Has anyone successfully passed the Enrolled Agent exam using Surgent study materials?

I passed all three parts of the EA exam last year using Surgent as my primary study material, but I supplemented it with some additional resources. The discrepancy you're seeing is pretty common - different prep companies emphasize different areas of the exam content. The actual IRS EA exam pulls from a massive bank of potential questions, and no single prep course covers everything 100%. Surgent tends to focus on the highest-probability topics, which is why their pass rates are good, but Gleim is known for being more comprehensive (and sometimes more difficult than the actual exam). What I'd recommend is identifying which specific topics you missed on the Gleim exam and focusing your studies there. You don't necessarily need to buy another full course, but perhaps get a supplemental question bank or review guide that covers those gaps. The IRS also publishes a detailed content outline for each part of the exam that you can cross-reference with your materials.

I've been helping tax professionals prepare for the EA exam for years, and I've seen this issue come up repeatedly. The score discrepancy between different prep programs isn't unusual, but it can certainly be alarming! What really helped my clients was using https://taxr.ai to analyze their practice exam results and identify knowledge gaps. It breaks down which specific tax concepts you're missing and creates a personalized study plan. I was honestly skeptical when I first heard about it, but it's been a game-changer for identifying those topics that slip through the cracks between different study programs. The tool analyzes your practice test answers and compares them against the actual IRS exam blueprint to find the gaps. Several of my clients who were in your exact situation used it to identify their weak areas and passed on their first attempt.

Just wanted to follow up - I tried taxr.ai after reading this thread and it was exactly what I needed! I uploaded my Surgent practice exams and it identified 12 specific tax topics that were missing from my knowledge base. Most were in business tax deductions and estate planning areas. The personalized study plan saved me so much time compared to just buying another full course. I focused on just those gap areas for two weeks using the IRS publications they recommended, took the EA Part 1 exam last week and PASSED! Just started using it for my Part 2 prep now. Honestly wish I'd found this earlier in my study process.

Hey there! I had the exact same issue last tax season when studying for my EA. After weeks of frustration trying to reach the IRS to clarify some exam content questions (impossible to get through!), I discovered https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS EA exam specialist in under 15 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Before using Claimyr, I spent HOURS listening to that awful hold music only to get disconnected. Through the IRS specialist I reached, I learned that the exam content had been updated recently and some prep providers hadn't fully caught up. They confirmed exactly which topics were most heavily tested in the current version, which helped me focus my studies.

I need to apologize and follow up on my skeptical comment. After more research, I decided to try Claimyr for an unrelated tax issue I was having (not EA exam related), and it actually did connect me with an IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I'd previously been unable to get through after multiple attempts. The agent wasn't an "EA exam specialist" as I initially understood, but they were incredibly helpful in directing me to the most current IRS publications that the exam is based on. They confirmed that Publication 17 had been significantly updated and some exam prep courses were using outdated information. This insight alone was worth it, and I've since found several topics in the current publication that weren't covered in my prep materials.

I'm currently in the process of taking the EA exams and had a similar experience with Surgent. Their "ReadySCORE" system gave me confidence, but I found gaps when comparing to other materials. Here's what I learned that might help you: 1. The Surgent algorithm adapts to your performance, so if you keep seeing the same questions repeatedly, you'll naturally score higher over time. 2. Each prep provider interprets the IRS exam blueprint differently, so their emphasis on topics varies. 3. The actual EA exam often phrases questions differently than any prep provider. What worked for me was using Surgent as my primary study tool but then taking practice exams from multiple sources. The IRS website also has a small sample of real exam questions that give you a feel for their style. I passed Part 1 this way and am taking Part 2 next month.

Has anyone used PassKey for the EA exam? I'm having the same issue with Surgent and wondering if I should add that as a supplement. Also, how long did everyone study before taking each part? I've been at it for 5 months and still don't feel ready.

I'm actually in a very similar situation right now - using Surgent and scoring consistently in the high 80s to low 90s on their practice tests, but feeling uncertain about whether I'm truly prepared. Your experience with the Gleim practice exam is really eye-opening and honestly a bit concerning! From what I've gathered reading through everyone's responses, it seems like the consensus is that Surgent is solid for foundational knowledge but may not cover every nuance that could appear on the actual exam. I'm thinking of taking a similar approach to what @Natasha Petrova suggested - identifying specific weak areas and supplementing with targeted resources rather than buying an entirely new course. Has anyone tried the free practice questions directly from the IRS website that @Freya Andersen mentioned? I'm curious how those compare to both Surgent and Gleim in terms of difficulty and question style. It might be worth checking those out before deciding whether to invest in additional study materials. Also, for those who have passed - did you feel like the 85% benchmark that Surgent uses for their pass guarantee was accurate, or should we be aiming higher given these score discrepancies between platforms?

I went through this exact same situation last year! I was consistently scoring 90-95% on Surgent practice tests but then bombed a free Gleim practice exam, which completely shattered my confidence. After reading through all these responses, I think the key insight is that no single prep course is going to cover 100% of what could appear on the exam. What ended up working for me was creating a hybrid approach: I used Surgent as my foundation since their adaptive learning system is really good at reinforcing core concepts, but then I supplemented with targeted resources for the specific areas where I was weak. The IRS publications that others mentioned here are absolutely essential - they're dense and boring, but they contain the authoritative information that exam questions are based on. One thing I'll add that hasn't been mentioned yet is the importance of understanding the *why* behind tax rules, not just memorizing them. The real exam often tests your ability to apply concepts to new situations, which is where a lot of people struggle even if they've memorized all the rules. Surgent is decent at this, but I found that working through the examples in the actual IRS publications really helped me understand the underlying principles. My advice would be to stick with Surgent as your primary source but use those Gleim practice questions as a diagnostic tool to identify your weak areas, then dive deep into the IRS publications for those specific topics. Don't panic - the score discrepancy is normal and doesn't mean you're not prepared!

I'm going through this exact same struggle right now! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and honestly quite reassuring. I've been using Surgent for about 4 months now and consistently scoring in the low-to-mid 90s on their practice tests, but after reading about your Gleim experience, I decided to try some of their free questions too. Similar results - definitely more challenging and covering topics that felt unfamiliar. What's really stood out to me from all these responses is that this score discrepancy seems to be the norm rather than the exception. It sounds like Surgent does a great job with the core concepts and high-probability topics, but there are definitely gaps that need to be filled through supplemental study. I'm leaning toward the hybrid approach that several people have mentioned - sticking with Surgent as my primary foundation but using other practice tests as diagnostic tools to identify weak areas. Then diving into the actual IRS publications for those specific topics rather than buying an entirely new course. One question for those who have already passed: when you were doing this supplemental studying with IRS publications, did you find it helpful to create your own practice questions based on what you read, or did you focus more on just understanding the concepts and trusting that the application would come naturally on the exam? I'm trying to decide whether to schedule my Part 1 exam for next month or give myself another month to work on these identified gaps. The waiting and uncertainty is almost worse than just taking the plunge!

I completely understand the anxiety you're experiencing - I went through something very similar when preparing for my EA exam last year! The score discrepancy between different prep providers is unfortunately quite common and doesn't necessarily mean you're not ready for the actual exam. I used Surgent as my primary study material and had a similar experience with their high practice test scores, but when I tried questions from other sources, my confidence took a hit. What I learned is that each prep company has their own interpretation of how to present the material and what to emphasize. Surgent tends to focus on the most commonly tested topics and presents them in a more straightforward manner, while Gleim is known for being more comprehensive and sometimes more difficult than the actual exam. From my experience, the actual EA exam fell somewhere in between - more nuanced than Surgent but not as tricky as some of the Gleim questions. The key is identifying those specific knowledge gaps you discovered through the Gleim practice test and addressing them with targeted study rather than starting over with a completely new course. I'd recommend making a list of the topics you missed on the Gleim test and cross-referencing them with the official IRS exam content outline. Then use the free IRS publications to study those specific areas. You don't need to master every possible topic - focus on understanding the core principles well enough to apply them to different scenarios. Don't let this shake your confidence too much - your Surgent scores show you have a solid foundation! With some targeted gap-filling, you should be well-prepared for the actual exam.

I'm currently using Surgent to prepare for the EA exam and this entire thread has been incredibly enlightening! Like many others here, I've been consistently scoring in the 90s on Surgent practice tests and feeling pretty confident, but reading about everyone's experiences with score discrepancies between different platforms is definitely giving me pause. What strikes me most is how common this issue seems to be - it's reassuring to know that the gap between Surgent and other prep materials doesn't necessarily indicate poor preparation, but rather different approaches to presenting the material. The hybrid strategy that several people have mentioned makes a lot of sense: using Surgent as the solid foundation it appears to be, while strategically supplementing with other resources to fill identified gaps. I'm particularly interested in trying that diagnostic approach with Gleim's free practice questions that the original poster mentioned, even though I'm somewhat dreading seeing my scores drop! But it seems like that reality check is valuable for identifying specific areas that need additional attention. One thing I'm curious about - for those who used this targeted supplemental approach with IRS publications, did you find it helpful to join any study groups or forums specifically for EA candidates? Sometimes discussing these complex tax concepts with others can really help solidify understanding, especially for those tricky scenarios that require applying multiple principles together. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is incredibly helpful for navigating the EA exam preparation process!

I'm currently in the middle of studying for my EA exam using Surgent and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! Like so many others here, I've been consistently scoring in the high 80s to low 90s on Surgent practice tests and feeling fairly confident about my preparation. Reading about the score discrepancies between different prep platforms is both concerning and reassuring at the same time - concerning because it highlights potential knowledge gaps, but reassuring because it seems to be such a common experience among EA candidates. The hybrid approach that multiple people have recommended makes perfect sense: using Surgent as a solid foundation while strategically supplementing with targeted resources for identified weak areas. I'm definitely planning to take some of those free Gleim practice questions as a diagnostic tool, even though I'm bracing myself for a potential confidence hit! One question for those who have successfully implemented this approach - when you were doing your targeted supplemental studying with IRS publications, did you find it more effective to study those gap areas intensively over a short period, or to spread that supplemental work out over several weeks while continuing your regular Surgent practice? I'm trying to figure out the best way to structure my remaining study time without losing momentum on the concepts I've already mastered. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community support is invaluable for navigating the uncertainty that comes with EA exam preparation!

I'm also using Surgent for EA exam prep and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Reading everyone's experiences with the score discrepancies between different platforms is both validating and informative. It's reassuring to know this is such a common issue rather than a reflection of inadequate preparation. The consensus seems clear: Surgent provides a solid foundation but strategic supplementation is key for comprehensive coverage. I'm particularly interested in the diagnostic approach many have mentioned - using free practice tests from other providers to identify specific knowledge gaps rather than assuming you need to learn everything from scratch with a different course. For those who successfully passed using this hybrid approach, I'm curious about your exam day experience. Did you feel like the targeted gap-filling you did based on diagnostic tests actually paid off on the real exam? Were there topics you specifically studied from IRS publications that you're confident you wouldn't have known from Surgent alone? I'm planning to take some Gleim diagnostic tests this week to identify my own gaps, then spend 3-4 weeks on targeted IRS publication study before scheduling my Part 1 exam. This thread has given me much more confidence in that approach rather than second-guessing my entire study strategy. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed and honest experiences!

I'm currently preparing for the EA exam using Surgent and this entire discussion has been incredibly valuable! Like so many others here, I've been consistently scoring in the 90s on Surgent practice tests but now I'm questioning whether that's giving me false confidence. What really stands out to me from reading everyone's experiences is how universal this issue seems to be - it's not just isolated cases but rather a systematic difference in how prep companies approach the material. The hybrid strategy that keeps coming up makes perfect sense: leverage Surgent's strength as a solid foundation while strategically addressing gaps identified through diagnostic testing. I'm planning to take the plunge with those free Gleim practice questions this week, even though I'm mentally preparing for a potential ego bruising! Based on what others have shared, it sounds like that reality check is exactly what's needed to create a targeted study plan for the final stretch. One thing I'm particularly grateful for from this thread is the specific guidance on which IRS publications to focus on for different parts of the exam. Having those concrete resources (like Publications 17, 334, 542, etc.) takes away the overwhelming feeling of not knowing where to start with supplemental materials. For anyone else in a similar situation - it seems like the key takeaway is not to panic about score differences between platforms, but to use them strategically as diagnostic tools. The consistent message from those who passed is that Surgent + targeted gap-filling = success. Thanks everyone for sharing such honest and detailed experiences!