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FAR - 1/4/2025
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Just got out of FAR. MCQs were manageable and much more straight forward than Becker. SIMS were absolutely terrible. Had no questions on bonds and consolidations, which I spent some good time on.
Know your leases, bank reconciliation, subsequent events, and AJEs. I’ll be living on a prayer come February.
Top Comment: I took it today too! Literally four sims on notes and subsequent events what the hell was that!!! I wish there was atleast one bond sim. The subsequent events and notes sims were so confusing. MCQ’s were decent but I’m pretty sure I messed up the sims.
How did you pass FAR?
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I went from scoring a 40 to a solid 49... I’m in complete shock. I felt like I had a good grasp of everything conceptually but I guess the math is where it went wrong, but I really felt like I passed. Like I felt really good about the exam when I left.
I used Becker twice, is there another study program that helps really break down the math problems step by step and shows you how to solve them?
I don’t want to give up, I just am in genuine shock and don’t know how to approach a retake going forward.
Any recs/tips/advice are much appreciated!
Top Comment: i got a 46 too! i didnt practice sims enough and bombed them so i am going to practice them but seriously even idk what to do exactly i am trying to rereview everything but getting upset thinking about the score! :((
Far Success Stories
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Alright, with 10/31 approaching I need some hope. I took FAR in august after studying 180 hours and am convinced I bombed it, I basically ran out of time on the last two TBS and multiple choice was iffy. Please tell me your success stories that will make me feel hopeful. And I’m not talking about “I felt 50/50”, I mean you ran out of time or were 100% convinced you failed, and then ended up passing. I want to see if I still have a fighting chance 😩
Top Comment: MCQs wrecked me. 15 minutes to complete the last three sims, thought I failed, flat tire on the way home. Scored a 75, fell on the floor in amazement, passed all four sections on the first try.
3/31 FAR Tough
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Just got out of FAR. The AICPA must be smoking crack if they think 7 simulations with 6 exhibits is enough time in 4 hours with 50 MCQs. Had to leave a simulation blank, finished MCQS with two hours left.
The simulations were brutal, if I pass it’ll be a miracle or it’s heavily curved.
EDIT: For those taking FAR soon, don't spend too much time on the MCQs literally speed through them because you need as much time as you can for SIMS. For MCQs it's fair to say that everyone is aware of what they're most likely to ask about.
With that said for SIMs it really is very coin-flip on what you can get so if you end up getting nothing but calculation sims compared to drop downs, you need that time to sift through the exhibits and to familiarize yourself with what the question is asking and what is/isn't relevant.
STATS: 1 month study time 120 hours logged, Big 4 A1, SE 1 63%, will update with score on release. 3/4 REG 86, TCP 88, AUD 78.
EDIT 2: Passed with a 75, got very lucky.
Top Comment: I disagree with speeding through MCQs, the only reason I passed REG and AUD was because I spent my time on MCQs and ended up getting strong in them. If you feel confident in MCQs, you only need to get half the sims right to pass.
Fresh out of FAR exam!
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Feel like I was so worried for nothing. I knew everything on the exam except I kinda forgot about change in accounting principle and estimates and how it affects RE. I got a sim for that.. easy stuff I just forgot to review but overall not bad at all.
There were no trick questions. Had plenty of time to finish and took my time on MCQs. Sims were also not bad. Maybe I got lucky. If I didn’t pass it’s because I made some dumb mistakes. Score release March 18.. I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be very surprised if I don’t pass.
On to AUD!
Top Comment: Awesome. I felt the same way in mid-January. Got an 86 (after a 68 the first time)
how hard is FAR really?
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I see a lot of mixed opinions. Some people say it’s the worst and some say it was really doable. Did the people who passed know how to do every single thing in the book? If it was the hardest for you why do you think that ?
Top Comment: If you have ever played video games is like playing the very last fight on level hard. Every monster will come at you and some are mutants involving several different topics. Oh, and you have to budget your time killing them. In all seriousness, the topics are doable. The way mcqs and sims are built is what’s tricky. They are made to make you doubt.
FAR.. How is this even a real exam?
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I can't believe this amount of material is all in one exam....... Those who passed, how did you remember all the details???? seriously. I feel like audit was a puppy compared to this...
Top Comment: For me AUD was nightmare. FAR is a lot but mostly if you know the calc, you are set. AUD was so much memorization....
Just completed FAR. First exam for me.
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Finished it in two hours and 10 minutes. I was done with both MCQ testlets in about 45 minutes total. I thought the MCQs were way easier than the review software. TBS were kind of all over the place. I didn’t have any on bonds, leases or consolidations, which is funny cause that’s where I spent a lot of time. I felt like overall as long as you understand the material you’ll do completely fine on the exam. Only a few TBS that I wasn’t 100% confident on, but it was fairly straightforward, no surprises. The questions in the review provider software, I use UWorld, are definitely meant to prepare you for the exam, since they are a little bit tougher. I feel really confident, hoping for the best in January! I’m going to refrain from disclosing what my TBS topics were for the exam disclosure rules.
Top Comment: Also took FAR today! MCQ's were comparable to Becker, and TBS's made me absolutely doubt every little thing I learned, because they seemed too straight forward. A LOT of exhibits, but they were very short and to the point, not too much fluff in them. L.E. As an encouragement for future test takers, it is 100% doable. if I fail, it's because I didn't know enough material, not because of difficulty level.
Got out of FAR.. (rant)
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Fuck this test
I studied so hard for the last two months and made sure I knew everything. My scores were SE 1: 72, SE 2: 78, FRSE 80 so I didn't doubt whether I could pass. I studied hard so that I wouldn't have to worry if I passed or not.
Well, here I am with a guaranteed fail. Becker did not prepare me well enough for this exam, even though I did everything they provided. I expected the exam to be harder than becker questions but that wasn't the case. It was just different. Everything from the details that the AICPA wants you to know to the complexity of each question was just way different than what becker trained me to do. If becker releases SE3, then I can bet my degree that I'll pass with at least an 80. The actual exam? Even if I get the same exam tomorrow, I cannot pass that. I have no idea what I could have done differently because I literally did everything.
If I, someone who just graduated with an A+ in all of my accounting classes, spent 2 months of half-time studying and feel like this after the exam, I don't know how I could do better and I highly respect all of you who passed
Edit: thanks for the encouragement people! I really thought about giving up but maybe I'll pick myself up. I'm pretty sure I failed because I picked random answers or 0 for the last 3 SIMs but I can't retake until November so I guess I should start another section.
Top Comment: YEP EXACTLY its the sims for me studied 600+++ hours mcq were fair for me sims? really bruh.? stupid aicpa