Anyone else get crushed by REG this testing window?

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #1497663

    I sat for REG yesterday and left feeling absolutely defeated. I’m using Roger and studied more for REG than any exam in my life. The MCQ’s weren’t too bad, at least I think I did well with them, but the TBS’s were unbelievably hard. I just stared at the screen flipping between the questions because I had NO clue on them. I wish there were at least the type of sims that allowed you to select from a choice of answers but with the exception of the research question the other five were all fill in the blank.
    I’ll give REG another shot next window. Any suggestions as to whether I should redo the REG studying with Roger or switch to something else?
    Yesterday just killed me because I went in for the exam more confident than ever but just got CRUSHED..

    AUD - 86
    BEC - 78
    FAR - 83
    REG - 75
    Gotta stay focused
Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 18 total)
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  • #1497667
    isoceles
    Participant

    Everyone's experience is different. I was not very prepared (my own fault) and only got through about 70% of the material in preparation. I used Ninja MCQs and Wiley book. However, in the exam I thought MCQ1 wasn't very bad, 2 was crazy, 3 was so so. What's interesting is I actually thought the sims were much easier than the MCQs, but I also think I got lucky as several of them were on topics I felt comfortable on. I think I have a 50/50 chance right now give this experience.

    The more experiences you read on here, the clearer it is that most people feel like they got crushed and many end up passing anyways. So I wouldn't sweat it until 3/8 when we get our results đŸ™‚ You can reevaluate at that time.

    Ninja MCQs are awesome btw.

    #1497703
    Goingallin
    Participant

    I'm taking REG in March. My concern for REG is how ambiguous the wording is. Sometimes it's quite hard to understand what the examinors are asking for. Perhaps the question make sense in their mind but someone else who's reading it might be confused as to what they are asking for. Do you find this to be true?

    AUD - 87
    BEC - 77
    FAR - 75
    REG - 82
    donotgiveup!!
    #1497706
    RE2PECT
    Participant

    @ShouldHavePickedMarketing- I had a similar experience the first time I took REG. I used Roger and Ninja and didn't get to practice many sims since I was short on time. It probably wouldn't have mattered since mine were ridiculously hard. Ninja mcq's are great for REG, but I'm not a fan of the sims. Roger's are a little better, but I don't like the format and how they aren't even graded.

    I purchased the Gleim test bank for my retake and did all the tax sims 3 times. They're really good and the hardest ones I've come across out of any review course. I also signed up for the 2 week trial to Wiley and did all the sims they have. They don't have as many as Gleim, but they have some tough ones also.

    I'm fairly comfortable with all the big topics, but you never know what kind of sims you'll get. I just hope that I at least get a few that I'm familiar with.

    Like isoceles said, there's plenty of people who felt they didn't do well and ended up passing. A couple people from the REG study group scored in the high 80's and they weren't feeling great after taking it. You really never know with this exam until you get your score.

    "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

    Roger & Ninja

    FAR: 75
    AUD: 73, 81
    BEC: 71, 73, 82
    REG: 68, 82

    FAR: 75 Roger & Ninja (notes/flashcards/audio/MCQ)
    AUD: 73, 81
    BEC: 71, retake 8/29
    REG:

    #1497742
    Ken
    Participant

    @Goingallin Yes I definitely find the ambiguity with Sims to be the main reason test takers have such a hard time passing any of these 4 exams. That is why I'm especially ticked off that the AICPA thinks it's a good idea to add even more Sims to the exams. They have no idea what it's like from our perspective. Just because we get a Sim wrong doesn't mean we don't know the material or studied hard enough, it could be a communication barrier problem with questions we aren't even sure what they're asking for. I swear that has to be the biggest complaint about this entire exam. Candidates have to read minds as to what the exam questions are asking for. I find it irresponsible of the AICPA to let this problem linger as people's lives and money are wasted because they missed out of 2 to 3 points.

    #1497751
    Goingallin
    Participant

    Mobfn: I have to agree with you which is why I'm doing the best I can to finish all by Q2. SIMs are subjective to interpretation. I have never done well in any of the SIM despite my passing score and I never will. They really need to elaborate as much as they can to ensure you understand what they are asking for. This exam should not be subjective.

    AUD - 87
    BEC - 77
    FAR - 75
    REG - 82
    donotgiveup!!
    #1497820
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I got my REG score yesterday and was absolutely crushed by how far out on the left field some questions are. They aren't things that were asked in Ninja MCQ or in Roger review course which is what I used to prepare for REG. I spent the most time studying for REG but felt like I was very unprepared for the exam, I didn't get the same feeling when I left FAR or AUD though, and I thought I was going to bomb FAR.

    #1497841
    industryCPA
    Participant

    I prepared with Wiley and Ninja MCQ. Idk how the sims are in the study material you use, but I like wiley's because it is set up very similarly to the exam. If you just wanna use it for a little to get familiar with the sims, you could do the free 2 week trial prior to your retake. Also, try to look up as much as you can in the AL during the exam. Best of luck!!

    AUD - 72
    BEC - 75
    FAR - 82
    REG - 80
    It will all be worth it...hopefully
    #1497844

    @bonbon I hear you. I really like the roger course but the sims I was subjected to yesterday were so foreign to me… nothing that I studied for. At least when I got my 73 in audit I knew it was because i just didn't study enough but I feel that even if I had studied for REG for another month I wouldn't have done any better on those brutal TBS's.

    AUD - 86
    BEC - 78
    FAR - 83
    REG - 75
    Gotta stay focused
    #1497924
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I have been studying for REG which I take on March 10 and I have been in fear for the longest time of this section because I was never really that great at tax.

    Well, I've been studying for about a month and surprisingly catching on fairly quickly using only NINJA MCQs and NINJA PLUS videos.

    The practice sims have all been pretty straight forward as well, but not sure how much they resemble what's on the actual test…

    Since I have about six years of experience in public accounting, I find the material to be actually very useful to learn and even a little fun because it's like a puzzle. Ask me straight out of college and I would be dying right about now with all this studying, but somehow I actually find it interesting now.

    Keep at it and try to learn the material from an intuitive perspective rather than memorizing every bit of information. There are a lot of rules and regulations, etc. but they all kind of make sense to be that way anyway. Also I am finding often in the practice MCQs that the simplest answer is usually the correct answer. I'm sure that's not always the case, but it will be my option on test day when in doubt đŸ™‚

    #1497937
    CPYay
    Participant

    I've studied the most for REG and still have two weeks to go. I can tolerate the material (and actually enjoy it to a degree) moreso than FAR and definitely moreso than BEC.

    The difficulty with REG is that there are so many exceptions and rules/numbers to remember. Basis has enough similarity between entities to get confusing. I haven't attempted many SIMS yet, but that is definitely my biggest fear. I hate the ambiguity of the exam wording.

    AUD - 92
    BEC - 84
    FAR - 89
    REG - 84
    Mailed application! Hoping to be licensed by year-end!
    #1497954
    cpaMD86
    Participant

    This is the exam I've also spent the most time on so far. I've done all of the Ninja MCQs, Roger's Tax Question, and am now working to finish Wiley's Tax questions. Just trying to keep it fresh, and they tend to differentiate here and there. I've also gone through some of the SIMs in all of the courses. Not doing too bad there.

    I just hope for nothing out of left field. I am going to continue to practice going forward, specially with Blaw. (Maybe not to much?) I bomb Blaw in some of the quizzes, so I am making sure I continue practicing them. I hear that on the exam it feels like they pop up every other question, and some say not at all…so we'll see! I hope we all own this darn exam and pass!

    AUD - 80
    BEC - 80
    FAR - 82
    REG - 79
    Be willing to be inconvenienced for your conviction.

    Roger/Ninja MCQ/Ninja Notes

    FAR: 9/3

    #1498039
    Superdude3000
    Participant

    I would just add to anybody who has difficulty with the REG sims to utilize the AL if possible. I used it to help me understand basic rules when doing calculations for the sims. I literally used it for 4 of my sims plus the research question of course. If you know how to navigate the AL, then could really be beneficial.

    REG - 92 (1/17)

    BEC - 82 (2/17)

    AUD - 89 (5/17)

    FAR - 94 (9/17)

    Rogers Elite + Becker mcqs/sims for all 4 exams

    WA State Ethics Exam - 83, 83, 90 (9/17)

    AICPA Ethics Exam - 95 (9/17)

    1-year of work - complete (11/18)

    Licensed WA State CPA

    #1498047
    Goingallin
    Participant

    Superdude: How on earth did you have time to look up the AL. Ive never been able to use the AL bc it would just eat up all of my time. The research question alone would take me 30 mins to find. Any trick care to share?

    AUD - 87
    BEC - 77
    FAR - 75
    REG - 82
    donotgiveup!!
    #1498054
    norseman88
    Participant

    Basically, you just need to hope you get favorable sim questions (i.e. all drop down type questions) on the day of exam and that you get an easy research question (i.e. one that somewhat hits on a key word search). I'm a firm believer that the research question is worth around 5 points.

    #1498168
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I took reg Thursday and didn’t feel great going into it. I was confident on income tax topics but business law was was definetely a weak area. First testlet was medium, then the last two were very difficult. It was the type of exam where I feel like I could have gotten a 90% or a 60% depending on how well i guessed at some of the MCQ's that were foreign to me. The SIMs i felt like i did well on, one was really odd and another i have been going over and over in my head since my exam. I am cautiously optimistic but i know how these exams are. I really need a win here to feel confident going into the remaining sections. I am curious on how the AICPA grades the exams, i would think the difficulty of your MCQ's woukld be considered.

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 18 total)
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