[RandomRandy]

I just finished taking FAR and I know for a fact that I failed. I know everyone says, “everyone feels like they failed, but you can still pass.” I can assure you, I actually did fail. My testlets went from medium to medium to hard difficulty. That isn’t the worst thing in the world MC wise, but I know I really blew the SIMs. I felt like Becker had me studying SIMs for a different exam because on 4 out of the 7 I was completely lost. For a company that says they prepare you for the exam well, they really do a bad job for the SIMs. I don’t know if anyone else feels the same way but the SIMs were SUPER wordy and had a lot of unnecessary info included. The explanations as to what to do for the actual SIMs seemed very vague too. Becker SIMs were a cake walk compared to the actual exam. 3 months of my life ill never get back again. lol Anyone else have similar experiences this quarter?

FAR: 74 1/15/16, 72 7/2/16 -_-
BEC: TBD
REG: TBD
AUD: TBD

"Nothing is impossible to him who will try" - Andy Bernard

[stozzo88]

I'll be watching this thread since I'm taking FAR on Monday. I did pretty solid on the SIMs on the two final exams but I'll hit them hard tomorrow if those aren't a good representation.

FAR - 82 1/18/2016
BEC - 81 2/22/2016
REG - 84 4/11/2016
AUD - 86 5/17/2016

PA Licensed CPA 2016

FAR- 1-18-2016- 82
BEC- 2-22-2016- 81
REG- 4-11-2016- 84
AUD- 5-17-2016- 86

[RandomRandy]

@stozzo88

Becker SIMs are a joke compared to the actual. Final review SIMs from Becker were a waste of time for me too honestly. I will be purchasing supplemental material for my retake for the SIMs.

FAR: 74 1/15/16, 72 7/2/16 -_-
BEC: TBD
REG: TBD
AUD: TBD

"Nothing is impossible to him who will try" - Andy Bernard

[Kris10_27]

I took FAR today. I had absolutely no idea how to do 3 of the 7 simulations. I use Wiley CPAexcel. Now, I didn't get through all of the study material so some of that is definitely on me. But I'm still amazed that I was completely lost on 3 of them. I do not expect to pass. I don't think the study materials have ever made a simulation as difficult as the ones I have seen on exams. I just know I need to understand the material more – I don't think it's about the simulation – it's the material. I'm going to start studying again next week for FAR because I'm certain I failed. I need to take it again soon before I forget everything I've learned to this point. I took AUD over 2 years ago and failed. I was so upset about it that I didn't try to study or take it again for a year and a half. That was a mistake because I forgot so much and basically had to start over. I ended up passing AUD this summer. I'm not going to put off studying like I did when I first failed AUD – I am going to continue to study FAR even before I get my grade. Don't get discouraged! Give yourself the weekend then get back to studying. Oh – one other thing – I always give myself at least 1hr 45min to do the TBS on exam day. Not sure if that helps you?

[MaLoTu]

I just finished my FAR exam. The examiners definitely do not give you enough information, in my opinion. Are you suppose to leave the fields blank if no info goes in them? On the Becker software it would count it wrong if you put zeros where it is suppose to be blank.

I had reasonable sims and I still feel horrible. Almost all mine were journal entries. I have no idea how I did. I am leaning towards fail 🙁

Almost always from my phone... please excuse my typos!

All 4 passed - 2016

CA CPA

[Tuthegreat]

I never got a definite answer on how to fill the JE. Do you put a zero if it is blank? Or do you leave it blank? Someone who pass FAR..tell me how one is suppose to fill it out..

On ninja, your suppose to put zeros. on Becker you leave it blank..what is the correct method to answering the journal entries??

I passed all other sections TWICE…FAR is holding me up..I lose my score in 6 months…FML

[RandomRandy]

@MaLoTu @Tuthegreat

I ALSO WAS WORRYING ABOUT THIS! On Becker I usually leave it blank and it says i'm right and on the exam it said put zeros and i was so confused. I really hope I didn't just lose the one questions i was confident about because of this stupid mistake. Why would it make sense to put zeros? Why not just leave it blank?! Why can't they be more clear about this on the test?!?!??!?! >:(

FAR: 74 1/15/16, 72 7/2/16 -_-
BEC: TBD
REG: TBD
AUD: TBD

"Nothing is impossible to him who will try" - Andy Bernard

[xkc5]

As someone who just took FAR on Monday, I have to sypmathize with everyone here.

Trended 85% on MCQ, practiced half of the SIMS at 90%+ on Ninja and did 100% completion on CPAExcel and 3/7 of the SIMS I got were out of left field completely.

In one of the SIMS you could only use “no entry required” once on all parts of the question, so I don't quite understand how it will be graded. This, to me, pointed that it would be a “pre-test” question but even in that case.. 2 other SIMS were completely impossible to prepare for. The IFRS is real, now.

I did make a comment on my exam survey that the SIMS were very unclear, and not being able to access GASB and IFRS standards is pretty unfair given the new exam breakdown. But it is what it is.

FAR - 84! (1/09)
AUD - 82! (4/09)
BEC - 91! (5/23)
REG - TBD (9/03)

Controller at Volkswagen
2:52 marathoner at Boston in 2016!

[Tuthegreat]

yeah. I think we need to put zeros because the computer grades it. I also been told to put the “( )” for credits, which I can understand, but ZEROS?? C'MON MAN!

What about the lines that are not used?

FOr instance, if Im recording current year depreciation, I only need two lines. Do I need to put Zeros on the line I dont use? These people need to clarify and get their act together.

Sometimes, I wish a person just grades it.

[xkc5]

Tu, I completely agree. I put zeroes but for the rows themselves in the JE leaving them blank to me is weird. I too had depreciation involved, and no further rows were able to be input, so just as a vague statement since we can't disclose specifics… Half of my rows were empty on an entire SIM question.

FAR - 84! (1/09)
AUD - 82! (4/09)
BEC - 91! (5/23)
REG - TBD (9/03)

Controller at Volkswagen
2:52 marathoner at Boston in 2016!

[Tuthegreat]

i go into every test window praying no JE SIM. Not because I can't answer the question, but I can't put it in the format the computer likes. I taken FAR about 3 times now..tomorrow will be 4th..always came back as 71,71, 72.

[MaLoTu]

If we were supposed to put zeros then I failed for sure.

Almost always from my phone... please excuse my typos!

All 4 passed - 2016

CA CPA

[Kris10_27]

I don't know that it matters whether you leave it blank or put a zero. WileyCPAexcel requires a zero rather than a blank but I think that's just how the software is programmed.

I think the CPA exam grades by giving you credit for what you get right and not penalized for what you get incorrect. So I don't believe it matters if it's a zero or blank for a journal entry; as long as it's not supposed to be a number (other than zero) it seems it would be ignored.

You can look up info in NASBA bulletin and AICPA website. AICPA also has tutorials and sample exams. The sample exam solution I saw on AICPA had blanks for a journal entry TBS.

[stozzo88]

Can some one who got like an 80-90 ( or even above) That had a few JE sims shed some light on this? Let's say I'm booking depreciation, out of four cells only two need accounts. Would The unused cells be blank or “0”. From the above its sounds like an ongoing issue.

FAR - 82 1/18/2016
BEC - 81 2/22/2016
REG - 84 4/11/2016
AUD - 86 5/17/2016

PA Licensed CPA 2016

FAR- 1-18-2016- 82
BEC- 2-22-2016- 81
REG- 4-11-2016- 84
AUD- 5-17-2016- 86

[RandomRandy]

Reading everyones response is making me accept my fate that i failed. Not only were the SIMs stupid hard, now i know i got points off for not filling out the stupid blank JE right….

FAR: 74 1/15/16, 72 7/2/16 -_-
BEC: TBD
REG: TBD
AUD: TBD

"Nothing is impossible to him who will try" - Andy Bernard

[RandomRandy]

IDK if this is 100% the way the exam works but my friend who passed FAR said she put “0” for the empty journal entries.

FAR: 74 1/15/16, 72 7/2/16 -_-
BEC: TBD
REG: TBD
AUD: TBD

"Nothing is impossible to him who will try" - Andy Bernard

[Author]

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