[khachik2003]

I have no background in tax at all and im studying for REG using becker…needless to say, there is a ton of information and I’m getting scared.

How difficult is the exam? Is it curved like crazy?

[killaking]

the sims will make or break you

FAR: 7/17/10 missed exam FML reschedule 8/29/10-77 EPIC!
REG: 5/31/11-73 SMH, 8/31/11-85
BEC: 4/15/10-72 : retake 10/3/10-80
AUD: 11/28/10-74, 02/27/11-71 FML, 8/1/11-80
Ethics 10/22/22-80, retake 11/28/11 - 88

[Whenindoubt]

The REG exam is very challenging. I don't have tax experience either (other than my personal taxes) so I studied more for this exam than any of the others (250 hrs+) and I left the exam feeling very uneasy about the whole thing.

My advice would be to learn all the major areas Becker highlights, but also possibly look into supplementing. Becker takes a very simplistic approach to tax and I found that it left gaping wholes in certain concepts for me. The m/c and sims can be very misleading because they are relatively easy compared to some of the questions you may see on your exam. The Ninja notes were good too.

Make sure and familiarize yourself with what has been posted by others regarding the sims. I prepared myself for it on test day so I was able to skip the whole “shock” experience and move right into figuring out how I was going to attempt to answer the sims.

Best of luck!

BEC: 75 11/8/10
AUD: 89 2/22/11
FAR: 78 5/17/11
REG: 72, 83 10/17/11
DONE!!!!

[T-rex]

Whenindoubt's advice about the sims is spot on. Expect the sims to be a complete nightmare because they will be. Try to avoid panic mode and do your best to fill in what you can.

AUD - 95, BEC - 85
REG - 85, Rawrrrrrr FAR - 88
Used Becker for all sections.
CA candidate not residing in CA

[khachik2003]

it seems like everyone is focusing on the SIMS. Are the MC questions straight forward or is it something I should worry about too?

[T-rex]

The MCs are tough too, but not in comparison to the sims. REG is all around difficult, so prepare as well as you can.

AUD - 95, BEC - 85
REG - 85, Rawrrrrrr FAR - 88
Used Becker for all sections.
CA candidate not residing in CA

[pshustler]

Dont freak out too much about the SIMS. Do some practice SIMS but focus on learning the material on the MC and you will be OK on the SIMS. Use the research tab if you have to as well.

Scary thing about REG is that it covered all 7 chapters I learned in Becker. Even the ancillary material. I supplemented with Wiley Test Bank too. I highly reccomend doing this

Another piece of advice is for every time you review business law, review the tax stuff twice. You see a lot more of that

BEC - 86
AUD - 94
REG - 88
FAR - 89

[khachik2003]

yeah REG is melting my brain -_-

btw, great score on AUD! Got any advice for that section too?

[yankeeaccountant]

Hey !

Back from taking REG today. As usual, I am not sure how things went. I had the following experience:

1st testlet : medium about 6 I was iffy on

2nd testlet: difficult about 7 I was iffy on

3rd testlet: easier about 2 I was iffy on

Then hold on to your seatbelts, here come the sims. Whoa! I wasn't surprised by them after reading everyone's posts. They were difficult. I had 3 sims that I felt ok about. The other 3 were:

1 sim I had no idea what the problem was really asking

2 Sim: unfortunately was on my weak area, I muddled through it using the research tab, hope that helped

3 sim: I just wasn't 100% about it, so I used the research tab, but honestly sometimes reading the IRC code is like a puzzle, I found the answers but still not positive I got it right.

I felt like the mcq's experience was very much like my BEC and FAR experience, which were passing scores last window. But at the same time, I felt much better about the sims on those. All in all: no clue.

I stayed on the time thing fairly well. I went into the sims with 1.5 hours left. Two sims went fairly quickly so I had plenty of time for the remaining sims.

All in all, I am glad I am done. But wish I did better on the sims.

@kb24—thanks for the good vibes and support–really makes a difference 🙂 The guy taking my fingerprint at Prometric asked me, “CPA?” I said loud and clear: “That is the plan!!!!” Trying my best to exert some bravado!!

Good luck studying this weekend —me, I think my husband and I are going to the movies–No Studying! I will pick up on Audit tomorrow.

Have a good one!!

[Anonymous]

REG is like going to the dentist…you know it's going to suck…you REALLY don't want to go…but at the end of the day, you have to knuckle up and get it done. I can relate to your view about taxation…tax has always been my weak area so naturally, I saved REG for last. I will make one huge suggestion…if you are using Becker, do whatever you can to supplement those materials with something else (yaeger, wiley, cpaninja, etc). I studied for REG harder than I did for the other 3, busted out mid 80's on the final exam practice sets (which usually maps to higher scores on the actual exam), and BARELY squeaked out a passing score. That being said, I think the advice that has been given so far is pretty accurate…I would follow some of those suggestions and you should be fine…the sims were a nightmare, but it is so important not to panic. Once your sympathetic nervous system initiates the “flight or fight” response, blood flow is diverted to your skeletal muscles and lungs to facilitate better running or fighting. Thus, if you let yourself panic, your body's own inherent biological inner-workings will preclude you from approaching the difficult sims in a calm, rational manner.

Now that you're aware of you're own body chemistry, you can go in expecting the worst and not be surprised when a seemingly impossible sim crops up on you. Prepare the best you can, supplement Becker (if affordable), and utilize those fine tuned critical thinking and logical reasoning skills! 🙂 Best of luck! I'm rooting for you!

[khachik2003]

great answer baseballcpa and thank you!

I'm going to supplement it with Wiley and probably ninja notes 🙂 Any advice for FAR and AUD too?

[T-rex]

Ooh, I could use some tips on FAR too!

AUD - 95, BEC - 85
REG - 85, Rawrrrrrr FAR - 88
Used Becker for all sections.
CA candidate not residing in CA

[Anonymous]

@yankeeaccountant

Glad you're done with REG! When I took it a couple of weeks ago I had no clue what they wanted on at least one Sim (forget about when I knew what they wanted but wasn't sure of the answer), but it's such a relief to have just taken it. Enjoy your break from studying. Don't worry about the Sims, they're so unpredictable.

Good luck studying AUD! It should be easier compared to REG (unless you're like my boss who disliked AUD the most)

I feel like AUD is not just memorization and application, but you can use your own common sense to answer many of the questions.

Have fun!

[yankeeaccountant]

The dentist

---

good analogy! I was in the 79 range while taking the exams on the Wiley test bank, so I don't think things bode well for me under your scenario. ugh. I will stay hopeful nonetheless because in the end it seems like there are so many variables in the scoring. I definitely feel like the sims could do me in though!

@acct-thanks for the post. I feel better knowing that I wasn't the only one who got a sim that I had no idea what they were asking, I totally guessed. In terms of Audit–you are exactly right. I am actually happy to study Audit after REG. I obviously have to pay attention to the question more and memorize and memorize. My common sense didn't do so well for me last window!

All I can say, is that I can't get enough sleep. I think My body is having a REG after effect. I feel exhausted. Couldn't go out to the movies yesterday–too wiped. We ordered pizza in and watched movies ON Demand. It was perfect. It was raining and did I mention how tired I am?!! Geesh.

Have a great day!!

[khachik2003]

@yankee

I feel your pain. Having to commute 1 hour to my full time job, going to the gym, studying, and making time for friends is a monumentally difficult task to undertake

Im so tired and mentally drained that I don't even want to do anything fun and I've only studied for BEC so far :O

[kb24]

@Yankee

Sounds like the perfect evening to me. Hope you enjoyed your break and feel fulll of energy to tackle AUD.

It sounds like you did ok on REG to me. I felt worse about the MCQ than you did and about the same on the SIMS. My ok ones were ok only in comparison to an absolutely horrible one that I saved for last and spent 41 of the remaining 45 minutes on. It was an obscure scenario that only the IRS would think to address. Found the info in the research tab but felt like I needed an interpreter. Read that 4 times and had a glimmer of understanding. Wording of question was confusing, and it had several parts. I'd make my best guess as to what they wanted and then change my mind after I read a later section and have to go back. If this was the paper and pencil days, I'd have worn a hole in my paper from erasing so much.

AUD will probably seem so simple after the last few weeks spent on REG. You're right about needing to be careful reading the questions, but I know you can do it.

FAR 4/1/11 - 89
AUD 4/15/11 - 85
REG 4/29/11 - 80
BEC 5/13/11 - 85

[Author]

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