Bridgette is a NINJA CPA Blogger.
My first attempt at AUD came on the heels of taking BEC two weeks prior. Even though I had watched all the videos and alternated studying between the two to prepare for both at the same time, AUD was definitely taking the hit because BEC was coming up first.
I was so burnt out during those two weeks that I didn’t retain much. My score of 65 wasn’t a huge shock. Luckily I passed BEC, which softened the blow.
For my rematch with AUD I didn’t re-watch the lectures, but focused on the book and quizzing as much as possible. My method was to listen to the NINJA Audio whenever I was in the car by myself. During my lunch breaks I alternated between the NINJA Audio and the NINJA Flashcards that I downloaded to my phone.
I answered approximately 1,500 multiple-choice questions and 40 SIMS from the Wiley Test Bank to test how well I retained what I read. I took all of my notes from reading the book and working MCQs and weaved them into the NINJA Notes to total a whopping 74 pages of handwritten notes. I rewrote those notes once the week before the exam and it really helped nail the material down.
I’ve laid out my study method to give you an idea of how that actually relates to exam day. I entered the exam feeling prepared. It took one testlet, 30 measly multiple choice questions, to break my spirits. I couldn’t believe my eyes. These questions were out of some other material that wasn’t included in my 74 pages of notes.
I actually wondered if I had been given the wrong test. By the second testlet my eyes were a little blurry with unshed tears. I’m not a crybaby by any means, but it took all my strength not to break down and walk out of the test. I was consistently able to eliminate two answers, but was always stuck on the last two. I had to make a lot of educated guesses.
The SIMS were brutal, but at least I had some experience with using the authoritative literature to help me out on a couple of them.
I used every last second of my 4 hours to test and walked out of the exam with an expression of horror. I spent the next 8 days planning how I was going to fit in a retake when my plan was to take the holidays off and actually give my children and husband the quality time with me that they deserved.
The day the scores were released I followed the Another71 forums feeling sad for the ones that posted failing scores and elated for the ones that passed not even bothering to check my own score because seriously, what was the point?? My mother forced me to look at my score during a visit to her house while I was on my lunch break.
I don’t think I’ve ever screamed so loud in my life! My two year old looked frightened. All I could do was scream and eventually get out “I PASSED!” My daughter and I celebrated for 20 minutes by dancing around the house singing “We did it! We did it!” I had both of my parents double check the score just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.
Yep—it was still there…85!!!
Moral of the story—Even if you think you failed, you may have passed. Even if you have study materials, get NINJA to supplement. They help nail the concepts down so well that even you may not realize how well until you are faced with the actual test and having to narrow every question down to two answers before letting that knowledge help you pick the best choice.
Good luck everyone! Moving on to FAR…
Congrats Bridgette!!
Gratz girl!