[Excel14]

Any of you who have taken FAR recently, did you experience a lot of involved calculations on your test. I realize everyone’s experience will be different, but I’m trying to get a vibe overall. As all of you know, these in depth calcs can be brutal!

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[Andyred04]

In my opinion, you're more likely to see the involved questions in the SIMs than the MCQs but you could see a couple long ones in the MCQs

FAR: 80 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
REG: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
BEC: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
AUD: 8/27/16

PA Candidate

[Excel14]

bump

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[monikernc]

Ask for a handheld calculator for exam. So nice to have for quicker calcs.

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!!!
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[Excel14]

Oh I plan to, since I did that for BEC, and it definitely made life better! Hoping for less ridiculous calcs, but preparing for the worst case.

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[MaLoTu]

I took it last quarter and the MCQ were not that bad … I failed because of the sims which were also not that bad, I just suck at them! I got comparable on the MCQ and they were all likened to the simpler questions in the practice software. The calculations were straightforward, they may have been considered hard if you didn't know how to do them, but not out of left field or requiring a series of calcs to arrive at the answer. I am retaking on 6/8 and I pray that I get a test similar to the last one .. I kick myself for missing some easy points on the sims. I got a 70 and probably could have passed if I paid a little closer attention during study time!

[Spartans92]

Excel, my FAR exam only had several computation a lot of them were concepts NFP/Govt. I didnt pass fyi. Good Luck!
Im finishing up Becker for BEC this weekend. Not sure which software you used but should I hit Ninja MCQ or should I do the optional questions in Becker? I have about 1.5 weeks left to go.

BEC- PASS

[jcbcpa]

Excel, when I first took FAR last October, my MCQ's were surprisingly very conceptual, but the SIMS….oh my goodness, they were absolutely brutal. I'd say about 3 were ridiculously long. And, as you can see in my signature, I missed the mark by 2 points (scored stronger on MCQ's and weaker on SIMS).

When I took FAR again the last day of February this year, my MCQ's were definitely more detailed and had more calculations, but there were still some conceptual questions mixed in. The SIMS, on the other hand, didn't feel nearly as detailed as the first time. There was only 1 I remember being extremely long. So it was a much better experience as far as SIMS (or maybe I was just better prepared).

So, as you can see, I think it's really hard to predict how it's going to go. Definitely prepare for the worst, but I would think you are likely to at least see some conceptual questions in your MCQ's, which will save you time, as long as you don't sit and stare at it for too long if you don't know the answer.

AUD - 85 (8/30/2015)
FAR - 73 (10/13/2015), 85 (2/29/2016) (AND DONE!)
BEC - 83 (11/04/2015)
REG - 81 (11/30/2015)

[Excel14]

@Spartan,

Thanks for the well wishes! I'm using Gleim. I don't have time for a supplemental test bank, since Gleim alone has 2,497 MCQs.

@jbcpa,

I'm hoping for mostly conceptual MCQs , since these Gleim calculation questions are kicking my a$$! I've heard the stories about FAR SIMs, so all I can do is prepare the best that I can, and pray hard! Lol

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[patelhj1]

You can request a handheld calculator?! didn't know that! please clarify

Do they provide you with it or you have to bring one?

BEC 78 08/2015
REG 71 11/2015, RETAKE 83 01/2016
FAR 75! 5/2016
AUD ? 8/2016

Becker with Nonstop NINJA MCQ
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[Excel14]

@patelhj1,

Yes, I merely asked for one, and they have them for candidates to use (at least they do at my Prometric site). Others have said the same.

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[Grizzly92]

In terms of like a ratio of conceptual to calculation MC questions, I had more conceptual questions than I was expecting. As far as the complexity of the MC calculations, I felt like they were pretty straightforward compared to some of the longer ones I did in Becker's HW. Sims were where the heavy calculations were. If I had to take it again I would utilize the paper/laminated sheet little more to help me keep my numbers straight on the sims.

FAR: 89 5/14/16
AUD: 99 6/09/16

Becker Self Study

[Texan_176]

My FAR MCQ was mostly conceptual. The calculations were primarily rules based with a few that involved multiple steps. If I knew this going in I would have not spent as much time on formulas and such.

The SIMS were a mixed bag. One crazy SIM had 2 tabs and with 3-6 sheets of data on each tab. You had to pull numbers from there and make calculations to enter them into the topic they were asking about. It's was the hardest SIM i have ever seen on any of these tests. I bombed that one for sure.

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)
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Licensed TX CPA Aug 2016

[Excel14]

@Texan,

Thanks for your input. I see you just took it, so hopefully you passed. Still wondering if anyone saw a lot of IFRS stuff on the exam, including SIMs. I got an IFRS SIM in the Gleim units once or twice, and needless to say that because it was buried in the reading I did, I had zero clue how to do it.

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[TrackStar]

Excel14 Studying I focused more on the bigger calculations during my review..not like that on the exam as far as the MCQs. Just get the overall knowledge/key concepts DOWN and you should be okay.

"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with the problems longer" ~Albert Einstein ~

FAR (04/16/16)-61, (07/23/16)- Becker, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs
Reg (09/10/16) Becker, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs
AUD (11/05/16) prob. Roger, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs
Bec (TBD)

[Author]

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