Task-Based Simulations on the CPA FAR Exam

The CPA FAR exam is a 4-hour, computer-based test administered by AICPA, and roughly half of the scaled score comes from task-based simulations (TBS) rather than multiple-choice questions. Most candidates focus their study on MCQs and underprepare for TBS, then lose points on exam day to a format they have never practiced under realistic conditions.

This post breaks down what TBS actually look like, how AICPA grades them, and how to practice them effectively. I built FreeFellow and we recently shipped a TBS practice engine for FAR, which I'll be transparent about toward the end. The format details below come from the AICPA Uniform CPA Examination Blueprints (effective January 2024) and AICPA's published candidate resources.

CPA FAR Exam Structure

The FAR section is structured as five testlets across 4 hours (AICPA):

  • Testlet 1: 25 multiple-choice questions
  • Testlet 2: 25 multiple-choice questions
  • Testlet 3: 2 task-based simulations
  • Testlet 4: 3 task-based simulations
  • Testlet 5: 2 task-based simulations

That's 50 MCQs and 7 TBS total. Per the AICPA Blueprint, MCQs contribute approximately 50% of the scaled score and TBS contribute the other 50%. Each TBS contains multiple sub-items (often 3-7 cells per simulation), so the 7 simulations effectively produce 25-50 individually graded data points.

Key Concept

Task-based simulations are not a sideshow. They are half the exam. Candidates who skip TBS practice in favor of more MCQ drilling are leaving large amounts of scoring leverage on the table.

The Item Types AICPA Uses

AICPA uses several TBS formats on FAR. Knowing which format you are about to face changes how you approach it.

1. Cell-Fill (most common)

A scenario stem describes a transaction or financial-statement requirement, supporting documents are provided in tabbed exhibits, and you fill in cells in a spreadsheet-like grid. Examples:

  • Compute the goodwill recognized on a business combination given purchase consideration and identifiable net assets
  • Build the consolidation entries to eliminate intercompany sales and unrealized profit
  • Calculate the deferred tax liability and the income tax expense for the period
  • Prepare a statement of cash flows from a balance sheet and income statement

The grader reads the value you typed into each cell and compares it to a model answer, with tolerance bands for rounding (typically to the nearest whole dollar). Get the cell exactly right, you score the cell. Round wrong, miss a sign, or compute a related cell incorrectly, you miss it.

2. Document Review

A draft document — a financial statement footnote, a memo, an audit report, or a contract clause — is presented with embedded options. Each option is either highlighted text in the document or a dropdown. You select "keep as written" or pick a replacement option from a list.

Document review is heavily used on AUD but appears on FAR for disclosure-prep tasks. The grader scores each option independently.

3. Research

A scenario poses a question and asks you to locate the authoritative source in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (or IFRS for IFRS-related questions). You navigate the searchable Codification interface and submit a citation in the form ASC 805-30-25-1 or similar.

Research tasks appear on FAR and require Codification fluency, which most candidates underrate. A common practice gap: candidates know the rule (e.g. goodwill is recognized at acquisition) but cannot find the citation under time pressure.

4. Journal Entry Preparation

A transaction or event is described and you build the journal entry: account names from a provided list, debits, and credits. Entries are scored on correct accounts plus correct amounts plus correct sign (debit vs. credit).

How TBS Are Graded

A simulation contains multiple sub-items. Each sub-item is graded against a model answer:

  • Numerical cells: correct if the value falls within the AICPA-specified tolerance band (typically exact-dollar rounding)
  • Document review options: correct if you chose the AICPA-designated option
  • Research citations: correct if the citation matches the model citation at the section level
  • Journal entry rows: correct if the account, the amount, and the debit/credit direction all match

The per-cell scoring matters: a 5-cell goodwill TBS where you nail 3 cells and miss 2 is worth roughly 60% of the simulation's contribution, not zero.

Common Trap

Candidates often abandon a simulation when they realize they got the first cell wrong, assuming the rest cascades. In reality, AICPA grades each cell against the model answer independently, so you should always finish every cell even if early cells went sideways.

Pacing on Exam Day

The 4-hour FAR exam has to cover 50 MCQs and 7 TBS. A reasonable pacing target:

  • MCQ: 45-60 seconds per question, ~50 minutes total for the 50 MCQs
  • TBS: 18-20 minutes per simulation, ~2 hours total for the 7 TBS
  • Buffer: ~30-40 minutes for review, hard questions, and break

The single most common pacing mistake on FAR is over-investing in the first TBS testlet. A candidate who spends 35 minutes on one consolidation simulation in Testlet 3 ends up rushing the last 2 simulations in Testlet 5, when in fact those last 2 are weighted equally.

Note

The CPA exam allows you to mark items and return to them. Use it. If a simulation cell is fighting you after 4-5 minutes of work, mark it and move on. Coming back fresh after solving the rest of the simulation often unlocks the stuck cell.

How to Practice TBS

Most candidates run out of MCQs to drill before they run out of useful study time. The mistake is to keep drilling MCQs in the final two weeks. The better use of that time is timed simulation practice.

Phase 1: Master the topics via MCQs

In the first 6-8 weeks of FAR study, drill MCQs by topic. Build accuracy on consolidation, leases, deferred taxes, governmental accounting, and not-for-profit reporting. If you cannot solve an MCQ on the underlying topic, you will not solve the TBS.

Phase 2: Run individual simulations untimed

In the next 2-3 weeks, work through TBS one at a time without the clock. Read the stem carefully, work through the supporting documents, and produce your answer. Then compare your work to the solution. The goal here is to internalize the format and the kinds of questions AICPA asks.

Phase 3: Timed simulation drills

In the final 3-4 weeks, run simulations against an 18-20 minute timer. Commit and move on. Practice the discipline of rough-checking your work at the end rather than perfect-checking each cell as you go.

Phase 4: Full mock exams

In the final 1-2 weeks, run at least 2 full 4-hour mocks under realistic conditions. The mental endurance of a 4-hour exam with 7 simulations is something you cannot build any other way.

Free vs. Paid TBS Practice Resources

AICPA's Free Sample Tutorial

AICPA publishes a free CPA exam sample tutorial that includes a small number of practice TBS. Use it. It demonstrates the actual exam interface — the way supporting documents are tabbed, the spreadsheet input mechanics, the research function — and is the closest thing to the real exam in interface fidelity. Find it at aicpa-cima.com under CPA exam preparation.

Becker, Surgent, Wiley

The major paid CPA prep providers (Becker, Surgent, Wiley) include extensive TBS banks in their packages. Becker and Surgent have the most polished simulation engines among paid providers. Pricing typically runs $1,500-$3,500 for a full FAR package.

FreeFellow

FreeFellow is the platform I built. Disclosure: I am the founder, Jeffrey Ting, FSA, CFA, and the post is self-interested.

What we offer for free on CPA FAR:

  • 1,181 multiple-choice questions across all 3 FAR topic areas, with detailed step-by-step solutions
  • 35 written lessons covering the FAR curriculum at AICPA Blueprint LO granularity
  • Mixed practice and readiness tracking
  • Glossary of FAR-specific terms

What Fellow ($59/quarter or $149/year per track) adds for CPA FAR specifically:

  • Task-based simulation practice with cell-fill grading that mirrors the AICPA exam format. Supporting documents are presented as tabs, you enter numerical or text values into a grid, and the engine grades each cell against a model answer with tolerance bands. The first FAR simulation is a business-combination consolidation with goodwill computation; we are extending the bank week-over-week.
  • Document-review and research item types are scoped for follow-on phases. Cell-fill is what shipped first because it is the highest-frequency item type on FAR and the format most candidates underpractice.
  • Timed mock exams weighted to match the AICPA FAR blueprint
  • SM-2 spaced-repetition flashcards for high-yield FAR concepts
  • Performance analytics and a personalized study plan keyed to your exam date

Honest assessment: FreeFellow's TBS engine is newer and the simulation library is smaller than Becker's. If you want the deepest TBS bank in the market, buy Becker. If you want a TBS practice tool that runs about one-tenth the cost of Becker on a real, AICPA-format-faithful engine, FreeFellow Fellow is built for that use case.

What Actually Predicts a TBS-Friendly FAR Score

From watching candidates over multiple sittings, the candidates who score well on TBS share three habits:

  1. They practice TBS under timed conditions, not just untimed. Untimed practice builds topic fluency. Timed practice builds the pacing discipline that exam day requires.
  1. They commit and move on rather than over-checking. The candidates who get hung up trying to perfect a single cell run out of time on simulations 5, 6, and 7 — which are equally weighted.
  1. They drill the FASB Codification. Research items are the easiest free points on FAR for candidates who have practiced searching the Codification. They are the hardest points for candidates who have not.

If you want to start TBS practice, FreeFellow's CPA FAR practice page is open with all 1,181 multiple-choice questions and 35 lessons free. The TBS engine is a Fellow feature; pricing is on the pricing page.

The MCQ tier is enough to pass FAR if you have the discipline to use it. The TBS tier is built for candidates who want format-realistic simulation practice without buying a $1,500+ bundle. Pick what you'll actually use.