[DiligentCPA]

Hello,

I have taken reg three times now: 69, 74, 73

I according to my test summary I do good on everything except the sims.
The biggest problem I am having with the sims is I seem to get 2-3 asking me to make calculations on topics that I have never seen before. My study material is Becker and another 71 mcq.

Does anyone have any helpful strategies on how to approach a sim that has a topic that you have never seen?

Thanks

[Claudia408]

Taylor – I'm in the same boat but worse! Took Reg 3x: 67, 66, 65! First time, I knew I wasn't very prepared and looking back I think those were the easiest SIMs I had out of all 3 attempts. Next 2 attempts I had CRAZY SIMs, at least 2-3 on each where I was like wtf. I'm at a loss how to study again but I also really believe some luck has to do with it. You need to get a favorable SIM for YOU, not necessarily “easy”.

BEC - 75 (3x)
AUD - 78 (3x)
REG - 67, 66, Aug 1
FAR - 54, Sept 8

[SkiBum1990]

any areas of REG you guys are going to zone in on for preparing for this round of SIMS?

"The mind can only absorb as much as the seat can take"

B - 79
A - 68, __ (got bumped from Aug 4 release to Aug 23-THANKS AICPA)
R - Oct
F - Nov (HA! 1 month to study working full-time; love NTS rules)

[jpowell31]

the SIMs are the worst! I feel like it's impossible to prepare for some of them. there's not enough time to use the AL for them all (depending on the SIMs you get) and the DRS especially, the zooming etc., wastes so much time. luck is definitely a factor! anyone who's passed in one go can't fairly say they know this is true…having taken different exams more than once, they are all so different and some SIMs are fairer than others and some difficult ones may just be what you've spent extra time studying on and others aren't… I have no idea how to study for them but will definitely be looking at examples ahead of the final days before the exam (my prior strategy in hopes that seeing it close to the exam would stick…).
back in the day you would get points for your work and now with the computer some forms mean if you get the first number wrong you may get the whole form wrong.

[SkiBum1990]

@jpowell31 What did you have to zoom in for? That sounds horrible.. was it to look at a document/DRS?

"The mind can only absorb as much as the seat can take"

B - 79
A - 68, __ (got bumped from Aug 4 release to Aug 23-THANKS AICPA)
R - Oct
F - Nov (HA! 1 month to study working full-time; love NTS rules)

[Texasmom]

That's where my problem area lies as well. I have taken it twice already and going for the 3rd time in October or November. Not sure how to study for them either. Very frustrating! :$

FAR - 84
REG - 72, 73
AUD-
BEC - Sept 2016

[SkiBum1990]

I'll be taking my 1st attempt next month and am not looking forward to the SIMs from hell.. sigh — @texasmom — any general advice ( or specific 😉 )??

"The mind can only absorb as much as the seat can take"

B - 79
A - 68, __ (got bumped from Aug 4 release to Aug 23-THANKS AICPA)
R - Oct
F - Nov (HA! 1 month to study working full-time; love NTS rules)

[jpowell31]

yes for the DRS SIMs (the AICPA practice exam has one on there if you want to take a look) have backup you need to look at… so a memo, an email, a tax return…etc. that you have to review and see if the statements included in the workable memo are correct or not so you've got to split screens if you want to see the statement but further the backup pieces do not zoom or act like the authoritative lit and make adjustments based on the size of the screen. they are just massive and you have to scroll around to read everything. for a short email it's not too bad but for a detailed form 1020 or a depreciation table, it's a waste of time. I (and I know a few others) included this issue in the comments at the end of the exam so I'm hoping it's something they can fix sooner rather than later.

[tman102938]

It's really luck of the draw, cant really prepare for them….With topics that I wasn't sure of with sims I would take a few deep breaths, not freak out, and slowly research using AL. I've found if its a random topic it can usually be found and explained pretty well in AL.

@jpowell31 pretty sure my DRS sim was a test sim given my score…ive heard a lot of talk saying that DRS will usually be the test sim until next year.

BEC:69,79 PASS
FAR:77 PASS
REG: 7/30
AUD:68,64

"If you want something, go get it. Period."

[mtaylo24]

55, 69, 74 here. I got comparable on attempts 2 and 3 on sims without prepping for them. I just think of them as extended MCQs. I think taking FAR in between attempts 2 and 3 kind of helped… #watchmegetweakernexttimeonsims

AUD - 1st - 60 (12/12), 61 (2/13), 61 (8/13), 78! (11/15)
REG - 55 (2/16) 69 (5/16) Retake(8/16)
BEC - 71(5/16) Retake (9/16)
FAR - (8/16)

[jpowell31]

@tman, it likely was, which is why I left it for last but I have seen someone get two DRS SIMs so it can't always be true. I had two other completely random SIMs, one of them being on a newer topic so I didn't want to ignore one and the other be the test questions. one of them I couldn't find using AL and wasted too much time on. overall just annoying because you just never know. and I left over an hour for SIMs. Given my score I didn't nail either one. This is where the required break would come in handy for my nerves!

[.]

I didn't really find the AL all that helpful in REG. I had one SIM that I had no idea how to answer. Was a really odd, very specific topic. I finished my exam early and had over 30-40 minutes to look stuff up in the AL but I couldn't find what I was looking for.

FAR - June 2016 - 88
REG - July 2016 - 89
AUD - Aug 2016 - review phase currently
BEC - Sep 2016 -

Wiley CPA Excel & Ninja MCQ

[Author]

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