Leah is a NINJA CPA Blogger.
It’s been an intense couple of months. After failing my first AUD attempt, I re-focused and put a huge effort into studying for BEC for two months. I think I overdid it though and proved the old theory that over stressing can make you sick.
My brain just didn’t want to do anymore the week leading up to BEC. I had headaches and then all I wanted to do for several days was sleep. That’s not normal for me, and a few days later it turned into a horrible sore throat and feeling like I’d been run over by a truck.
I had to sit for BEC feeling like a chewed up dogs toy. Not good.
As I was checking-in at Prometric the attendant said to place me on one of the other computers because a particular one had recently crashed. I was trying not to talk because of my sore throat so I’m pretty sure my facial expression was that of “Are you kidding me? I don’t want a wonky desktop!” Thank goodness for a great attendant!
As for my BEC exam experience, my study material said to expect a theory/calculation ratio of 30/70 or 40/60, and I would say I was at 30/70. That experience can vary according to posters on the “BEC exam experience” thread on the Another71 Forum. Some people even prefer calculation questions. Gasp!
I must admit that wordy math problems are not my forte. Math didn’t start to click for me until college, and I’m still not a super word-problem solver. Despite that, I think I did OK on calculation MCQs that I had studied how to solve, but there were topics I had not seen in study materials and ended up spinning my wheels on those.
The calculator. Need I say more? It slowed me down too. I had to rush at the end so I could have time to work on written communications. Even with topics that are familiar it can be difficult to come up with key words and three reasonably written notes in 40 minutes.
The only distraction during the exam besides being sick was a neighbor test taker that kept cussing out loud every few minutes. I empathize. I wanted to say, “I know, I’m right there with you!” Now, all I can do is drink lemon/honey hot tea for my sore throat, pick up AUD again, and…. wait.
