Customer Reviews

Master the Treasury Enforcement Agent Exam, 11th edition (Master the Treasury Enforcement Agent Exam)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This brand new edition by MORGAN has the same two practice exams as the 2000 ARCO's Special Agent Deputy U.S. Marshal by Eve STEINBERG (10th edition) Do not be fooled by the 2006 "new" edition, different "author" or title. Were it not for the preview pages of the table of contents, one would have been fooled in thinking that there are THREE practice tests, when in fact there are only two full OLD practice tests from 2000. Its so-called third practice test is not another TEA practice test, but a descriptive self-inventory, which was already included in the Steinberg 10th edition. If you are thinking of buying this to get new practice tests, don't waste your money. A rearrangement of questions, and elimination of some information does not justify this edition under a new name and author. Don't waste your money.

This has all the same sample questions and practice exam questions as the 10th edition. However, it did clean up many of the 10th edtion's editing mistakes, though some mistakes are still present. There are also a few incorrect problems in there as well, so watch out. Overall, this book is poorly edited, but it is the only thing I have found to use for studying purposes. If you already have the 10th edition, don't waste your money on this garbage. Check the library or in-store model first, don't buy unless you absolutely have to.

I've thoroughly read the ARCO 10th edition, TEA study guide, and it has the exact same questions for all three parts of the study guide as this recent 11th edition release. This new study guide has simply just placed the questions into a different format. i.e. The diagnostic arithmatic test section (11th edition) just simply combines all of the questions from the various math skill sections from the 10th edition guide. I noticed not a single new question for the verbal reasoning and investigative sections either. The 10th edition even gives you good info on the Treasury training school in Maryland that the 11th doesn't. Maybe the actual TEA hasn't changed since the 10th edition release. If you liked the 10th edition, why spend your money on this new guide?

I just took the TEA this morning and can say that the actual test was much different in two of three sections. First, the verbal paragraphs are much shorter on the actual exam and ask different questions about the paragraph than just the standard "the paragraph most likely supports the statement that..." You also have to know what the paragraph does not stand for as well. I actually thought the verbal in this book was more advanced than the test I took. The problems for investigation sections in this book are spot on. I felt 100% prepared for that section and feel as though I did well. The main problem with this book...and this is a HUGE problem, is that the actual math section on my TEA exam had maybe 25% of what this book presented as being on the exam. There were NO tax, proportion, wage/commission questions, distance, or equation questions. The ratio question I had was 20x harder that any example in the book. The practice exams in this book are very misleading as to the type of math you can expect, as well as the difficulty. I felt as though there were new concepts presented on the actual test (i.e. cubic centimeter area questions and a complicated km/hour as opposed to mph question). I literally guessed on most of the questions after having spent 8 weeks reviewing the math in this book. Instead of leaving the test feeling excited, I, as well as the other people in there with me, felt very unprepared for the math section once we talked afterward. This book is fine for the verbal and investigative questions, but buyer beware: the math can be misleading. One last gripe about this book is that my TEA did not have a self-evaluation section on it. This book says that the 3rd practice test (also very misleading as it isn't actually the same as the previous two tests in there) is a self inventory. I am wondering why this is in a 2006 book since it is no longer on the actual TEA? (Maybe my exam was different?) This part of the book was a total waste of time. If not for the misleading math and self inventory sections in this book, I might have given it 4 stars, but I think two is well warranted in light of my personal experience.

If you can do all of the practice test in the time allotted, you will do fine. The questions in the book are very similar in format of the test questions. Pay attention to the math questions and how to quickly identify the formula and algebraic structure for selected word problems, it saves a lot of time. This book was well worth the money, I scored very well on the test and I have not done this kind of math in a while.

Good Luck!

I purchased the book just to study for the Treasury Agent exam. I did not read its information on applying for a job. The Verbal Reasoning section is okay although it is much easier than the actual exam. To its credit, the book says that the actual exam is much harder. There really are no tricks. I would have preferred more in depth reasons as to why an answer was correct or incorrect. That is explain answer by answer why it is right or wrong. Just practice the problems and practice pacing. The arthimatic reasoning was fairly close to the book also. This section is fairly straight forward. This is the one section that it is hard to wing, especially if you have not done algebra in a while. If there is one thing that is a take away, is master algebraic equations. The investigative section is also fairly acurate. But once again I would have preferred a step by step reasoning as to why each answer was right or wrong. Sometimes the book just assumes an aswer is so obvious that no explanation is needed. That is great if you got that answer. Lastly, the person inventory section is nothing like the book. There is nothing to work study for, but that section is also timed, and pacing is also important.

The ARCO booklet is the best help booklet I found. That's not to say it's perfect, it's just the best I found. I recommend studying like crazy as soon as find out you'll be taking the test. The test is seriously no joke. I took it and passed, but not by much. Best wishes to all.

The book is basically alot of sample questions. It's in three sections: arithmetic reasoning, verbal reasoning, and investigative reasoning. I purchased this book for the IRS Criminal Investigation Tea Exam and beginning this year they do not test the arithmetic reasoning anymore. The verbal reasoning questions were much much easier than the real thing. The book is cheap so I would recommend purchasing it just to get an idea of what kind of questions they ask, but overall I found the questions to be too easy to what the exam asked.

Im a college educated law enforcement officer, I was always a decent but far from spectacular student, these study guides are totally uncessesary. I never looked at a single study guide or studied at all period. I havent taken a math class in about 10 years. I took the TEA exam and passed it. The math is the hardest part and the study guide wont help you much for that. dont waste your money on these study guides. If you are a decent critical thinker you will do fine on the test.

I'm not certain why others gave the book a bad review. Unlike some others, I've actually used the 12th edition of this book in preparation for the test.

Strengths: Verbal/logical reasoning & Problems for Investigation
As it turns out the V/L reasoning in the book was more difficult than the actual exam. Careful, it might use the word "NOT" in the question. Unfortunately, while the Investigation does a decent job of preparing you, the actual exam has some very tricky questions. After the actual exam, others expressed frustration over the Investigation section.

Need Improvement: Math
Many people complain that the math was more difficult than expected. This books does an OK job with the math. I prepared using GRE flash cards and seeked out some pre-calculus equations to speed up my ability to solve the equation so I was a little over prepared(complex Distance equation, find surface area of cube, etc). However, I should have also studied % interest problems and multiple % interest. Plus, "identify the correct equation" rather than find the answer. Also, it is good to study some advanced algebra for determining area (no quadratic equations, angles or etc.)

Useless: Don't waste your time on the self-description inventory. It doesn't exist.
Also, the first several chapters are a waste of space. If you are competent enough for the test, you should be competent enough to get this information elsewhere with some more reliable and useful information. If you are new to the field, it gives you some information.