[Crunchtime]

Hey guys, I got a 74 on my BEC section, I am thinking of getting a score review and see what happens. NASBA says less than 1% of getting points added but it might be worth a shot. Have any of you guys did this? I am curious about the process and general experience from this. I think I might get a point added due to the writing portions, do you guys think it is worth it?

Please chime in with any responses. Thanks.

AUD-77
BEC-70,73,68,74 SH##!!!!!, 80
REG-73,76
FAR -74,82

Ethics here I come!!

[ncjm304]

I'm not trying to be rude by saying this, but you are better off studying again for your retake and not wasting your time on this. From what I have read on here, nobody's score has ever gotten changed and it's an expensive and time consuming process. Focus your efforts on the retake instead.

AUD- 71,79
BEC- 72,77
FAR- 83
REG- 63,71,83

DONE!

[Crunchtime]

No worries about being rude, it is $150 and it is my mother-in-law's idea and she said she would pay for it. I will assume it won't change the score and will continue to start my studies for BEC in June and re-take in July.

AUD-77
BEC-70,73,68,74 SH##!!!!!, 80
REG-73,76
FAR -74,82

Ethics here I come!!

[Missy]

Ask your mother in law to hold on to that $150 toward a phenomenal gift when you pass your last exam! Or to buy $150 worth of lottery tickets which are more likely to improve your lifestyle than a score review.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Crunchtime]

@mla11692, I knew people say this but I seriously don't know why, when someone offers you something you either take or leave it. It doesn't work the way you described it.

AUD-77
BEC-70,73,68,74 SH##!!!!!, 80
REG-73,76
FAR -74,82

Ethics here I come!!

[Missy]

Yes, I realize that…sarcasm is lost through the internet.

Just know there is a zero chance of it working, and continue with your studies as planned.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Crunchtime]

@mla11692, NASBA websites states less than 1% 🙂 but yes that is my plan. I am taking it as a 74 and will start studying right after my FAR in late may.

AUD-77
BEC-70,73,68,74 SH##!!!!!, 80
REG-73,76
FAR -74,82

Ethics here I come!!

[Andyred04]

I was reading an article the other day about this. I believe it was from 2010 but nonetheless, the AICPA said although they had a fairly large number of people apply for a score review, no scores were overturned for 2010 exams. It really probably isn't worth the $150 but if your MOL is content on throwing that away, go for it.

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

[Missy]

Less than 1% since the exam went computer based, that is. And in 2010, zero according to Roger. The score review in itself is just another money grab LOL.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Crunchtime]

@mla11692 well, that is 2010 and if you can read my previous responses I am not expecting to change the score. Maybe appeal might be better for me, your thoughts? When you have the experience that I have you will understand that most things in life are a money grab. To be honest I don't appreciate your condescending comments (LOL), I was expecting anybody's experience with the review process and possibly the appeal process. If you have something worth sharing please give me some insight.

Thanks

AUD-77
BEC-70,73,68,74 SH##!!!!!, 80
REG-73,76
FAR -74,82

Ethics here I come!!

[Missy]

I am terribly sorry that you are offended. No harm in trying. Good luck.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[ABTX411]

I could have sworn that I read that when a BEC candidate is close to a passing score, the essay portion is automatically regraded by a human. If that is true, it means that your essays have already been carefully re-scored, and your chances of getting a score change are even less than less than 1%. It's not worth it.

BEC - 90 - 2/04/2016
AUD - 97 - 2/29/2016
FAR - 92 - 4/19/2016
REG - 88 - 5/19/2016

[Crunchtime]

@mla, no I apologize I am probably being too sensitive, this test has me going in 5 million different directions.

AUD-77
BEC-70,73,68,74 SH##!!!!!, 80
REG-73,76
FAR -74,82

Ethics here I come!!

[Crunchtime]

@abtx411, how is your scores possible, tell me your secret? (srs)

AUD-77
BEC-70,73,68,74 SH##!!!!!, 80
REG-73,76
FAR -74,82

Ethics here I come!!

[Missy]

There can't be ANYTHING more frustrating than a 74, I get it. I wish it were pass/fail. I know many people here have tried it, and come back to report how it went. You can search their stories on the search bar up top. Ironically about 2 years back a bunch of people who didn't request a rescore were notified by NASBA of a scoring key mistake that resulted in them passing an exam they previously failed. The kicker? The failed exams were something like 8 months earlier and everybody had retaken that part. Nice. So they got the fees refunded but the time was sunk.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[ABTX411]

@Crunchtime:

I’m not trying to be rude at all, but may I ask if English is your first language? Simply judging by your grammar, I am fairly certain that it is not, which can be an enormous hindrance on BEC. The written responses are not only graded for content, but also structure, grammar, and spelling. Does your state provide a diagnostic report for your score? Texas does, and it shows how well you performed on the MCQs and the written portion compared to the average candidate who scored between 75 and 85 (weaker, stronger, or comparable.) This would at least show you if your essays helped or hurt you.

Below is an extremely long post that I wrote last night for someone else who asked about my scores. While I wish that I could tell you that I have some magic trick or fool proof secret to passing, I can’t. Everyone is different, and what works for one person will not necessarily work for another. I personally retain information really well, so I only have to go through each individual sub topic one time to gain a reasonable confidence level. I promised my kid that I would be completely finished with my CPA exams by the time she graduates from Kindergarden in June, so my goal is never a 75. I put forth every effort to over-prepare to ensure that I pass the first time, every time.

Here’s the nitty-gritty detailed story. If you’re not interested, skip to the end for the CliffsNotes version.

I'm taking the Wiley CPA Excel course offered by the University of Texas at Dallas. It allows me to earn the last few credits I needed to graduate from my Master's program while simultaneously sitting for the CPA exam. I'm very lucky that my employer allows me to work from home on Monday and Wednesday mornings, then go to class for 3 hours, then go into the office to finish up my day. There have been many nights when my daughter is with her dad that I've had to stay at the office until 10 or 11 to finish my work (hello, audit season) before I could even begin studying, but I still consider myself lucky. I also have class on Saturdays once or twice a month. The class lectures have not been incredibly useful, but they do serve as a brief refresher of the material. The pace of the course is just so fast that all of the teachers are extremely rushed, and most of them did not fully cover all of the topics. My strategy has changed as I've become more acquainted with the material.

It's been over a decade since I had looked at the majority of the topics covered in BEC and REG – I graduated from undergrad in 2005. For BEC, my first exam, I read about 300 pages of the course outlines (study text), completed all of the Exam Questions (EQ) in study mode and then again in exam mode, and did all of the supplemental questions and TBSs (sims). I did not bother with any of the proficiency questions, and I only made it through about 2/3 of the additional test bank questions. This is where I wish I had spent more time. I only watched the lecture videos if I felt I really needed a deeper understanding of a certain topic. I found that the study mode for the MCQs was the most useful tool for me because it allowed me to immediately read explanations of why each answer choice was either wrong or right. If I didn't know the answer right off the bat, I would make sure I understood the correct method of solving the problem before moving on to the next question. I walked out of the prometric center after sitting feeling good, but uneasy. Since this was my first section, I had no idea what to expect. However, I knew I had managed my time perfectly (the clock ran out as I was finishing my very last sentence in my last essay.)

For AUD, I completely skipped the video lectures and only read the study text for sections that felt either confusing or essential to the foundation of the material. I answered all of the EQs (again, study mode was key here), the majority of the PQs and supplemental questions, and about 90% of both the TBSs and the additional test bank questions. Without disclosing too much, I think I can say that I was very glad that I took BEC before AUD when it came to some of the SIMS on the exam. However, a lot of the material on the actual exam totally came straight out of left field. On the MCQs I did my best to extrapolate answers for subject matter that I had never seen before. I left that test a complete wreck. I had a full-blown panic attack that night. I was CONVINCED that I had failed. It turns out that the weird subject matter must have been in pilot mode, and all that stress was for nothing.

FAR was a beast. The majority of my study time happens after my daughter goes to sleep at 9:30 or 10, and before I pass out for the night. So here it was March 1, and I'd been surviving zombie-style on an average of 4-6 hours of sleep per night since mid-January. I was already extremely burned out, and the audit exam threw me over the edge. I couldn't stomach the studying and decided to binge watch a series on Netflix instead. I immediately regretted that decision, but I think my brain needed the break. immediately after that, there was a 3 week period when my daughter's father decided not to take any visitation, which put a major damper on my ability to keep up with the studying. See, every other Saturday when/if my daughter is with her dad, I typically start studying around 10 am and finish up around midnight. I do take breaks throughout the day. On weeknights when he has her (1-2 nights per week), if I'm not trying to catch up on work, I'm typically able to get in a solid 4-6 hours of study time. I did my best being on full-time kid duty, but I couldn't keep up with the pace of the class. I think I maybe made it through a total of 75% of the MCQs and TBSs for FAR, and none of the additional test bank. Not once did I open the study text, and I only watched the “Deep Dive” videos (not the regular lectures) if I felt like I needed a little extra boost. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS METHOD!!!! Luckily I had taken Intermediate II, Advanced Financial Reporting, and Gov't/NFP as part of my MSA program all within the last 2 years, and the majority of the info was still stuck in my brain.

Now I'm almost done with REG. I'm once again extremely behind according to my timeline, and I haven't seen this stuff (except for corporate) since undergrad. My NTS expires on 5/19, and I don't feel like paying for the exam again, so I'm doing my best to push through it. I've been listening to the video lectures through my car speakers during my commute to and from work. I have not read any of the study text, nor do I plan on doing so unless I really get stuck on something. I'm sticking with the study mode for EQs and trying to get the full additional test bank completed as well before I sit.

I think that was more of a brain dump than a helpful “how to pass” post.. sorry. Long story short:

Answer MCQs in study mode, understand why answers are both correct AND incorrect. Being able to explain why something is wrong is just as important as knowing the right answer. Do as many MCQs and TBSs as you possibly can. Use the study text and/or videos to bolster your understanding of any topic that you're struggling with.

The night before your exam, SLEEP. Do not stay up late studying. Quickly look over any notes/memory aids/formulas an hour or two before going into your test. Don't psych yourself out during the exam. Don't try to assess the difficulty of your testlets as a gauge of your performance – it's damn near impossible to be accurate. And once you're done, you're done. Give yourself 24 hours to recover, whine, moan, groan, complain, second guess, beat yourself up, etc. Then move on.

BEC - 90 - 2/04/2016
AUD - 97 - 2/29/2016
FAR - 92 - 4/19/2016
REG - 88 - 5/19/2016

[Author]

Replies