Amanda says: Do you have any CPA Exam time management insight on the new format of the FAR CPA Exam SIMs? Three different sections rather than just one? I am worried about not knowing the entire picture of the SIMs and spending too much time on the first one or two sets only to get to the last set and run out of time. Have you heard any details on the type of questions that will be in each section? For example, a research-based question would only be in the final section?

I have not heard anything about that from the AICPA. The AICPA has said publicly that research questions are in play. So you could very well get a research question.

Whether or not you get it in the first SIM or the last SIM, I don't know. I don't think it impacts how you budget your time.

And so you have two CPA Exam multiple-choice questions testlets. So easy part as an example. I believe it's 33 questions and then you have an optional break. 33 questions, optional break.

First set up CPA Exam simulations and then the timer stops so that you can take a break without it affecting your time and then another set of SIMs, optional break. Another set of SIMs, optional break. Is that it? It feels like it should be it.

So how to budget your time on the CPA Exam simulations: well backing up to the cpa exam multiple choice questions because they are first. You really cannot budget your time for the CPA Exam multiple-choice questions.

I mean it takes what it takes.

If a question is taking you four minutes, then you need to select B or C and move on. Just arbitrarily select B or C, move on because you cannot like camp out on a question, and just you know get OCD over the question number three and ten minutes later you're still on it. You will wreck your entire exam.

So you need to move quickly through your CPA Exam multiple-choice questions but not hurry. So the CPA Exam multiple-choice questions, they take what they take.

So let's say that you finish your CPA Exam multiple choice questions with two hours left on your exam because they take about two minutes apiece give or take. Well, you have your CPA Exam simulations and I believe that there's eight of them for FAR because it was going to be nine and they made it eight.

However much time you have left you to have to divide that by eight or however many SIMs you have on there.

And so let's say that it's just random numbers here. Let's say that you can spend 25 minutes per simulation. Well once you hit 25 minutes on SIM number one, you need to fill in the blanks on all of the other SIMs. Fill in the blanks within that SIM and get out of it. Move on. Like you can camp out in that SIM or it will mess you up big time.

And so once you are out of the CPA Exam multiple-choice questions, then, and you start the CPA Exam simulations, that is when you budget your time.