May 2018

TIP #2 - Find the main idea in each question. Look for the main idea and ask yourself, “What concept are we trying to test here?” I can assure you, each question was written to test a specific fact or concept. The most common mistake people make when taking the exam is to overthink the questions. Although the questions can be challenging, they weren’t written to be deliberately tricky. If you find yourself agonizing over the choices for each question, you are spending too much time on it.

TIP #2 - Check your study progress. The Detailed Status Report shows your progress by breaking each section down into subsections and the percentage of correct answers in each subsection. This can be used to determine which sections you need to study further.

TIP #3 -  Don't skim over true/false questions. Carefully read every word of the question, keeping in mind that the tiniest detail can affect the answer. If one word set or phrase in the statement is false (even if the rest are true) then the entire statement is false and the answer is "false". 

ACFE Program Director Bruce Dorris, J.D., CFE, CPA, CVA, offers advice on how to handle questions that may be challenging to you on the CFE Exam Prep Course.

TIP #4 - Motivation. Make sure that you prepare well in advance before taking the CFE Exam so that you can focus all your energy on doing well. Follow up on the priorities you have set for yourself, and don't let others, or other interests, distract you from achieving your goal of becoming a CFE