AUD Disaster

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AUD Disaster

39 posts from 27 voices

Started 3 months ago by ThunderFan0
Latest reply from Mikeb123

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DETROIT RED WINGS!!!

ThunderFan0

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Well I just got back from the AUD exam....

I went into this exam feeling the most confident I ever have. I got in the mid-80's on my two Wiley exams I took yesterday.
Coming out of the exam was a different story....this is the WORST i have ever felt about an exam. Which makes no sense to me that the one I am most prepared for left me feeling the worst. Unlike other people on here....when I have come out of a test feeling bad I fail, and I have come out feeling decent twice...and those were my 2 passes.

On to what happened in the exam:

Testlet 1 = The questions were pretty tough....I had to go back to several of them...didn't feel too great going into the 2nd testlet.

Testlet 2 = I couldn't really tell if the questions were different or not(I am not really sure how anyone can in the AUD exam)
I felt decent about this one

Testlet 3 = See testlet 2

Simulations: WOW. I have never seen such obscure questions in my testing thus far. For the icing on the cake...I spent my last 20 minutes trying to find the answer to the research questions to no avail. I should note that I am usually solid on the research tabs...so this was super frustrating. I will be lucky if I got 10% of my simulations correct. I have pretty much no confidence in them. Nowhere in my study material was I told how to determine certain audit elements as high/medium/low.

I am devestated right now...I am going to have to retake this. I will probably fail REG for the 500th time in February and end up losing my BEC credit in May. I am losing the will to put up with this crap.

I could tell you all about auditing...and I have performed top notch work on several audits at my firm....but just because I can't answer obscure test questions I cant be classified as a CPA.

I absolutely love that the passing rates keep dipping lower and lower every year. This testing process is a huge money making scheme and I wish someone would regulate it, because with the economy the way it is there is no way that competent people should be denied licensing and keep having to pay money to continually retest because of sketchy testing questions/grading procedures

Venting done(for now)

FAR - 74, 76
BEC - 77(expires 5/24/12)
REG 71,72, Retake 2012 Q2
AUD - 69, 72
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Posted 3 months ago #
jenuno01

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You are absolutely right in every single word you wrote...you are preaching to the crowd here man.

FAR - Done | AUD - Done | BEC - Done | REG - ?

Posted 3 months ago #
cosmo_sippin_cpa

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Great-I'm still recovering from the a$$ whipping I got from my FAR sims last week.

AND you have audit experience? Prior to opening my Roger book, the only thing I knew about auditing was how to spell it.

Looks like I might be facing another beat down down next month.

Well...good luck to you!

FAR PASS
AUD PASS
BEC 5/25/12
REG 7/2012

It seemed like a good idea when I started.
Roger Review

Posted 3 months ago #
cole713

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ThunderFan,

Do not get too worked up. Trust me, I felt the exact same way on my REG exam. I had prepared the most for it and felt like I would ace it going in...and it took all I had to hold my tears back before I was even through with the exam. I didn't know how to do any of the SIMS that I had, and left most of it blank. I was absolutely positive that I had failed 100% but I got my grade and passed. You never know...I even still check my grade 2 months later because I still don't believe it. Keep your head up!!

Posted 3 months ago #
Givemesleep

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oh crap : - O my ass whipping is coming up on 2/28.

Reg 11/15/2011 - 80
Aud 02/28/2012 - 81
Bec 05/31/2012 - retake
Far 08/31/2012

Givemesleep

Posted 3 months ago #
ThunderFan0

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@cole713 - thanks for the encouragement. I know you talk about your experience with the REG sims(they have beat me twice now) and the difference is that I think almost EVERYONE gets killed on the REG sims...so it evens out the playing field. But I have never heard about people having issues with the AUD simulations...which means that I am probably going to get a 52.

It's just super frustrating to get SIMS consisting of:
2 = FAR topics
1 = topic which had no coverage in any of my materials (Roger CRAM/CPA Excel/NinjaNotes & Wiley MC's)..I didn't get to complete this one
1 = topic receiving about 1 paragraph in my Roger Cram book.
1 = IMPOSSIBLE research question(I think I went through every possible AR/AT/AU/...)
1 = Somewhat tough
1 = easy

Has anyone else who took AUD this month had this experience at all??

FAR - 74, 76
BEC - 77(expires 5/24/12)
REG 71,72, Retake 2012 Q2
AUD - 69, 72

Posted 3 months ago #
75

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2 FAR topics, wow. It's getting "better and better".

I had a very bad first experience with the AUD sims, so you're wrong in thinking people don't complain.

1 - FAR topic - impossible connection between a rarely tested FAR topic and rarely tested AUD topic
2 - totally alien audit sims
3 - sort of doable audit sims
1 - research, doable

I failed, cause I didn't even know the doable ones :D
So, you have a chance!

Finally a CPA :)

Posted 3 months ago #
katiekanton

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Absolutely. Word for word your experience. I took it in November and wrote a whole long post about it. I was absolutely ready. I studied for 4 months. I got INSANE sims, and it was my first section. I almost quit right there. I left feeling very angry. I also had 2 far sims, one that probably resembled your "high/medium/low" one that I was like, "what the heck????" when it came up on my screen, as well as a sim that I had to use the research tab for, and in the research tab it said, "auditing [insert topic here for sake of disclosure] is so difficult that most CPAs will need the use of a specialist in order to audit [topic]" and there was very little guidance at all on it. Didn't stop the AICPA from giving me a whole sim on it though. Ridiculous. I absolutely agree it's a money making scheme with no oversight and zero accountability. That doesn't mean I think the only goal of the AICPA is to make money, I just think it's pretty high up on their list, and as the economy tanks I fear it will receive higher priority than turning out knowledgeable CPAs.

Having said all that, I got a pretty decent score, so maybe you will too.

AUD - 88 - using Bisk, and btw, Bob Monette ROCKS
FAR - 90
REG - 85
BEC -
Ethics - 100

Posted 3 months ago #
hopeful_cpa

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that was my experience when i took it november... i had never been so upset as i was after i walked out of that exam. i ended up with a 67... i think i did better when i took it this month, but only god knows and time will tell.

i do completely agree with you that this is a huge money making thing lol... actually the worldwide passing rate is down to about 10-20% which is pretty sad.

BEC: Done
REG: Done
AUD: Done
FAR: May 10

Almost there....

Posted 3 months ago #
AshleyCap

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@thunderfan - my SIMS sound EXACTLY like yours - you should read my post "my aud experience yesterday" I left there after an already awful day just fighting back tears. However, I am hoping for that passing score! Those SIMS were absolutely brutal and I sat there thinking where the hell was the review material on this?!?! .....

Here's to score release time... which can't come fast enough.

FAR - 80 (YES!) 10/29/2011
AUD-68 (1/19/2012) time to schedule a retake.... Aug 2012
BEC- 79 halfway there! (4/2/2012)
REG- July 2012

Posted 3 months ago #
CPATerminator

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:(

FAR|2/27/12|PASS
AUD|4/16/12|PASS
BEC|5/31/12|WIP

Posted 3 months ago #
pittyankee

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@ThunderFan0

" I am devestated right now..."

Let's just hope you weren't the one who prepared the audit reports in your "top-notch" auditing work.

Posted 3 months ago #
katiekanton

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@pittyankee (or whoever you really are, I have my own suspicions)

Your comment was childish, unnecessary, unhelpful, unsupportive, and unwelcome. If you can't act like an adult, please excuse yourself.

AUD - 88 - using Bisk, and btw, Bob Monette ROCKS
FAR - 90
REG - 85
BEC -
Ethics - 100

Posted 3 months ago #
OnMyWayToCPA

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Agreed ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

B - PASSED (1/4 there!)
A - 63 RETAKE - 74 FML.... RETAKE - ?
F - 66 RETAKE - JULY 18
R - 67 RETAKE - ?

Review Course: Lambers & Wiley Online TestBank

Posted 3 months ago #
RedRage00

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I always find it funny that the people who say they almost cried walking out the testing center are the ones that always score the highest LOL

Texas CPA
Licensed, March 2012

Posted 3 months ago #
OnMyWayToCPA

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Agreed ^^^^^^^^^^^^

B - PASSED (1/4 there!)
A - 63 RETAKE - 74 FML.... RETAKE - ?
F - 66 RETAKE - JULY 18
R - 67 RETAKE - ?

Review Course: Lambers & Wiley Online TestBank

Posted 3 months ago #
xwingdingx

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Why do ppl create a new account just to post negative comments? Isn't this blog "community" supposed to be a support group?

AUD 6/24/11- 76
BEC 11/23/11 - 79
FAR 5/30/12 - TBD
REG 1/14/12 - 82

Posted 3 months ago #
Xenia

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ThunderFan0, So agree with you. I took Aud on the 20th and don't know what to think. The two previous times I was sure I passed... The score reports say my MCQs were stronger and Sims weaker. Strange, because if you know and understand the concepts, what else to study. I went through thousands of MCQs, using Wiley test bank, Roger CRAM, CPAexcel, Wiley textbook. The sims last time were a little easier than before. Still, I spent about 30 minutes on the research, I couldn't even comprehend what the examiners asking in one TBS and another one was the simple bank rec JEs, but, as you say with very obscure wording. I reconciled so many books in my life that this TBS should've been the easiest for me. Unfortunately, I decided to check one more time the entries, freaked out that I misunderstood the question and redid all the JEs. Feel bad. I will loose the BEC credit in April, if didn't pass Aud again and I don't think I can go any further anymore. I'm trying to work part time, take countless day offs before the exams. This license (which I didn't even get yet) costs me already thousands and thousands of $$$$. I do think this is a huge money making scheme. With the knew rules, AICPA has a great source of cash flows. Ones you commit yourself to this insane game, there is no way out. I put myself and my family into so much pressure, trying to get this license. I have Masters in accounting, many years of experience and can't believe still struggling so much with this. Something is wrong with this system. Sad.

Posted 3 months ago #
ThunderFan0

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Thanks for all the people who have been giving positive support/feedback thus far.

As for Pittyankee...I was initially going to lash out in response to their comment.
Instead I logged off and came back later after I had gathered my thoughts.
All I have to say in response to you Pittyankee is that I feel sorry for you. It's unfortunate that you find the need to hide behind a computer kicking people when they are down. Either you are feeling bad about yourself and need to attack others to make yourself feel better OR you are just a person with no morals and/or have no ability to feel empathy.
Either way I am not wasting anymore energy or thought on you. I wish you the best.

In general, I have never understood why people get satisfaction in using the internet in anonymity to say things that no normal human would say in a real social interaction. It's not just on here I am talking about...but different internet forums in general...I really find it sad and I always wonder what goes through the persons head before they think that it is "cool" or a good idea to type it.

FAR - 74, 76
BEC - 77(expires 5/24/12)
REG 71,72, Retake 2012 Q2
AUD - 69, 72

Posted 3 months ago #
yankeeaccountant

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totally agree with KatieKanton ......very well said!

@Pittyankee--- Dude/Girl, you are giving Yankees everywhere a bad name. Cool it. I feel compelled to defend the "yankee" name!

@Thunderfan,

Audit is an enigma. I know it's overall passing rate says otherwise, but for me, it is the toughest exam to pass. I have now taken it 4 times, and can say that it is the exam that I mostly think WTF. I am, however, trying my best to stay positive in spite of how this long process has affected my confidence and objectivity on top of what stress it is putting on my family. Keep the faith. You have a load of people backing you here. Best of luck.

Posted 3 months ago #
hopeful_cpa

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@thunder: well said
@pitty: you are a severely sucky person... grow up a little before you decide to post on anybody's thread. this is a support site, not a site to bust people on a little spelling error.. get over it and move on.
@katie: agreed.

BEC: Done
REG: Done
AUD: Done
FAR: May 10

Almost there....

Posted 3 months ago #
yankeeaccountant

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@hopeful_cpa

Well said!!!

How is FAR coming along?

Posted 3 months ago #
dtomasello

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@pittspankee: Why make such a rude comment to someone you don't even know? I'm not sure if you're just trying to be funny or a wiseass but it seriously just makes you look like a douchebag saying something like that. I really feel sorry for you....

AUD No Credit
BEC No Credit
FAR No Credit
REG Credit

Posted 3 months ago #
ThunderFan0

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Well my initial feelings of disgust were confirmed today.
I called my state board and found out I got a 72.
I am interested to see my comparison breakdown...based off of my experience I am assuming I must have been stronger in MC and severely weaker in Sims.

I am starting to panic now as I have to pass AUD and REG before May 24th(i lose BEC).
Factor that in with busy season and no option to test in march...i could be in trouble :(

FAR - 74, 76
BEC - 77(expires 5/24/12)
REG 71,72, Retake 2012 Q2
AUD - 69, 72

Posted 2 months ago #
Givemesleep

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Never quiting ever, I will die trying, Never ever going to quit. I will be the first 99 year old man to pass.

Reg 11/15/2011 - 80
Aud 02/28/2012 - 81
Bec 05/31/2012 - retake
Far 08/31/2012

Givemesleep

Posted 2 months ago #
Whyme

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I don't understand how the MC's can feel so easy, yet that does not translate to the SIMS? I took AUD in Jan, I finished the MC's in about 1.5 hrs, spent the rest of the time on the SIMS, and still bombed them. The research question, which usually takes me 2 mins in the review material took me at least 25 mins. I don't get why the SIMS have to be so disgustingly hard and now worth more.

AUD- 71,
BEC- 75
FAR- 72,
REG- 5/30/12

Posted 2 months ago #
CPA Genie

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I will not give it up till I drop!

AUD - Feb 25, 2012 => Really!! I got 82!! I still can't believe it. I am done!
BEC - Passed
REG - Passed
FAR - Passed
Ethics - Passed with 90% with 2 attempts

I feel like a genie in a bottle, and I can't wait to finish CPA exam so I can get out of the bottle!

Posted 2 months ago #
CPA_85

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@ThunderFan0: I understand your frustration, but please move on and don't stress about it. Not good for your health. I sound like MD....:) My my very first exam on 29th and its REG. I am going to give my very best shot....and rest up to AICPA..................

My Goal: Get 75 on all the sections. OH BY THE WAY, CPA STANDS FOR: CAN'T PASS AGAIN.

Trust me majority of the CPA's who are practicing will fail, if they were to retake the CPA exam. Even the ones who will be grading my exam........................

Overall its a money making scheme.

REG-Under Construction
BEC-Under Construction
FAR-Under Construction
AUD-Under Construction

Posted 2 months ago #
goodluck2everyone

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the reason you guys are bombing the SIMs is because you arent using the research tab enough.

Also, by now it is very well established that a few of the SIMs in audit can be FAR-related so its best to study up on the financial statements and where each account goes

I went from a 61 to an 84 and a weaker on sims to a stronger by using the research tab. That alone gave me the answer I needed on a few sims.

Audit has the second lowest curve on the exam so you pretty much have to nail a good portion of the sims to pass.

BEC- 80
REG- 68, 71 (wtf...)
AUD- 61 , 84
FAR- -- May 30

Posted 2 months ago #
ThunderFan0

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@goodluck2everyone - I was wondering if that was you standing behind me during my SIMS tracking how much I used the research tab.

I appreciate you trying to put a reason behind the SIM disaster...but I personally utilize the research tab a ton during the SIMs...i can't speak for everyone though

FAR - 74, 76
BEC - 77(expires 5/24/12)
REG 71,72, Retake 2012 Q2
AUD - 69, 72

Posted 2 months ago #
goodluck2everyone

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My comment wasn't towards anyone in particular, I was just writing that for people who struggle with the SIMs in general

you have to be very very careful. You can use the research tab and still put in the wrong answers. For one sim in particular, I was reluctant to mark in what I felt had to be the wrong answer. But after much deliberation and going through the research I decided that it was worth the risk.

You have to go into the mind of whoever wrote the questions and drop any preconceived notions as to what you think the answer might be. Sometimes the answer is not so obvious. One of my favorite quotes is: "true insanity is doing the same thing twice and expecting different results". Obviously the choices I put in my first time around were way off because my score reflected it. The second time around I looked really hard at all the options instead of going for the 1 or 2 which were emphasized in my review program.

BEC- 80
REG- 68, 71 (wtf...)
AUD- 61 , 84
FAR- -- May 30

Posted 2 months ago #
nextstopCPA

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I took AUD yesterday and it was brutal. It was definitely much harder this time around than the first time. I marked at least 15 MC for review. My SIMS were vague and irritating. I had at least 2 FAR, that high/low/medium crap, and a few AUD ones. Research was ok but I can't remember if I put in the document source. Bummer! Research didn't help much on FAR topics or that very obsure one. Just hope I knew enough to pass, if not, it's two parts I'll be taking next quarter!

FAR Passed (2nd time)
REG Passed (2nd time)
AUD Passed (3rd time)
BEC Sometime in 2012

Posted 2 months ago #
D21

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@ThuderPlan - My audit experience sounds identical to yours, I myself am also an auditor and thought I knew the material very well. As it turned out I failed.. and that is after making passing scores on the majority of my review material practice questions and exams. Its definitely a shame the way the AICPA goes about the exam process but on the other side of that, everyone who is a member of the AICPA had to do the same thing we are doing now and some are more fortunate than others when it comes to passing quicker and saving that $guap$. Anyways heres to a summer full of studying and as always this a great support site, I am really glad Jeff got this going. For those ppl who post like idiots and say negative things, there all clowns and the know it.

@goodluck, could you emphasize on how to utilize the research tab better? and also what materials did you use or what did you change up to get such a better score the second time around on Audit?

Posted 2 months ago #
Mikeb123

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I feel all of your pain. This test has defined me for so long. I PRAY that I passed and can put this all behind me. I took AUD again and I gotta tell ya I am worried, not because I didn't think that I did so good but the opposite.

FAR - 74, 76 (expires 6/30/12)
BEC - 77(expires 5/31/12)
REG 74,73,82 (expires 8/31/13)
AUD - 68, (waiting, took 2/28/2012)

Posted 2 months ago #
iwantmylifeback

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@ ThunderFan0 - Couldn't agree with you more. This whole thing is a huge money making scam. I could care less about this whole testing process. I just wanted the promotion at work. As soon as I pass I plan to write a manifesto on this whole thing.

The most hilarious thing about this test is that it is not even a gauge as to how well you will actually be able to work in accounting. I have worked with people who passed every part their first try and they are the people who struggle with everyday work. Typically lacking common sense and any sort of creativity because all they have is a bunch of rote memory skills that they can't seem to apply to anything besides an arbitrary MCQ. (There are some exceptions to this).

Anyway, I just took audit again on 2/27. I had to pass it again since I lost the part which is complete crap since it was taking them 6 months to get me scores and now they are turning them around in a few weeks. It should've been this way all along. I'm going to feel like a complete tool if I fail since I do this everyday, but I had the impossible research question too. The other sims...well I wish I could've typed in my own answers because they were better then the options provided.

AUD 92 (now expired FML), retake 2/27
BEC 87
FAR 73, 73, 78
REG 70, 74, 75

Posted 2 months ago #
Mikeb123

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I am continuing my previous post before, I was interrupted by family (crying baby), sleep, and work. (my beautiful wife decided to help me send my post anyway).

As I was saying. I am worried because the first time I took AUD I felt that I aced it and I have never felt that way on a CPA exam. Well I should have known because I got the worst score of all my test. A 68 but like so many I did better than those that passed with a 75 to 80 on the MCQ, but worse on the SIMS. I had enough time to use the research tab to check on a few totally obscure SIMS but in the end I still got a 68. This time around I think that I had a better test. I felt that of the MCQ's were 90% easy, with the other 8% that I had to come back to check but I felt pretty good about my answer, the remaining 2% I have to assume were test questions that won't count (they were totally out there). I got through the 3 MCQ's in about 2 hours. I took a quick break and said a prayer, hoping that the SIMS would be something I knew. 6 tabs and I felt that I knew them all well enough to pass. I triple checked everything and finished with about 50 minutes left. So like I said, in my heart I think I passed but we all know that doesn't matter and that is what is killing me.

Like so many have said there is no oversight on these tests. I find it hard to believe that in all the years of the test that of all the people that a petitioned to have their scores reviewed not one had resulted in any change to a score. (I think I read that on this site somewhere). And with it costing $250.00 to even request to have your test reviewed it seems like a waste of money. I seriously considered it when I got a 74 on REG and even again when I got a 73.

Well I am going to hope for the best. I really would like to do some other things with my time than having to study for these test. I think we should have the results for the last days of this window sometime early March, I think I read March 8th? If I passed I am going to splurge and get something nice and that will last. I am thinking a nice watch, so I can always remember how much TIME I have spent studying Accounting to be a CPA.

Good Luck all, I hope we can meet at a conference someday and talk about anything but accounting. JK

FAR - 74, 76 (expires 6/30/12)
BEC - 77(expires 5/31/12)
REG 74,73,82 (expires 8/31/13)
AUD - 68, (waiting, took 2/28/2012)

Posted 2 months ago #
cheer222

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Aud is my last test...I took it 2/29.....I actually left the test center feeling pretty good about it....I mean two sims I definitely felt like I was guessing but I had to guess slightly right I hope...I really want to be done....I can't take studying anymore....

BEC 82 5/25/11
FAR 79 8/30/11
REG 90 11/29/11
AUD 77 2/29/12

Anyone want to hire me?

Posted 2 months ago #
mnCPAwannabe

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My experience was that if the tests felt extremely difficult that was a good sign of things to come. Everybody is different, but just my two cents. I remember having the same thoughts and feelings as the posters above while working on the exams, but the passing scores still came. Keep a positive attitude, keep fighting, you will pass this thing!

FAR: 84
AUD: 95
REG: 78
BEC: 88
ETHICS: 100

Posted 2 months ago #
Mikeb123

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The results are in. I PASSED AUD. I am done. Well I got a the ethics to go. Thank you all and Thank God.

FAR - 74, 76 (expires 6/30/12)
BEC - 77(expires 5/31/12)
REG 74,73,82 (expires 8/31/13)
AUD - 68, (waiting, took 2/28/2012)

Posted 2 months ago #

1 (TET84)