[Anonymous]

Just wanted to make this post for anyone thinking they don’t have a shot because they didn’t go through the sims for one reason or another,

for all three parts, I didn’t practice sims and ended with passing grades. Granted they were not in the 90s, but still enough to pass.

My strategy was to review CPAExcel materials, do the MCQ after each section (did not watch lectures, just read book), and then use Jeff’s most given advice –> do MCQ religiously.

I’m not saying sims are useless, since they help you gain a better understanding. However, if you’re tight on time, forget the sims, and focus on MCQ !!

Good luck to all

[Anonymous]

Doing practice sims is unnecessary.

I didn't do a single one.

[syoung123]

I did some practice SIMS for REG, and none for the rest. You should do fine on them as long as you make sure you know the material well. I just focused on my lectures and MCQ.

I would make sure to read over some sims and answers so you have an idea of what to expect.

REG (July 2014) - Pass
AUD (Aug 2014) - Pass
FAR - (Nov 2014) - Pass
BEC - (Dec 2014) - Pass

Licensed Colorado CPA (February 2015)

DONE!!!!

[EverybodyswaitingfortheCPA]

I agree that practicing SIMs is not necessary. With that said, one must understand that he or she must understand the concepts behind the questions and have a grasp on journal entries and conceptualizing problems. The only time I looked at SIMs was to go over the formatting of inputs, etc, and to review answers so I knew what to expect as @syoung123 stated. It's not like an exam in college where you get the same questions with different numbers. In my opinion, it's not an effective use of study time.

BEC - ✔ REG - ✔ AUD - ✔ FAR - ✔

Becker + NINJA MQCs for FAR

Licensed January 2015

[M.O.D.]

Knowing Sims will will add 10-20 points to your scores. Knowing the material well via MCQs and scoring a 78 is nothing to be proud of, to brag of, or to advise others. Instead it is an unnecessary and foolish risk.

If you knew the material well and had practiced Sims, you'd get a 90.

How come nobody advises to forget the MCQs and just do Sims. It would be the same faulty logic.

The test content determines the preparation required, not the other way around.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Lion_of_the_Rock]

There are plenty of people who'd love a 78. If you studied for 60 hrs and got a 78 on FAR I'd say that's way better than putting in 200 hrs and getting a 90.

Nobody asks their CPA what their exam scores were.

BEC - 78
AUD - 75
REG - 74, 79
FAR - 75

You have to buy a ticket to win the raffle.

[Anonymous]

I forgot, where does it say on an issued license that you got a 78 versus the guy who got a 90? Does theirs come in a kinder shade of grey that looks better on a tope painted wall? If so, I'm willing to work SIMs for those extra points!

[Wskirby123]

I will admit I am of average intelligence… but the sims were the reason I didn't pass. It sounds like the people that didn't practice the sims have a very good understanding of the big picture, and hey more power to you! However, for someone in my shoes I would advise: (Not Super confident about the sims)

– Make 100% Sure that you get the the Research Question, don't let time run out.

– What I found in my Sims were that they were very different than the Becker material, and that my material didn't even have a lease sim, and guess what I had on my exam so try to view other sims as well.

– While it maybe painful to struggle through, Do the entire sim without checking the answer. That 1 hint can be the tipping point and you obviously wont have it on the exam

[M.O.D.]

I am not one to hypothesize about study methods. I think you have to practice what the test content requires, end of argument.

But if you were to do a controlled study and had only 60 hours say. Would it be better to spend all 60 on MCQs or split it 40 on MCQs and 20 on Sims?

I hypothesize you'd get a higher score if you allocated your time to the material on the exam more accurately, and split your time with the Sims.

I suspect people work on MCQs because they are easier increments , “bite-size” problems. Whereas some Sims require half an hour worth of work. Nevertheless, you get back what you put in. Furthermore, knowing Sims increases MCQ scores just as knowing MCQs increases Sims scores. They are still accounting problems.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Anonymous]

” Knowing the material well via MCQs and scoring a 78 is nothing to be proud of, to brag of, or to advise others. Instead it is an unnecessary and foolish risk.”

I see it differently. For someone who is managing this exam and their busy personal and work life, it is wise to allocate your time most efficiently. If you're tight on time, skip the sims.

“How come nobody advises to forget the MCQs and just do Sims. It would be the same faulty logic.”

Because you will…. fail? I think that's pretty clear.

[mla1169]

“Knowing the material well via MCQs and scoring a 78 is nothing to be proud of, to brag of, or to advise others.”

Actually it is something to be very proud of, to brag of. I'd advise others to try some sims, lets face it the more you do to prepare the more likely you are to pass but a 78 is every bit as “good” as a 99. I still contend that anything over a 75 means you spent too much time studying and fortunately for me this is a well accepted notion by people who've been around the CPA exams longer than anybody here.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

I concur. I didn't look at any SIMs at all so far. I also did CPAexcel and then spent a huge amount of time doing MCQ's. I don't see how doing SIMs would have helped me in REG. If you know the concepts and can do well on the MCQ's, the knowledge carries over into the SIMs. For BEC I don't believe there is any reason to practice other than checking out how they grade that part of the exam.

[taxgeek83]

I studied/learned through the Wiley MCQs for about a week or so and pulled a 72 on FAR, and I studied/learned through Ninja MCQs for about a week and a half, two weeks after that and scored exactly a 78 on my FAR retake. Also added the Ninja notes and flashcards, plus my Wiley book for reference. I think I did maybe one or two SIMs, just to get an idea of what they were going to be like.

I see practicing SIMs as a way to see if I have the material down. If I'm missing the SIMs on a particular topic, I will go back and run MCQs on it until I have it down. Some have also said that they've seen practice SIMs on exam day. Do I wish I had spent extra time going through them to get a higher score? Not a chance. Made a lot of memories with some great friends and family instead. My employer doesn't offer awards for higher scores, and my future employers are going to see CPA on my resume. They won't care one bit whether I got a 75 or a 99.

I'm not saying that my study methods are for everyone, but there's a reason that people advise candidates to run MCQs until you want to scream – and then go back and do it again. In my experience, it taught me the material a lot more effectively than listening to lectures and reading the book would have.

[soyanks]

I am going to have to side with M.O.D. and mla1169 here.

The title of this thread is misleading and in a way reckless.

The OP's intent may have been to send a message to other test-takers that if he/she is running out of time, you may have a chance of still passing the exam without actually practicing the SIMs.

However, I don't agree with the test-taking strategy to “do MCQ religiously.” Especially for REG and FAR, MCQ's only test a portion of what a full blown out SIM question might be asking for the test-taker to complete. (i.e. – MCQ in REG might ask for a small portion of a full blown out tax return and a SIM might ask you to actually complete a substantial portion of a tax return, etc)

My advice is, if you are studying for FAR, REG or AUD, you don't have to actually practice SIMs questions. But make sure you prepare for it (example – know how to tackle a research question; be prepared to do a full blown out JE; be prepared to tackle tax returns, etc). Simply relying on practice MCQs to pass CPA exam (unless it's BEC) is same as driving on a slippery slope.

FAR - 86
REG - 85
BEC - 90
AUD - 84

[Martin]

If you are strong on your FAR concepts, and you do great on MC,but you are weak on JEs, I can guarantee that if you dont do Simulations, you will fail the exam.

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

[EverybodyswaitingfortheCPA]

M.O.D. and soyanks bring up some good points. And I'm with others, 78 is passing and that is something to be proud of!

“But if you were to do a controlled study and had only 60 hours say. Would it be better to spend all 60 on MCQs or split it 40 on MCQs and 20 on Sims?”

What's the basis for the SIMs? The content of the review material correct? So if you know the material, then a person should know the SIMs. Like I said before, I don't think it's necessary to practice them, but not that it shouldn't be done. I went through them to understand the format and such, but the reason I didn't do well on my first exams, wasn't because I bombed the SIMs, it was because I didn't know the material. If I had 60 hours to put in, I wouldn't waste my time going through SIMs line by line and blowing hours there. I'd rather work to understand the MCQs and conceptualize why they are right as well as wrong, and go from there and look through the SIMs but not work through them as what are the chances that you’ll get the same problem? It’s not a college test. I just don't think it's efficient or effective. I don’t pound out MCQs either. Quality > quantity.

But I think that's what makes this community very helpful. It's not about what just works for one person, it's about finding out what works for YOU and working with it to be successful. Whatever a person finds as a good use of time is great for them! Good feedback and good luck to all who haven't passed but are on their way to a CPA!

BEC - ✔ REG - ✔ AUD - ✔ FAR - ✔

Becker + NINJA MQCs for FAR

Licensed January 2015

[Author]

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