[Rivens]

I just took audit today. The first wave was pretty so-so. The second wave was either the same or harder. The third wave, at first glance, the questions looked shorter, so I thought “ooo easy questions coming up.” Instead, I got some really difficult circumstances and situations in my questions.

I felt like despite reading the becker book and doing ninja mcqs, I couldn’t be sure of my answers or even how to properly answer some of those third wave “hard” questions. In fact, it could have been an open book test and I doubt I could find a sure answer to some of the questions.

Anyone know how you’re supposed to be able to get the “hard” questions? THrough work experience maybe?

Brah u srs
FAR - 85
BEC - 77
AUD - 71 -> 61 -> 71 -> 67
REG - 75

[Rivens]

Bump. Anyone have ideas? I'm still thinking about those difficult questions. Looking through my books have not helped at all.

Brah u srs
FAR - 85
BEC - 77
AUD - 71 -> 61 -> 71 -> 67
REG - 75

[Anonymous]

This isn't the answer you're looking for…but I've heard people say similar things after studying from Becker several times. Hopefully you did well enough on the rest of the MCQs that the difficult ones that were in Becker won't be an issue. However, if you end up not passing, I would suggest getting a copy of the Wiley book as a cheap way to find the answers to the questions that Becker doesn't cover. Wiley is extremely dry and boring, but I have to say that I never saw a question on any of the 4 exams – especially AUD – that I felt like I had never seen covered in my book.

Truth, though, is that people pass with Becker every day, so the uncovered materials apparently aren't significant enough to ruin the chances of passing. So, I'd say you've still got a really good chance of passing. Testlets getting harder is good news, after all. 🙂 Just take it easy till results day…then if you pass, you're golden, if not you can reassess and move on from there.

[MaLoTu]

With audit, the questions that are “harder” usually fall into the category of more obscure. The other thing I noticed on my exam was that the question was straightforward but the answers were hardly distinguishable or not answers you would expect for the topic asked.

I used Becker and passed. I have taken all the exams and I feel that the prepare the worst for AUD out of all the others.

[Anonymous]

Yes – should clarify from my post, I meant specifically for AUD that I've heard that about Becker several times, not just a blanket statement for everything. AUD seems to be Becker's weak point. I think that's partially cause Becker's method is more memorization and facts based, and AUD is more theory and concepts based.

[MaLoTu]

Exactly, Lilla … The first time I took AUD I felt very confident and scored 55! This last time I really focused on the reports and assertions and was able to pass. I had to explain to myself every question why the answer was correct or why the other answers were not.

[Jdn9201]

I'm still waiting on my AUD score, but I can say my work experience and hobby reading definitely helped me for REG and BEC. I recall getting much harder AUD MCQ's when I took my exam, and I think what makes or breaks you is being able to eliminate the 2 obvious wrong answers. That at least gives you a 50/50 shot at getting it correct. After that, it depends on how well you've studied to pick up differences in wording and your ability to think of over arching concepts that you remember from studying. AUD is very picky. Even though I finished as quickly as my other exams, I made sure I read each question twice before I answered – even the easy ones. Also remember too that if you do get harder MCQ's, you have to get less of them correct in order to get a passing score, than if you get easier questions throughout.

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

[happygal]

does the wiley book and cpa excel testbank have the same questions?
thanks!

[Anonymous]

If you are in Dallas, you should try the 8 week live instruction group sessions by Barnett CPA Review, which supplements the national well-known material. Apparently, the instruction and set up is better than Becker's live instruction, and you can receive one-on-one coaching by someone who has passed all 4 parts of the exam in one sitting, has an extensive audit and accounting background available to help you understand and apply the material correctly, and has successfully coached numerous others to pass. I will be there in Feb. and March myself for FAR and Audit. There is more information available at https://www.cpareview.vpweb.com. I believe the instructor can coach via skype outside the local group sessions, so you don't have to be in Dallas to receive the one-on-one coaching.

[Rivens]

@jdn9201 audit hobby reading? what's wrong with you bro??? jk :). yes i noticed that for a lot of audit, there are usually 2 that are wrong off the bat due to technicalities and 2 that could be possibly correct for a variety of rationale or reasoning. That coupled with a lot of “easy” answers (easy if you know the audit concepts and material) should really make the MCQ do-able. I just thought it might be more conquerable because I know one guy at the Deloitte here got a 99 on it.

Thanks for the input a71ers. I guess if I don't pass, I would probably look up the official sample questions and maybe a mcq booklet for practice to get more exposure of questions, since I've pretty much gotten used to Becker and Ninja MCQ material. But I really hope I passed…

Brah u srs
FAR - 85
BEC - 77
AUD - 71 -> 61 -> 71 -> 67
REG - 75

[Anonymous]

@happygal There will be some overlap but they're not entirely the same. My information is a little outdated now, but as of when I took the exams a couple years ago, the book questions were considered to be harder than the exam and the testbank easier. That was before CPAExcel and Wiley merged, though – I would imagine the merger resulted in more CPAExcel questions combining into the testbank, so should mean more variety between the book and testbank.

[Author]

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