A few months ago, Roger CPA Review updated their Interactive Practice Question (IPQ), which contains thousands of multiple choice and task-based simulations, customizable quizzes, full answer explanations, and a CPA Exam Simulator with an unlimited amount of full-length practice exams. In addition, it also provides students with access to a detailed report on how they’re progressing. These new analytics are what I found to be particularly helpful since they steered me in the right direction for finding and honing in on my strengths and weaknesses. Here’s how I use them to obtain higher scores and how you can use them too.
Once completing each section of multiple choice questions (MCQs), I go over every question I’ve answered incorrectly.
The updated software now keeps a tally of which questions I’m answering incorrectly in each section, which helps me find trends and allows me to really zero in on the types of questions that are causing me the most trouble. I go back to those questions, see what topics they’re covering, and designate more time to going back over the lecture and text related to those topics.
This may go against the recommended practice, but the first time I answer the MCQs, I do not have the “score as you go” option turned on.
The reason behind this is that I want to see what I understood and want to use my own rationale behind my answers. But once I complete all of the questions, I review the quiz and go through only those that I have answered incorrectly. After reading the explanations, I try to find where I went wrong in my thinking that lead me to select the incorrect answer.
After completing each chapter, I quiz myself on that entire section only once.
After I go through to check all my answers and read the explanations, I then go back and restudy those areas of the text that I didn’t understand. Once I’m finished reviewing those trouble areas, I start another quiz containing only those questions that I answered incorrectly, and this time, I turn on the “score as you go” option. The reason behind this is that I no longer want to continue to select the incorrect answer. I want to move on to the next question knowing what the correct answer is, and by reading the explanation, I can now use that new information to help answer any of the remaining questions on that topic.
I know everyone studies differently, but using this method has been extremely helpful for me.
So if you’re not doing so already, use the IPQ software to your advantage. It can really show you exactly where you need to apply additional time in your studies. If used properly, the IPQ software should result in higher scores on practice exams, ultimately leaving you feeling confident and prepared going into exam day.
–Christopher Boate, Guest Blogger for Roger CPA Review