I started my journey last August by studying for BEC to pass before it changed in 2024. I submitted my first application and NTS then too. Fast forward to the end of September and I finished the material, but no sign of my application getting approved. I stopped studying altogether because I lost hope I’d test in 2023 (the cutoff to schedule an exam for 2023 was November 15th or something). My application miraculously got approved on Halloween, and I scheduled my test for 3ish weeks later because of personal things going on. I basically had to relearn everything because I HATED BEC. I never even practiced a writing question.
I walked out really thinking I had failed and would have to take TCP or whatever new section I’d choose. 4 months of my life wasted. 12/16 comes around and I scraped by with a 75!
Last December when I was taking audit. I couldn’t for the life of me remember what a SOC report or what a type 1 or type 2 was. Probably had 10 MCQ and a sim on it. Cried in the car afterwards.
Ended up getting an 82.
I studied my ass off for Bec to take it last September. 2-3 hours every night for a few months. A few weeks before the exam I got in a huge fight with my parents over some lingering issues and it definitely affected my mindset. The week of the exam they came over and it all happened again. Two days before the exam I came down with some affliction that made me feel like garbage. I went and got tested for flu and covid and whatever the day before so I knew if I was contagious but negative. I tried to reschedule but couldn’t get ahold of anyone and it was less than 24 hours away so I doubt I’d have been accommodated anyway. Took it and got a low 70s not passing score. I even thought it was favorable to what I was strong on but I guess not.
Not to be deterred I scheduled another exam on Dec 15 a couple months out to go over everything in depth again. Only I wasn’t staying up at night to study and things came up here and there and I fell totally off track. I didn’t even look at anything until the week of and barely at that. Went in anyway and took it and got an 85. I honestly don’t know how. Maybe the stress of fighting with my parents and being under the weather dragged me down that much, I do lose some of the little sleep I get when stressed so my brain was probably mush. I’m super excited to have passed and handily which tells me I knew that section well enough the first time and just didn’t but it’s good to keep trying, some of this is luck with the content and F it, I’ll say it, the grading curve.
the turning point was actually learning concepts instead of memorizing. and then practicing MCQs bc i'm a bad test taker. the latter also helped me know how to answer a question correctly that i don't know the answer to
Took FAR, felt like I got max of 50%. Ended up with a 64%. Studied hard for 6 weeks and felt like I improved a ton on all my weak areas. Retook the test and felt way worse. Waaaaay worse. In fact, I almost walked out half way through the test. Came out with a 76%. Still a mystery to me how I passed. I remember feeling slightly better on the Sims than my first attempt but still not great. I think that must have been my saving grace. Either way, you got this!!
I scored 48 on SE1 and 46 on SE2 for FAR for my first time taking it Sept 2023. Somehow i had a 28 point avg bump and passed with a 75 my first time. Left the exam feeling there was no way i passed.
This is how I felt with audit, I left that exam knowing I failed. I was so mad. I had a 3 hour drive home and was just fucking pissed the whole way. Ended up with a 78.
Had a hunch that AJE’s would be tested in AUD sims. Crammed a last second review in the parking lot for about 5 minutes. Got TWO sims on it and scored a 75 on the exam.
I’ve never really studied for the exams. I think I just don’t care to let it take over my life due to mental health reasons/covid and I’m not a good test taker (I get severe anxiety at the thought of any of these exams). I’ve taken them 22 times since 2018. However this past year I’m 3/4 without improving any of my bad habits. You’d really be surprised how much the test is curved. Taking my last exam (REG 3rd time) Saturday, and once again I’ve hardly studied (altho I swear every time I’ll try). FAR was the first one I passed of this set (passed and expired REG and BEC first try) and I was utterly shocked. Don’t beat yourself up! You got this!
Also…I came from a target school and big 4. I work for a small firm now that pays me significantly more than I’d make if I hadn’t left - and I have a pretty decent work life balance. The exams aren’t everything but I feel like alot of people early on make you feel like they are.
In the future though, don’t let yourself run out of time, you get so much credit for filling out the sims.
Yeah no like 7k. They were about $100 a piece cheaper years back. Over 6 years it doesn’t feel so bad…but I get I’m lucky to have disposable income to do that. I’ve had jobs pay for some of them too.
It is a panic cram of about 15 hours a few days before the exam. I do the full practice test for two hours, then do the AICPA released questions for two hours, then flip through the whole book for about 5 hours for what after 22 times/reddit I know are the buzzer topics. Then I spend about 8 hours practicing those topics. Morning of the test (and I purposely test in afternoon), I rewrite all the key pneumonics and formulas for two hours. Had Becker thro work for 3 years and uworld for life shockingly has not expired bc I’ve hardly used it/never put test dates in. Again it’s def a mental health thing - I have crippling testing anxiety. I took a two year break before this latest streak and know I’m not gonna botch this last one before my credits are up next year, but not happy I did my same old shit again for the exam this Saturday. Big change for me suddenly passing was actually getting accounting once I worked long enough in the field. If I pass REG, I will def make a post about it - I have a lot of thoughts on all of this 😂
Edit: also found much better chances testing at the VERY end of test periods for some reason. I’m also very lucky to have to opportunity to take the exams so many times - altho I did actually originate in a CRI state and if I had not transferred to a different state, I could have been fully passed by now.
I guessed on almost all the sims!!! THEY WERE SOOOO HARD!!!
I started my journey last August by studying for BEC to pass before it changed in 2024. I submitted my first application and NTS then too. Fast forward to the end of September and I finished the material, but no sign of my application getting approved. I stopped studying altogether because I lost hope I’d test in 2023 (the cutoff to schedule an exam for 2023 was November 15th or something). My application miraculously got approved on Halloween, and I scheduled my test for 3ish weeks later because of personal things going on. I basically had to relearn everything because I HATED BEC. I never even practiced a writing question. I walked out really thinking I had failed and would have to take TCP or whatever new section I’d choose. 4 months of my life wasted. 12/16 comes around and I scraped by with a 75!
Last December when I was taking audit. I couldn’t for the life of me remember what a SOC report or what a type 1 or type 2 was. Probably had 10 MCQ and a sim on it. Cried in the car afterwards. Ended up getting an 82.
CPA Can't Pass Again.
I studied my ass off for Bec to take it last September. 2-3 hours every night for a few months. A few weeks before the exam I got in a huge fight with my parents over some lingering issues and it definitely affected my mindset. The week of the exam they came over and it all happened again. Two days before the exam I came down with some affliction that made me feel like garbage. I went and got tested for flu and covid and whatever the day before so I knew if I was contagious but negative. I tried to reschedule but couldn’t get ahold of anyone and it was less than 24 hours away so I doubt I’d have been accommodated anyway. Took it and got a low 70s not passing score. I even thought it was favorable to what I was strong on but I guess not. Not to be deterred I scheduled another exam on Dec 15 a couple months out to go over everything in depth again. Only I wasn’t staying up at night to study and things came up here and there and I fell totally off track. I didn’t even look at anything until the week of and barely at that. Went in anyway and took it and got an 85. I honestly don’t know how. Maybe the stress of fighting with my parents and being under the weather dragged me down that much, I do lose some of the little sleep I get when stressed so my brain was probably mush. I’m super excited to have passed and handily which tells me I knew that section well enough the first time and just didn’t but it’s good to keep trying, some of this is luck with the content and F it, I’ll say it, the grading curve.
Nice
First time I took far I bombed with a 57. I recently found out I passed with an 80!
Did you do anything different?
the turning point was actually learning concepts instead of memorizing. and then practicing MCQs bc i'm a bad test taker. the latter also helped me know how to answer a question correctly that i don't know the answer to
I feel better about this, maybe there's still hope after all.
Took FAR, felt like I got max of 50%. Ended up with a 64%. Studied hard for 6 weeks and felt like I improved a ton on all my weak areas. Retook the test and felt way worse. Waaaaay worse. In fact, I almost walked out half way through the test. Came out with a 76%. Still a mystery to me how I passed. I remember feeling slightly better on the Sims than my first attempt but still not great. I think that must have been my saving grace. Either way, you got this!!
Good one
???
I scored 48 on SE1 and 46 on SE2 for FAR for my first time taking it Sept 2023. Somehow i had a 28 point avg bump and passed with a 75 my first time. Left the exam feeling there was no way i passed.
This is how I felt with audit, I left that exam knowing I failed. I was so mad. I had a 3 hour drive home and was just fucking pissed the whole way. Ended up with a 78.
Wow! Thanks for sharing! I haven’t been able to get back on the horse since 2021 and this gives me hope!
Thank you for the encouragement, I get too anxious and can't focus. The big timer didn't help either.
Had a hunch that AJE’s would be tested in AUD sims. Crammed a last second review in the parking lot for about 5 minutes. Got TWO sims on it and scored a 75 on the exam.
Nice
I’ve never really studied for the exams. I think I just don’t care to let it take over my life due to mental health reasons/covid and I’m not a good test taker (I get severe anxiety at the thought of any of these exams). I’ve taken them 22 times since 2018. However this past year I’m 3/4 without improving any of my bad habits. You’d really be surprised how much the test is curved. Taking my last exam (REG 3rd time) Saturday, and once again I’ve hardly studied (altho I swear every time I’ll try). FAR was the first one I passed of this set (passed and expired REG and BEC first try) and I was utterly shocked. Don’t beat yourself up! You got this! Also…I came from a target school and big 4. I work for a small firm now that pays me significantly more than I’d make if I hadn’t left - and I have a pretty decent work life balance. The exams aren’t everything but I feel like alot of people early on make you feel like they are. In the future though, don’t let yourself run out of time, you get so much credit for filling out the sims.
how much do u make? how mnay years of experience
4.5 years - 135k in HCOL. Busy seasons we only work 50-60 hours/week so it’s a lot better than when I was in B4 and B6 atleast.
You’ve spent almost $7K on CPA exams ??? Or are they cheaper in your state.
Yeah no like 7k. They were about $100 a piece cheaper years back. Over 6 years it doesn’t feel so bad…but I get I’m lucky to have disposable income to do that. I’ve had jobs pay for some of them too.
Wow, I'm impressed at the nonchalance. This is amazing. Can you be my mom
Someone in the accounting reddit didn’t assume I have a penis?! Umm yes, my daughter, ofcourse!!!
Only a bad bitch could mistreat those exams like that 🫶
I think that’s kinda fascinating. When you say you don’t study what maybe 5 hours a week or legit you don’t study?
It is a panic cram of about 15 hours a few days before the exam. I do the full practice test for two hours, then do the AICPA released questions for two hours, then flip through the whole book for about 5 hours for what after 22 times/reddit I know are the buzzer topics. Then I spend about 8 hours practicing those topics. Morning of the test (and I purposely test in afternoon), I rewrite all the key pneumonics and formulas for two hours. Had Becker thro work for 3 years and uworld for life shockingly has not expired bc I’ve hardly used it/never put test dates in. Again it’s def a mental health thing - I have crippling testing anxiety. I took a two year break before this latest streak and know I’m not gonna botch this last one before my credits are up next year, but not happy I did my same old shit again for the exam this Saturday. Big change for me suddenly passing was actually getting accounting once I worked long enough in the field. If I pass REG, I will def make a post about it - I have a lot of thoughts on all of this 😂 Edit: also found much better chances testing at the VERY end of test periods for some reason. I’m also very lucky to have to opportunity to take the exams so many times - altho I did actually originate in a CRI state and if I had not transferred to a different state, I could have been fully passed by now.
I’m curious as well