FAR Awful MCQ scores on Becker – do I have a chance?

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    Topic
  • #194097
    littlecpathatcould
    Participant

    Hello all. First time posting here… I’ve been lurking a long time because I’ve been so ashamed of how awful I’m doing with my MCQ’s.

    I test on the 28th, 10 days from now. I’m going through my second round with all the chapter MCQ’s with Becker, and my highest score is an 88… lowest is 27 and most are in the 40-60 range. I’m only on Chapter 4 and have been spending all of my free time going through MCQ’s. I haven’t even had the chance to touch the Simulations. I’ve pretty much accepted the fact that I’m going to fail.

    Despite this acceptance, I’m still studying my butt off and have the overwhelming urge to cry every waking moment of my life right now.

    I’m curious though if anyone has been in my situation before and pulled off a pass? If so, what did you do? I want to be productive with my study time, not just beat my head against the wall.

    Thanks for hearing me out, and I appreciate any feedback.

     
    “ninja-cpa-review”/
     

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
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  • #671183
    TaxGod
    Participant

    I'm currently studying for FAR as well, and Becker's MCQs go way way way too in depth. Use the MCQs to understand the concept, but dont worry about your grade. I recommend doing progress test and maybe a final exam and judging your progress off that, not the individual sections. Just my opinion.

    AUD: 02/28/15 - 89
    FAR: 05/29/15 - 80
    BEC: 08/03/15 - 81
    REG: 08/27/15 - 76

    #671184
    tcheney3
    Participant

    I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you are only through Chapter 4 of FAR with 10 days before test day there is virtually no way you will pass. If you are dead set on testing on the 28th I would spend every last second getting through the rest of the chapters and working as many MCQ's as humanly possible, but the better solution is to postpone until July and go through the lectures again in your weak areas. You might consider a different review course as well. Becker is fantastic for some, not so much for others.

    BEC - 82
    REG - 86
    FAR - 85
    AUD - 84 and I'm out!!!!!
    Ethics - 95
    In Skynet's Honor:
    Act I: Shutdown Skynet and prevent Judgment Day.
    Act II: Add a comma and three letters to my title.
    Act III: Time Travel and marry a young Denise Richards (and prevent subsequent plastic surgery),return to present.
    Act IV: Serve as Successor to Elon Musk as CEO of Tesla.
    Act V: Ensure Judgment Day has been stopped. Utopia achieved.

    #671185
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Do not attempt to solve MCQs until you actually studied the section in the chapter. Reading only won't get you anywhere unless you are already familiar with the content.

    #671186
    tcheney3
    Participant

    I do agree that the MCQ's for Becker are significantly more difficult than the ones on the actual exam. The SIMS, however, are as comprehensive, if not more comprehensive than the ones in the review course.

    BEC - 82
    REG - 86
    FAR - 85
    AUD - 84 and I'm out!!!!!
    Ethics - 95
    In Skynet's Honor:
    Act I: Shutdown Skynet and prevent Judgment Day.
    Act II: Add a comma and three letters to my title.
    Act III: Time Travel and marry a young Denise Richards (and prevent subsequent plastic surgery),return to present.
    Act IV: Serve as Successor to Elon Musk as CEO of Tesla.
    Act V: Ensure Judgment Day has been stopped. Utopia achieved.

    #671187
    littlecpathatcould
    Participant

    Thank you for your responses!

    @TaxGod – That's what I was thinking but I wasn't too sure. After looking at some other threads on here, I'm thinking of taking progress tests and delving into sections that I don't do so well, as opposed to trying to push through all of the chapters a second time. Maybe that will help?

    @tcheney3 & Another85 – Sorry for not being clear in my first post, but I've gone through the entire book once already, this is my second time through. Are you still referring to not passing with not making a second pass through?

    #671188
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    If this is your second time around, focus on weak areas (typically sections that you do poorly on). I think you can pass if this is your second time around.

    #671189
    TaxGod
    Participant

    @elisea92 if you're really concerned get Ninja MCQ's I use it along with Becker, and I think it does a good job of helping drive in the core concepts and bringing it all together.

    AUD: 02/28/15 - 89
    FAR: 05/29/15 - 80
    BEC: 08/03/15 - 81
    REG: 08/27/15 - 76

    #671190
    tcheney3
    Participant

    Oh, I didn't realize you had already gone through it. That definitely changes things. I think TaxGod's idea of Ninja might help if you have the funds. I would go back and watch the lectures of your weakest areas. Definitely know governmental and non-profit. You won't pass without at least a basic understanding of both. They are both heavily tested and will show up in the Sims. Here is the thing about FAR, actually any of them really. It's less about memorization and more about understanding the concepts. If you can break every problem down (well at least most of them) into a journal entry to see what is actually occurring in the transaction you will pass the exam.

    BEC - 82
    REG - 86
    FAR - 85
    AUD - 84 and I'm out!!!!!
    Ethics - 95
    In Skynet's Honor:
    Act I: Shutdown Skynet and prevent Judgment Day.
    Act II: Add a comma and three letters to my title.
    Act III: Time Travel and marry a young Denise Richards (and prevent subsequent plastic surgery),return to present.
    Act IV: Serve as Successor to Elon Musk as CEO of Tesla.
    Act V: Ensure Judgment Day has been stopped. Utopia achieved.

    #671191
    littlecpathatcould
    Participant

    @Another85 – phew! I was about to cry. I'm assuming by sections you're referring to the smaller topics in chapters or chapters overall?

    I think I'm getting too caught up in the details, and I know that there's hundreds of questions in Becker but only 90 on the actual exam. But I know how important the MCQ's are and it kills me that I'm messing up on so many of them either because the question/information is confusing, I made a stupid mistake, or I just have no idea what's going on.

    @TaxGod – Thanks for the suggestion! I think I'll try to just use Becker this time but may invest in Ninja if I have to take it again. It's so frustrating spending so much money on a program then halfway through finding that you're wasting your money on something that may not be working for you and there's nothing you can do about it.

    #671192
    ocarina
    Member

    I started reviewing up to Chapter 3 in Becker before I said f that about a week ago. I test on 29.

    I recommend purchasing the NINJA MCQ and honing in on your weak areas. I am doing one set of 20 of random questions, one set of 20 of government/nonprofit, & maybe repeat that plus another focus area like consolidations, tax differences, ect.

    Do journal entries for the questions.

    Buy the NINJA Notes & read those fully or at least over two days every day until the test to get the comprehensive review in.

    You need to catch a net while also trying to catch specific fish. You need to get the fundamentals down and have as much luck as possible on the test.

    Focus on Government & IFRS especially. Seems to be a usual topic of regret for people.

    FAR - 78
    AUD - 82
    REG - 79
    BEC - 78

    Study Materials: Becker Self Study, NINJA Notes, NINJA MCQ for review
    Started March 2015 and finished December 2015 all on first attempt. Licensed CPA Jan 2016.

    IT Auditor/CyberSec Consultant in Public Accounting
    Future goals: Learn IT Network infrastructure, obtain CISA & CISSP

    #671193
    littlecpathatcould
    Participant

    @tcheney3 – I'm glad it changes things! 🙂 I will definitely spend a good amount of time on Gov't and NFP.

    I find it funny that Becker tries to teach new ways to solve problems that can be solved with T-Charts. T-Charts are my favorite.

    All of your advice has given me some hope.

    #671194
    law0915
    Participant

    You'll be ok. I did horrible on becker bonds/leases..like 50's. Barely had any questions on the exam. They can't test you on everything. Make sure you sit as scheduled. Don't panic and reschedule for next window. You don't want to miss this window to test (if you have other exam passed). I didn't do so hot on a lot of the topics in Becker MCQ, they're way harder than the exam…both times I took it. The first time I only got through F6 though so my 64 wasn't so bad lol skipping EPS, Govt/NFP, SCF, ect :O

    REG 77 Feb14
    BEC 13*, 79 Aug14
    FAR 64**, 76 Nov14
    AUD 89 Feb15

    *Exited exam after first testlet
    **Only studied F1-F6 out of 10 Becker chapters

    Licensed Arizona CPA

    #671195
    littlecpathatcould
    Participant

    Thank you @law0915! I agree with not rescheduling – if anything this will give me some experience so I know what to expect and I'll retest promptly in July – I just won't stop studying until I get my scores back.

    Thank you everyone so so SO much for all of your feedback. I was feeling very down yesterday but after hearing from you all and looking around at other threads with suggestions on how to prep, I've decided I was attacking my problem from the wrong angle. I've got a new strategy that will hopefully be more productive and I'm feeling much better today!

    You all rock!! 😀

    #671196
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I am also using Becker, and wanted to add that in reference to SIMs, I did not do a single one as part of my review. I figured they are such a cr@pshoot on exam day that it was not worth my time. I really believe that if you know enough to do well on the MCQs, you should know enough to do decently well on the exams…just my .02.

    #671197
    littlecpathatcould
    Participant

    Update: Just got my score back and failed with a 70. Although I'll have to take it again, I'm very pleased with my score considering how much I was freaking out prior to taking the exam. Just goes to show that you were all right – Becker's questions were far more complicated than those MC's on the exam.

    For those of you who haven't taken the exam and are feeling like I was, I want you to know there's hope! I was getting 50's on my Progress Tests and a 47% on my Practice Exam.

    I'll be spending the rest of the month reviewing all of the information for the MC's but I'm quite positive that what hurt me were the simulations. I had no idea what I was doing on over half of them. I will be doing lots of sims too.

    Hooray for failing!

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