[Anonymous]

I initially began trying to tackle the CPA exam August 2012. I sat for AUD first and received a 68. I wasn’t too terribly disappointed considering it was my first exam ever. Next I took BEC and was unsuccessful as well. Still not feeling too discouraged I took AUD for the 2nd time and once again did not pass. After the 3 exam attempts and countless hours of studying wasted I was defeated. I decided that maybe I needed to find a different career path or maybe a long break to get rejuvenated. After almost a 6 month break I decided I was going to be a CPA, some way some how. So in September 2013 I hit the books again. I gave it what I thought was my all and took AUD October 15th and came out of the exam feeling decent. Unfortunately though, I found out today I scored a 73. I am crushed and questioning if I am even capable of this.

Someone please tell me what should be my next step… I have been studying for BEC and am scheduled to take it on Dec 1. Being a CPA is really something I want to accomplish but all these road blocks are making me question if I am on the right path.

[Kenada]

Most likely you need to change how you study.

I took AUD 5 times before I passed and I felt like you. When I finally passed AUD the one thing I learnt was you need to understand the topic and not memorize it.

Also the Ninja notes and Audio for me are a huge help!!

I also used Gleim and for AUD I did it religiously – I got a 89.

I am not having to do REG for a third time. My second attempt was bad luck and I am very mad! I will re-sit this in Jan 2014. For now I am chasing after FAR

You can do this. People have failed the exams countless times but they keep reminding themselves, your goal is to be CPA and you can do it. Believe in yourself.

One last thing – everyone says I am going to sit the exam and i want a 75… I think for those that are struggling you need a mind set of … i am going to study for this exam as though I want a 99. Work harder and you will get that 75!

Good Luck 🙂

FAR 05/27/14; 786/110 - Done !

[Kenada]

Most likely you need to change how you study.

I took AUD 5 times before I passed and I felt like you. When I finally passed AUD the one thing I learnt was you need to understand the topic and not memorize it.

Also the Ninja notes and Audio for me are a huge help!!

I also used Gleim and for AUD I did it religiously – I got a 89.

I am not having to do REG for a third time. My second attempt was bad luck and I am very mad! I will re-sit this in Jan 2014. For now I am chasing after FAR

You can do this. People have failed the exams countless times but they keep reminding themselves, your goal is to be CPA and you can do it. Believe in yourself.

One last thing – everyone says I am going to sit the exam and i want a 75… I think for those that are struggling you need a mind set of … i am going to study for this exam as though I want a 99. Work harder and you will get that 75!

Good Luck 🙂

FAR 05/27/14; 786/110 - Done !

[ymmit]

Two questions: Dou you really want to be a cpa? If not stop and don't waste any more time.

If yes, answer the next question:

Ask yourself with all honesty, have I done everything humanly possible in my power to pass?

If you can truthfully say yes and have still not passed, then you should move on. But before you say yes, you should really think about the question

Good luck on what you decide

In the words of Yoda,

Do. Or do not. There is no try.

Licensed CPA!

[ymmit]

Two questions: Dou you really want to be a cpa? If not stop and don't waste any more time.

If yes, answer the next question:

Ask yourself with all honesty, have I done everything humanly possible in my power to pass?

If you can truthfully say yes and have still not passed, then you should move on. But before you say yes, you should really think about the question

Good luck on what you decide

In the words of Yoda,

Do. Or do not. There is no try.

Licensed CPA!

[mrogovitz]

I started the CPA journey back in 2009. I passed BEC, failed AUD, failed FAR, and passed REG on my first time around. Then PwC laid me off, but I continued to study for FAR with no success while self-studying. I dropped everything and put all of my energy into looking for a job, and once I obtained one, I introduced myself to the director of finance and he asked me about my background. By the end of our conversation, he said the company would pay for the Becker CPA prep courses as well as the exams – a very fortunate circumstance for me.

I realized that I did not fail because I was not smart enough. I was failing because I did not have an organized way of studying – especially for AUD. The prep course helped me organize the information into compartmentalized fields so that I could keep everything straight in my head.

This exam can be conquered, but you have to find a way to study that works for you. It may take some trial and error, but it will happen. Passing that first exam is an indescribable feeling and remembering that feeling keeps you going if you fail a section after that.

Ymmit raises a very valid point, though – do you really want to be a CPA? Do some soul-searching before putting in the time because it can end up being a significant chunk of time. Is it worth it and do you really want it? Only you can answer those types of questions.

Good luck, bennettstandafer!

AUD: Attempt 1: 60; Attempt 2: 78
BEC: Attempt 1: 75 (lost credit); Attempt 2: 80
FAR: Attempt 1: 74; Attempt 2: 74; Attempt 3: 78
REG: Attempt 1: 76 (lost credit); Attempt 2: 68; Attempt 3: 80

Finished 11/01/2013!!!

[mrogovitz]

I started the CPA journey back in 2009. I passed BEC, failed AUD, failed FAR, and passed REG on my first time around. Then PwC laid me off, but I continued to study for FAR with no success while self-studying. I dropped everything and put all of my energy into looking for a job, and once I obtained one, I introduced myself to the director of finance and he asked me about my background. By the end of our conversation, he said the company would pay for the Becker CPA prep courses as well as the exams – a very fortunate circumstance for me.

I realized that I did not fail because I was not smart enough. I was failing because I did not have an organized way of studying – especially for AUD. The prep course helped me organize the information into compartmentalized fields so that I could keep everything straight in my head.

This exam can be conquered, but you have to find a way to study that works for you. It may take some trial and error, but it will happen. Passing that first exam is an indescribable feeling and remembering that feeling keeps you going if you fail a section after that.

Ymmit raises a very valid point, though – do you really want to be a CPA? Do some soul-searching before putting in the time because it can end up being a significant chunk of time. Is it worth it and do you really want it? Only you can answer those types of questions.

Good luck, bennettstandafer!

AUD: Attempt 1: 60; Attempt 2: 78
BEC: Attempt 1: 75 (lost credit); Attempt 2: 80
FAR: Attempt 1: 74; Attempt 2: 74; Attempt 3: 78
REG: Attempt 1: 76 (lost credit); Attempt 2: 68; Attempt 3: 80

Finished 11/01/2013!!!

[nbad311]

bennettstandafer, I too had 4 fails before getting my first pass. And then I had 3 more fails scatterred in between my passes before I was finally done on Friday. It is definitely a huge self-confidence killer. If you put in hours of studying, that's sad enough as it is (especially when you miss holidays, family time, etc) but to not have it materialize as a PASS is even worse. If think after you first pass though, you'll feel it in your loins what you did right that time and it'll give you motivation for weeks or months into the future to push for the next one!

I agree that you should evaluate whether or not you REALLY want it…….. but even if you don't, it's not a deal-breaker and a reason to totally quit, in my personal opinion. As long as you are mentally tough enough to go in and out of hell for those 18 months (or less), why NOT get your CPA? It's a permanent seal of awesomeness and will never do anything but help your career. PLUS, my whole thing was “Gosh I've tried 4 times now and paid for Becker and put in all these hours, if I quit now it'd just be all for nothing” . I guess it's all easy for me to say now that I am done – I was a real NASTY sourpuss b**** sometimes when I was studying and felt like I was completely wasting my time. I say do what you need for the next day to be upset about AUD, then give BEC your undivided attention until Dec. 1. What if you passed your first part right before Christmas (or, whatever you may celebrate 🙂 ) That would be an awfully cool present to give yourself. And then your new years resolution could be to pass the rest of 'em!

I know the saying ” if *I* can pass, ANYONE can do it! ” may be cliché, but seriously. If I can pass, you can pass.

P.S. – I want to be a veterinarian, not an accountant!

REG - 65, 70, 80!
BEC - 35, 62, 79!
AUD - 73, 75!
FAR - 65, 73, 70, 75! DONE.

[nbad311]

bennettstandafer, I too had 4 fails before getting my first pass. And then I had 3 more fails scatterred in between my passes before I was finally done on Friday. It is definitely a huge self-confidence killer. If you put in hours of studying, that's sad enough as it is (especially when you miss holidays, family time, etc) but to not have it materialize as a PASS is even worse. If think after you first pass though, you'll feel it in your loins what you did right that time and it'll give you motivation for weeks or months into the future to push for the next one!

I agree that you should evaluate whether or not you REALLY want it…….. but even if you don't, it's not a deal-breaker and a reason to totally quit, in my personal opinion. As long as you are mentally tough enough to go in and out of hell for those 18 months (or less), why NOT get your CPA? It's a permanent seal of awesomeness and will never do anything but help your career. PLUS, my whole thing was “Gosh I've tried 4 times now and paid for Becker and put in all these hours, if I quit now it'd just be all for nothing” . I guess it's all easy for me to say now that I am done – I was a real NASTY sourpuss b**** sometimes when I was studying and felt like I was completely wasting my time. I say do what you need for the next day to be upset about AUD, then give BEC your undivided attention until Dec. 1. What if you passed your first part right before Christmas (or, whatever you may celebrate 🙂 ) That would be an awfully cool present to give yourself. And then your new years resolution could be to pass the rest of 'em!

I know the saying ” if *I* can pass, ANYONE can do it! ” may be cliché, but seriously. If I can pass, you can pass.

P.S. – I want to be a veterinarian, not an accountant!

REG - 65, 70, 80!
BEC - 35, 62, 79!
AUD - 73, 75!
FAR - 65, 73, 70, 75! DONE.

[Study Monk]

A 73 proves to me that you can pass! All you need to do is get 2 more points on the next one. You could always think of Audit as you warmup exam. Take audit every window as a warmup for whatever other test you are studying. Eventually you will get a test that matches you distinct knowledge of the material. That just one option. The other is buy some new lectures to freshen things up and go at it like a wild person. Maybe take an online audit class while you prepare for the other sections.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Study Monk]

A 73 proves to me that you can pass! All you need to do is get 2 more points on the next one. You could always think of Audit as you warmup exam. Take audit every window as a warmup for whatever other test you are studying. Eventually you will get a test that matches you distinct knowledge of the material. That just one option. The other is buy some new lectures to freshen things up and go at it like a wild person. Maybe take an online audit class while you prepare for the other sections.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[nolifecpa]

the secret to passing the exam is very simple………………….DO NOT GIVE UP!

seriously, i failed 12 exams before my first pass. if i gave up after exam #12 i wouldn't be a cpa today

i questioned myself many many times whether i could do it or not, then i told those voices to STFU!

REG-65,71,74,73,70,74,79
BEC-60's,60's,69,71,76*,78
FAR-67,66,65,79
AUD-54,60's,65,83*,69,80
*expired

DONE

[nolifecpa]

the secret to passing the exam is very simple………………….DO NOT GIVE UP!

seriously, i failed 12 exams before my first pass. if i gave up after exam #12 i wouldn't be a cpa today

i questioned myself many many times whether i could do it or not, then i told those voices to STFU!

REG-65,71,74,73,70,74,79
BEC-60's,60's,69,71,76*,78
FAR-67,66,65,79
AUD-54,60's,65,83*,69,80
*expired

DONE

[Anonymous]

I am basically at the same place you are. I started with BEC in April 2013 and failed with a 60. Then I took Audit on May 31, and I thought I knew the audit material. It just comes to me because I love auditing, but I failed with a 62. I retook BEC in July and got a 72. Then the depression sunk in and I couldn't study for a while. I had AUD scheduled for a retake on August 31, but I moved it to October 2. I got my results of that test on Friday and I failed it again, with a 63. A measly one point improvement from the first time I took AUD and I knew the material even better this time than when I first took it. I'm currently studying for FAR and finding it hard as well to keep studying when I keep failing. But seeing all of the people on this forum that kept going after continuous failures is what gives me motivation to keep going. I want to be an auditor. I really like fraud. My mom asked me on Friday after getting my failing score, if I was ready to change careers yet. I said no, I want to be an auditor. I am going to continue to take these exams because I want to be a CPA and an auditor. Like someone else above said, you will pass at some point if you keep putting in the work. I'm going to keep putting in the work, and pray that I don't end up too broke by the time I finally pass, but I will pass these exams and YOU can too!

[Anonymous]

I am basically at the same place you are. I started with BEC in April 2013 and failed with a 60. Then I took Audit on May 31, and I thought I knew the audit material. It just comes to me because I love auditing, but I failed with a 62. I retook BEC in July and got a 72. Then the depression sunk in and I couldn't study for a while. I had AUD scheduled for a retake on August 31, but I moved it to October 2. I got my results of that test on Friday and I failed it again, with a 63. A measly one point improvement from the first time I took AUD and I knew the material even better this time than when I first took it. I'm currently studying for FAR and finding it hard as well to keep studying when I keep failing. But seeing all of the people on this forum that kept going after continuous failures is what gives me motivation to keep going. I want to be an auditor. I really like fraud. My mom asked me on Friday after getting my failing score, if I was ready to change careers yet. I said no, I want to be an auditor. I am going to continue to take these exams because I want to be a CPA and an auditor. Like someone else above said, you will pass at some point if you keep putting in the work. I'm going to keep putting in the work, and pray that I don't end up too broke by the time I finally pass, but I will pass these exams and YOU can too!

[Anonymous]

I failed AUD 7 times before I passed it on the 8th try. My last 4 scores before that pass were 72, 71, 74 and 74.

You don't fail until you give up!! Take a day and be PO'd and then hit it again. If you can get a 73, you can get a 75+.

Good luck!

[Author]

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