[Jeff01234567]

I took my AUD test Friday and got completely offguard by some SIM questions that look like they came straight out of FAR.

Is it fair for the examiners to test this?? The questions did not test auditing topics at all. If I did not study FAR before I would’ve had absolutely no idea how to do it. I just barely remember the concepts and am not 100% sure I did them correctly.

I did not remember any materials stating that accounting questions would be asked on the AUD exam. Has the AICPA asked these types of questions before? If not, hopefully one of them was a pretest question in anticipation of the 2017 changes.

BEC - 83 Oct 23
FAR - 84 Jan 8
AUD - 81 Feb 26
REG - 84 May 23

[Spartans92]

I believe it is fair to have FAR topics on AUD exam. I was on the same boat as you when I took my AUD exam. 4/7 of my SIMS were FAR based hence I got weaker on the breakdown. It's really the luck of the draw. Hope you will get some good news on the 9th.

BEC- PASS

[Jeff01234567]

Wow that means it's almost like two tests in one. Becker did not mention anything about FAR topics when I studied. Did you have some advance notice before the test? It doesn't seem fair to make candidates study a whole other section just to prepare for AUD simulations…

BEC - 83 Oct 23
FAR - 84 Jan 8
AUD - 81 Feb 26
REG - 84 May 23

[choffner]

I got a FAR sim on AUD, and it was 1/3 of the total SIM answers I had to submit. I got a 74 🙁

I agree it doesn't seem right. I studied AUD. I scheduled AUD. So maybe the test should cover AUD…?

BEC 75
REG 81
FAR 69, 75
AUD 71, 74, 84

[Ib]

That is the main reason why they recommend FAR before AUD. This seems to be normal.

FAR 79
AUD 87
BEC 78
REG 08/31/2016

[Procrastinator]

It is mentioned in the test FAQ that material can be seen from more than one test. It is VERY common to see FAR sims in auditing. How would you tell the auditee to adjust their books if you found an error? FAR is part of AUD. The things that will be tested are most likely basic journal entries: revenue recognition, fixing accruals, etc.

[Spartans92]

I totally agree it is unfair in a sense because AUD may be tricky for some in general and it's not right to study for FAR just for the SIMS. But as Procrastinator mentioned if you are an auditor you need to book adjusting entries etc so it is common to have FAR topics on AUD. I do believe Becker did mentioned there are possibilities, also some of my friends mentioned to me beforehand. Though taking FAR before AUD is recommended but one may not recall the material after few months and may need some time to refresh (that is what I am most concerned with for my retake at least).

BEC- PASS

[Procrastinator]

To add a little more…if you received a four year degree in accounting, you can answer FAR questions on the AUD exam. Do NOT freak out thinking you have to know all of FAR. Know basic journal entries. Recording AP, AR, selling goods with COGS. I use Wiley and it says you should know basic financial ratios as well that are tested on FAR.

[Jdn9201]

I agree with Procrastinator. I think FAR is fair game on the Audit exam. Most of us taking these exams likely have a master's in accounting as well, or additional classes to meet the education requirements. That means we've had at least beginning and intermediate financial accounting. I think it'd be unfair to have pension accounting or something like that for test purposes, but how can you audit something if you don't know what the correct GAAP treatment is? That also simulates what it's like to work in real life. I'm a tax accountant and do corporate income tax, but you better believe I care about how book income is calculated because that's what my provision starts with. If my book income number is materially incorrect because someone in accounting screwed up, and I book a provision based on that, I might as well pack up and go home.

BEC - 88 8/29/15
REG - 82 11/14/15
AUD - 83 1/8/16
FAR - 80 2/29/16

[Spartans92]

Procrastinator, since you mentioned that I feel ashamed because one of the SIMS was very basic FAR topic but I could not recall how to do it. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prepare for the SIMS for next time around (specifically related to FAR)?

BEC- PASS

[SiXiam]

Reviving this thread from the dead!

The new exams still have FAR sims on the Audit exam.
I had a FAR sim that blindsided me pretty bad.

BEC: 80
REG: 75
FAR: __, ?/2016

[Anonymous]

Oh my, what a shocker!

The entire point of an audit is to make sure that the FAR “stuff” is recorded correctly. You cant audit if you don't know how the the journal entries should be recorded correctly in the first place.

Can you pass the Audit section of the CPA exam without FAR..absolutely.

[Author]

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