ManBearPig wrote: Hi Guys, I'm using Yaeger, which I really like so far. I used Gleim last year, but put the whole exam on a shelf until now since I got busy looking for and buying a house last year. This is the first exam I've taken, but do feel like Yaeger prepared me pretty well. If I'd actually done everything (which is quite a bit) that Phil and Cindy tell you to do, I'd have been ridiculously prepared. I basically concentrated on the MCQ's and figured that I'd be okay on the written part since I write a lot at work. I did most of the Sim's that were assigned, but really could have put a lot more effort in to be honest. I went back through all the MCQ's a second time, but probably only got about 80% through that before this beast came up on me. I think I got a little bit of everything on the exam, but it was kind of hit and miss on some of the more advanced accounting subjects. I'm actually going on to BEC next. I'd be smart to do Audit like 1try, but I BEC is the only other one I can possibly finish b/f September with only about 6 weeks left to study. The beers were frosty and delicious, everyone! Tomorrow, I can hang out with the wife, play with my dog and watch the World Cup (I know, how cares but it's still over a month until real "football" season starts) knowing that I have one day of being a normal person until Monday, when the BEC studying starts.

I'm going through my review now working their suggested questions.  I'm getting about 80% so far on them.  I guess I should do the sims they suggest like you talked about.  Hopefully I'll be able to drill enough into memory by next Friday. 

appreciate sharing your experience. I have heard many comments regarding difficult sim problems in test. what are the best materials to prepare the sims, becker, wiley, ....???

thanks and best luck

I don't think there is any better material to study than another to prepare for a Sim.

I suggest making sure you know your material for MCQ's inside out, and that ability combined with making an "on point" written communication will get you through.

I practiced only a few Sims in Wiley to understand how the Sims might be formatted (charts, columns, tables, tabs, etc.)  and how to move through them easier.

thanks Joecjr,

were you refering to the wiley book or software. I have both. do you think wiley sims are reasonably similar to  the  cpa test in terms of format (charts, columns, talbes, tabs, etc...)?

the software is set up similar to the exam.  The actual replication of the exam format is on the aicpa website practice tutorial which helps you get familiar with the sims before the exam.

I used the Sims in the Wiley book to get familiar with the layout, tricks, and picked specific written communications from there to help base my own writing format on the exam.