[RE2PECT]

I received my score report yesterday and was weaker on WC for the second time. This is really frustrating because I got a 73 and would have passed had I been better on what’s supposed to be an easier area.

I followed the template that gets posted often, but the only thing I can think of that’s keeping me from getting better scores is that maybe I’m not using enough buzzwords. Either that or the FAR related question I had no idea how to respond to wasn’t a pretest. I was pretty sure I nailed one of them and the other one was on such a random topic that it was hard to come up with buzzwords that related to it.

If you don’t know how to answer a question do you just throw random buzzwords that aren’t related to the topic hoping they’ll get picked up by the grader?

"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:

[Anonymous]

I know the buzzwords and that template are popular on this forum…but from what I saw in my review materials, I didn't see that cut-and-paste template, or much emphasis on buzzwords. I think that may be a common misconception around forums like this that isn't very strongly based in the real exam grading. I took BEC right after finding this forum, so most of my prep was before finding this forum, and based just on review materials, review websites, etc., and I didn't find emphasis on those things in any of those places.

What I did find was emphasis on proper, fluid writing. I think that following these templates and trying to incorporate buzzwords often has the opposite effect.

So, maybe next time, forget the “pop culture” advice, and try just following what you know of writing an appropriate business memo addressing the topics?

Now granted, I'm in a state that only gives score reports for fails, so since I passed BEC, I don't know if my WC were weaker, average, stronger, etc. But, given that I've only seen the buzzwords and template in the advice of test-takers, not review-writers, I'd be tempted to throw it all out if it's not working for you, and try blocking out all of that and only taking into account what the official review materials have to offer, cause they're drawing on a lot more information than the 1-5 attempts that each poster is drawing off of.

[mckan514w]

FWIW I scored “Stronger” on the WC's and what I did was throw every buzzword I could possibly think of into all of my paragraphs. I had two that were FAR related- like so much so that had I not already taken FAR I would have had to have left them blank because I would have had ZERO clue on how to answer. One I was only able to come up with / remember three main buzzwords- so every single paragraph and sentence I threw those buzzwords in despite not having one clue on what they meant or how they related to the question. I was careful not to have any run-ons or fragment sentences but taken at face value many made zero sense.

So for example if I was asked to write about COSO and could only remember the words interrelated, monitoring and control environment I would write “your organization will benefit from the implementation of COSO and the monitoring of your control environment. It is important to monitor your control environment under the interrelated COSO framework because it monitors how your control environment is working in relation to the entire COSO framework.”

Now if a hand grader read this I feel certain the entire thing would be completely wrong because not only does it not make sense at all but it isn't even correct. However I just banked on the fact that the computer was scanning to make sure subject / verb agreed and I knew buzzwords.

And they ask me why I drink

BEC 71, 82
AUD 75
REG 75
FAR 61, 69, 83

and they ask me why I drink...

FAR- 61-next time I'll ask for lube instead of a calculator
REG-75- Never been so happy to see such a low grade
BEC- 8/11
AUD- 9/2

[RE2PECT]

@Lilla- I felt like 2 of my responses, other than the FAR one, were presented well and had good structure. Maybe I would have been better off being in the BEC bubble and had a human grading them instead. The review course responses are not representative of what most people taking the test would be writing. They go into way too much detail for most people to be able to respond that way, unless they know the material inside and out and are an excellent writer. I feel I'm a pretty decent writer, but when the clock's ticking it's harder to concentrate and have the words flow out like they normally would.

@mckan514w- The FAR related ones are a joke. I took FAR in February and already forgot a lot of the material and to me it's unfair for them to ask about something that's not even a part of the CSO for the exam. Here's a quote from the AICPA CSO for 2016, “Written Communication will be assessed through the use of responses to essay questions, which will be based upon the content topics as outlined in the CSOs.” Maybe they made it plural to show that they can ask about any topic when it comes to the WC's and not just the CSO for BEC. Hopefully the next exam won't have a question I'm totally lost on, but if I am I'm going to try what you did and just keep repeating the same thing in a different way using as many buzzwords as possible.

"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:

[.]

Speaking of the “pop culture” on this forum, I notice lots of people talk about trying to up their trending score on Ninja MCQs like it's some sort of video game. And they make this big hoopla if their trending score goes down. I think what happens is they try to up it by doing tons of questions—–memorizing the questions basically. That will give you more confidence going into the exam but won't necessarily result in a better score.

FAR- 88- 6/16- (Ninja Avg. 74%)
REG- 89- 7/16- (Ninja Avg. 77%)
AUD- 95- 8/16- (Ninja Avg. 81%)
BEC- 82- 9/16- (Ninja Avg. 75%)
[Wiley CPAExcel + Ninja MCQ]

Finally licensed.

FAR - June 2016 - 88
REG - July 2016 - 89
AUD - Aug 2016 - review phase currently
BEC - Sep 2016 -

Wiley CPA Excel & Ninja MCQ

[RE2PECT]

I've stopped putting any faith in my trending scores. I've been guilty of artificially inflating my trending score by doing a lot of adaptive sessions and getting a bunch of repeats correct. Now I don't care what my score is and I just try and get all my average scores on each topic near 75%. For FAR, I was trending 67 and ended up with a 75. For AUD, I was trending 99 and got a 73. For both BEC's I was trending 84 and 93 and wound up with a 71 and 73.

Don't get me wrong, you're trending gives you a good idea on where you stand, but I feel some people tend to rely on it more than they should. People forget that the sims, besides BEC, take up a huge percentage of the exam and trending scores don't factor them in.

"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:

[Meg267]

I’ve taken BEC three times, didn’t pass either of the first two times, still waiting on a score for the third. (Hopefully the third time is the charm!). Both my first two times, I scored higher on the WC than people that scored between a 75-80 on the exam. For me, it all goes back to something a professor once told me. “tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, tell them what you told them.”

I always start with an intro paragraph, basically stating the question and then the reasons or blueprints for my memo, my go to number is three. Make sure to use a lot of the same language as the question, just worded a little differently.

The next three (all short) paragraphs each has a small explanation or a way to answer the question.

The last paragraph is the conclusion where I recap what I just wrote and finish.
I try to use as much “accounting language” as possible when writing as well.

Good luck to you!

BEC - 57, 68, 78
REG - 62, 82
AUD - 61, 76
FAR - 79

Licensed.
No one ever fails the CPA exam, there are only those who give up.

[BenB]

I took FAR on 7/11 and still haven't gotten my score report. Is that normal?

Passed, live in NY.

FAR 7/11/16 - 87
BEC 9/9/16
REG TBD
AUD TBD

[mckan514w]

@BenB- Really think it depends on what state you live in…. for me in DC this would be completely normal- I have gotten reports two weeks after getting score and 2 months and if you passed you may not get one at all.

And they ask me why I drink

BEC 71, 82
AUD 75
REG 75
FAR 61, 69, 83

and they ask me why I drink...

FAR- 61-next time I'll ask for lube instead of a calculator
REG-75- Never been so happy to see such a low grade
BEC- 8/11
AUD- 9/2

[Author]

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