[Lola23]

Hey guys, This is my 4th time taking FAR. Last score was 70. Im waiting the score release the 23th of february. I dont feel comfortable of getting a passed this time either. I struggled with the SIMS. Basically guessed almost all of them. SIMS are my major weakness. I took AUD and passed on my 2nd try. I have a major in accounting and dont have working experience yet. I dont know if this is affecting me since SIMS are real case scenarios. FAR is really killing my motivation.

[lizardh7]

I have! Try not to get discouraged. I had to take a few breaks in between for busy season, and just a mental health break. I one time got a 70 twice in a row and knew I needed to chill. I finally passed it with a 79 in december. You can do it!

BEC - 67, 80(lost), 70, 79
FAR - 62, 71, 67, 70, 70, 73, 79
AUD - 66, 77
REG - 69, 76
Ethics -95, Licensed in ID

[lizardh7]

also forgot to tell you – I struggled with Sims too. I thought I knew them, but i really didn't understand conceptually. Take the time to really understand the sim, and the JEs that go along with them. Honestly I took the test before I started with a big 4 as an auditor, then when i moved to a regional firm I took it twice and passed the second time after I had gone through a busy season at the Regional firm. I felt like i really really really understood the accounting at that point!

BEC - 67, 80(lost), 70, 79
FAR - 62, 71, 67, 70, 70, 73, 79
AUD - 66, 77
REG - 69, 76
Ethics -95, Licensed in ID

[Lola23]

Thank you @lizardh7. Your words lifted up my spirit.

[lizardh7]

No problem @Lola23! I have totally been there. I am just hoping the last two I have to pass don't take me as long as FAR did. Also, remember that once we pass them no one even cares how many times we took them as long as we passed them all! We will get there!

also if you have becker, focus on the Sims towards the final two weeks of the review before the exam. The time i passed far, i made time in my studying to actually do the sims where before i would just glance over the answers and not actually try them…I think that made a difference. Good luck!

BEC - 67, 80(lost), 70, 79
FAR - 62, 71, 67, 70, 70, 73, 79
AUD - 66, 77
REG - 69, 76
Ethics -95, Licensed in ID

[cpac]

I took it four times! Its a beast, but you'll get “your” test when it asks things you really hit hard on! Don't give up – you will pass!

Working hard...

AUD: 74, 91 1/18

BEC: 78 12/16

FAR: 65, 73, 66, 83 8/17

REG: 64, 80 1/18

[Bourne]

The feb 23rd score release has been pushed back. Looks like you'll be waiting longer than planned

AUD- 82
REG- 86
FAR- 86
BEC- 88

[Anonymous]

passed it in one shot with about 4 weeks to 5 weeks of study. failed audit twice though. I feel your pain. Just do one topic at a time and absorb the concepts well. If you are struggling with any area, don't kill yourself over it. Just mark it and move on and revisit that area towards the end.

[Anonymous]

do 1 sim at a time and try to understand it, then move to the next. Also you can get the answers first and then try to work backwards.

[Stilgoin]

I passed FAR on my 5th time. I personally do not think passing FAR correlates with work experience. I have seen many experienced CPAs fail FAR on this forum. Also, I don’t think you can say that SIMS are your weakness because the SIMS are based on the knowledge you learn about FAR. Many people don’t even practice SIMS. You need to take a hard look at what you are doing to prepare for the exam. You may not be studying enough, you may be studying too much, or too long. You may need another study program. Don’t be afraid to change it up if what you have done before is not working. My success finally came because I kept presenting the information to myself in different ways (audio, MCQs, video, notes, flash cards) until I finally understood everything enough to pass. Roger Cram for FAR finally pushed me over the edge, but I used Becker, NINJA, CPA Excel, and Youtube before I finally passed. All of these exams have very specific wording, so pay attention to the details and take very detailed notes when studying because all the little things matter.

Good luck!

Stilgoin, CPA

There are enough critics. Be an encourager

B | 62, 78
A | 73, 67, 79
R | 82
F | 59, 59, Waiting

Ethics | 93

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
~Winston Churchill

“In a world full of critics, be an encourager."

[Tncincy]

I've failed badly once and cancelled 3 times. 🙁

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader.....time to pass

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[turo9992000]

I hope I don't fail 5 times, I'm taking FAR for the 3rd time in February.

AUD - 64, 80 Passed on 10/09/17

BEC - 75 Passed on 12/09/17

FAR - 69, 71, 73, 83 Passed on 06/10/18

REG - 81 Passed on 09/10/17

[Josh]

You can do it! My 7th should be April 20th. My advice is to pick a date and stick to it.

AUD - 75
BEC - 78
FAR - 76
REG - 80

Josh
“Focus on the future for 50%, on the present for 40%, and on the past for 10%." - Maasaki Hatsumi

[Lentilcounter]

I took FAR 4 times and passed on the 4th attempt. I went up 20 points from my last attempt. How did I do it? I used the AICPA blueprints to focus my studying. I made sure that I knew any AICPA FAR blueprint analysis topic really well because it could be tested as a MCQ or a SIM. In previous attempts, I focused on the wrong thing. For example, I studied governmental accounting too much which can't be a SIM based on the blueprints.

Study MCQ. Study SIMs. Buy supplemental software if you keep failing with the same system. Change it up. Use the study forums on here and pay attention to the questions that people ask. There is a reason why they are asking them.

There is an AICPA/NASBA webinar coming up on 02/15, I think to talk about exam strategy using the AICPA blueprints. Check it out.

BEC = 79

AUD = 79

FAR = 84

REG = 86

Prayer + AICPA blueprints = my success

BEC = 72 (6/08/16)
FAR = ?
REG = ?
AUD = ?

[mtaylo24]

I failed A LOT of exams, and it took me 5 times to pass FAR. One thing I found helpful towards the end, which I neglected earlier in my CPA journey, was the AICPA practice test. They give you 5 sample sims, but they kind of go a long way. I think I even got the same exact sim on my last FAR exam. With FAR, if your a border-line type of candidate, it really comes down to the exam you get. I felt just as confident going into my fifth attempt as my third and fourth, my final was just more straight forward.

CPA (2017)

REG:  75

BEC:  76

FAR:  77

AUD: 78

 

CMA (2019)

P1: 380

P2: 360

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)

[Lola23]

Wao, this forum is really exceptional. I was thinking of quitting but no, I will keep pushing. I felt frustrated. I mean, I havent receive the score yet but I dont feel confident since I did badly on the Sims. Anyway, I'll just have to wait and see. If I fail I will change the system. Im using Gleim. If you know of a system that is good preparing you for Far, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND WHY.

[Author]

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