I know, I know, clarified standards blah blah blah, July 2013 blah blah blah....
Yet, I can't find anything on the AICPA website that definitively states WHICH AUD CSOs are being tested through May of 2013. Do the CSOs as of January 1, 2013 apply to the AUD exam in the first half of this year, or the second? Surely they cannot be the same for both versions of the exam?? I am very frustrated at the lack of info surrounding what seems to be a pretty major change!
Becker says we can use 2012 materials to study for audit through this May, which leads me to believe that the CSOs which became effective in the middle of 2011 (as none became effective in 2012) would be applicable... This seems counterintuitive to me, as we are accountants and [hopefully] constantly striving to remain abreast of all changes. I would like to add that I cannot for the life of me understand why Becker's website has more information about the change than the AICPA's does.
I have now realized upon asking this that there is a chance that the information to be studied WITHIN the areas/groups/topics changes, but the areas/groups/topics themselves do not...? In this event, I would refer to the CSOs effective January 2013? Someone please help me!
I will (in the next few days!) have the materials to study for both versions of the exam, but want to knock out AUD in May in hopes of taking REG in July or August. I think AUD will be the easiest of the four for me, and REG the hardest (I have not taken any yet), because I am one of those auditors who is literally next to hopeless at understanding tax concepts. Please feel free to share opinions, stories, and/or advice regarding such hopelessness. :)
Also, anyone who has taken audit in 2012/2013, I will be more than graciously accepting any and all recommendations pertaining to studying for this exam!
Good luck to everyone on this journey! I just joined this forum today, and feel welcomed just by reading others' posts/replies. Cheers to a new community of friends to help me survive what I expect will be a pretty torturous 18 months! Thank you in advance! :D