[CPA2BEE]

Hello All,

Got my AUD score this morning and it was a 71. I’m pretty bothered by this because as I was taking the test I really felt in control and that I was answering most of the questions correctly. When people asked me how it went and I told them it wasn’t too bad compared to FAR, I had some confidence in this one. On the other hand, the first time I took FAR I didn’t feel good about it at all (well, even when I passed I didn’t think I did good) so the failing score made a little more sense then. I’ve heard about AUD being a silent killer and I am now living proof of that.

I’m not trying to make excuses because I firmly believe that if you’ve reached whatever threshold of knowledge there is to pass one of these exams, I really think it will reflect in your score. Having said that, after feeling prepared and honestly not feeling like I have any particular “weak areas”, what changes do you suggest to make in order to get to that next level of knowledge? I plan to just start from scratch and nail everything home again starting with the base of knowledge I already have on the subject. I saw with my restudy for FAR that even on the areas I thought I knew well, I was learning A LOT more about them my second time studying.

Does anyone have a similar experience with AUD? If so, how did you bounce back? Any feedback is appreciated.

CA CPA - est. Dec 2016

FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85

ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016

[REG-FTW86]

Do you use Ninja MCQ? That really helped me pass, took me from 54 to 78 i think, It's below. I also had NINJA notes but didn't use them much for the re-take. I had Ninja Audio and listened to that at the gym only (not driving or at work that's too distracting). I also use Roger and really put myself in the mindset of an auditor. It all ties together. I feel like the Sims helped me out because I could use the AL to help answer some of them.

Also, for this re-test I read the entire Roger book and wrote down anything that I did not know (skipped things I knew well) and that helped. Did not watch lectures the second time around. I did not re-write my own notes but did review them every so often during the day at lunch. Just went through the entire book the second time and did MCQ along the way.

By the way. I'd much rather have a FAR pass right now than AUD lol, wanna swap?

AUD - 78
BEC - 77
FAR - 77
REG - 80

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up.  The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."  Thomas A. Edison

How bad do you want it?

Regulation For The Win!

FAR 57, 62, 77
BEC 70,77
AUD 54,78
REG 66, 62, 7/29

FAR.BEC.AUD.AUD.BEC.FAR.FAR.REG.REG

Roger CPA Review / Ninja MCQ Supplement

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time - Thomas Edison

[12tang]

I can't answer all your questions but I failed it too. I didn't study as much as planned and I expected a fail. It still was sucky to see a fail even when I expected it. Don't feel discouraged.

Just restudy from scratch. I think you'll be amazed on how much stuff you will pick up. In my opinion, what makes a great student is one who continues to believe they can still learn more. You might think you have all your bases covered but you don't.

Take what you know and ask yourself, how else can this be asked. Try to think about the information in different ways than your materials explain. Try to relate the material to things you can remember.

BEC - PASS

FAR - PASS

AUD - PASS

REG - PASS

BOOM!  JUST LIKE THAT, I GOT MY LIFE BACK!  =D

Using Becker self-study
FAR: (82) 175 hours - 1st attempt
BEC: (XX)
AUD: (69) 45hrs of study - 1st attempt
REG: (XX)

[GoVPI]

Use NINJA MCQ- it got me over the hump. Also you failed so you will get a score breakdown on what area you did score weaker on. I advise everyone to read https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/audit-risk-ir-x-cr-x-dr

PERSONALLY, I think many people THINK they know RISKS but I failed because I “thought” I knew, until I found that thread and it really helped me understand.

I added NINJA + Read that thread about 1100000 times. And I passed.

BEC - Passed

AUD - 74 🙁

REG - TBD

FAR - TBD

BEC 8/14/14 - Passed
Graduated from college 12/13/14
AUD 8/31/15 - 74. Retake - Passed
REG
FAR

[CPA2BEE]

Thank you guys for your responses! As far as study materials, I am using Becker self-study only. I'm going to try to stick with Becker only as this worked for FAR. If I don't pass the 2nd time around I might consider looking for more materials

CA CPA - est. Dec 2016

FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85

ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016

[ohiostategirlcpa]

What was your score on the practice exams? Use them as a guide for preparation.

“I had a good feeling” about the exam obviously is not a valid metric for you.

F91 A95 R90 B94
CMA since 2015
(Gleim books/PDFs, MCQs, SIMS)

[CPA2BEE]

@ohio – The first time I took the practice exams I think I got like a 60 and 63 (somewhere in the low 60s)…I took them again after a 2 week review and got one in the high 60s and the other low 70s, I can't remember my exact scores but they were both roughly 10 points higher.

And yes, its best to leave your feelings out of the CPA exam.

CA CPA - est. Dec 2016

FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85

ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016

[Anonymous]

I'll probably fail too. Aud is difficult!

I haven't documented my time on this. Right now I'm 600 questions into Ninja MCQ, and my trending is 81% with an avg of 80%, and I'm having a mental breakdown.

[ohiostategirlcpa]

@CPA2BEE,

Not meaning to be rude, or to state the obvious, but the passing score is 75. 60s and low 70s won't cut it, on practice exams or the actual test.

If you passed the practice exams 75+ then you have reason to complain if you failed the actual test, but if you failed the practice exams, failing the actual test should not come as a surprise.

F91 A95 R90 B94
CMA since 2015
(Gleim books/PDFs, MCQs, SIMS)

[njvath]

I also just found out I failed AUD with a 74. I felt as prepared as I could be going in (I was studying with Becker and was getting in the 80's and 90's on the homework and practice exams) but the questions that I got were totally out of left field. I felt like I only had questions on Attestation agreements and Gov't Accounting (both of which I was prepared for) and not much else. Also, the exam started off very difficult, I didn't have any “moderately easy” no brainer questions that I could just answer and it didn't get progressively more difficult like a lot of people say. I think in my case, I feel like I had some strange questions that I don't think I could have even prepared for… My co-worker also failed AUD last year and she said the same thing, she just got bad questions (she passed the 2nd time around with an 88, she said it was super easy 2nd time around). I am hoping this is a fluke and I will pass next time around. I am planning to take FAR in February and everyone has been telling me to re-take AUD after I get FAR out of the way but I dont really know how to attack AUD the 2nd time around either, I am hoping that continuing to work the HW questions and practice exams will be enough…it would also help if the CPA gods would give easier questions 2nd time around

Becker

FAR - 76
AUD - 74, 74
BEC - 83
REG - TBD

[the LAST Coffee]

Indeed AUD is the silent killer. Got by with a 79 thankfully despite heavy study and being confident.

Had I failed, I would probably go back and do more sets of questions but I'd think I would focus on the question wording than knowledge at this point. During the exam I focus on the wording and could see at some points they like to trick you with a small change in how they phrase the question.

FAR 84 (AUG '15)
BEC 83 (AUG '15)
AUD 79 (OCT '15)
REG 71, 78! (NOV '15, FEB '16)

[CPA2BEE]

@ohio – Your input is completely useless. I simply compared how I gauged the difficulty of my actual AUD exam versus how difficult I thought my FAR exam was, and asked for guidance and opinions on how to better myself the 2nd time around. You criticizing my “practice exam scores” and pointing out to me that a passing score is a 75 (you really don't think I know that?) doesn't provide any good for anyone reading this. I'm looking ahead, not behind – take your negativity to another forum.

@njvath – I'm sorry to hear about the 74, sounds like we are in a very similar boat. I was doing the same – great on Becker homework and progress tests (averaging 80s-90s) and my actual exam seemed a lot like yours as well. The testlets didn't seems to get more difficult, but nothing was coming too easy either. However, at the time it seemed like I was understanding and prepared for the questions they were asking me. But its good to know that you personally know someone who bounced back the 2nd time around with AUD, and I did it myself with FAR so don't lose any faith with this and come back stronger next time! Best of luck to you, hoping we both can get a pass next time.

CA CPA - est. Dec 2016

FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85

ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016

[CPA2BEE]

@the LAST Coffee – Good advice. I finished the exam with over an hour left, I could definitely work through the MCQs a little slower and carefully next time.

CA CPA - est. Dec 2016

FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85

ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016

[ruggercpa2b]

I would not take anything that Ohiostatecpagirl says to heart. She had some thread saying that people that are taking exams and failing are finacially irreponsible. And I also remember a post she made saying that if you fail the practice exam then you should not bother taking the test. Yet there are so many people here that take the practice test and have failed it but managed to pass.

I for one took the practice test and scored 85 and still came short. Those practice exams are not always indicative of what your final score will be and I wish you would stop being a littel condescending towards people that are working hard studying and still coming up short.

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - NINJA in Training

AUD - 1/6/18
FAR - TBD
REG - TBD
BEC - TBD

AUD - 73, 72 retake 7/2/2016
BEC - 8/20/2016
REG - TBD
FAR - TBD

I am so ready for this nightmare to be over. Been at this way too long.

[Martin]

As Ruggercpa mentioned, I would not take anything that Ohiostatecpagirl says to heart either. She also said once that students who do not score at least a 90 per section will never be good accountants.

Through God all things can happen!

“You never fail until you stop trying.”
― Albert Einstein
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

FAR= 72-84
Audit= 73-82
BEC= 74-75
Reg=77

[mystical guy]

I've seen some people's AUD scores bounce from low 70s and back to 50s after retakes.

You can avoid this issue by just starting over, and giving yourself more than enough time to study. I would say a month and a half or two is better than messing around with fate.

Don't give up… Just keep going like the Buckeyes and your big break will soon come.

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[Author]

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