[Pete]

I was just curious how the BEC section of the exam has the highest pass rate? Six percent might not seem like a lot, but on a test like the CPA, it’s significant. In addition, it’s 12% higher, than the other parts of the exam.

Is this test a luck of the draw? I’m actually good at testing, but my god, this was the worst examination I have ever taken. I’ve passed the other sections on the first attempt essentially (I didn’t really try a few years ago and got two 69s). I’ve typically got 70s+ on my first attempt at the Becker HW, yet this section was insane. Hopefully, i’m not disclosing too much, but it felt like I was in a calculus class on the second testlet. I ended up guessing on like 5-10 questions. I likely could have solved them, but they would have easily taken me 10+ minutes each.

At lest the first testlet felt super easy. The last testlet didn’t feel too bad either. I’m hoping there were some difficult questions though because I noticed some of the tricks they tried to confuse people with.

B=84 This exam was such a b**** that I thought I failed-don't know how these things work
A=76 Slacker I am, I'll happily take it
R=81 I LOVE taxes
F=80 I don't wanna get banned for an expletive I'm thinking with "yea" proceeding it

[Spartans92]

These reviews are so mixed that I dont even know what to expect. My friend took it over the weekend as well and said it was very math intensive and told me to know the calculations.. Now I just dont even know what to expect. Studying everything like usual is the best bet but I would prob focus more on IT and COSO 🙂 Good luck to everyone taking it on the 10th!

Angie brown is indeed a terrible teacher.. the econ concepts were so much easier to understand in my econ201 class freshman year of college. She just simply can't teach. Olinto is the best of all.

BEC - 76
REG- 67, 85
AUD-63, 74, 80!!
FAR-65, 62, 57, 79

3 down 1 more to go. BEC is on the Line 🙁

BEC- PASS

[Anonymous]

Angie Brown did a Terrible job with Cost and Econ. The Worst Professor I have ever had and I hope Becker sees this and makes changes. Watching her lectures were almost worthless with the exception of a few pieces. I cringed every time her face popped up on the screen because I knew there would be no lecture – just highlight this, write this, and other rambling.

Okay, I'm done venting. I read this post and saw others were complaining about Angie Brown, so I wanted to confirm I was very disappointed with Becker.

Goodluck everyone and maybe this old thread will bring back old memories from a year ago!

[jeff]

BEC is taken last on average – per NASBA if memory serves correctly.

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 76
REG - 92

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS)
NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE | Another71

[Trele6]

@Jeff, that is interesting. I guess I am more of a contrarian in that matter. My best grade was the first test I took (REG 87), and my worst grade was my last two tests (AUD 74, AUD 77).

I was burnt out towards the end and giving maximum effort was difficult as opposed to when I started.

B - 80 Jun16
A - 74 Aug16, 77 Oct16
R - 87 Nov15
F - 79 Apr16
Ethics - 98 Nov16
Licensed in New Mexico Dec16

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[cwlanders]

I took BEC first because I thought it would be the easiest, not only because it had the highest pass rate but also because I am pretty well versed in the extra IT information (my MBA had a concentration in data analytics). I also agree that the written section were pretty much free points which helped.

@trele6 I agree that giving max effort later is more difficult. I would venture to say that my motivation was higher for my first test than my potentially last exam I took last week. You just get so burned out that you can't ever be as motivated as you were in the beginning.

BEC- 91
AUD- 74, 74, 79
FAR- 74, 83
REG- 84
Ethics- 97

BEC - 91 (2/29/16)
AUD- 74, 74

[JBeaty0507]

@cpa4928 I totally am with you on Angie Brown. I thought I was just going to fall right to sleep, which is crazy because some of my best subjects in school were Cost and Econ. Luckily, some of my best subjects in school were Cost and Econ and I didn't really have to rely on her teaching much. She was by far my least favorite lecturer in Becker. I think I did better on BEC due to the fact that I was originally a finance major in undergrad and did really well in my Econ classes. The Dean of the College of Economics actually tried to get me to change my major. If it wasn't for that, the IT and COSO would have dragged me down. I also feel like the writing sections were “freebies” in my case. They happened to be on things I knew really well (even having job experience with 2 out of 3 of them). I think it all depends on where your strengths lie.

AUD - 87
BEC - 89
FAR - 85
REG - 78

Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday

[Trele6]

@cwlanders, I am always amazed at the people that leave FAR as thier last test.. NO WAY…. it has entirely too much info to try to concentrate on and being burnt out. To me that is a recipe for failure. I wanted to get the “harder” tests out of the way with early on before my momentum wore out. Studying AUD and BEC at 6 chapters each towards the end was so much easier than trying to knock out 8 and 9 chapters like REG and FAR.

B - 80 Jun16
A - 74 Aug16, 77 Oct16
R - 87 Nov15
F - 79 Apr16
Ethics - 98 Nov16
Licensed in New Mexico Dec16

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[NeedsA75]

^^^That's exactly what I thought too. Took FAR first, then REG, then BEC, then AUD……..damn I hope I'm done and I just don't know it yet!!

AUD - 96
BEC - 86
FAR - 76
REG - 92

PETH - 92
Licensed in California

 

[mtaylo24]

I agree…I don't think I would have struggled as much with the other sections if I would have taken FAR first. Then again FAR and Reg made me take BEC way too lightly, which made me come up short 3 (hopefully not 4) different times. You live and learn!

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)

[Anonymous]

I am probably doing it all wrong but I took BEC first just to sort of get one of the “easiest” ones out of the way and passed, now I am planning on taking AUD, then REG, then FAR last…Talk to me in October to see how well I think that went:)

[Allison Strickland]

I think it depends on what your background is in. I have a business degree and was 2 months from finishing my MBA when I took it, and it was my first exam. I honestly didn't think it was that hard of an exam at all. Especially with no sims. But my motivation was high then. I have a pretty good background in FAR too and I'm waiting on my score for my 3rd try.

AUD - 79
BEC - 84
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - 78

Ready to get my life back! 3 down, 1 to go!

BEC- Becker and Becker Final Review (84)

REG- Becker (56), Becker and Ninja Notes (78)

AUD- Becker and Becker Final Review (79)

FAR- Becker (60, 65). Becker and Ninja MCQs/Notes (3/9/17)

[Trele6]

@anyatver, it can be done in any order obviously. I just know myself and knew taking FAR last would have been a big failure on my part.

My scores were 87, 79, 80, 74, 77. Once I got that 87 in REG I re-evaluated my study habits as I only needed 75's to pass. No reason to kill myself for 87's as they mean the same as a 75.

So I studied a little less on FAR, about the same on BEC as I did for FAR, and then I thought I had the formula down perfectly for AUD but obviously missed a few too many questions and got a 74 the first go. Hammered out a few extra MCQ's for four weeks and took again and got my 77.

B - 80 Jun16
A - 74 Aug16, 77 Oct16
R - 87 Nov15
F - 79 Apr16
Ethics - 98 Nov16
Licensed in New Mexico Dec16

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[Anonymous]

I agree with everyone about being more burned out as you progress through these exams. I had so much more energy when I took my first exam – FAR. I believe I only took one break for FAR. However, I had to take 3 quick breaks for BEC due to burnout and BEC is only a 3 hour exam! These exams are exhausting and frustrating, but I keep pushing on.

Goodluck everyone!

[NeedsA75]

And can someone explain how the hell AUD has the lowest pass rate?

Do people take this exam first and not realize how much time is required to pass?

Do a bunch of cocky auditors take the exam thinking they will pass without studying?

Honestly, either FAR or REG seem like they would have the lowest pass rate out of the 4..

AUD - 96
BEC - 86
FAR - 76
REG - 92

PETH - 92
Licensed in California

 

[Author]

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