Good thing someone mentioned the udpates on Internal Controls communications in Chapter 5. I have a test in 3 hours and I am just reading them for the first time, I SHOULD CHECK THIS FORUM MORE OFTEN!
FAR: 97 AUD: 97 BEC: 5/24/10 REG: 8/30/10
CPA Exam Review Forum » CPA Exam Section and Score Release Forums » AUD - Auditing and Attestation Forum
-
almost_there
offlineMember@blondeaccountant- I'm with you on failing AUD twice. I'm taking it again on the 19th. I decided to switch my review course. I was scoring 67,68 with Becker, so I bought Wiley/Yaeger materials. I think they do a really good job of laying out the materials so us "non-audit" folk can understand. I don't know when you're taking the test, or how far away you were on your last try, but I think Yaeger is a pretty good bet for learning the materials (oh, and using Jeff's study methodology of note taking really helped me too).
BEC: 71, 80; REG: 79; AUD:67,68,80!!; FAR:80Posted 8 months ago # -
cpachick
offlineMemberAUDIT BECKER UPDATE...
Ok so I am confused. If I purched my Becker Audit Materals in 9/2009... do I still need to update them for the things listed on the 2009 ed. update found at the link below? Or would they already be included since I bought it after the date of the last update (7/20/2009)?
Posted 8 months ago # -
Will_it_ever_end
offlineMemberI just got back from taking AUD today. The first testlet was not bad at all, second was quite a bit harder, and the third seemed to be in between the two (even though I know there is not an intermediate level of difficulty). First simulation was difficult but I got through all the questions. Last simulation had more difficult tabs but an easier communication. One of the tabs of the last simpretty much stumped me (but I did put answers of some sort at least).
Overall, I feel pretty good about it. Now it is time to focus back on FAR, hopefully before busy season gets rough.
For now, I'm going to enjoy my bottle of 15 year old scotch.
REG 97, FAR 69,82, AUD 80, BEC 71, 81 - It finally ended!!Posted 8 months ago # -
zena
offlineMemberWill_it_ever_end, thanks for your account. Every bit helps when dealing with the unknown. I sit on Friday. Did you memorize any of the audit reports? Is this even something to worry about? I'm on the fence on how much time I should spend on this.
FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used BeckerPosted 8 months ago # -
yankees27
offlineMembercpachick, i would assume the book you received is the same one that was given at the beginning of the year since it would be easier/cheaper for them to simply post the update online than print new books. to be sure you should just compare the online update to your book and if you see any differences then clearly you should use the updated material and disregard whats in the book
Posted 8 months ago # -
Will_it_ever_end
offlineMembercan't really tell you details but I will say that knowing how to write a standard unqualified report will help you overall in the understanding of severall topics. Sorry Jeff if this divulged too much.
REG 97, FAR 69,82, AUD 80, BEC 71, 81 - It finally ended!!Posted 8 months ago # -
zena
offlineMemberThanks Will_it_ever_end. I have been working on the stnd report. I figured it can't hurt to know that one, but there are so many other combinations. I didn't know how much time I should spend on that overall.
FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used BeckerPosted 8 months ago # -
CPAequalsHBP
offlineMemberI am scheduled to take AUD on the 12th of this month; however, I have not achieved the 'comfort' level with the material I have achieved with the other two test. I have taken FAR and REG and have passed both of them, but this test seems to be different. Although I'm sure this is not the case, but its almost as if the material is more 'tricky' than the others! I'm sure I am just missing a piece of the puzzle.
I'm useing Becker and I feel like I understand the material when it is presented to me in the lectures; however, when I go to the MCQs, I am scoreing around the 70% range. I am ok with this, as this is how I have done on the other tests I have studied for and have done fine. My biggest fear are the questions involveing 'gathering of evidence', which yield around a 60% success rate.
Long story short, I have contemplated post-poning the test another week or so and purchaseing Yaeger Cram to see if they can explain some of the issues better than Becker. Or, should I just dive into it on the 12th and see if I was good-enough to pass!!??REG 83, FAR 84, AUD - 76, BEC 2/28-Waiting for ScorePosted 8 months ago # -
stjohns796
offlineMemberI feel 100% the same way about audit - I am taking it this Friday, the 8th. There are some questions that seem like an absolute joke (incredibly easy), and others that are way way harder than anything I have seen in FAR, REG, or BEC.
The evidence gathering section can be very difficult - I have to fall back on my work experience in big 4 audit to answer most of these questions. I don't think Becker does a great job on this section, but I think the point of AUD is to think for each question - there are parts that are pure memorization, but there are a lot of questions which require critical thinking and not much preparation. When I miss questions in the HW, it is usually because I am rushing through them.
REG 78; BEC 84; FAR 94; AUDIT 1/8Posted 8 months ago # -
gmb
offlineMemberCPAequalsHBP and stjohns796,
My advice for audit would be to use the entire 4.5 hours. You are correct that the material on AUD is not as difficult as the other 3 sections and as such the examiners are going to try to trip you up with tricky wording in their questions. Take the time to read and then re-read the questions. On my exam I changed several answers after going back and re-reading the question. A simple "not" or "except for" that you may have missed in the question could be the difference between a 74 and a 75.
FAR-88, AUD-94, BEC-87, REG-90Posted 8 months ago # -
bbrowning911
offlineMember@CPAequalsHBP Do not postpone your test. I took the test on the 4th, so did my friend, and both of us felt that it was much easier than the becker exams. Someone else I worked with only studied for it for 1 week. If you don't feel prepared, THEN YOU STILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME, just study more. Postponing will only allow you to postpone your studying. Buckle down and GET ER DUNNNNNNNN!!!
For those of you wondering what the test was like, or wondering if you should memorize the report... NOOOO, you don't need to know the report verbatum, but work your MCQ and pay attention to the questions that ask about the exact phrases. Like, you should know the key words like "reasonable assurance" "sufficient appropriate audit evidence" etc etc. Just know the important parts of the opinion basically.
Hmm I can't think of any more general suggestions besides just do MCQ's, without getting too specific. GET ERRRR DUNNNNNN!
FAR: 97 AUD: 97 BEC: 5/24/10 REG: 8/30/10Posted 8 months ago # -
zena
offlineMemberbbrowning911, I can't wait to "get 'er done!" I am so sick of doing MCQs, specially the evidence ones (Becker chapter 4). I was surprised to see in one of Becker simulations that the written communication tab basically wanted me to finish off a management representation letter. They gave the first 6 bullet points of it in the tab and the solution just shows the remaining 6 bullet points. There is NO WAY I'm memorizing a representation letter. What's the point? Is not like in real life I can't look all this stuff up, specially formatting issues. I'm going Friday and I'm as ready as I'll ever be after today and tomorrow.
FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used BeckerPosted 8 months ago # -
bbrowning911
offlineMemberGood luck Zena and good job on being prepared. The Becker simulations that have you finish a particular report are probably not that relevant and I doubt that one would be asked to do that on the actual exam. However, I would pay attention to those MCQ that say "Which one of the following would one most likely find in a (INSERT REPORT NAME)?" So for example, a review would say something about inquiries and analytics, a compilation would not say anything about an opinion, etc etc. These very well may be tested.
FAR: 97 AUD: 97 BEC: 5/24/10 REG: 8/30/10Posted 8 months ago # -
zena
offlineMemberThanks, bbrowning911! I agree with you on those types of MCQ. I recall coming across some like that. Good to know. It will be a long time before scores come out, "luckily" we'll be busy studying for the next exam... lol
FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used BeckerPosted 8 months ago # -
CPAequalsHBP
offlineMemberThanks for the advice guys! I have decided to go ahead and not post-pone the test. I hit questions in Becker chapter 4 hard last night (especially the supp quesitons) and I think I may have it figured out. For the other tests, it seems like you can memorize a bunch of formulas and be fine. But with the evidence questions in chapter 4, you have to read each WORD in each question very carefully and analyze the heck out of it and the answers! The other chapters I feel 'ok' with. So, I will just hit the 'evidence' material very hard over the next few days. Then, I should be fine.
Plus, I post-poned the test for FAR and I didn't feel any more prepared going into it than I did when I initially took the test.
REG 83, FAR 84, AUD - 76, BEC 2/28-Waiting for ScorePosted 8 months ago # -
zena
offlineMemberstjohns796, I tried that in the Becker simulation and it didn't work. I kept hitting "Wrong Path" dead ends. I don't know if the same holds true for the actual exam but I'm definitely keeping that in my back pocket in case it ever comes up.
FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used BeckerPosted 8 months ago # -
Atrus
offlineMemberI'm working my way through the material and will be taking Audit on Monday. So far I am feeling OK, but I do need to revisit a lot of the material again to make sure I have it nailed down and that it's fresh in my memory.
Hopefully I can follow my standard operating procedure by taking a personal day tomorrow which gives me 3 full days to re-review the materials. Work's nuts right now though, so I don't know if I'll be able to.
FAR - 75 (8/24/09), REG - 76 (11/16/09), AUD - 78 (1/11/2010), BEC - 76 (2/22/2010)
I'm D O N E!!!!Posted 7 months ago # -
CPAequalsHBP
offlineMemberLuckily, work right now is slow. Supposed to get a Cost-Seg study; however, I think it has fallen through. We also get a day off prior to the exam, and we get the day off of the exam.
BlondeAccountant - if you don't mind me asking, what parts of Audit have been causing you the most problems? The largest benefit for me with studying for this exam has been to pound out as man MCQs as I can. You start to see a pattern. Also, they help to solidify the content where Becker did a poor job of explaining. (My personal opinion!) For the most part, if I miss something while working the MCQs, I understand WHY I missed it. But, I do come across a problem every now and then in which I have no clue why the AICPA picked the answer they picked. Very frustrating.
REG 83, FAR 84, AUD - 76, BEC 2/28-Waiting for ScorePosted 7 months ago # -
zena
offlineMemberCPAequalsHBP, I agree with you. I am getting more frustrated with this exam than even FAR, which has so much more material, but it makes so much more sense. There are definitely patterns that emerge and sometimes you know the right answer just because it has some keyword in it. Other times, however, I can stare at a question for minutes and still don't know what exactly they are after. I'm pounding out the final exams today and remaining simulations and off I go tomorrow. It seems that whether I get a 66% or an 83% on a final exam testlet (Becker) it still takes me only about 30 minutes per testlet. It will be interesting to see how this works out tomorrow. Good luck all!
FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used BeckerPosted 7 months ago #
CPA Exam Review Forum » CPA Exam Section and Score Release Forums » AUD - Auditing and Attestation Forum
Reply »
You must log in to post.
