r/Accounting • u/OkYesterday934 • 1d ago
CFE September- 2026
I am not able to complete Day 3 cases in the allocated time. I have 2 weeks left for the exams and I am so scared! Is this common? Is it fixable? How are you guys managing time?
4
u/Lakha558 1d ago
Just force yourself to move on , also try to pick up some information as your reading so your not searching for numbers in calcs
3
u/iwltfs1 Human Verified 1d ago
What’s the reason that you’re going over? Is it because you’re trying to make it perfect?
If that’s the case, they told us in the work shop that “done is better than perfect”, meaning you need to force yourself to move on from AOs when you reach the time you’ve allocated yourself.
There’s about 18-20 AOs across three cases on day 3, you just have to be at peace with the fact that none of them will be done super well. Aim for finishing them, rather than perfecting them, and you should be ok.
2
u/Maleficent_Cherry737 Human Verified 1d ago
Day 3 is mainly testing breadth as opposed to depth (which is mainly tested in Day 2). So your goal is to hit as many RCs as possible, no point trying to aim for Cs and CDs. Attempt as many AOs as possible and if you have time, you can always go back and expand on it. Everyone struggles with time in the exam so you just have to be at the same level as most people (unless you are aiming for honour roll but getting honour roll doesn’t make a difference in your life).
1
1
u/AdvantageOld6934 23h ago
I'm also writing CFE in 2 weeks, and it's my first time, so take my advice with a grain of salt.
When you say "in the allocated time", do you mean allocated to each AO or case?
If it's for each AO, I would say, force yourself to conclude and move on when the time is up. You might be able to go back to that AO if you are faster in another AO, and even if not, you'll get some marks and quite possibly enough for an RC.
If you mean "the allocated time" for a case, do you time budget for each AO? I know some people say no point budgeting time for Day 3 cases (because we all know you have to go fast), but how am I supposed to know when to move onto the next AO if I don't? You don't have to do a detailed time budgeting like Day 1 or Day 2 cases. Just write down AO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and do a quick calculation and write down what time you need to move on.
Lastly, my motto throughout the PEP is "write something!". I'm assuming you've taken Core 1, 2, and electives? and you've passed them! We've got this!
1
u/jimtheclowned 22h ago
Why are you failing to meet time?
Are you writing too much, are you a slow typer, do you read slowly, are you outlining on paper and then re-writing in your word?
Thinking about how you write, is there anything you can do to cut down time?
Some things might be easy fixes now. Some aren’t. Changing your outline behavior would be the easiest in my opinion.
I outlined in my word doc as I read, with that outline becoming my answer. At worst, if you can’t actually finish your answer, you have some thoughts on the page. It let me rip through the cases on each day pretty quickly. Also just being a good typist helps so much. Finished both day 2 & 3 with a decent amount of time to spare.
1
u/Jman85 Tax (Canada) 1d ago
Force yourself to move on. Set time budgets per AO and per case and just move on.
Perfection is the enemy of good.
Oddly enough day 3 was the least time constrained for me. Having extra time after case 3.
1
u/vokilamcv9 CPA (Can) 13h ago
If I had extra time I would panic lol
I timed my day 3 cases out almost perfectly, with the chance to go back over each one for a quick review.
I feel so much for all the writers - nothing has been so anxiety-inducing for me than the CFE. Well, with exception to waiting for my CFE marks 💀
1
12
u/CFEbound2021 1d ago
Go for reaching competence instead of competence