[Anonymous]

I’m re-doing the Becker course (re-reading chapters, and re-doing MCQs). I’ve failed twice now (70,72). This is my last CPA exam. In your opinion, is the book the most important or the MCQs? I’ve done two test banks of questions and I’ve done the Becker questions 2-3 times. I feel like maybe I’m missing some concepts from the book. Anyone have a similar experience? Advice? Just curious..

[skoog]

I have had the same exact experience. REG is my last exam too and I got a 74 the first time I took REG and scored a 73 the second time. I used Yaeger lectures, the Wiley Test Bank, Ninja Notes and Ninja Audio. I did pretty well on the Multiple Choice but bombed the SIMS. I have 2 more attempts at REG before I lose credit for FAR.

What is the best review material for the REG SIMS?!?!?

[Anonymous]

@skoog Oh, that's scary. I have 3 more attempts until I lose BEC.. I've used Becker and I've done all the Ninja MCQs and studied Ninja notes. I feel like I'm not spending enough time on the textbook. I “think” that's my problem. I guess I'll know after the next attempt. I'm going to spend a lot of time on the textbook and Ninja notes. I've done so many MCQs at this point. I think if that was going to make me pass, it would have last time. :/

[skoog]

I passed FAR, AUD and BEC back to back so Im not too worried about it. Just more frustrated than anything. I am switching up my source of multiple choice questions and I think that should do the trick.

[Sbirge24]

I would say the main thing is the SIMS. If this is your 3rd time, you should have a pretty good grasp of the material. For me I had to take my time on MC but work at a good pace and I left enough time to the SIMs.

I also believe reading is most important to be honest if you understand calculations like Wash sales, Corp Liquidation and Partnership (Those are SIMs). I didn't have many calculations on the MC

[Anonymous]

I failed my last exam, reg, on my 1st try with a 73 in the Q12015 window because i scored weaker on the Sims. I found out that i passed the retake with a 86 this morning. I studied for 7-8 weeks for the first one and similar time frame for the retake. For the retake, i didn't do anything special. However, I did primarily focus on R3 and R4 in Becker since i have a strong background in individual taxation.

I agree with Sbirge24 that the SIMS is the main thing for regulation. If you know the SIMs and do fine on the MCQs, you will pass. Unfortunately, there is no way to study for the Sims since they are so random and details. However, the SIMs would most likely be from R1 thru R4, so I would focus on those chapters more than the business laws. For the MCQs, I would definitely be familiar with R5. it is an important and easy chapter.

On the test day, I recommend leaving 90 mins for the SIM. The MCQ testlet should only take 30mins each since there are no complicated calculations and 24 questions.

Good luck on the future tests.

[More_Coffee]

I used Becker for REG as well. I went through each sim in the homework once and tried to learn what I could from them. I felt like it was good practice to do them, but ultimately the sims you get on your actual test will be different and it's seriously just a crapshoot as far as what will be on them. For that reason, I only ran through them once and didn't try to redo them or practice them.

I personally focused way more on the book. I went through each lecture once (watched the videos, took notes as specified, did 100% of the MC questions), and then reread the book a second time about 2 weeks before my exam. While I was doing this, I made my own shorthand condensed notes with what I thought were the most important concepts and what I thought needed to be memorized. I made sure I did my best to understand my weak areas (AMT, trusts, etc.) and basically drilled myself on my handwritten notes for the couple of days right before my actual test. It's just really important to understand the concepts, because that is basically the only way you'll have any chance at taking on the random sims you'll get.

I don't know, that's just my .02. Writing things down is what works for me, but of course that might not be what works for you. Anyway, I hope this helps in some way 🙂

REG - 86 (4/11/15)
BEC - 92 (5/29/15)
AUD - 99 (7/23/15)
FAR - 89 (11/23/15) It's over!!!
>> Becker Self Study

[Megatron]

Sims, Sims, & Sims!!!!!!!

FAR - 77
BEC - 77
AUD - 89
REG - 85

[ibCPAsoon]

And to expand on Megatron. Make sure to practice searching the IRC to assist you. Use it even when practicing and you know the answer to get more comfortable. Some of the SIM's I had no idea what they were…I could solve just with the help of the practice aid. And the research question is a freebie once you get good!

BEC - PASS JULY 2014
FAR - PASS DEC 2014
AUD - PASS FEB 2015
REG - PASS MAY 2015

[Last Chance CPA]

@ibCPAsoon – I am using Gleim SIMs bank, which most mirrors the exam, including their IRC. I have tried to do real-time AL IRC searches, but have had no luck. I found exact answers for AUD in the AL, but I can't even find part of an answer for REG.

For example, for partnership tax treatment on cash distributions to partners, it took me forever just to find an answer for one box of one SIM! Maybe you can shed some light on this?

Like I said, I used it perfectly for AUD, but I don't think it is a strategy I will even bother to deploy with REG. I am having no luck with the IRC. I need to jump from a 69 to 75….

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[golfball7773]

Work the forms so you can a holistic picture of how everything intertwines

FAR: 63, 55, 62
REG: 65, 77*
AUD: Fail, 64, 71
BEC: 72, 74, 81

*expired

[Texan_176]

I failed REG with a 66 but I did better than I thought. I re-took AUD in May and crammed for REG. The lectures were painfully slow to get though but I think it was worth watching them because you do not get the same thing from the book alone. For some people the Ninja notes alone do the trick but personally without the foundation of a lecture the notes alone will not work.

I spent only 7 hours with MCQs in Ninja and probably did fewer hours in Roger's test bank. The key is probably just repeatedly doing problems so you pick up enough facts/rules in your mind to apply to the actual test.

My strategy is going to be the same as I had for AUD when I retook it. Between now and July just do 100 MCQs a day and make notes on the ones I do wrong. Reread the book and do a chapter a day making notes only about things I am not 100% sure on. Do that every day leading into the weekend before the test. Then I would quit reading and writing notes. Just slam yourself with 1000+ MCQs that last weekend and rewatch any video on weak areas.

I think I could have passed REG if I had worked more on Estate/Trust taxation and Property Exchange Transactions. I got hammered on those questions and did really well on only Individual Taxation which is no surprise because more study time was applied to that area.

Try picking up facts/rules and do not get bogged down in business law that much. Don't blow off business law but at the same time do not make elaborate notes about it and try to memorize every detail.

BEC 11/29/14 77 (Roger)
AUD 2/23/15 60 (Roger) 4/13/2015 83 (Roger & Ninja MCQ)
REG 5/30/2015 66 (Roger & Ninja MCQ(7 hours only)) 8/23/2015 78 (Roger & Ninja MCQ)
FAR 11/23/2015 60 (Roger & NINJA MCQ) 2/24/2016 74 (Roger & NINJA MCQ) 5/25/2016 83 (Roger+Roger CRAM & NINJA MCQ/NOTES)
Texas Ethics Exam 92%

Licensed TX CPA Aug 2016

[ijustwant76]

I felt like there was so much more straight memorization for REG than any of the other tests. All the deductions, how they work, how the various trade/tax acts, so much more minutia!

[ShmeePA]

I haven't read other people's responses but I would say if you master Individual and Corp tax, you will be in good shape. To be honest, the ethics should be super easy and the business lw, I would just have general knowledge of it.

BEC-84
FAR-86
AUD-87
REG-79

[Author]

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