[12tang]

I’ve taken it before back when the exam was easier. Passed and I could confidently say the phrase mile wide inch deep applied there. I took it again today and it was most definitely .25 mile wide and half mile deep. I’m so angry with the level of difficulty of the MCQ’s and Sims. Lengthy, long reading MCQ’s and more than one component to consider. The MCQ’s and first two sims drove me well pass the 2 hour mark. Sims were pretty much all on one topic with exception of research and 1 other. I had to take my gambles and feel I accurately determined which sims were pre-test. Left one of them straight up blank as I looked at it and said, this MUST be a pre-test or else I need a career change. Regardless, it felt like a fail. It’s like the AICPA knew I passed this test before, and said, “he knows the topics across the board so lets test a few topics in great depth and see how well he can answer them. I hate FAR!!!

BEC - PASS

FAR - PASS

AUD - PASS

REG - PASS

BOOM!  JUST LIKE THAT, I GOT MY LIFE BACK!  =D

Using Becker self-study
FAR: (82) 175 hours - 1st attempt
BEC: (XX)
AUD: (69) 45hrs of study - 1st attempt
REG: (XX)

[TerriSilva]

I took it yesterday and I totally feel ya…but I have taken the damn thing FIVE (5) times now! I anticipated the lengthy stuff, but still don't know if I passed even though I did finish it completely. I can't understand how some people come on here and say they were just sure they failed and then score in the 90s! I call bullshit on that.

Good luck to you – we have 25 days of torture until score release and I am either done or signing up for test number 6 🙁 and BEC expired yesterday, too, so if I didn't pass I'll have to take that one again as well.

I don't even know how to call it – mcqs were fine to me and some of the SIMS I felt were okay but you never know…

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 75
REG - 86

California Licensed CPA as of August 19th, 2019!

 

[Bobby]

I just took this exam today too. I really can’t believe how lengthy the multiple choice questions were. I definitely did well on the first testlet. However, the increase in difficulty on the second testler was horrendous , the questions were paragraphs long. Almost all of my multiple choice on the second testlet was governmental. I got to the sims with an hour and 50. All 8 sims were incredibly lengthy. I got to the last 3 with 15 minutes left. Luckily one was easy and related to tax (not sure why tax is a whole sim on far) luckily I’m a tax senior. However, I left an entire sim blank. I feel like these exams are so unfair. I felt like I really knew all the material , I just did not have anywhere near enough time to complete the exam. Now it looks like I’ll have to go re study and pay another 200$ to take it again and try to move faster. SO AGGRAVATING

[jslevin914]

Hope you Passed! Was the new lease concepts really tested much?

[12tang]

Let me just say that my exam was very involved in a very small portion of what was studied. I tried to anticipate for updates and changes and was disappointed during the actual exam. I could have nailed home 2 maybe 3 chapters in Roger's 32 chapters and I would have aced this exam…

BEC - PASS

FAR - PASS

AUD - PASS

REG - PASS

BOOM!  JUST LIKE THAT, I GOT MY LIFE BACK!  =D

Using Becker self-study
FAR: (82) 175 hours - 1st attempt
BEC: (XX)
AUD: (69) 45hrs of study - 1st attempt
REG: (XX)

[jslevin914]

Appreciate it. I take my exam tomorrow for 3rd time. Back to back 73s.

[aspencookie]

Reading comments crunched up in a fetal position from a closet slightly cracked open, rocking slightly back and forth…👀👀🤮🤮😟😟😟😟😟

[Jimmy Dugan]

@Aspencookie, don't get too caught up in what people report back after having taken the exam. Everyone comes out of it frustrated and feeling like theirs was harder than someone else's or they just by chance got a “tough draw” on areas they didn't study as much. The idea that someone might get a 74 because their version of the exam was harder, and if they'd gotten a different version they would have scored 85 is ridiculous. Bottom line, it's hard, but you can do it.

AUD - 95
BEC - 87
FAR - 84
REG - 90

You're killing me Smalls

 

[fsugirl2005]

I totally understand you OP. But, in a way I'm glad the test is harder. That just means that the field of certified public accounting won't become oversaturated like the field of law. I swear, I think anyone can pass the Bar Exam. If they couldn't, that profession wouldn't be overrun with new attorneys and old attorneys alike only making $50-60K per year. It's quite sad really.

REG - 78
FAR - 79
AUD - 76
BEC - 75

I have been on this journey off and on for over 10 years. I think it's about time that I wrap this up.

AUD - 10/21/16 (75----07/2010 expired)
FAR - 10/28/16
BEC - 11/2016
REG - 01/2017

Using Gleim CPA Review, Ninja Audio, Ninja Book

[12tang]

It's not that ridiculous, Dugan… How do you explain when a candidate fails, barely studies and receives a 10+ jump to pass in the very next window? We've seen that before… You can't discount the fact that we all have different study plans and desired windows to pass the tests in. Luck does play a factor, especially when you're studying in shorter windows. Sometimes you just have to move on from a difficult subject and you hope to God that you don't get pounded with that very subject during the exam. Then you get pounded; it does happen to candidates…

BEC - PASS

FAR - PASS

AUD - PASS

REG - PASS

BOOM!  JUST LIKE THAT, I GOT MY LIFE BACK!  =D

Using Becker self-study
FAR: (82) 175 hours - 1st attempt
BEC: (XX)
AUD: (69) 45hrs of study - 1st attempt
REG: (XX)

[Brokenglass]

As other people said, the CPA exam in general is a hit or miss. But you'll pass eventually. The first time I studied for FAR I didn't go over the material, just did the MCQ and sims and got a 67% average on the MCQ. After I took the exam and failed, I did the MCQ and the sims to prepare for the second attempt and got a 74.5% average on the multiple choice. It blew my mind that I only improved on the same questions by 8%. There's a significant memory component to these exams which is why I think I couldn't get above 80% no matter what. FAR was my toughest one because of the overwhelming amount of material, I feel like it should be two separate exams, 5 units each. I don't mind the difficulty, it's just the lengthy questions that drain me and slow down my pace.

As for the pretest sim, I'm not sure what criteria they use to pick the question but I dont think they would give you a long one as a pretest. Otherwise it's not fair.

AUD 77 (6/2018)

REG 77 (9/2018)

FAR 61 (12/2018), 84 (1/2019)

BEC 88 (2/2019)

Studying time using Becker (4-6 hours)

AUD: 16 days

REG: 13 days (skipped units 7 and 8 and did only flashcards instead)

FAR: 28 days, 12 days, skipped lectures for both attempts

BEC 13 days

[Jimmy Dugan]

Too many people pass all 4 on the first go 'round for luck to be a big consideration. And likewise, many people make 74, don't do any additional studying thinking they just drew a tough exam and the next one may be easier, then sit again and make another 74. Luck is a factor I suppose, but definitely not worth 10 points.

AUD - 95
BEC - 87
FAR - 84
REG - 90

You're killing me Smalls

 

[Jimmy Dugan]

I don't think it's as big a factor as you imply though. Even if someone fails and does only a week's worth of studying before sitting again, they are doing so knowing the items they got killed on, and since they already knew the other material pretty well, can go back into the exam having a strong enough base to make a much higher score. For instance, if you get crushed on governmental, nonprofits, and revenue recognition and wind up with a 73, you go back to the drawing board and study those areas for a week or two. That's what I would call minimal study time, but you are making the most of it since you are working on your weaknesses. You're all set next go round and get 10 more points because you improved those areas that are heavily tested that you didn't do well on the first time, not because you “drew out” an exam with less focus on those areas.

Luck does play some role, of course, but it is minimal. There are just too many people that pass all four parts on the first attempt for luck to be a significant factor. The likelihood that someone just drew out 4 easy exams is slim. Conversely, there are a great many people who make a 73-74 who feel very close and go sit for the same exam again without additional study in their weak areas and end up making another 73-74.

I just think it's counterproductive to study for a 75 and hope you “draw out” with an easy one that probably doesn't exist. That's just my opinion and it is probably wrong.

AUD - 95
BEC - 87
FAR - 84
REG - 90

You're killing me Smalls

 

[DM]

IMO, exam scores are based on statistics. And the pass rate is secretly regulated by NASBA and AICPA in order to keep the profession somewhat competitive & exclusive enough not to diminish value from higher pass rates which saturates the market with ‘underqualified' CPAs, driving professional fees down. If you were a 20-year CPA veteran, would you want a bunch of younger CPAs flooding the market because the exam is now easier? No, you want that test to stay as difficult as it has always been, so the pass rate will always be around 50/50. The only way to pass is to know more than 50% of your peers and Becker does the best. Try not to become frazzled at a long problem. That amount of detail is put there on purpose to confuse you. Remove all the noise and answer to the best of your ability. Just by doing that, I think that the harder testlets become easier and help boost your score.

[Author]

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