Said It Here

How do I stop stressing about the CFE accounting exam?

Anxiety during professional accounting exams like the CFE stems from the intense pressure of multiple test days and uncertainty over how much depth is required in answers. This constant worry over exam performance leaves candidates feeling overwhelmed by preparation gaps and fearful of falling short on critical sections.

Overview
People affected31 accounts across 4 forums
Workarounds found45 items attempted
Community agreement155 total upvotes

What the numbers show

Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count

  • The most recent one is from October 2026.
  • This comes up 19.6× more often in r/Accounting than across the site as a whole.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

45 items+ Contribute

Found another way around this?

Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.

  1. 1
    Studying for weeks ahead of time
    Did this help you?
  2. 2
    Ranting and seeking comfort from peers on forums
    Did this help you?
  3. 3
    taking mock exams
    Did this help you?
  4. 4
    googling for practice questions
    Did this help you?
  5. 5
    Taking practice tests to gauge readiness
    Did this help you?
  6. 6
    Slow down and read questions multiple times
    Did this help you?
  7. 7
    Focusing on major concepts and strategic angles instead of memorizing every detail
    Did this help you?
  8. 8
    Switching to alternative paid study bundles like Focus on Force
    Did this help you?
  9. 9
    Skipping ahead to different topics and coming back later when stuck
    Did this help you?
  10. 10
    Trying shorter guides or alternate learning pathways
    Did this help you?
  11. 11
    Trying to focus on the future or remaining days of the exam
    Did this help you?
  12. 12
    Giving your mind peace and waiting until the results are officially released in a few months
    Did this help you?
  13. 13
    Logging off social media and forums like Reddit
    Did this help you?
  14. 14
    Resting the brain, exercising, and focusing on upcoming exam days instead of dwelling on past answers
    Did this help you?
  15. 15
    Writing general reasoning or copying allowances from reference schedules to make an attempt at the exam questions
    Did this help you?
  16. 16
    Comparing performance and responses with other test-takers
    Did this help you?
  17. 17
    Relying on the grading curve and past practice cases to gauge scores
    Did this help you?
  18. 18
    Attempting to address all assessment opportunities to hedge against grading ambiguity
    Did this help you?
  19. 19
    trying to forget about the exam and wait for results
    Did this help you?
  20. 20
    picking up a new hobby or throwing oneself into work
    Did this help you?
  21. 21
    working out and focusing energy elsewhere
    Did this help you?
  22. 22
    comparing performance details and grading rules with other test-takers online
    Did this help you?
  23. 23
    guessing or estimating the number of required RCs and Cs needed to pass
    Did this help you?
  24. 24
    relying on luck regarding tested topics
    Did this help you?
  25. 25
    studying core competencies despite time constraints
    Did this help you?
  26. 26
    Redoing weekly quizzes
    Did this help you?
  27. 27
    Using process of elimination on multiple choice questions
    Did this help you?
  28. 28
    Navigating the accounting handbook during the exam for word-based questions
    Did this help you?
  29. 29
    Focusing extra study time on commonly tested starred chapters
    Did this help you?
  30. 30
    Rapid-firing question banks until exam day
    Did this help you?
  31. 31
    Stopping studying for the day to avoid burnout
    Did this help you?
  32. 32
    Switching to doing practice questions (PBQs) instead of reading forums
    Did this help you?
  33. 33
    Reminding oneself that forums only showcase people who struggled, not those who passed comfortably
    Did this help you?
  34. 34
    comparing answers with peers online
    Did this help you?
  35. 35
    feeding exam prompts into artificial intelligence tools
    Did this help you?
  36. 36
    reviewing past marking guides
    Did this help you?
  37. 37
    Enrolling in a 12-week university or SHRM prep course that includes the SHRM learning system
    Did this help you?
  38. 38
    Watching competency and functional area lecture videos
    Did this help you?
  39. 39
    Doing practice quizzes
    Did this help you?
  40. 40
    Pushing test dates back repeatedly
    Did this help you?
  41. 41
    Trying to ignore other people's study advice and pacing to go at one's own pace
    Did this help you?
  42. 42
    Breaking study down into small, manageable baby steps
    Did this help you?
  43. 43
    Prompting AI to explain confusing concepts in plain English or generate realistic workplace examples.
    Did this help you?
  44. 44
    Using mock exams and practice apps to identify weak areas and get comfortable with question formats.
    Did this help you?
  45. 45
    Reminding oneself to answer based strictly on the provided information rather than inventing hypothetical circumstances.
    Did this help you?
Tried another approach not listed above?+ Share your workaround ↑

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.

r/humanresources3 people · September 2026 – October 2026

“My scores didn’t steadily increase, which honestly made me question whether I was ready. I truly felt like I didn’t get any better or maybe even was getting dumber.”source ↗

“I have a tendency to skim questions and rush, and my practice scores probably would have been higher if I had taken my time or not done them while doing other tasks.”source ↗

loyal-armadillo · r/humanresources · 36 upvotes

“Whenever I struggled with a concept or found the textbook explanation confusing, I’d ask AI to explain it differently, compare similar concepts, or create realistic workplace examples.”source ↗

“I found that I could often eliminate two answer choices fairly quickly. But then I’d get stuck between the remaining two and start thinking through every possible exception or hypothetical scenario.”source ↗

Huge-Abroad1323 · r/humanresources · 20 upvotes

“I’m nervous, I’m a bad test taker”source ↗

“I’ve been doing the practice quizzes and getting a lot of questions wrong.”source ↗

“I find myself zoning out and not really retaining anything she’s saying/ wondering how this lecturing is going to help me with the exam.”source ↗

GlitteringUse6578 · r/humanresources · 2 upvotes
r/Accounting26 people · September 2026 – October 2026

“Worst thing you can possibly do to yourself right now is come online and ask/read how other people felt. It can destroy your confidence for the next 2 days.”source ↗

Conclusion013 · r/Accounting · 22 upvotes

“Tax is a whole different beast. Im concerned about pulling off 2 cases in one sitting.”source ↗

“I've worked long hours before obviously but thats a real test of endurance.”source ↗

“No one has time to cover everything so its really up to the gods if the areas tested play to your personal strengths or weaknesses.”source ↗

KanyeYorke · r/Accounting · 19 upvotes

“Writing day 2 in tax - On one hand I just want to get this done. On the other hand, I’m really nervous especially for day 2 MA”source ↗

nucksguy · r/Accounting · 6 upvotes

“Is it normal to not feel confident after writing? I tried my best to answer every AO on day 2 and 3 I had to cut myself short a few times because I realized I was running out of time.”source ↗

Lakha558 · r/Accounting · 6 upvotes

“Can I still pass if I missed a section as big as strategic issue 1, but completed everything else?”source ↗

piyush0897 · r/Accounting · 5 upvotes

“I would if I could my guy 😭 I’m not emotionally mature enough to stop obsessing over it just yet, I spent years of my life preparing for this!!”source ↗

Dependent-Cell-8596 · r/Accounting · 5 upvotes

“I am just worried about level 4 MA breadth cause I skipped one MA AO on day 2, barley answered the KPI AO so most likely an NC for that one”source ↗

“But I'm just worried that if the CRM AO is MA then I will have 2 NA and 1 NC for MA so might affect my level 4.”source ↗

“Anyone have any advice?”source ↗

Shinchi_Kudo7 · r/Accounting · 4 upvotes

“Does having that feeling result in a good chance that I will pass? Or is that not a positive sign?”source ↗

highxrise · r/Accounting · 4 upvotes

“I am worried that I did not get enough depth on my role.”source ↗

Strange-Station-8656 · r/Accounting · 3 upvotes

“Just trying to figure out that there were only 3 main tax AOs for day 3 and nothing on Day 2. I didn’t know much about them as these were not anything like we had on Capstone 2. I tried to write something and make it work - just wondering if I would have a passing chance at Tax Breadth”source ↗

SovereignMonolith · r/Accounting · 3 upvotes

“Same feeling, mine is tax. But for MA, I really do not know what I did; I just tried to make an attempt. Now I am scared of FR depth.”source ↗

superdaddy369 · r/Accounting · 3 upvotes

“Worried about Level 4 breadth for MA. Skipped one AO on day 2 and completely forgot to address another one on day 3.”source ↗

Shinchi_Kudo7 · r/Accounting · 3 upvotes

“Did anyone else make the mistake of reading old Reddit posts on core 1 and is now stressing.”source ↗

“I felt good about it this morning and suddenly I don’t.”source ↗

Affectionate_One5817 · r/Accounting · 3 upvotes

“I'm worried about everything Day 1, 2, 3!”source ↗

Emotional_Koala1986 · r/Accounting · 2 upvotes

“Give your mind peace. It's done, and whatever speculation you may have or anyone says, wouldn't matter until the results are out.”source ↗

boipinoi604 · r/Accounting · 2 upvotes

“that post exam doom scroll is a trap every single time”source ↗

CautiousManifesto · r/Accounting · 2 upvotes

“I’m scared I didnt get depth in my role on day 2, also missed two MA AOs on day 2.”source ↗

Maleficent-Tie-4735 · r/Accounting · 2 upvotes

“im confused because i keep thinking i’ll pass since i didnt skip anything but i also didnt skip anything last year and still failed 🤣 so idk anymore”source ↗

shortribss · r/Accounting · 2 upvotes

“I'm concerned I havent reached depth in my assurance role, I was wondering what my odds would be based on what I answered for each of the Assurance AO's.”source ↗

“I'm pretty worried, anyone know what the marker guide would potentially say for each of these AO's based on past cases?”source ↗

hockeypro273 · r/Accounting · 2 upvotes

“I haven't studied in like 2 weeks because I just couldn't bring myself to go on anymore.”source ↗

“I get anxious just thinking about opening my notebook or Becker.”source ↗

“as more time goes on, the more discouraged I get. I won’t give up, but it’s hard and I feel so behind.”source ↗

FewAndFARBetween26 · r/Accounting · 2 upvotes

“It’s so discouraging reading people’s experiences honestly. It’s not motivation for me. It just makes me feel like shit that my brain doesn’t work how all these other people’s seem to.”source ↗

SweetDee3824 · r/Accounting · 2 upvotes

“I’m most worried about depth on Day 2. One thing I struggled with while studying is how far to go into answers, and often it wasn’t enough.”source ↗

topchedz_- · r/Accounting · 1 upvotes

“i tried to calculate corporate tax one and calculated adjusted taxable operating and investment income - just didn’t calculate final tax liabilities by applying rate”source ↗

“for automobile one - i copied those allowances in cents from schedule and pasted and for contractors vs employees one didn’t know exact criteria but wrote general reasoning that how an employee can be distinguished from contractor by looking at different facts”source ↗

SovereignMonolith · r/Accounting · 1 upvotes

“BUT my concern is that on the audit plan memo I missed the approach part so that is locally nc you guys think? and i did only 2 procedures for the FR issues, would that be nc or hopefully rc? Im just worried about breadth for assurance do I have hope ?”source ↗

“Thanks! Do u think if I missed approach it’ll be fine?”source ↗

NoExternal3726 · r/Accounting · 1 upvotes

“Yeahh it was less information but I’m just worried cuz I didn’t mention anything they’ll hold me back to NC?”source ↗

NoExternal3726 · r/Accounting · 1 upvotes

“I am quite worried for f/r and assurance.”source ↗

Lakha558 · r/Accounting · 1 upvotes

“I prepared for corporate tax and didnt get it lol”source ↗

11kajd · r/Accounting · 1 upvotes

“I just did the retired case today and I am really worried, I found the mcq a lot harder than the weekly quizzes for some reason. I only got like 29/75 right in under the 3 hour mark, am i cooked? Should i just rapid fire quizzes and question bank till exam day? Idk what to do atp 😭 I also debrief the case and got self assess an NC on the revenue section - did not write enough on my analysis on POC and CC- I am also a very slow typer so even if I know so much more, I am only capable to write as much!!”source ↗

Miss-yap-4094 · r/Accounting · 1 upvotes

“Some days I feel like I got it and others feel like I’m going to fail.”source ↗

creasedscroll · r/Accounting · 1 upvotes

“HOW‘S EVERYONE FEELING?”source ↗

Early_Combination800 · r/Accounting
r/salesforce1 person · September 2026

“I've used Salesforce as an end user and just failed to get through the 75 hour module for Trailhead Admin 101 Guide for years now...I start and get overwhelmed.”source ↗

“For the last few horrible years in my job, due to stress and loss of stamina, after a workday, I'm just done.”source ↗

“I honestly just don't the money or strength to take in person courses but I feel like I'm kidding myself trying on my own.”source ↗

“I just feel...stupid, like I made a mistake even starting Trailhead”source ↗

“Not only do I find "15 minute" modules take longer, there's often a mismatch between instructions and tasks due to developers updating the challenges, and the information is so dense.”source ↗

bbqcornnuts312 · r/salesforce · 2 upvotes
r/sysadmin1 person · September 2026

“I’m familiar with the syllabus, but I wanted to hear from someone who has already taken the exam about what to expect or the type of questions asked.”source ↗

Orsay_ · r/sysadmin · 1 upvotes

“I've followed the entire syllabus for the first exam, but I'd like to hear from someone who's taken it what the typical questions are and the difficulty level.”source ↗

Orsay_ · r/sysadmin

Where this came up

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