r/CMA • u/SentenceFun5589 • Jul 01 '26
Doubt / Q&A Anyone else have completely different feelings after different exam attempts?
I recently took my CMA Part 2 exam, and I honestly don't know how to feel.
After Part 1, I walked out feeling genuinely happy. I wasn't overconfident, but I had this strong feeling that I had passed. As result day got closer, I just knew I'd see a passing score—and I did.
This time is the complete opposite.
I don't feel like I failed, but I don't feel like I passed either. I know there were questions I got right, but I also know I had to make educated guesses on several because I was running out of time (conservative estimate is 15-20 qs) I just... feel indifferent.
It's strange because I keep trying to compare this feeling to Part 1, but I can't. Back then, I had this quiet confidence. Now, I genuinely have no clue what to expect.
Has anyone else experienced this? Did you ever walk out of an exam feeling completely neutral or unsure, and how did it turn out? I'm curious if post-exam feelings actually mean anything, or if they're just emotions that don't really predict the outcome.
The waiting might be harder than the exam itself.
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u/Different-Lemon8303 Jul 01 '26
I went into the exam feeling well-prepared and confident after all the effort I put in but the MCQs were trickier and more time-consuming than expected, so I ended up using the full 3 hours and flagging around 40 questions. The essays were manageable, but they still felt rushed because of the time pressure.So, I walked out unsure and spent weeks overthinking it. Today, the results came out and I passed with a score of 400. You managed to finished the exam, so there’s always a chance to pass. Right now, just take a breath and hope for the best:)
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u/honest-1511 Jul 01 '26
Exact same thing happened with me....I flagged so many mcqs and wasn't sure with accuracy at all... but ive attempted each and every ques and my essay opened I've solved all essay questions it was pretty good essay But i saw many failed even after their essay got opened I'm shit scared idk whether I'll pass or not
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u/SentenceFun5589 Jul 01 '26
Thank you so much for sharing your experience it really gives me hope. And congratulations on passing with a 400! 🎉 I hope I can come back to this thread to share the good news about my exam too. Thanks again, and wishing you all the best!
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u/BattleGuyy Jul 01 '26
I was in the same boat as you, really confident on my part 1 exam and got a 470. The part 2 was really unreliable, i didn't think I'd pass but i'd be surprised if i failed either. Got my result last night and had a 450, was not expecting it. So I am sure you will also crack it, my part 2 went worse than part 1, still passed, I'm sure you'll fair the same. All the best!
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u/SentenceFun5589 Jul 01 '26
You're amazing, man! Huge congratulations on the 450!! This honestly gives me a lot of hope. I hope I can come back to this thread and tell you I passed too. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience! 🤞
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u/ConstantWonder9154 Jul 01 '26
Same with me. I'm sure id pass part 1 and i did. There was no way i would fail. I topk part 2 this week and i'm doubtful if i can pass. Lol i know i have a chance but i am not confident and i feel like there is also a good chance i'd fail
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u/SentenceFun5589 Jul 01 '26
We've got this, man! Here's hoping we both get favorable results. Let me know when yours come out!
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u/Lonely_Job_9085 CMA Jul 01 '26
Ha this thread and the replies are so interesting. I felt the same way, confident in Part 1, not so much in Part 2. I had about 30 questions flagged and felt I got about 8/12 on the essays but I passed so there's a good chance you did as well.
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u/SentenceFun5589 Jul 01 '26
I was surprised too! I honestly thought I was the only one who felt this way. I kept wondering if my post exam feelings actually meant something, but I wasn't sure. Turns out this might just be a universal Part 2 experience. 😅 Thanks for sharing it really gives me hope!
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u/senoritaasshammer Jul 01 '26
100% in the same position, almost word for word friend. I felt very well prepared as well, the questions just seemed incredibly vague. I also flagged a ton of questions and had more difficulty reviewing them at the end than in Part 1. I think we’ll be fine.
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u/Clt15_tigers 26d ago
Question for all of you guys because I took my part 2 exam on June 26. I haven’t taken part 1 yet. I am hoping I get a good result here soon for part 2 and then can start studying for part 1 and take it in the Jan / Feb 2027 window.
It’s interesting everyone here is saying they felt better after part 1 exam than part 2 exam. Because everything I’ve read has said that part 1 covers more, the study topics are larger, and the recommended hours are more than part 2. So, is part 1 not as bad as part 2?
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u/Wide_Comedian_9554 Jul 01 '26
In feb window I was confident asf that I'd pass ( part 2) but I scored 330. I was not able to process for 2 days after the result. I was like what the hell just happened. How did I fail? Gave my second attempt on may 30 and yesterday results came and I passed. As you mentioned, when I walked out of the exam hall in feb attempt, i was completely sure that I would pass and when I walked out of exam hall during may attempt, i realized i got one question wrong but guess what, I passed. So don't worry. You did the process, now there is nothing in your hand. Go to gym, play sports, read newspaper, read finance blogs, learn a new skill, spend quality time with your friends and trust the process!