FAR Makes Me Sick

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FAR Makes Me Sick

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Started 2 years ago by Almost There
Latest reply from CPAinPA

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Almost There

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FAR was my last part. I passed the other three the first time. I spent literally 2 months studying for this exam. I walked into the exam thinking I knew what was what and that I would walk out pretty confident I was done. But I had no freaking clue on the majority of the Multiple Choice. My testlets didn't get hard. They were equally brutual. But I was determined to have 45 minutes for each simulation and I did just that. I spent 35 minutes on the first, 45 minutes on the second and 55 third (or something like that). Took a 10 minute break to suck down a cigarette. I spent 45 minutes on the first simulation and the remainder on the second. The simulations tabs weren't hard at all compared to the MCQ's. They were actually ok...which makes me nervous in case they are adaptive. The memos were ok. Didn't really know the topics all that well, but I tried to write something that looked good and not get too technical.

It was hard not to cry during this exam. Thank God I had scheduled a vacation and went right to the airport after the exam to fly to Vegas. On the others, I felt confident that I had passed and did. This one, I am so praying praying praying for a huge curve or something. I probably got a majority of the points for the simulation, but I think I realy messed up the MCQ's. =(

Everytime I think about my experience, I want to go home and crawl in my bed and cry. I worked so hard for these exams and I don't want to disappoint everyone, including myself, if I get that failing score. Everyone rolls their eyes when I tell them I think I failed because I have gotten two scores in the 90's. I don't know. I'm just so depressed right now! I don't want to study anymore. My brain is fried.

REG-91
BEC-78
AUD-92
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Posted 2 years ago #
Amethyst8

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Almost There, no worries. I too felt the same way after FAR and I scored an 89. It's completely normal to feel like a complete and utter failure afterward. LOL! The SIMS are not adaptive per my understanding so I'm guessing you did great! Enjoy Vegas!

1st Attempt: FAR 89 | AUD 94 | REG 96 | BEC 89

Posted 2 years ago #
Almost There

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I hope so! My heart skips three beats everytime I even think about sitting down and looking at that NASBA site in three weeks. I need this miracle!

REG-91
BEC-78
AUD-92

Posted 2 years ago #
CPAinPA

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Almost there, it is frustrating when people don't listen to what you are saying. I had alot of fears of failing FAR before I took it based on my perfomance on the final exams. Everyone I would talk to would say the same thing, you will be fine, you will pass like you always do. While it is nice to know people think that well of you, it almost makes it harder if you do fail because you feel like you let everyone down. I"m with you on the test though, I didn't notice the MCQ's getting harder, but know there were some difficult questions. (but I didn't know the test was adaptive so just may not have noticed) the sims were pretty straight forward for me. Both memo's were topics I felt I could write well on, the research was on point. Here's to passing grades to all of us.

AUD 88, BEC 79, FAR 77, REG 80 Feels Great!

Posted 2 years ago #
CPAWannaBe

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Almost There,

You have a right to feel like a train wreck right now. After 2 months of studying, it all came down to this last test. I think a lot of us feel that given the time and effort we put in to The Beast, we should feel good about it. The examiners won't let that happen.

You can only do so much and you can't beat yourself up. You probably remembered way more than you think. Remember some questions get tossed anyway. Hopefully the ones you didn't know. Good luck!

REG - 75 (expired, retake July 2011)
FAR - 69, 64, 67 <-Becker, 80 <-Yaeger
AUD - 82 ETHICS - 100
BEC - 72 (retake May 2011)

Posted 2 years ago #
Patrick909

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You may have passed. If you pulled 91 and 92 on REG and AUD, I doubt you failed FAR. I throw BEC out because it's such a grab bag.

But, I know how you feel. People were just assuming I'd pass FAR, since that's the one actually corresponds to what I do for a living. While of course, I wasn't so sure. It would have been shameful to go back to my boss and tell him I failed FAR, whereas with something like REG or BEC, I would have had more of an excuse.

What they don't know is, FAR is a beast. If you find that you passed FAR, you'll feel like you just slayed a dragon.

Posted 2 years ago #
No Life Now

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Almost There - I just got got back from taking the FAR exam (my last as well), and I too wanted to just walk out after about twenty questions. I studied so much and so hard, and it seemed as if I was trying to read Russian. I'm exhausted.

The first testlet was one I was expecting to be easy, but it was hard. The second was absolutely ridiculous, and the third was moderate, but better than the second. Some of the minutia they choose to test on makes me sick. I consider myself a reasonably intelligent individual with years of accounting experience. It didn't matter. The memo tabs weren't bad, although the subject matter of one seemed unrelated to accounting. But the MCQ were really hard, and every possible exception or reason to second guess your knowledge was written into them.

I would gladly take a 75, but unless the grading system is curved to the nth degree, I suspect I will be back in January or February. The only saving grace is that I shouldn't have to wait long if I get my score on December 21. What an awful Christmas if I failed. Good luck to all the other candidates who were subjected to the material of the masochists....

REG - 86 (5/18/09)
BEC - 79 (7/06/09)
AUD - 81 (8/24/09)

Posted 2 years ago #
Patrick909

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The first testlet was one I was expecting to be easy, but it was hard. The second was absolutely ridiculous, and the third was moderate, but better than the second. Some of the minutia they choose to test on makes me sick. I consider myself a reasonably intelligent individual with years of accounting experience. It didn't matter. The memo tabs weren't bad, although the subject matter of one seemed unrelated to accounting. But the MCQ were really hard, and every possible exception or reason to second guess your knowledge was written into them."

I completely agree. I think I've proven over the years that I'm a skilled test-taker. Yet during FAR, moreso than any other, the questions in the 2nd and 3rd testlets were starting to get to me. Seriously, I had to take my shoes off, because my feet were starting to sweat profusely. It was just one after the other....very few seemed straightforward; there was always some little twist that caused me to question myself. I stuck to my guns and did not change my answers, though....I didn't even go back and review; I never have. No point in changing a proven successful test-taking strategy at that point, after all.

Posted 2 years ago #
Anna

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"The memo tabs weren't bad, although the subject matter of one seemed unrelated to accounting." - No Life Now - this made me laugh so hard!!!
It's just how I felt about some tabs for Auditing in August and Regulation today:-))
I'm not sure, but i think they mix and match sims for FAR, REG and AUD and just throw them in, no matter which particular part you're taking at the moment:))
Anyway, CPA exam normally leaves you feeling weird... I pretty much always left testing center not sure if i passed. Best of luck!!!

BEC (82), AUD (86), FARE (75) => Becker 2009
REG (74),(74),(83) => Yaeger HS & Audio

Posted 2 years ago #
Almost There

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That is what I'm worried about. I was so rushed on the MCQ I didn't even have time to think about the exceptions. My questions may have been "easy" compared to someone else.

The other problem was that I did Yaegar Home Study. I used Becker previously for all the other parts and did every single question in their test bank. For FAR, I just did the questions on the list from the Wiley book and none of the questions even looked similar. ARGH. I ran out of time and got sick and tired of studying and I have heard over and over and over again that the ones tested in Wiley are harder then usual CPA questions (I think that is accurate for the other 3, but not FAR).

Also, in the Home Study, the professor kind of skipped over Stock Options. Well, I should have paid attention and maybe I could have gotten 4 or 5 questions right. The other questions are fuzzy, but like I said I don't remember any exceptions from the test where I was like, WOW THAT'S TRICKY. I dunno. =( I go through periods of having hope and then saying to myself, I should start studying again.

REG-91
BEC-78
AUD-92

Posted 2 years ago #
Almost There

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Anna,

I agree with you completely on the SIMS. For REG, I had something related to AUD. For AUD, I had something related to FAR. And for FAR, I had a memo on something so completely stupid it kinda made me chuckle to myself.

I think the only questions I got right was on Gov't/NFP and I had one calculation on Basic EPS that worked out. LOL.

REG-91
BEC-78
AUD-92

Posted 2 years ago #
CPAWannaBe

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On my REG exam, I had a simulation on a subject Becker covered in FAR. It actually is a cross-over topic, but seemed more appropriate for FAR. The more I read about this exam, the more I think it is just a crap shoot.

REG - 75 (expired, retake July 2011)
FAR - 69, 64, 67 <-Becker, 80 <-Yaeger
AUD - 82 ETHICS - 100
BEC - 72 (retake May 2011)

Posted 2 years ago #
Anna

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You know, simulations are ALWAYS weird. Or too difficult. My main concern with REG today is that I usually aced my memos; pretty much guessed all the rest of simulations. But memos are 10 points - so i mostly cared about them. And today even memos were weird and I couldn't find answer to them in research tab... ugh... all I have is wait i guess:)

BEC (82), AUD (86), FARE (75) => Becker 2009
REG (74),(74),(83) => Yaeger HS & Audio

Posted 2 years ago #
Scruff McGruff

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I've talked to people who have cried/wanted to jump out of windows after FAR and passed w/ 92, 88, 95, etc. I'm pretty sure this section is designed to make us hate our lives. Chances are you probably did better than you think. FAR is such a beast, I don't think anyone feels "good" about it.

Posted 2 years ago #
MadamJ

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I took FAR on Sat and didn't notice that my testlets were getting extremely difficult. Maybe a little bit, the second testlet had some harder questions as well as the third. The sim's were pretty straight forward but the research was a little strange- couldn't find the answer to one of them. This is my second time talking it and I also studied with Yeager for over 2 months. 2 months the first time as well. I'm hoping I passed but i'm not sure, there is no way of really telling. It all depends on how well you can guess. It's funny the look you get from people who have never taken the cpa exam when you tell them that people have failed this section numerous times before passing. They look at you like you are an idiot. Hopefully in 3 weeks we all find out we passed. Good luck to everyone!

Posted 2 years ago #
kroyal0216

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I agree with all of you....FAR makes me sick too. I took it yesterday, delayed the exam until the very last day of the testing window (11/30). I was so nervous that I almost threw up on the test administrator at Prometric (he he)! The first testlet was pretty easy, and the second and third testlets were definitely difficult. I got to the sims with 80 minutes remaining. One of the research tabs was weird and I couldn't find the answer, and I didn't fill in an entire tab in each of the simulations, but made sure to write good memos.....so I guess we'll see what happens!! This was my third time taking FAR and I will lose credit for AUD if I didn't pass this time....which would really suck.

During Thanksgiving dinner, my boyfriend's mom said that she can't understand why I can't pass FAR. She said "maybe it's just too much math for you." LOL

Posted 2 years ago #
CPAWannaBe

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kroyal0216 said: During Thanksgiving dinner, my boyfriend's mom said that she can't understand why I can't pass FAR. She said "maybe it's just too much math for you." LOL

That is classic. I think since we will be around loved ones during the holidays, we need to restart the topic of "Stupid Things Said by ..." There will be some good ones, I'm sure.

REG - 75 (expired, retake July 2011)
FAR - 69, 64, 67 <-Becker, 80 <-Yaeger
AUD - 82 ETHICS - 100
BEC - 72 (retake May 2011)

Posted 2 years ago #
zena

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kroyal0216, I also left one simulation tab empty. I had only 5 minutes left and my brain refused to cooperate any more. I just stared at the clock while it ran out. This exam does turn you into a zombie with mush brains. My testlets went the same as yours, Ok, hard and hard. I have a feeling third time is a charm for you. I passed with an 86.

FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used Becker

Posted 2 years ago #
ihavecpaocd

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I agree with everyone.. FAR definitely makes me feel sick. I spent all of July and August studying for it, took a break to pass REG and then went back to it for another month before taking it last week. I am single and don't start my job until March so literally spent 3 months of my life doing nothing but studying for this beast. I did every MC question and Simulation in the Becker course 3 times. I bought the Wiley book in addition and did every MC and some of the Sims in there too. I took 4 practice exams. After taking the actual exam, I wanted to drive my car into a telephone pole. I couldn't believe how many things I didn't know and was unsure of. The first set of MC was somewhat hard, the second absolutely brutal and guessed on half of the questions, and third easier than the second but still brutal (or maybe I just didn't care anymore). I definitely bombed the first sim, but possibly did ok on the second. Moral of the story- FAR makes a person want to drink a lot of alcohol.

REG-95, FAR-91, BEC-85, AUD-2/24/10

Posted 2 years ago #
TheAngryAcct

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Same boat as you Almost There. Felt so bad about it that I have started to re-study FAR with expectation to re-take in January. I too am hoping for a huge curve.

AUD - 89, BEC - 85, FAR - 81, REG - 91 - That's it for me, Thanks Jeff@another71 !

Posted 2 years ago #
ILoveCPA

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"Moral of the story- FAR makes a person want to drink a lot of alcohol."

Perfect line.

Took FAR a week ago (my first test) studied ~200 hours. Still feel stupid and thinking I failed.

FAR(11/09) - 83; AUD(1/10) - 94; BEC(2/10) - 83; REG(2/10) - 88

Posted 2 years ago #
shaina0707

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hahahahahhaha....I feel EXACTLY like most of you. I am still waking up from nightmares of a big 72 (or worse) popping up on the screen for my score. Driving into telephone poles, massive quantities of alchohol, jumping out of windows, and my favorite (wanted to take my shoes off my feet started sweating so bad)-I swear, I have sent potential CPA test-takers running in horror after I explain how I felt after my test. If there had been a window in the testing center, I promise you I would have ripped my monitor off the desk and thrown it through the window when my test shut down on me after only 1 tab of the 2nd simulation. Running out of time and knowing you blindly clicked at things all the way through the 1st simulation because it seemed the test writers were not asking questions in English is the worst feeling ever. When the testing center attendant smiled and asked how it went when I walked out, I wanted to make her go in and sit for it and tell me her thoughts. She honestly could not have felt worse than I felt. Nobody should ever leave FAR for the last exam-get this one over with if you can because it is a nightmare! Whoo-ok, I'm done. Venting done for the day....

Posted 2 years ago #
kroyal0216

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The Prometric attendant at my test center looked like one of the guys from ZZ Top. He was a skinhead with a long red beard and tattoos everywhere. LOL I told him, "No offense, but I hope that I never have to see you again."

Posted 2 years ago #
No Life Now

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Kroyal:

I suspect that it was actually Satan, and not the guy from ZZ Top. Pretty sure he was at my test too, only inside the computer asking me to answer questions from hell.........

REG - 86 (5/18/09)
BEC - 79 (7/06/09)
AUD - 81 (8/24/09)

Posted 2 years ago #
Skylar18

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That was the worst freakin FAR exam I have ever taken. I dont even know where they pulled those questions from on testlet 2. Man that was ridiculous...some of those questions were so random that i seriously started laughing. I was hoping to finally be done with this exam but now i am about to start studying again because i am so sure i failed.

AUD - 83
BEC - 69, 75
REG - 69, 71, 76
FAR - 59(didn't study), 69, just sat but probably around a 40

Posted 2 years ago #
chal

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wow, just started studying for FAR tonight and I am only through the first two sections of my CPAEXCEL material and I am already overwhelmed, it looks like it is going to take a year to read all this information.

Posted 2 years ago #
Cowpatty

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yeah but that 6.0 rocks man; I just did lesson 1 of 50 for FAR by the time I get my grade I will have already reworked like 23 of the 50 lessons so either way its a win win situation for me......either I'll be a CPA or I'll already recovered in depth nearly half of all the material.....

Aud 76 Bec 76 Reg 83 Far 2/27/2010

Posted 2 years ago #
kroyal0216

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From my experience, Cpa Excel sucks.....especially their book. They also don't have an adequate number of MCQs on their website for Government and Non Profit. I used Cpa Excel last summer and failed with a 68. I would recommend using Cpa Excel only as a supplement to other review materials. Their book has no good ways of memorizing all of that information i.e. mnenomics like Becker. You might want to borrow an 09 Becker book from a friend or go to cpareviewforfree.com which is a great website.

Posted 2 years ago #
WICPAHOPEFUL

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I have taken AUD, REG and BEC in the past 5 months and have passed all 3 on my first try. I am now working on FAR using Becker to take on Jan. 11. I am in the review mode as I have done all of the lectures, and homework at least once. For the 3 that I have taken, I thought Becker ?s and final exams were harder than the actual exams and have seen others post the same.

For those of you that have taken FAR already, do you think that Becker ?s for FAR are harder than the exam...I know the exam is hard to begin with, but I am just trying to see where I am at with my retention from studying so far. I have been scoring in the mid 70's on the homeowrk the first time through....

Posted 2 years ago #
Cowpatty

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that's crazy kroyal0216; the fact you made a 68 shows a strong understanding of the material so you could have passed with a little better performance maybe you did not test well that day; cpaexcel provides the best questions not just the ones you get in wiley...it is easier to read........but yeah......Beckers gives you the cool little code words.......I like Beckers final review book....but becker is a rip off....

I do cpaexcel first the wiley and Yeager cram......then I jump back to cpaexcel and work the mock exams......works like a charm

Aud 76 Bec 76 Reg 83 Far 2/27/2010

Posted 2 years ago #
CPAinPA

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@WICPAHOPEFUL - I feel the same way, Becker does seem to be alot harder than the exam itself. each exam I took, with the final exams for becker I was lucky to hit 70. So far I have two passed, keeping my fingers crossed for FAR.

AUD 88, BEC 79, FAR 77, REG 80 Feels Great!

Posted 2 years ago #