[Pavilion]

I am taking AUD early tomorrow morning and it is my last section. I have passed the other three on my first try. Of all the sections, I feel the most worked up about this exam. Now that I have started working full time, I really want to be done with the CPA exam. I just got back from a doctor checkup and my blood pressure was 150/90! I am only 23 and a marathon runner. What have you found that works for you to reduce anxiety (and blood pressure!) when testing and waiting for scores?

FAR 04/27/16 85
BEC 05/26/16 84
REG 07/19/16 84
AUD 08/27/16

[monikernc]

do some mcqs today and make calm your mantra. if you have been stressed while studying you may carry that with you to exam. so practice being aware of your breathing while reading and answering questions. do 5, then 10, then 30 and repeat. stay calm while you do this so you can ‘remember' it tomorrow. or, if you are using ninja do it in practice exam mode which will be like exam – no answers pop up between questions. just do it for a couple of testlets while remaining calm and pacing yourself. don't fret! take your time and breathe.

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

[Anonymous]

Just focus on deep breathing and taking it one problem at a time. I've had some unexpected-for-a-25-year-old blood pressure due to accounting, too, and you've just got to learn to let it go. (No, that wasn't intended as a Frozen reference, but if Frozen will help you, then go for it. 😛 )

For me the hardest part with stress is making myself truly take things one at a time. If I can do that, I can manage the stress. So, if you're like me, just make yourself think only about that one problem – not about work, not about the other 3 exams, not about expiration dates or exam fees or anything else, just about that one problem in front of you. That should help you stay focused and less stressed.

[SuckItUp]

BREATHE. Ease up on the caffeine. Besides, it's the easiest of the four.

[Joshua]

I'm considering taking breaks between testlets when I sit for Audit (Tuesday). I made the mistake of telling myself it would be the hardest test to pass, so I've been really stressed about it. I'll have to try some of the suggestions above also.

Anyways, GL tomorrow tomorrow Pavilion.

[Bear-Bear]

Hmmm…I personally go the opposite direction. I get pretty hyped beforehand, pumping myself up and getting ready to rock. I imagine that the exam is trying to stand in the way of my success, take money out of my pocket, and impede my goals…and therefore must be dealt with appropriately. But that's just me. 🙂

[CPYay]

Bear-Bear was subsequently removed from the testing facility for “stabbing the monitor with a shank produced from a dry-erase marker” while repeatedly shouting, “He started it! He started it!”

[ultrarunner]

Hi Pavilion, nice to meet a fellow runner. Most runners I know are high achievers. Plus, I agree that AUD is the easiest one to pass. I bombed every single SIM but still passed it on my first try. You will be fine. Ever since I completed CPA exams, I've been running races at least once a month (mostly half-marathon). I am racing again this Sunday. Imagine that you could run anytime or whenever you want to. You are almost there. Go runner. 🙂

FAR 72,67,79 (Roger+Wiley test bank)11/15
AUD 80 (Roger)10/15
BEC 80 (Roger)4/16
REG 63,78 (Roger+Ninja MCQs)5/16

[Bear-Bear]

@CPYay – I literally laughed out loud at that!

[Pavilion]

Thank you all for the support and great suggestions! @ultrarunner, I'm looking forward to more running time once these exams are behind me! 🙂

FAR 04/27/16 85
BEC 05/26/16 84
REG 07/19/16 84
AUD 08/27/16

[Author]

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