[Wanna_B_TXCPA2014]

Question to the small # of Ninjas in this category with me. Do you think the AICPA has a profile of a borderline candidate? Do you think candidates from certain schools are failed intentionally? How many think that the odds seemed to be unfairly stacked against them?

I ask out of frustration, desparation, and anger. I cant prove but I swear to god the aicpa is personally screwing with me! Cant prove it bc the process is not transparent but my gut is never wrong.
They didnt let me pass from 10/13 until 4/16. I took 7 tests with scores from 60-70. Starting 4/16-10/16 passed with scores of 76,77, and 75. 12/16 60; 3/17 66; 5/17 73. How could i have “forgetten” how to study after passing 3 consequetive tests.

I understand a certain % of the know-it-alls and CPA Self Righteous will make their smug and smart ass comments about my preparation/lack of or poor study habits. I am holding up my left middle finger as I type specifically for them and their comments.

This question is more to the people that have struggled with test. I dont plan on quitting cause at this point its personal. But anybody out there thats passed ever felt how i an feeling? If you did how did you get over it?

[mtaylo24]

Subscribed 🙁

CPA (2017)

REG:  75

BEC:  76

FAR:  77

AUD: 78

 

CMA (2019)

P1: 380

P2: 360

AUD - 1st - 60 (12/12), 61 (2/13), 61 (8/13), 78! (11/15)
REG - 55 (2/16) 69 (5/16) Retake(8/16)
BEC - 71(5/16) Retake (9/16)
FAR - (8/16)

[Me!]

@Wanna_B_TXCPA2014

I totally relate! I am also on my last test, last year I had issues passing AUD even though I consistently scored in the upper 80's on practice exams yet took me three times last year to pass, then I passed BEC and REG(This was a retake as I lost it to the 18 month rule). This year for FAR, 1Q – 70; then 2 months of additional studying 1000's of MCQ's and 2Q I get a 66! How is that even possible? I lost some brain cells?! Well I decided to go for a Hail Mary! crammed for 12 days for 3Q and sat for the exam on Labor Day…figured it couldn't be any worse than 2 extra months of studying to get a 66! It is personal for me as well at this point. I have my own conspiracy theories! Hope we all get a pass this time around.

AUD - 76
BEC - 78
FAR - 70-Q1; 66!-Q2 WTH! 77
REG - 78

Used CPA Excel, Wiley, Ninja

Licensed CPA, Tennessee 2/2018

[Wanna_B_TXCPA2014]

@Mel how did you study REG?

[Trele6]

No one truly knows how the test is scored, but I do believe they take the top 45-50% and they earn the magic 75+. So that would mean if a testing window was easy and 60% did really well on the test, 10-15% of them would get a 74 because they didn't do as well as the people ahead of them. If that is true then it would need to work both ways, say a really hard testing window where only 30% of the people did exceptionally well. The next 10% or so would get 75's to make the passing group in the average 45-50% range.

Who knows?

B - 80 Jun16
A - 74 Aug16, 77 Oct16
R - 87 Nov15
F - 79 Apr16
Ethics - 98 Nov16
Licensed in New Mexico Dec16

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[Me!]

@Wanna_B_TXCPA2014

For REG I did copious amounts of MCQ's tried to get my average in the upper 70's then, for my review I reread the book(Gleim) and took notes. I found that the book had little tidbits of info that wasn't covered in the MCQ's. I am hoping that it worked for FAR for 3Q (I did some reading for 1Q and 2Q but for this last attemp I reread the entire book and took notes and threw in some MCQ's. it's just so much freaking information! I'll trade my REG score for your FAR score!

AUD - 76
BEC - 78
FAR - 70-Q1; 66!-Q2 WTH! 77
REG - 78

Used CPA Excel, Wiley, Ninja

Licensed CPA, Tennessee 2/2018

[Pete]

I actually had the opposite situation typically happen. For the most part, my practice tests were approximately 0-10% lower than the actual test. If I scored a 75% of the practice test, I would typically score a 75-85 on the actual test.

If the opposite happens, you're probably just memorizing the answers of the multiple choice questions, which isn't the best way to study. Although, many of the questions on the practice exam are either close to or mirror the actual test (maybe 0-5%), you won't pass through this method. Instead of memorizing the multiple choice answers, you should understand why you got the question wrong. You can do this by blocking out the correct answer cluster and reading the explanation of why your answer was wrong.

Doing the multiple choice that many times through, over a short period is a very bad strategy. If you get the question wrong that many times, it indicates you don't understand something from the material. Instead of working through more multiple choice questions, you should aim to understand the material better.

B=84 This exam was such a b**** that I thought I failed-don't know how these things work
A=76 Slacker I am, I'll happily take it
R=81 I LOVE taxes
F=80 I don't wanna get banned for an expletive I'm thinking with "yea" proceeding it

[Wannafree]

@wannaBCPA2014 , I beg to differ with you,I am myself on the last section and failing since last two attempts but I know on exam days itself what mistakes I did and was not expecting pass .I have passed 3 sections and share my knowledge on those passed sections but don't feel someone is doing injustice to me.I also believe whatever way they tested me it was not adequate or proper but hey rules are laid down at the beginning of the match. I had solved all 90 MCQ correctly but spent more time compared to those who got medium difficult medium.I didn't do good in SIM.Again rules were same for all and I believe that's symbol of fair play by Nasba.
I am convinced that whatever approach worked for me earlier is not working for FAR and I should change.I wish they decide okay this is the 3rd attempt for his/her last section ,give him 75 plus.

WannaB

[HoosierCPA]

Not quite 11 attempts, but it took me 9 tries to get through the exams. REG, being the worst, took me 5 tries, my scores were 71,74,72,71,89. I love conspiracy theories more then most and I do think the AICPA doesn't score the way they advertise. My theory is simple, of all the people taking the same exam in that period you have to beat out 60% of their scores to get a passing score. The AICPA wants to preserve the prestige of this exam and they cannot let 60+% of people pass–that's just not happening.

AUD - 80
BEC - 82
FAR - 78
REG - 89

...

FAR - 78
REG - 72,74,71...please just go away REG nobody likes you!
BEC - 82
AUD - Aug 16

[Trele6]

@HoosierCPA, I agree with your rational on pass rates. It explains why scores are delayed as the computer will have your grade the moment you hit submit. They have to compare everyone in that batch to each other and only pass the top.

B - 80 Jun16
A - 74 Aug16, 77 Oct16
R - 87 Nov15
F - 79 Apr16
Ethics - 98 Nov16
Licensed in New Mexico Dec16

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[Pawn Maker]

@wannaBCPA2014, I really wish there was some sort of grand design which is keeping me from having my life back. That would provide perhaps some solace to me. I completely share your frustration. The thing I really hate about this exam is that there is so much luck to the draw. I did study hard for REG but I also got lucky with my Sims as the draw I received was everything that I knew really well. I feel this luck aspect is even more important now that we have fewer MCQs and more Sims.

For what it is worth, everyone who has been able to keep at this for years on end is beyond amazing to me. No one who has not struggled with this process can quite understand how miserable the process of achieving a 75 can really be.

AUD: 82
BEC: 80
FAR: 68, 81
REG: 67, 86

[Trele6]

Luck definitely plays into it. I felt like most of the exams focused on the topics I knew well and I had very few questions on those fringe topics that I just didn't understand. So in that regards I felt like I passed since the tests played to my strengths. While others might get tests that are primarily covering their weak topics and all of their strong topics are minor.

B - 80 Jun16
A - 74 Aug16, 77 Oct16
R - 87 Nov15
F - 79 Apr16
Ethics - 98 Nov16
Licensed in New Mexico Dec16

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[ayyemmtea]

I know you specifically stated this is for 11 attempts or more, so you may ignore/not like my answer.

No, no the AICPA is not personally victimizing you. They are not specifically failing individuals who went to a certain school, above a certain age, gender, etc.

Yes, they are very difficult exams and luck does have a lot to do with the specific topics you may get, but if you are prepared, you will pass (most of the time).

They probably do weigh the exam differently depending on other candidates to keep the pass % around the same, but this isn't some massive conspiracy theory.

I see it often on this site and I genuinely believe you will be better off if you just take responsibility for your results. There may be a bit of sketchy shit happening to grade it. The results would be given to you instantly if it wasn't… but it's not some massive conspiracy.

I wish you the best of luck and I truly hope you are on your last exam soon.

B - 82

A - 88

R - 80

F - 78

Ethics: 93

VA License

[Wanna_B_TXCPA2014]

@ashleymarieta Thanks for totally missing the point of what I was saying and making this process all about how Ive failed to properly prepare myself….. Wish I could be some of the “lucky ones” who knew the material so well they left 3/7 SIMS undone and still manage to squeak out and 80.

Its really wonderful your time, and effort was rewarded with pleasant experience through this exam. I specifically qualified this post not to get an answer like yours, but the best laid plains of mice and men right?

Where do you get I am not taking responsibilty for my results? Who else can I realistically blame? I am the one that answers the questions. Direct quote from above “This question is more to the people that have struggled with test. I dont plan on quitting cause at this point its personal. But anybody out there thats passed ever felt how i an feeling? If you did how did you get over it?”

Ask yourself this. How does a smug comment from someone who is finished supposed to help someone that struggling that specifically made a direct appeal to other like him? I wish like you that I had the luxury of not knowing, but I dont! Guess I am wasting my time looking for help when I should be studying huh?

[CPAcandidate3]

@Wanna_B_TXCPA2014

Well you said you think the AICPA is screwing you and that right there says you aren't taking accountability for your failed attempts. If you don't want to be a victim then don't act like one.

AUD - 83
BEC - 82
FAR - 86
REG - 82

Rogers + NINJA MCQ

[Trele6]

@WannaB, I took REG first because most people said it was the hardest and I went with the take the hardest ones first theory.

REG is also my highest score. I believe there were multiple factors for that.

1. Tax is something a lot of people hate, but when I was studying I tried to directly relate to everything, as tax effects all of us is some shape or way. AMT schedules? Will i ever get trapped in these personally? Let me learn more about them. I tried to embrace the material so that I could do my own taxes better or get more legal deductions etc. Maybe this approach will help with you?

2. Like I mentioned REG was my first exam and I fully believe I probably over-studied as I didn't know what to expect. I read the Becker chapters probably at least 2-3 times each, did all the MCQ, many of the SIMs, took practice tests over and over again.

3. The exam hit my strong points and completely avoided topics I didn't want to see (AMT, Farm, K-1). Some questions were laughable they were so easy while others were monsters (There is a great debate about “easy” questions, in theory if you know the material really well it will feel easier as opposed to not knowing it and it being a “hard” question.) All I know is I like easy ones 🙂

4. B-Law and ethics parts to me were easier to get through, and to be honest on ethics usually the most conservative answer is right. Do the right thing. Shouldn't be too hard to narrow those down when you don't know the exact answer.

There is a skill needed to narrow down your MCQ choices to a 50/50 and some people are way better at this than others. I believe this accounts for a large margin of why smart people fail and average people pass sometimes. If you can master guessing correctly it really helps!

Good Luck and I hope you beat REG.

B - 80 Jun16
A - 74 Aug16, 77 Oct16
R - 87 Nov15
F - 79 Apr16
Ethics - 98 Nov16
Licensed in New Mexico Dec16

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[Author]

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