might try a few of those out. Good luck! You can do it!

[Author]

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