[Anonymous]

I am currently studying for BEC and I am dreading taking the test with all the calculations we need to do with that stupid little calculator on the computer!! Can they get a little more advanced and give us regular calculators!!!!

[jeff]

The calcs are simple and doable with the little windows calculator. I think you'll be surprised at how theory-driven the CPA Exam is vs calculation-driven.

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 76
REG - 92

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS)
NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE | Another71

[Anonymous]

Jeff, would you say it applies to REG part as well? More theory than calculations?

Thanks

[HopeToPassOneDayFL]

I hope that you are both right with the BEC exam being more theory than calculations as I am taking anywhere from 1:30 to 4:30 minutes to get the calculated questions correct. This time is way to much as it then deducts the time from the rest of the questions, which the average time spent per question is 1:40 (150 minutes / 90 questions).

FAR - 69 (Feb '10), AUD - 59 (Jan '10), BEC - 80, REG (Q2 '10)

[Anonymous]

Anna – From my experience of taking REG there was more theory then calculations in the M/C. I was able to finish the M/C very quickly. I am glad I did because I needed the time for the sims which had a lot of calculations but they were very doable with the calculator they provide.

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much, Becker emphasizes calculation problems and you can't help but wonder if you gonna have as many of them on real exam… Even after taking 3 other parts – I am still in doubt. Thanks:)

[TampaAccountant]

Lucky75, you have good reason to dread the on screen calculator. It's super frustrating using the screen calculator especially if you have to recompute a few times to get the answer you're looking for. That clicking of numbers with the mouse is dreadful. I wish they would give us a simple hand held calculator so we can wiz-through our calculations and get a decent chance on passing…..

[Patrick909]

I would suggest using the numeric keypad on the keyboard rather than the mouse when using the on-screen calculator.

Still, you'd think Prometric could afford issuing us a cheap-y calculator for the exams.

There were times in REG, BEC, and FAR when I just did the calculations by hand on the scratch paper rather than bother with the on-screen calculator.

[willieverpass575]

Every test I write a comment about wanting a real calculator. The Prometric I go to has real calculators for the other types of tests. When I asked for one, I was told the CPA exam did not allow it. Maybe if enough of us ask for real calculators the Board will listen. After I complained several times about the dirty keyboards, they are much cleaner now.

[Author]

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