Appearing for an exam and failing at it can be frustrating, to say the least even more, when you have spent a considerable amount of time preparing for the same. The reason for failure is something that puzzles most candidates. If you have failed the EA exam, there is nothing to worry about. You had a strong reason to attempt the exam in the first place, the same will help you get through it again. Here is all that you need to know if you have failed your Enrolled Agent exam.
Special Enrollment Exam
The Special Enrollment Exam or SEE is otherwise known as the EA exam. A candidate gets to know the result of the exam on the completion of a part of the exam. Once you get the results, you can plan the next steps.
A lot of professional examinations have restrictions when it comes to retaking a failed exam. However, you can retake your SEE within 24 hours of the previous result. This ensures that you do not have a major setback as far as your timelines for getting EA credentials are concerned.
The SEE has three parts that a candidate must pass to get the full credentials. This is also where the silver lining lies. If you pass any one part of the SEE, you receive a credit for the same and it lasts for two years. This essentially gives you two years to pass the failed paper. But there is a limit on the number of times that you can retake the exam.
Handling EA Exam Failure
If you have failed a part of your EA exam, there are two simple options that you must choose from. Firstly, you can either retake the exam or choose to halt the progress of EA altogether. Choosing to halt the progress of your EA exam might be a tad bit extreme, given that there are a number of things that you have going on for yourself. Things such as:
- Approval to take and retake the EA exam.
- Exam fees that you have paid.
- EA review course (if you have opted for it).
- Enhanced knowledge of taxes.
The possibility of getting the benefits of being an EA.
Make the Most of your EA Review
Your current study materials are enough to get you through the EA exam. However, you might want to change a few things to make the most of your EA review.
- Change of Style
Each candidate has a different style of studying. You need to figure out which style of studying suits you. While some candidates prefer reading, others find watching videos to be more effective. You can look for a course that offers a more integrated learning experience.
- Tougher Questions
A lot of the question banks out there are a bit too easy. Thus, you are prepared for simple questions and the actual exam questions can shake you up. It is recommended that you look for certain tougher question banks and prepare yourself accordingly.
- Better Time Management
A few candidates fail to answer all the questions on time and that could also lead to them failing the exam. To overcome such issues, it is recommended that you take a few practice exams and treat them like the actual exams. This will help you manage your time in a much better way.
Failing your EA exam is a small setback. If you look at the larger picture of all the benefits of being an EA, you must come back stronger, retake your EA exam with a slight modification to your preparation style.