[jeff]

Hello friends,

With the new exam – you’re going to want to tell everyone about your experience.

It’s natural and appreciated.

HOWEVER – keep in mind that you agreed at the test center to not disclose the NATURE of your exam…meaning specifics or even alluding to specifics.

OK: “It was about what I expected.”

OK: “It was awful. AHHHHHH.”

NOT OK: “I was surprised to see so many ___ questions.”

NOT OK: “I had a SIM covering ____ which I didn’t expect.”

This is serious business and the AICPA reads this forum.

🙂

jeff

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

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

[Tncincy]

So much for hints, I guess we all have to pass the old way….study 🙁

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader.....time to pass

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[Madhav]

I am not able to delete or edit one of my response regarding exam disclosure. Can you help me with that?

AUD - 76
BEC - 75
FAR - 76
REG - 77

FINISHED.    "If I can do it, so can you".- ME.

LEO MESSI:GOAT

 

Ethics: WA: 93, AICPA: 93

[jeff]

done..

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

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

[Madhav]

Thanks

AUD - 76
BEC - 75
FAR - 76
REG - 77

FINISHED.    "If I can do it, so can you".- ME.

LEO MESSI:GOAT

 

Ethics: WA: 93, AICPA: 93

[Teal]

Same…I am not sure if mine is bad or not, but can you check? Sorry Jeff!

AUD - 82
BEC - 79
FAR - 75
REG - 77

NINJA & Roger

Passed AUD!

Passed BEC!

Passed FAR!

Passed REG!

FAR (66,68) Aug 26
REG (66) July 25
AUD (66) December 1st
BEC - October 3rd

[HoldMyBeerCPA]

The AICPA reads this forum, eh?

Well, AICPA, after studying for this exam, and sacrificing a great deal of time and energy, and being driven nearly to tears, I have TWO WORDS for you!…..

…please help.

"FACT": The odds of consecutively passing all four sections of the CPA exam on the first try: 7%.

Me: Hold my beer...

FAR (April 2017): 75+

BEC (May 2017): 75+

AUD (July 2017): 75+

REG (September 2017): 75+

Roger + Ninja Audio/MCQ/Notes (BEC & REG)

[Holly]

YES! Totally agree with too much information at times. It's hard not to, though. What about the whole – I was surprised I saw so many governmental/bus law questions/etc…. – statement? We can't say that? The mix is given and we're not saying specific questions or TBS.

AUD - 76
BEC - 82
FAR - 82
REG - 86

Becker & Ninja MCQ

 

 

 

BEC - 79
REG - 85
AUD - 5/27/16

[jeff]

Looks ok, Teal

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

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

[Nutcracker2016]

Good Morning Jeff. I have questions/ concerns about this post Jeff. The concern is not with you but with AICPA. We all know you are a successful CPA, currently tutoring CPA students, and running this remarkable CPA forum. I also think you must be in the top 50 most influential guy in accounting. Could you please publish this post and take this to the eyes of CPA exam committee members? I am sure these are not only my concern but several other people here too. Below are my questions/concerns.
1) Why there is so much vagueness in the exam process of AICPA? The old syllabus is here for the past 6-7 years at least and so many people have taken exams already. But even till last month, we were not clear about the questions in the exam we see. For Ex., In my two attempts, so far in BEC IT section, I have seen questions which was not in any of the review courses. How they are (AICPA or NSABA) expecting us to prepare for these questions?? We are all accounting guys. How they expect us to answer questions from DBA or network security which was not in content guidelines or in the review courses?? Now to make this worse, they have added simulations in the BEC exam. Only so far, Roger has said the third testlet will consist of wo analysis type of questions, and asked to leave at least 20 minutes for each question. But he has not released the format of the analysis question. This is clearly freaking me out, considering simulations are now 35% of the exam.

2) We know we have agreed not to leak out about the exam questions we see. I don’t think it is possible also. With three testlests, and so much of numbers in the questions it is nearly impossible for anybody to leak out the exact questions. No need to talk about simulations. We can only broadly talk about the topics in the we saw in the exam. In what way that will be counted as leaking out the questions? If AICPA, is fretted by that why don’t they talk clearly about what we can expect.

3) In the new syllabus, so far, they have said there will be higher level of testing like, analysis and evolution. These two are very broad terms. When it comes to exam testing, that too in such a toughest certification exam and with exam expiry time limits, is it not their accountability to let us know what these two terms exactly mean and narrow it down? That is, for all the exams, they should have released a format for questions specifically in analysis and evolution area which is expected to show up in the exams. Why haven’t they done this so far? Is DRS considered as analysis? Then what is evolution question mean?

4) The exam contents for the all the four papers are like oceans. All of us know, it is not just enough preparing 300% for the exams. It is also very important how we allocate our time and answer the questions. Well, if we don’t even know the format of the questions, how we are supposed to prepare and finish all the questions on time? If we fail the exam we cannot take it second time in the same window or virtually there is no way to re appeal and get even a one point increase in the score. We cannot see our answer sheets and should accept what AICPA says. What kind of system is this?

5) Sometimes, I seriously wonder whether AICPA truly understand what we are going through because of these exams. From the date, we start studying for the exams and complete it, our work, personal life is at stake. Some of us are losing our jobs, friends and even in some worst cases people are getting divorced (I am personally seeing this. My friend is going through this. She is sitting with me right now. She failed REG for second time and her husband is threatening to divorce her if she doesn’t leave the continuance of CPA). My story is, Ieft my job because I have some serious health issue and cannot do CPA with a full-time job. I am studying full time for the past 8 months but still cannot pass BEC. I failed with a 74 in Jan which costed me my dream job.
To the AICPA
If the AICPA is reading this post… I request you to reconsider your decisions very kindly regarding the exam disclosure and re-appeal process. Please release the analysis and evolution type of questions we will see in the exam. Now, in the new syllabus the simulations are 50% weightage. If we are not sure about the format of the questions there is no point for us to prepare for the exams so hard. To the least, please DO NOT complain to Jeff that people are discussing the exam topics they saw. Our only hope as of now is information from people who actually take these exams. How else are we all supposed know otherwise about what the higher testing order skills actually mean? For sure, it will not spoil your highly secret exam process. For ex., I had two simulation in REG from individuals. I have never seen that type of simulation question in any of my review courses. It was completely from the left side. Please make us life little easier to survive. Also, thanks to AICPA for finally giving a 15-minute break. Now I can drink water peacefully before starting to write the exam LOL.
Finally, request to everybody to post your concerns you are having to post it here so, it won’t appear as only I am suffering from these concerns and you are all happy with AICPA. LOL.

Trust in yourself. It is the key to passing any exam.

Passed: FAR -1st attempt

AUD-2nd attempt

REG-1st attempt

BEC- 3rd attempt

DONE

[Anonymous]

All valid points but why should AICPA care/understand our personal lives? It's our choice to take the exam. I doubt anyone here is obligated to take this test. Mainly we are all taking it to achieve our career goals, but maybe im wrong.

[Nutcracker2016]

@automn3 I think, it is the same concept when corporates grant us with maternity/pay /holiday. We are having kids for our happiness/pleasure/benefits(I have two kids, and I can’t even explain properly why we are having them LOL) but not to benefit the corporation. Same way, AICPA has to take into consideration our personal life at least to some extent. If not for us, who will pay the fees again and again and make AICPA rich??

Trust in yourself. It is the key to passing any exam.

Passed: FAR -1st attempt

AUD-2nd attempt

REG-1st attempt

BEC- 3rd attempt

DONE

[Anonymous]

@Nutcracker2016 hi! I know, i completley understand you. Im on the same boat as all of you. Corporations are regulated by FMLA or DOL etc. Who/what regulates AICPA or any institution that gives these type of exams? I just dont expect anyone to make these exams with us in mind :S

[Tncincy]

Well unfortunately there are those out there that do not do things the honest way. You'd be surprised at the extent people will go to cheat. Someone paid another person to take the exam (didn't need the exam or CPA designation) just to tell them what's on the exam and what to study. I don't know if that person passed or failed, but the whole point is not to leak information and give others an unfair advantage. To say that it was a lot of x or y questions is leaking is beyond me, because even with the information we still have to study. I can remember my days in college ( many moons ago) the teacher would give the answers to the test and most of the class would still fail. Why because you still have to study and learn the concepts. So my ninja friends…..it is what it is, let's go pass.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader.....time to pass

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[Anonymous]

The AICPA doesn't give a flying **** about anything except regulating the number of new CPAs that are turned out every year. I don't know why they're so touchy about people discussing the questions…come on, who remembers word-for-word what they saw on the exam? And of course, people talk – if not on here, then by word of mouth/email/other social media? And if they make half of someone's FAR exam about Government/NPO, of course it's going to be talked about because according to *their* CSOs, that area is not supposed to get more than 24% testing (that number has changed for the new version though.) Oh well.

[Missy]

Well the AICPA has heard those concerns, probably daily. Regarding exam disclosure, before a candidate even launches the exam at prometric they electronically agree not to disclose the nature of the questions on the exam. Now we can debate for decades the merit of that agreement but at the end of the day thats what we signed on for. Regarding sacrifices, well those are a choice. Some people are less able to manage the demands of marriage and family with these exams but its entirely possible to get through it without losing friends, family and your sanity. People do it every day so its a tough sell to convince the AICPA to make it more manageable for those who have a tougher time.

I was working full time, had a part time job as well, two kids and was in grad school when I passed the exam. Was it the hardest thing I ever did? Sure was, but I was pretty realistic about what to expect and how to manage my time so I got through it in just under 12 months. Yes most of the people at the AICPA understand the sacrifices because most of them have done it themselves at least those in the position to make decisions about exam content, etc. But to say the AICPA should reconsider the disclosure rules, appeals process, quantity and content of materials because its really really hard is a mistake. Its supposed to be something not everybody can achieve, but those who are persistent enough always will.

Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

Finance manager/HR manager

 

 

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Author]

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