[jeff]

I will be giving away an iPad 3 Thursday to someone in the forum. Here are the details:

Who: 1 Randomly-selected winner.

You don’t have to be a current candidate to enter – Alums are welcome too!

The selection will be recorded through a screencast.

Note – the winner will be double-checked to make sure they don’t have more than one forum account posting in the giveaway thread, so no shenanigans.

What: iPad 3 – $499 model (winner will have the option to pay for any upgrades/features they want added)

Why: iPads are awesome (I have an iPad 2 … hope I win!) 😉

How:

1. “Like” another71 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/another71)

2. In this thread, post a CPA Exam or Accounting Career tip (or both) that you think would benefit a College Senior or recent graduate. If you work for a Big 4 or Regional Accounting Firm, interview tips or anything making the process easier would be great.

That’s it … Good Luck!

***

New Prizes Added!

– 5 Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University Memberships (Online)

– 5 Complete NINJA Audios

– 5 Complete NINJA Notes

– 1 30 Minute Muay Thai training session at Del Mar Beach (CA) in September (you have to get to Del Mar though) 🙂

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[Anonymous]

Study Tip:

Do not fall behind! This sounds like something simple, but it is extemely relevant! Although I have only passed one portion thus FAR (pun intended), I found that I was not rushing to cover topics towards the end of my final preperation. Even though FAR has the most material, I still was not surpirsed by anything I saw on the exam because I was consistant in my preperation. I started studying about seven weeks prior to the exam, and had a outline for what I wanted to get done each week (two Becker sections, X amount of MCQ's, etc.). This helped me gauge my progress with how well I understood everything. If I was falling behind that week, I knew I needed to spend more time in that section during my final review. Staying on course with your exam preperation is vital, and you'll just how important it is on exam day!

[I Will Pass]

Exam Tip – Don't give up. Stay focused. Don't let your non-accountant friends pressure you to go out when you should be studying

Career Tip- Internships. I learned so much in the 3 internships I was lucky enough to have while in school. They will make a difference when it comes to applying for full time jobs.

F 75
A 76
B 79
R 63, 74, 81!!

DONE!

[Anonymous]

Reg Exam-

Learn Wash Sale!! I don't mean just know the theory but find a practice testlet about it, and repeat every couple of weeks until you have it by heart.

I completely did a Wash Sale practice testlet, but I remember doing it about 3 weeks before the test, and when I got into the test I had a number of things come up that if I had repeated that practice testlet a few times I know I could have had an easier time! (I don't think that steps over any bounds of not talking what's on test!)

[Anonymous]

Don't kill yourself studying. You need to live your life, too. This will keep you in a great frame of mind to be able to absorb all of the information. Spend time with your family and friends during study breaks. Do everything humanly possible to take the test BEFORE having kids and, if possible, working full-time. Stay current on the forums at Another71 to get feedback and tips from previous test-takers. Put in the time and you'll do great!

[Jeska9112]

Career tip: Start small! Honestly its OK to come out of school and accept a not so glamorous job. Bookkeeping is a great place to start, then you show them you're AWESOME and within no time your moving up the ladder. Staff Accountant-Senior Accountant and so on. I find that so many college grades come out of school expecting these amazing entry level positions to exist. That is not always the case and experience is a must!! Take what you can get in your field, and try not to stray to far from what you really want someday. Never underestimate the power of promotion, today your at the bottom- tomorrow in your dream job.

[Happen4reason]

NOTES! Take a lot of notes by hand. I never really focused on reading the textbook before I would zone out watching the lectures and only do the MCQ. That wasn't a good learning style for me. But now after reading and taking very good notes I am understanding the material so much more allowing me to get more MCQ right!

[Hut-Hut]

1. You don't need to completely give up your social life to study for the exam (you just need to limit the social events you attend). Best advice I can give is create a study plan for the week and stick to it. For example, study 2/3 hours M-F after work and 6/7 quality hours on Sat and Sun. Once you put in those quality hours, enjoy your night. Hang out with friends/family. Also, dedicate one of the weeknights to exercising or joining a city league, like softball/basketball (anything but studying). Your body needs exercise and your mind can use a break from all that studying.

2. If using Becker, they say ancillary is not a major portion of the tests, which it isn't, but don't skip it. Still study it, because you'll be surprised at how many questions/sims you get from the ancillary material.

BEC - 67, 79 - (expires 5/24)
REG - 74, 72, 77 - Key to Passing: RTFQ
FAR - 77 - Chance favors the prepared mind.
AUD - 64, (5/14) - FREEDOM!! (i hope)

[Jenny]

Career Tip: If you are trying to become a CPA, Learn the requirements, so that you can plan ahead and not waste time or money taking unnecessary classes or paying unnecessary fees.

Also, Do an internship with a CPA Firm to see if you really like public accounting.

Oklahoma Candidate
AUD - Pass (8/14)
FAR - Pass (11/14)
REG - Pass (2/15)
BEC - Pass (11/15)
Ethics Exam - Pass (12/15)

[padgech]

Take flashcards with you everywhere!

[MACPAhopeful]

Not sure if all these have been covered but personally, what helped me for the exam. i go in detail but… here you go

-make a Schedule. PLan. Don't just order materials right away, take the steps to register, plan when you will (realistically) be able to take the tests, and when you can study.

-If you don't understand something int he materials, don't just skip it and move on. Granted you don't want to spend weeks, but ask for help, talk to others. I used to rush through the materials to ensure I got through most of the book before the test but you need to understand the concepts. If that means delaying your exam 2 weeks, then you should. 2 weeks is better than 1-2 months of time lost due to waiting for results and having to restudy for the section again.

-Study. Maybe you can't do every Friday night, maybe you don't need to, but everyone is different. You need to know when you can study and STICK TO IT. I love watching the NFL (Patriots) and I would do my best to schedule my studying aroudn the games… but I missed a few playoff (not Patriots games though haha) games because I was at hte library. This was before I passed my final section. Sacrifice, but don't isolate yourself from friends for months. a night out on Friday after work a few weeks before a test may help relax you. just make sure you can get up early Saturday.

-While on studying, figure out WHERE AND WHEN you can effectively study. University libraries are open much later than towns, and in the summer can be practically empty. soon you'll have a routine.

-Study. Seriously. put the phone away and study. this isn't an exam you want to try and cram for. if you slack off one or two days, schedule to make up for it.

-You might fail a section, hell you might fail them all. Doesn't matter. Keep working. I took the exam for a few years, for multiple reasons, and it hurts when you fail. But when you finally pass, I cannot describe to you how great it is, and how much it puts everything in perspective.

-some of your friends may not understand. some friends might be doing different jobs that don't require this kind fo certification, or the hours at work. fight off the “oh come on 1 beer out wont hurt” and just tell them why.

-studying while at a big 4 during busy season is incredibly difficult. Incredibly.

I prob have more but I've written too much already. Good luck!

AUD 83 2/10 (lost credit), retaking 1/31/12
BEC 83 8/10
REG 75 3/11
FAR 76 11/11

I have been taking this thing since 2008...

[Anonymous]

Study Tips:

Take the exams as soon as possible! Having to relearn material you learned in school makes the process frustrating and time consuming.

Be patient with yourself. Not everyone learns at the same pace, so keep moving forward no matter what.

Do AS MANY mcqs as you can leading up to you test date. Sometimes you even come across a very similar one in the exam.

Use the NINJA Audio – it is awesome 🙂

[kmcg4k]

Study every day ELL is the goal!

REG 79 - LOST IT
BEC 74 74 73
AUD 71 79!!! LOST IT
FAR

[hopefulcpatx2012]

Relax. Don't get down if you don't pass. It's not 40% of the population that passes each time, it's 40% of a group of really smart people who are even able to take the test.

Also, don't put off studying…and don't take too long of breaks off- it makes it so much harder to get back into it.

[GMR1988]

Exam Tip:

When studying for the CPA Exam, people often forget the most critical part! And that is your health! Schedule time for exercise and don't live on fast food, an unhealthy and overstressed you won't be focused!

So my advice is to:

1. Exercise to help reduce stress because it allows you to think and perform much better. 10 minute home workout: https://living.apartments.com/health-fitness/easy-exercises-home-workout/

2. Get plenty of rest. The tests are daunting enough already, I can't imagine them with little or no sleep. Too tired and you'll lose concentration.

3. Eat Healthy, try to stay away from fast food and pizza deliveries at 2 am from the local pizza joint that is open till the wee hours of the morning while you are studying the night away. Take time to cook meals! Even if its PB&J's its healthier than a Big Mac! Fast & Healthy Meals: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/quick_healthy_dinner_recipes

Good luck!

[tasCPA]

Here are 3 simple exam tips that worked for me:

1. Purchase review materials according to your learning style. Watching video lectures works well for some, but if this method is not effective for you, then by all means focus your energy using a different technique.

2. Work multiple-choice questions over and over again. When you feel that you cannot complete another, do at least 10 more questions.

3. The exam is not a race. Allow yourself plenty of time to prepare so that in 12+ months, you are not faced with a expiring score situation and are forced to cram in a short period of time.

I wish all current and future CPAs the best of luck, especially those future CPAs who are waiting anxiously for their scores today!

AUD - 83
REG - 78
BEC - 71, 85
FAR - 87...I'm done!!

[Author]

Replies