August 2022

TIP #1 - Develop a comfort level. We recommend that you begin studying with your strongest area to get comfortable with the material and the CFE Exam Prep Course. Begin the Prep Course by answering a few questions in the Review Sessions tab to get a feel for the course. Taking the Pre-Assessment is also beneficial to see where you stand with the material. The course will automatically track your selections and help you determine your strong and weak subject areas. Remember to always study at your own pace.

TIP #2 - Don’t overthink. The most common mistake people make when taking the Prep Course 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 answer choices on a question, you are spending too much time on it. Look for the main idea and ask yourself, “What concept is being tested here?” I can assure you that each question was written to test a specific fact or concept. 

TIP #3 - Mark questions. If you are having difficulty with a question in the Prep Course, mark the question for review. This will allow you to go back and review any marked questions in that section.

ACFE President and CEO Bruce Dorris, J.D., CFE, CPA, offers advice on how to handle questions in the Prep Course that might be challenging to you.

TIP #4 - Don’t get overwhelmed. Don't let difficult questions raise your anxiety or take away from your valuable study time. Move on and find success with other questions.