[jeff]

Welcome to the Q2 2017 CPA Exam Study Group for REG. 🙂

[thelatebloomer]

@Floreat: Yeah I hear you. I think one thing to remember is that the questions are often trying to trick you in some way, and there's a logic behind it. If you see enough of those patterns, you may not remember the exact number associated with the rule, but you'll have enough sense of it to be able to answer a question correctly, especially if it's multiple choice. And the sims can really screw you if you miss fundamental concepts, but there's a structure behind them as well. And also, even though many of the tax rules are pretty arbitrary, there are some patterns to them as well. For example, most of the rules are designed to disadvantage the taxpayer, or to maximize gains and minimize losses. It also helps to remember the intent behind a lot of the rules, because you can look at the result and ask yourself “does this make sense?” Also, the other thing to remember is that in a sense you are competing against other test takers because they design the questions in order to achieve a certain passing rate. Almost no one is going to remember every single detail. Another example is where a ton of the partnership basis questions have a partner contributing property with a liability to test whether you remember that they are only being relieved of a portion of the liability. I can't tell you how many questions I got wrong because I spaced that even though I knew the principle. Being completely focused gets overlooked. I tend to have a lot of distractions and other obligations throughout the study process. But then when I'm locked in the room during the test I'm in complete focus and I tend not to miss on these stupid tricks. Keep us posted on your progress! I will be dreaming MCQs for the next couple weeks.

[RE2PECT]

@Floreat- Don't worry about all those details and specific phaseouts. You're not going to see any questions like that on the exam. I used Gleim for my retake and was only averaging 70% on mcq's so try not to get discouraged. I would do all the sims for the tax study units the max three times they allow. I feel that's the reason I was able to pass the second time.

FAR: 75 Roger & Ninja (notes/flashcards/audio/MCQ)
AUD: 73, 81
BEC: 71, retake 8/29
REG:

[jessicathomas12]

I have been using strictly the Becker series for my studies. I have been diligent about listening to the lectures, working all the MC questions and Simulations. I took and passed BEC in 11/2015, then took FAR in 02/2016 and failed but passed in 04/2016. I thought I would be fine and have the whole CPA Exam passed by Christmas time. Boy have I been wrong! I took Reg in 08/16 and failed miserably. Took it again in 10/16 and received a 73. I took it for a 3rd time 02/17 and received a 69. I've now scheduled this exam for 04/27/17. I have purchased the Ninja Exam questions and am still using the Becker Review course as well as the Final Review. Any suggestions for anything else? I'm basically going thru the whole entire book for the 4th time, but need desperately to pass this.

I also took AUD in 12/16 and received a 68. I retook it again in 02/17 (3 weeks after retaking FAR) and did horrible – received a 58. My BEC exam drops off on May 20, 2017. I know there is no point in cramming for FAR and Audit within 3 weeks of each other. Any suggestions on how to deal with having an exam drop off? I think I should try to retake BEC in either May or August…… Right now my plan is to retake Audit July 10th. Is that smart of my or should i push myself harder?

Thanks for any tips or advice.

[jessicathomas12]

@fallingfaceup

Same thing happened to me with REG in October 2016 and again in February 2017. I received a 73 in Oct. and a 69 in Feb. but my comparisons had all improved from weaker/comparable to comparable/stronger. I think I misread 2 simulations and that totally screwed me. Hang in there. I know it completely sucks. How bad is it to retake a section that you had passed? My BEC drops off in May and not sure if I should cram to get audit in or take my time restudying and test in July. What are you going to do?

[Shelby]

@jessicathomas12

I'm going to retake REG right away – and piggy back off of all the studying I did to take the exam on March 10. I am hoping to retake the second week of April (depends on how fast the state processes my application and I can get everything paid and receive the NTS – then what the seating situation looks like to schedule at prometric). Then I'll pick right up and study immediately for FAR and take the last day possible in May.

I'm just worried about new exam format and how that will be. Of course – I won't know how it all went until August so in the meantime I'm going to be picking up a couple upper division accounting courses since I am a few hours of upper division accounting behind to actually get certified. That will help take my mind off of the wait for the score.

I'm also going to contact my state board to see if there is any extra time they can give me since this is taking away several months of studying and a whole testing window while waiting for these scores. HOPEFULLY I won't need it and in August I find out I passed all 4 exams. If not, I'll have to develop a plan of attack.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

AUD – 87 – expires 05/30/17
BEC – 76 – expires 12/08/17
FAR – 73 retake 01/31/17 – 71 🙁
REG – 72 retake 03/10/17 – 73 🙁

[Teal]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to save anyone who lives in CA a call to the Board of Accountancy. MY co-worker called to find out if she could have more time if one her tests was dropping off in the wait for the test scores from Q2 and they told her no. So if you live in CA, don't expect extra time!! :/

FAR (66,68) Aug 26
REG (66) July 25
AUD (66) December 1st
BEC - October 3rd

[Teal]

Also, @fallingfaceup and @jessicathomas – I also felt like a rockstar when I took REG. I got a 74. 🙁 It was the most devastating thing to have happened in my journey so far! I considered giving up on several occasions. Someone also told me (I took it in Q1), that if you took a test in Q1, there were so many people taking it that the curve could have very possibly been super low.

FAR (66,68) Aug 26
REG (66) July 25
AUD (66) December 1st
BEC - October 3rd

[Wanna_B_TXCPA2014]

@fallingface up I really feel for you. I was scoring fairly good on my Becker practice exams like 71% to 90%. Got to the exam and came up 9 pts short. I was really pissed because I felt like i cant trust becker anymore even though i pass aud, bec, and far in a row with becker. I plan to get ninja in a week or 2 after re-write my notes.

The new strategy I plan to implement will be to study sims exclusively for like 2-3wks then switch to MCQs for 2-3wks then 2wks of reviews mixing sims and mcqs

[RE2PECT]

@Wanna_B_TXCPA2014- I'm sure the last thing you want to do is spend more money on review material, but if you're planning on practicing sims then I'd buy Gleim's test bank. They're as close to anything you'll see on the exam and the AL is a mirror image of the real thing. You can also sign up for the 2 week trial to Wiley and run through all their sims for extra practice.

A lot of people don't like doing them and feel it's a waste of time, but I think they test whether or not you really understand a certain topic. Now that they're worth half your grade, I think it's important to practice as many as you can.

FAR: 75 Roger & Ninja (notes/flashcards/audio/MCQ)
AUD: 73, 81
BEC: 71, retake 8/29
REG:

[Matt]

@Wanna_B_TXCPA2014

I focused on sims the second time I took and failed audit my 74, I went up a little bit, but I really went way up after I did an incredible amount of the gleim multiple choice.

Everybody is different, but at the time I did every single sim, something like 200 and it didn't help me on the exam- just sharing my experience with it.

FAR 74

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone!

My name is Ashley and I will be taking REG at the end of May. I took it before the change and got a 70 – pretty bummed. What do y'all recommend? I've used Becker thus far.

Thanks!

[Nikki]

I just found out I did not pass Reg in Q1 and I am so devastated I will be retaking it in Q2. This was already a retake from Q3 and I actually scored worse 🙁 How is everyone planning to prepare for the new exam format? I've been studying with Ninja MCQ & notes plus I have an older Becker textbook I look at sometimes. Will the exam still test 2016 tax laws in Q2? I'm wondering if practicing Ninja SIMS will suffice for this new exam. I know my weak area is already the SIMS – I can't even imagine them being harder. I'm pretty sure that's how I failed last time since I was comparable in all MCQ.

[cmcook]

I thought BEC was terrible. REG's even worse! The minutia… Looks like lots of reading and MCQ/SIMs in my future. LOTS.

[Josh]

How's things going REG group? Got my NTS after 67 on REG on the 9th. Planning to re-take this in about 7 weeks or as soon as possible.

I'm also deciding if I want to add anything else to my study process. My NMSCPA mentor keeps recommending Becker after he passed with them after using Gleim for at least 3 years. I'm getting there, but I'm still convinced it's as much about my commitment and how I study than anything else.

It's time to crawl under a proverbial rock and get this done. That means a lot of things such as taking on less tax business, not seeking additional business, and not training on anything else like Quick-Books until I have my CPA. It's just tough working near minimum wage and losing my experience requirement.

Let's get this exam!

[Teal]

Does anyone think it is beneficial to use those “Blueprints” the AICPA came out with and study each section? It seems so daunting to me…haha

FAR (66,68) Aug 26
REG (66) July 25
AUD (66) December 1st
BEC - October 3rd

[Author]

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