Jeff,
Is the written part of the exam the only part that is viewed and graded by a person? Are the MC and sims graded only by computer?
-
OnePointAway
offlineMemberPosted 2 years ago # -
Patrick909
offlineMemberI have AUD on the very last day of the window, 11/30. I'm hoping one month of study is enough. I did reasonably well on the Bisk diagnostic exam, for not having looked at any kind of auditing textbook since 2002, or never having conducted an audit before.
My "preliminary" (to get in the spirit of AUD) feeling about this particular section is that it's 75% common sense, logic and test-taking skills. What worries me is that some of the answers to the MCQ seem to be worded quite poorly, IMO....I came across some that were worded in such a general, vague way that you would never think they were the correct answer....yet they were.
I hate correct answers that look like total bull****. I'm worried about this exam....while it might appear to have the potential to be an "easier" exam, I'm not really that great at memorizing nebulous, vague concepts....which would seem to describe the bulk of GAAS. And the lectures are boring me.....this is a super-boring topic, almost as bad as Tax.
Posted 2 years ago # -
TampaAccountant
offlineMemberPatrick, I failed AUD (70) in Aug '09 and memorized every report and rules and procedures. I thought I knew the material, but I must be do something wrong.
I'm taking AUD also on NOV 30. I'm going to study 2 weeks going over more MCQs, I guess. I'm going to concentrate more in the areas I did poorly in, according to my Canidate Performance Report:
Information
ReviewNow, I just need to figure out in what Modules of the Wiley book are those content areas found?
Oh, also SLOW DOWN for this exam, read the questions and each answer a few times. I finished in 3 1/2 hours with an hour left.....not sure if having the extra hour would've help though,...I was so confident I scored like a 90..lol.
Posted 2 years ago # -
ktsullivan
offlineMemberHi Everyone,
I am taking AUD on Nov 28th for the first time. If you have taken it before, how long are the simulations? I just took REG, and they each took about an hour.. how long do you recommend to save for simulations? I know this is the longest exam.. but I'd just like to get a good idea of how long to spend on each testlet.
Thanks!
-KathleenIf we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.Posted 2 years ago # -
AARON
offlineMemberKT, this exam is very forgiving, especially if prepared. Make sure you spend a lot of time on the MC, you'll have plenty of time to finish the SIMs. You can almost budget 2.5-3 Hours strictly to MC.
√ AUD - 87 (8/12/09)
√ REG - 77 (1/15/10
√ BEC - 77 (1/6/09 - Expired) / 79 (11/18/10)
√ FAR - 75 (2/11/11)Posted 2 years ago # -
OnePointAway
offlineMemberGlogo,
I beg to differ with you. I also thought the AUD exam was not difficult and I got a 74 the first time around. I just took the exam for the 2nd time on Oct. 27. The AUD exam is deceptively hard. Remember, I passed the other 3 exams on my first try. You really have to know the MC and the sims are extremely challenging. Most are FAR material. For me the AUD has been the hardest exam even though it is not really quantitative. I would suggest studying at least as many hours for this one as the other exams.Posted 2 years ago # -
AARON
offlineMemberI agree that you need to put effort into preparing... What I mean is that the four and a half hours for this exam is very manageable if prepared. I suggest spending time to really do well on the Multiple Choice.√ AUD - 87 (8/12/09)
√ REG - 77 (1/15/10
√ BEC - 77 (1/6/09 - Expired) / 79 (11/18/10)
√ FAR - 75 (2/11/11)Posted 2 years ago # -
OnePointAway
offlineMemberGlogo, you can make a good point. I was just saying that one better be fully prepared for AUD or else it will almost surely burn you. That 74 I got really hurt me. I really wanted to put a CPA marking on my resume.
Posted 2 years ago # -
ktsullivan
offlineMemberOnePointAway- you said the sims are mostly FAR material.. I have not taken FAR yet.. so how is someone supposed to be prepared for the simulations in AUD if taking it before FAR?
I am definitely studying for this one as much as the others.. I am not studying less for any one of them, I think they are all difficult no matter if they are shorter, longer, or whatever. They all have about the same passing rates, give or take a percent or two. I am actually doing better on my first try of the MCQs in becker's software than I have done for BEC or REG.. so hopefully this is a good sign!
If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.Posted 2 years ago # -
CapitalGains
offlineMemberThe FAR material tested in AUD simulations is likely to be pretty basic, probably something along the lines of proposed adjusting journal entries or ratio analysis. This stuff is included in the AUD section because it's relevant to conducting and completing an audit. For example, an auditor would need to know how to correct an entry that initially recorded a sale for goods out on consignment that haven't been sold to a third party by the end of the reporting period. Similarly knowing how certain transactions or accounts affect ratios is primarily a FAR topic, but knowing how these ratios affect the audit is an AUD topic.
AUD: 97, FAR: 96, BEC: 93, REG: 99, Ethics: 100 (laugh)Posted 2 years ago # -
ktsullivan
offlineMemberI haven't gotten through the book yet, I am in the beginning of R3. Does the review material cover these topics, just for some practice or are we expected to just know this stuff going in? I can handle or figure out the journal entries.. but I have hardly delt with ratios since my finance class. I never analyzied ratios in any of my financial accounting classes.
If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.Posted 2 years ago # -
CapitalGains
offlineMemberIf I remember correctly, they will give you a tab in the simulation with all the relevant ratio calculations that you would need (if the simulation does in fact deal with ratios). I don't know if Becker's review material incorporates it because I used Bisk. You don't need to know too many but you should know the main ones (i.e. current ratio, basic EPS, debt-to-equity, A/R & inventory turnovers) and how transactions or correcting entries affect them. If you're rusty with those you could glance back at your intermediate accounting textbooks if you kept them, or use a Google search.AUD: 97, FAR: 96, BEC: 93, REG: 99, Ethics: 100 (laugh)Posted 2 years ago # -
ktsullivan
offlineMemberOkay thanks a lot! I don't think my intermediate books even covered ratios.. all that stuff I learned in Finance. But I do know most of those.. ahh this stinks though. Now I am getting scared about the sims.If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.Posted 2 years ago # -
cc_cpa
offlineMemberktsullivan:
Don't stress out about the sims on audit. Unlike regulation you will find that you will have plenty of time. I ended up with 2 hours and 15 minutes left to do the sims and I used every minute of it to make sure that my written communication and research tabs got me max points. The other part of the sims just do your best. As far as the ratios go, just know the basic 4 or 5. Take your time on this exam. You will find that you will have plenty of time unlike regulation.....which I take on 11/30:(
Posted 2 years ago # -
OnePointAway
offlineMemberKtsullivan,
I agree with what others have said about the AUD sims. The problem with sims is that they can throw anything they want at you. It is very difficult to prepare for the sims except by knowing the material. I debated how much time I would spend doing practice sims and I kept it a very small amount. I think it is better strategy to concentrate on the MC's. Just my $.02.Posted 2 years ago # -
AARON
offlineMemberJust to echo the other posts KT. Becker does a nice job with the AUD section. There was nothing on the exam I didn't see on Becker. I would spend a lot of time nailing down all the MC. The Simulations are manageable as long as you're comfortable with the MC. Take your time with this exam. Go over every quetion twice before moving to the next testlet. I budgeted 45-55 minutes for each MC testlet. I used the remaining time (1.5 Hours) for the SIMS and to make sure I received max points, especially for the COMM and RES tabs of the SIMS. Good luck.
√ AUD - 87 (8/12/09)
√ REG - 77 (1/15/10
√ BEC - 77 (1/6/09 - Expired) / 79 (11/18/10)
√ FAR - 75 (2/11/11)Posted 2 years ago # -
gonnabacpany
offlineMemberKT
I would agree with the other recent posts here. I took AUD and thought that it was easy. I ended up with a 74, which honestly is worse than getting a 60 in my opinion. I am taking it again in two days, and this time arround I am spending minimal time on the simulations in the Becker material because my simulations were mostly FAR related. I am drilling the multiple choice from the software and from the Wiley book over and over again. Hopefully that will be enough to get me that one point! Good luck with the exam!FAR - 84; AUD - 74, 11/5/09; REG - 10/10/09 ??; BEC - 11/23/09Posted 2 years ago # -
ktsullivan
offlineMemberThanks everyone.. I will def focus on the MCQs, I've been doing really well with the homework ones so far. Like, way better than I did on my first try for BEC & REG. Its just that for REG, at least I could think of the types of problems that would appear on the simulations.. and audit doesn't have many calculations so its hard to imagine. Thanks for all the advice, it gives me a better idea of what to expect, and what to focus on!
If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.Posted 2 years ago # -
Patrick909
offlineMemberUpdate on my "progress" - wow, is this material ever boring.
There is absolutely nothing in this entire section that is "hard" or confusing. Nothing. That said, I'm not entirely sure I'm capable of memorizing all of this conceptual stuff.
I think I'm going to listen to the lectures, drill myself on the mult. choice, and attempt to apply common sense and experience in the testing room. I've been "the audited" countless times, so the ins and outs of an audit are not exactly foreign to me.
I'm going to try to memorize the standard unqualified opinion, but beyond that there's no way in hell I can memorize all those silly mnemonics. It takes more energy and time to memorize the mnemonic than it does to try to internalize the concept.
The lectures are killing me, though. I like Bob Monette a lot, but even he is boring the hell out of me with this stuff. Plus, I think I may just be dead-tired of the CPA exam. Hoping to get good news on FAR in late November, then close out this long nightmare on 11/30.
Posted 2 years ago # -
lisa2bcpa
offlineMemberI just took Audit and it was OK. I would put money on it that I passed. There were no far out questions or sims, it was very straightforward and if study the material they say will be on there you'll be fine. Read each question with common sense approach. THis is the ONLY exam part that makes sense to me:) Good luck...I can't wait to get my results...on my last part!!!!!
2004 First Attempt FAR-64,74,REG-81,BEC-79,AUD-78 (lost my credits and quit)
2009 FINAL Attempt FAR-83, REG-84,BEC-84 AUD-91.......I'm done!!!!Posted 2 years ago # -
jrh510
offlineMemberI am taking Auditing on November 30. My studying isn't going very well but I plan on turning it on big time (68 hours between now and the 30th). I just ordered the Yaeger Cram DVD w/ Wiley book online. Hopefully it will be helpful.
FAR 78 (2/14), BEC 84 (8/14), REG 90 (10/26), AUD 97 (11/30) I'm Done!Posted 2 years ago # -
Jeff - another71.com
onlineadminjrh510 - 4 hours a day, huh?
I'd shoot for 2.5 hours a day...that puts you at 40 hours...more reasonable for AUD.
I say this because if you shoot for 4 hours a day and then 3 days from now you find yourself only studying 4 hours TOTAL, you could get down and it could cause you to procrastinate because you're behind...if that makes sense...
Posted 2 years ago # -
runtherace
offlineMemberI am currently using the gleim book and test prep. My question is how do you practice simulations and communication because I don't have an actual/lice simulation/communication question.
If anyone used this mode what did you do?praying for favor.............Posted 2 years ago # -
Elena
offlineMemberHello everyone,
Did anyone take/pass AUD with Becker recently? If so, how did you handle the change in the Internal Control (SAS 115 and SSAE 15)? Becker website is saying both old and new rules will be tested on the exam and I find it too confusing... Should I do the questions at all related to the old rules? Or just focus on the updated theory posted on Becker website?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Emes
offlineMemberThank MPoni123, I've gone through them now everytime i even try to take another look at the MCQs i know the answer even before the question so I think i'm gona stop lookin at them...and i'm havin trouble remember all those ratios, but I was doin one of the Beckers Sim and in the resouse part ratios are given, are they given on the real exam too?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Anonymous
offlineUnregisteredEmes, yes they are given on the actual exam..
Posted 2 years ago # -
Patrick909
offlineMember"need advice. I have my exam on 28th. I m using wileys which has around 120 pages covering AT, AU, AR standards.
Do we need to memorize that stuff? "If you can memorize all that garbage, my hat is definitely off to you.
I think focused, *repeated* (3, 4, 5, 6+ times, however many you need) multiple choice question drill is the way to pass any CPA exam section. It worked for me very well in REG and BEC, don't see why it can't work for the other two sections. Just do 'em again and again and again.
Posted 2 years ago # -
almost_there
offlineMember@big4luv: I honestly think whether or not Becker will help depends on if you are strong in that particular area. I think Becker is more of a "review" rather than a tool to teach you the things you don't know. I am in Tax and have taken AUD twice with Becker (67,68) Obviously there is underlying foundational material that I don't understand. I bought Yeager review on Tuesday for my AUD test in Jan ($505....ouch!!). Based on reading the first chapter, the Wiley book seems to do more "teaching" of the topic rather than just review.
Hope this helps.
BEC: 71, 80; REG: 79; AUD:67,68,80!!; FAR:80Posted 2 years ago # -
TampaAccountant
offlineMemberAUD is the trickiest exam ever! I finished with 45 minutes to spare and thought I passed with a 99, and failed with a 70!
My advice is for you to take your time and read every MCQ super carefully; you don't have to rush like with REG or FAR, there's no need to time panic with this exam.....
Good Luck!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Patrick909
offlineMemberCan't believe the day is almost here....11/30. It *could* be the last I'll ever see of the CPA exam. My strategy over the month I've had to study for this is simply to listen to the lectures, and work as many MCQ as I can stomach, over and over again. Hoping it will be enough. I don't really know what else I can do, as I'm not even going to attempt to sit there and memorize one lick of GAAS.
Time shouldn't be an issue. The difficult part for me is going to be to slow myself down. Speeding through the exam has worked for me in the other 3 sections, but something tells me that if I try to run through this one, I might bleed points. There has to be a reason why they give you 4 1/2 hours for this section.
It's difficult, though......I find that I *want* to go fast, in part because it's so unpleasant sitting in that testing room.
Wow, this holiday season I am setting myself up for either total elation, or a horrible disappointment.
REG - 90
BEC - 84
FAR - 91
AUD - 11/30/09Posted 2 years ago # -
cfcpa
offlineMemberJust took Audit earlier today. Nothing out of the ordinary showed up on the exam; it was pretty straight forward, so hopefully I passed. I finished the exam with 1 hour left, and I even went through all of multiple choice twice. The simulations were easier than I expected, considering that I didn't get any wacky ones. I'm hoping I passed, since this is the last section for me.
REG- 83
BEC- 88
FAR- 86Posted 2 years ago # -
TampaAccountant
offlineMemberCPA2BinOH, thanks for your comments, I'll keep them in mind when I sit for AUD again in January.
I just don't understand why they give 4 1/2 hours for AUD. I took AUD in Aug '09 and finished in 3 1/2 hours and walked-out thinking I had a 99 lol, but failed with a 70.
Since AUD is all theory, you either know an answer (or think you know) or don't, so 4 1/2 hours is too much......I wish I could've transfer an hour to FAR or REG, lol.
Question: Were you as fast in your other sections (REG, FAR, BEC)? Did you finished with time to spare?
Anyways, you have excellent passing grades on your other parts and I'm sure you also passed AUD!
Posted 2 years ago # -
PackerBackerwannabeCPA
offlineMembertampa-
when I took FAR and REG i used every single second I could, but did fill out everything on both sims
BEC i had over 30 mins left over and AUD i had about 40 minsI agree AUD should be shorter and move some of that time to REG or FAR since you know a MCQ or not.
FAR 85 - July 09
BEC 90 - Aug 09
REG 89 - Oct 09Posted 2 years ago # -
CPA2BinOH
offlineMemberTampaAccountant, i took REG first and I came out of that exam shell-shocked, not expecting to pass at all. I do not like taxes (I work in the industry doing mostly financial accounting work) and had a hard time studying for REG. Anyhow, the scores came out and I was extremely surprised that I got a 91. I used up all of my time for REG but I was out of the testing center in one hour for BEC. I felt really confident coming out of that one expecting to get a better score then REG (not that I am complaining lol), For FAR, I could have used just 20 more seconds - I breezed through the MCQs, but my simulations were brutal - tons of stuff that I hadn't seen when studying with Becker or at school ( and I just finished my master's this past May).
I am hoping I do well in AUD so I never have to open another Becker book again.
Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!REG - 91, BEC - 91, FAR - 89, AUD - 11/24/2009Posted 2 years ago # -
MACPAsoon
offlineMemberHi everyone!
I am new to posting in this forum. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!!
I am taking Audit on Monday, and I just took the final exams on Becker. On my first final exam my scores in the testlets were: 80, 73, 76. On the second, my scores were: 66, 86, 70. Can anyone tell if this is a good sign? I've heard that the becker final exams are supposed to be harder than the actual exam..
My strategy for the rest of my studying time is just to do the MCQs as many times as I can, and do the simulations once each, just to get the idea down. Anyone have any last minute suggestions?
Thank you!
Posted 2 years ago # -
jrh510
offlineMemberHi all,
I just finished the Yaeger CRAM DVD for Auditing. I thought that it was a very nice recap and would reccomend this for anybody taking Auditing in the future.
I am taking auditing on November 30 (my last test)! I plan on going through the reporting chapters of Bisk (28 & 30) and do other miscellaneous review in weak areas.
Good luck to all of those that are taking their test on Monday!
J
FAR 78 (2/14), BEC 84 (8/14), REG 90 (10/26), AUD 97 (11/30) I'm Done!Posted 2 years ago # -
chal
offlineMemberJust took auditing this morning, it was very tough. Thought I knew the info very well and they just seemed to ask me questions on all stuff that I didn't think was that important. Sims were pretty easy but the written communications were on topics that were not in my study material, only wrote a paragraph for each of them.
50/50 chance of passingPosted 2 years ago # -
shilpi123
offlineMemberjust gave Audit today.Exam was pretty ok and nothing unexpected I came across with.
Good thing was there was plenty of time. my advice to all those who are taking
audit ,spend good time on MCQ,you will have enough time for simulations.BEC - 84, REG - 87, AUD - 77, FAR - 02/FebPosted 2 years ago # -
Patrick909
offlineMemberSo I took AUD this morning at my favorite Miami Prometric center, hopefully those people won't have to see me anymore.
I am through trying to predict this exam. But honestly, a lot of the multiple choice questions seemed really familiar. I breezed through the first testlet, had to make a few educated guesses on the second and third testlets, but even most of them were doable, I thought.
I finished all 3 multiple choice testlets in less than 1 hour, and I swear I wasn't even hurrying. It's always interesting on any given exam, what they hit HARD, and what gets almost utterly ignored by the sheer luck of the draw. Some of the same topics were being thrown at me over and over again in there this morning! And 2 of the areas in which I expected A LOT MORE questions were almost entirely ignored. I've taken all 4 parts now, and I haven't seen it that lopsided since my first section, REG.
OK, so on to the sims. Just like the FAR sims, a couple of the tabs were a little tricky, but not entirely undoable. A couple of the tabs were pretty simple. The memos? Kinda stupid memos if you ask me. I banged out the memos without too much trouble, I probably scavenged some decent points. Judging from my performance on REG and FAR, I have a feeling that the written communication tab has been a friend of mine throughout my CPA exam experience. The research tabs, I'm pretty sure I nailed both of them.
Am I insane? I finished this exam in 2 hours and 5 minutes, and I didn't feel like I was hurrying, either. I knew I'd finish early...I ALWAYS do, but I didn't think I'd finish that early. I guess that's what not having to deal with a bunch of computation does for me.
Not going to predict my score, but I'd like to think that I at least accumulated enough points to pass. Even on the few questions on which I had to make an educated guess, I really feel like I was able to nail them down to two options. So, given my performance on the other 3 parts, I'm simply going to assume that I passed, and wait for my score. It's been a hell of a ride, I'll tell you guys that much. Way back when I was in undergrad in the late 1990s, I honestly did not see myself in the position I found myself in this morning, just needing to pass one more section of the CPA exam. I remember looking at CPA review books back then and being utterly flabbergasted by what I saw. I thought there was no way in hell I'd ever pass even one section of this exam, much less the whole thing. I guess that grad school and a good deal of work experience have helped me beyond what I thought possible.
REG - 90
BEC - 84
FAR - 91
AUD - Score pendingPosted 2 years ago # -
TampaAccountant
offlineMemberOK Patrick909, you're a genius and you don't even know it...lol If you passed FAR, I'm sure you passed AUD.
I finished in 3 1/2 hours, not rushing, and failed with a 70! But when I walked out of the exam I though I had passed with a 99 lol.......I don't think time matters with AUD, you either know something (or think you know something) or don't.
Tell me one thing: Why do you think they give us 4 1/2 hours for AUD and not FAR??
Posted 2 years ago # -
Patrick909
offlineMemberI have no idea. The one that I really found to be tighter time-wise was REG. I finished that one, but only had 15 minutes left on the clock.
I think they need to shave a half-hour from AUD and add it to REG, if anything. I mean come on, there's next to zero computation in AUD. And, the first simulation I got in REG was *by far* the toughest sim I saw in any of the sections.
I will say that I thought the written communication in AUD was probably the toughest of the 3 written comms, though. Writing about audit concepts *is* pretty awkward, isn't it? I kinda knew what I wanted to say, but I did have to stop and think a little as to how I was going to say it, it didn't exactly flow. Maybe this is why they give 4 1/2 hours.
Posted 2 years ago #
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