I3lackcell
offlineMember
@74 and soontobe....
HAHA same thing when I took it. Almost 2 hours to spare... yea... I felt good but I also felt good about it last time and look where it got me.
Sdb2fsu
offlineMember
AUD exam complete. Felt great about the MCQ and had 2 hours left for the Sims..ended up taking a lot if time reviewing them over and over. Was a little confused on a couple of them but I know I got a majority of the questions right. I nailed the research. I don't know what it is but when I take these exams when I think I do good on the MCQ's I get some weird Sim but when I think I do horrible on the MCQ's I get some straight forward Sim. Are we sure the Sims are not adaptive lol???
Didn't really feel a huge difference between the testlets and at first it makes me think I did bad but I know I nailed a lot of them so I guess we will see.
canson16
offlineMember
took my AUD exam yesterday at the prometric center in Penn Plaza New York
While I was doing the simulation my computer crashed and had to be restarted twice .Each time I hit the authoritative literature tab for one particular task in the simulation my computer showed an error and shut down . I informed the prometric staff who wrote out a report. When the computer restarted my screen wwas right where I had left off…and I continued as normal and finished the simulation and submitted it without any problem ……. ……………. Any suggestions on what else I should be doing to follow up on this incident …………….is there some way I can check with NASBA or any other place , if my exam was submitted completely
scdcpa
offlineMember
this waiting for the scores is killing!
this window I took REG & AUD. don't have much expectation of passing REG...though still hoping :)
very much confused about audit. sometime feel, I did good but some other time I am scared to death thinking about
not passing this one as well.
In AUD I am so much confused about how I did?
testlet 1 was medium difficulty. 2 had lot of complicated questions...I am not sure of at least 10 or 12 of them. testlet 3 was 80% straight from review material MCQ. sim was ok. one was completely new & another one from transaction cycle (which I am always not sure). rest of them were pretty straightforward.
now only wait wait wait!!!
Jeff - another71.com
offlineadmin
nope...AUD didn't change.
killaking
offlineMember
Hey Jeff so I dont need to study the changes in the reports? How was this decided by the AICPA?
Jeff - another71.com
offlineadmin
Wow - congrats!!!
Taxi Cow Tent
offlineMember
Just found out I passed AUD! For AUD,I used Roger's Cram Course (only, not in addition to the review course), Jeff's NINJA notes, and did approx. 1,000,000,000 MC questions. I have zero audit experience, so if I can pass, you can too! Good luck everybody!
yankeeaccountant
offlineMember
@Taxi Cow Tent
Congrats on Audit and being finished--yahoooo! I found out I didn't pass Audit (first try) and was curious about what you said on Rogers cram. did you do this for all of the exams or just audit? Do you consider yourself a good test taker? I really want to nail Audit and REG this window so I want to do it right.
Thanks for your helo!!
kmartella
offlineMember
I used Becker and just found out that I failed AUD. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to restudy or which other courses I should try? Thanks! And congrats to all those who passed!
ingypop
offlineMember
@kmartella - I used Becker for AUD as well, and I found out last night that I passed (first try).
Here is what I did:
- Listen to Gearty lecture for each section. Highlight what he tells me and also write my own notes in the margin. My own notes consist of explanations of the material or just flat-out reteriation from the book. It helps to do this with important points. Good thing about Becker is that it emphasizes those important points.
-At the end of each section within a chapter, I do all the MCQ for that section. I hear about other people waiting until the end of the entire chapter to do all the MCQ - that doesn't make sense to me. It's much better, IMO, to do the MCQ right after the lecture, when the material is fresh in your mind and you can apply it.
-While I'm doing the MCQ, I type up notes about the MCQ's. Even when I get questions right, I still write down the question's explanation. I basically write the question in "Fact" form. And I write down the explanations for the wrong answers too, and WHY the wrong answer is wrong. I rarely have time at the end to go back and review these notes (but it would be awesome if you made time for them because I think it would help even more). However, the fact that I typed them up and thought out the questions, kind of ingrains into my head. Disclaimer: This is VERY time-consuming. But it worked for me, and I have passed three sections as a result of this method.
-At the end of my review, I go through the text and write down the "Pass Keys" onto flashcards to review. Since Pass Keys are important points from the section, it helps to have those memorized.
I feel that Becker was really good for AUD. (Wasn't so good for REG, though). So I suggest you stick with it and just adjust your method a bit. I'm not sure how you studied so I can't say if you did something wrong or right. All I can do is tell you what I did.
Also try the final exams (there's 2 of them). There's also a bunch of SIM practice questions. I tried a few of them, they were helpful. When preparing for SIMS though, it is best to just know the material really well. Also, remember that you can research things in the Authoritative Literature tab on the ACTUAL EXAM. Which is a major plus, and you should definitely take advantage of it.
Good luck! Hang in there!
Taxi Cow Tent
offlineMember
@ yankee - roger full review on 3 sections, cram only for audit. i honestly felt like it was a long shot - i had 2 weeks left after taking BEC around 5/15/11. so, i said let me go for it. i ordered the online cram course, watched vids, and did a TON of mc questions, memorized the main audit reports (and you do need to basically memorize them).
i do consider myself a good test taker. but, i studied probably 50 hours in 12-13 days so i put some time in (i took it on 5/27).
i think the cram course was useful, but i put more weight on the mc questions.
MOMCPA2B
offlineMember
@Taxi Cow Tent. So you do you feel you got a lot of information from Roger for AUD? I am doing the full course of AUD and I have to admit I love it.
coals1
offlineMember
Hi,
Hope everyone did well last exam window. My question is whether we have to memorize all the reports issued by auditors for compilations, reviews, and audits. Some people on the forum say they've memorized each report verbatim. I have a firm understanding of the pieces of the reports, but I'm not able to write a complete, word-for-word report strictly from memory. what is the expectation as for how much of the nitty gritty we have to know regarding the types of reports issued?
thanks everyone,
Tim
I3lackcell
offlineMember
I just knew what each report did and roughly what they said. I never memorized the exact wording and do not think that is why I fail. Next time I do not plan to memorize them either.
canson16
offlineMember
I am a little confused with all these changes for July 2011, and Becker is being of no help , I ran their software update and printed out their updated pages which are only PCOAB Risk Assessment Standards (A3 and A4)
Please can someone advise me what exactly are the changes in Audit topics from July 2011onwards, that I should watch out for.
WhyMe23
offlineMember
I'm confused on Tracing/Vouching. Are these terms interchangeable at times? I know the meaning of each but I just got a Becker question that asks for investing Overstatements of Sales (existence) and the answer was to "Trace" from the accounting records to supporting documents (isn't that vouching?? I didn't know you could trace for existence). I thought tracing was only for completeness and one directional.
Is this question just wrong? Any clarification would be appreciated.
Skippy1997
offlineMember
@WhyMe23 - I think "Trace" and "Vouch" are used interchangably to help you on the actual test. Just because they tell you to "Trace" does not mean you trace up, so you have to look at each situation and apply the correct method.
Hope that made sense, I know Becker confused me a bit until I found out they were just trying to help.
WhyMe23
offlineMember
@Skippy - Thank you, yeah it makes sense now. I think the key is to focus on the assertion you are looking for instead of getting too focused on the word trace/vouch. It does make sense that they prep you for differences you might see on the actual exam.
It was definitely confusing at first, but then again Audit is all a word game.
Minimorty
offlineMember
Generally, are the "CPA Review for Free" questions a lot easier than the actual multiple choice questions on the test? I am consistently scoring around 85% on these questions, but I know I have some deficiencies still (granted I've only gone through the Becker materials once so far). Just wondering if the CPA Review for Free questions are a good test prep or if I should focus my attention on other study materials. Thanks!
folgersnyourcup
offlineMember
Just received my score today for Audit in NC. 97. I used Becker as my primary study guide but supplemented it with Gleim which I found to be outstanding. The book and test prep software download are very inexpensive and were great. At the end of every single study unit is a 7-part task based simulation specifically on that material. Completing the Gleim book fully along with the Becker course left me VERY prepared for the exam. Gleim had just about every possible sim imaginable somewhere in their material. So yeah, in my eyes the combo of those two courses is pretty much unbeatable.
Anna Stefani
offlineMember
I am scheduled to go for AUD on 7/18. I study with Becker and I am starting on A5 tomorrow. I failed twice REG this year with 68 and 65. I also just failed my first attempt on BEC with 70!
Should I go for REG and BEC again in this testing window after I’m done with AUD on 7/18?
I work full time and study in weekend and in the evenings.
What’s your advice?
I should start the Becker live classes on Oct and want to be done with most sections by then so I can concentrate on FAR….
Thanks!
yankeeaccountant
offlineMember
@AnnaStefani,
I think taking 3 exams in one window is tough while working full time. I commend you for going for it. I haven't taken REG yet so I can't give any info on that. But I think I would attack the exam that feels more of a challenge after you take Audit. Just looking at your scores, maybe you should go for REG first then BEC since you were so close. I would suggest to augment your study materials with some other test banks. For BEC, I found Gleim to be great. I actually just used a free trial for this. I thought Gleim did a great job on Corporate Governance. I use Becker as well and I feel like I start to memorize the questions fairly easily. I typically use Becker, Wiley, and CPAreveiwforfree (www.cpareviewforfree.com) for most exams. I think utilizing different test banks gives you a well rounded approach. I found that Wiley for FAR and BEC were great practice. It seems like they take the questions a bit further, they get you to think a bit more , which prepares you for those questions you get on the exam that seem to come out of nowhere. My opinion. Best of luck!!
@ Audit takers this window!
I am here again. I got a 68 (bummer). I took 3 exams last window and felt the strongest about Audit and that was the one I failed. Go figure. I am going to use Becker and Wiley again. But I am thinking about using a cram: either Yaeger or Roger. Anybody have any thoughts on this? I used a Yaeger cram on FAR and it seemed to gel everything together for me. I will be sitting at the end of August, and taking REG the end of July.
Best of luck guys!!!
CPAhawk
offlineMember
Found out I passed on Friday, 75, perfect score...got a call from the state board yesterday and I thought they were gonna take it away....turns out i just need to mail in a notarized proof of residency form....DAMN GOOD FEELING
good luck to anyone still testing, my FAR was going to lapse in August so I'm glad to be done....started studying January of 2010....didn't think this day would ever come
kb24
offlineModerator
Anna,
I took all 4 sections this window, but I wasn't working and studied 75-80 hours per week. Doing 3 sections while working would be tough. You can definitely take them, but will you have enough time to study for them and pass? It would be better to only take one in addition to AUD and be able to put enough work into it to pass both than to take both and fail them again. You need to look at your schedule in detailand figure out how much time you'll be able to study after you finish AUD and decide if that is enough to prepare you for both REG and BEC before the end of August. Ask yourself how good did you feel about your grasp of BEC and REG after you left the exams, and why do you think you failed them? Was it trouble with time management, not knowing the material in sufficient detail in general, good knowledge overall but weakness in a few areas, or some other reason? That should help you determine how thorough a review you need to do and whether or not you have enough time.
WhyMe23
offlineMember
I'm looking at Fraud risk factors....is management override considered an opportunity or an attitude/rationalization. The Becker text says override is an opportunity (which I thought initially).
But the answers to some of the questions and practice SIMs label management override as an inappropriate "attitude" and management rationalizes it. I think it could be both. This seems really confusing and I am not sure which to indicate if asked on the actual exam. Ideas?
Becker is completely contradicting themselves.
WhyMe23
offlineMember
So I guess the possibility of an override is the opportunity but once it has occurred repeatedly the risk factor present is the Rationalization. I guess that makes more sense now, thanks.
I take the test in 2 days so I am looking over everything that seems confusing.
Rhino46
offlineMember
I am taking AUD next week, which will be my first attempt on any of the tests. Can anyone provide insight on the extent of international content on the test? I feel like Becker does not get into much detail on this topic, simply adding in a number of random standards throughout the course. Thank you!
SusanStudies
offlineMember
@minimorty: I have not taken any exams yet but from the research I've done and the practice sims in Wiley Online test bank, this is what I understand.
Within the sims there is a tab for authoritative literature. A sim may provide you a scenario then ask you to cite the specific standard and section. Here you would do a key word search. Other sims may ask you to select from drop down menus. For instance, they may ask you to select whether a planning procedure is appropriate or not. If you are not sure what the standards call for in planning an audit, you can use the authoritative literature tab to look up the standard. That research, though, takes time away from the rest of your exam so it is advised to be cautious of that.
I hope this helps a bit.
keeptrying
offlineMember
No there is only one simulation "testlet" with up to 7 simulation tabs.
Meggie
offlineMember
Dear CPA test friends,
i have a question about tickmark of the audit documentation. i have no idea about the explanation about them . i just finished my final exam of becker . i only got 70% in total. i missed all the questions about the tickmarks. would you please help me to figure this out . is it tested often on the real exam ? i have another 10 days for the auditing exam .
thank you very much .
Meggie
Meggie
offlineMember
i am not sure how different the real exam will be from the final exam of Becker? does anybody use Becker? about the multiple choice questions , i practiced on Becker, for the first time , it is usually about 65 percentage, now it is about 85 percentage after i did for several times.
i am very nervous now when i know i only got 70 in the final exam . i prepared this for nearly 2 months. and i thought i am very comfortable for the materials. but now it turns out only 70 .
any advice ? thank you .
ILCPACANDIDATE
offlineMember
Took AUD yesterday. Felt pretty good about the MCs, felt like it got harder in testlet 2 so that was a good sign. Seemed to get easier again in testlet 3, meh.
SIMs were challenging but as this is audit, they were nowhere near as brutal as the ones I encountered for FAR and REG (I'll be honest, I barely touched sims in prepping for those two). Research was easy and I saw where they tried to trick you there. As for the rest, there was one problem which was not covered by Becker prep material for which I went off using logic, but then I figured I should probably check with the authoritative literature. BOY am I glad I did because had I kept my original answers they would have all been wrong.
I pretty much used the literature to guide me through finishing that one, and I'm 99% certain I aced that testlet, so I'm really hoping that isn't the question they throw out because there were 1 or 2 other problems in the sims that I wasn't as confident about (and I found you couldn't really use the literature to bail you out of the rest).
Hope I pass, but if I don't I know what areas I will need to focus on next time as I felt like I could have spent more time doing a more indepth review. Good luck to the rest of you, I'm now going to have to decide which of FAR or REG I want to re-take. This sucks.
aprajita11
offlineMember
Hi, I am taking Becker for AUD and planning on taking the exam end of august or beginning of september. Has anyone else used Becker before? Are there any other books I should study beside what Becker has provided? If anyone has taken this exam for 2011 already, please give me advice how i should prepare myself for it. Are there certain areas I should focus on...any suggestions/advice for me so I can pass it first time would be appreciated.
Thanks
BEC - 79 (April 2011)
REG - 68 (Retake in August)
FAR - Scheduled for August
AUD - Took today
Just took the AUD exam. Feel real good about it like I did after BEC. Didn't feel good after REG. So I am optimistic that I passed.
Studying GLEIM now for FAR. Will study weak parts for REG
Mitzie7
offlineMember
I just took Audit today. It was my first exam and I had never been to the testing site before so I relied on the trusty gps to get me there. I am so glad I gave myself an extra hour to get there because I ended up in some run down neighborhood, about 20 minutes away from where I needed to be! Same street name, wrong place.
During the exam I could hardly stop from smiling through the first 45 MCs because I was sure that I knew the answers to everything. It was a great feeling. The last 45 MCs though I was not so confident about and the SIMS I just have no clue how I did.
While I was taking the exam I got a call from a CPA firm about a job that I just applied for. What a crazy afternoon!
Jeff - another71.com
offlineadmin
Sounds like it went well, Mitzie!
Mitzie7
offlineMember
I hope it did. I guess I will find out in September. Used your Ninja notes and also followed your suggestion about rewriting the notes. Those were both good ideas. Tomorrow I have to get started with FAR. I take that at the end of August. Ugh.
Corporation D
offlineMember
I took Audit this morning. 2nd time taking it. The MCs were ok, sims were ok as well. I actually got one of the sims I had the first time I took Audit. This is my last hurdle. Hurry up September!!!! GAHHHHH!
jomarie
offlineMember
Corporation D - Looks like your lucky number is 77, hope you get another one!! :):) I'm sitting on Monday and I'm a little scared. Reviewing like crazy!!! I'm in the middle of a practice test, I'll post an update on how I do.
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