Cornpop30, I can totally relate to you! I felt that I did well on the test and I cried like a baby today when I found out I failed with a 71...bummer. I just got a new job and my work hours are ridiculous. I still think that Yaeger does a much better job than Becker so I will stick to using their material. I bet Cindy will give you a breakdown of the updated 2011 materials if you send her an e-mail. Goodluck to you!

CPA#1 wrote: oldog new trics wrote: I passed FAR without touching either of the SIMS (totally stumped) with a 78. Ok, something is not right here at all. In the old exam, the simulations were worth 30%. So the highest score you could have gotten was 70 if you didn't touch both simulations. I've heard of people passing and leaving one simulation blank, but BOTH???? Hmmmm......... :/

In my mind, which can be a strange place at times, I break down the SIMS into:

1.  The tabs.  For me, this is the SIM.

2.  The 2 essay questions worth 10 points total.

3.  The 2 research questions worth 1 point total.

So if you rock on the MCQ (which I studied to do), and write 2 great essays, you have 80%. 

I did a lot of calculations on how I could have possibly passed that test when I got home that day.  I didn't see any way my scores was going to get to 75% because I really guessed through 1 SIM, the other I had no idea.  No one was more surprised than I was when the scores were released and I passed. 

That is when I knew there was a curve, although 'curve' seems to get people riled.  None the less, these tests are not scored in a normal manner.  People who took the same test version as me during that window must have blown it worse than I did is all I can attribute my 78% to.  The MCQ were rediculously  easy (which made me think I didn't do well on the first testlet, and more anxiety ensued), but it was really easy to ace the MCQs.  Then the SIMs slammed me to the ground. 

There were 3 far left questions on foreign currency F/S consolidations in the SIM that I answered that probably stumped everyone else.  That always helps the score.

CPA#1 wrote: Oh, so you did attempt some parts of the simulations. You see, you worded your post saying you didn't touch them. So, it sounds like all you did with the 90 MCQs and that's it and you passed with a 78. I was like, what?? LOL!

I see what you mean - I didn't touch the tabs, but always prepped and sweated over the 2 essays (10%) of the SIM.  I pretty much left 20% of the test on the table every time.

I learned after FAR (my first exam) that when I got to the SIMS, I tried to spend 10 minutes on 1 tab, then put zeros or T/F but not spend any time thinking about it, and move on to the essays.  Thats were I made up my points.  I don't know if I could pass the exams the way they are now.  

Now if other people did as well as I did on the MCQs, the points given per question drops and I could have failed - even if I got all of them correct.  I was just lucky my test version stumped enough people to let me perculate up above the 75% mark.

This is why I tell people not to loose hope after taking a test.  You never know - you might have passed.  I've read stranger things happening.  One guy got the best diagnostics I've ever seen on a test and he failed - got a 71 I think.  He was all over the this forum asking how could this happen.  The scoring is very complicated (curved).