[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

[PLO]

Take notes, rewrite your notes, and do the multiple chance questions. Do not expect to see the questions in the test bank on the exam because the questions are completely different. Focus on understanding the material and not just memorizing it. Lastly slowly read the questions and answers on the exam, they love to trick you by adding one word which Automatically changes the answer.

BEC 83

AUD 67, 73, 5/21/12 waiting

REG 74, 76

FAR 5/26/12

[Anonymous]

Another Exam Tip

[Ryan Watts]

CPA Exam Tip:

Work through all of the MCQ and periodically perform progress tests. For long exams like FAR and REG, the progress tests will be very beneficial as there is a lot of information thrown at you at once. For example, when you get to Chapter 4 in REG you will have already learned Individual taxation and Corporate taxation. Before moving onto Partnerships and business structures you may want to refresh your memory on what you have already learned in the first 3 chapters. Since there is so much material, you may go weeks without looking at information already learned and progress tests help keep all of that information fresh and will be beneficial to you during your studies.

BEC – 82

AUD – 76

REG – This Friday May 25th

FAR – TBD

[sbarkerACPA]

Tips:

1. Take exam as soon as you graduate. Do not put off!

2. Do not compare your success to others and vice versa

3. Listen to Dave Ramsey NOW instead of later!!

4. If at first you don't suceed, dust yourself off and try again…

BEC: 74;81
AUD: 77
REG: 71; 80
FAR: 78
License for CPA----APPROVED
CPA Class of 2013

[sonia2010]

Exam Tip:

1. Learn the concepts thoroughly. Read and re-read to make sure you know your material well. It all boils down to this on exam day!

2. An important tool which is helping me – write the facts of the problem/Simulation on paper and you won't believe how easy it is to solve it! This has worked well for me, especially in cracking the Simulations!!

3. Take deep breaths just when you think everything is falling apart! It helps.

[Anonymous]

Give up your social life and STUDY! It isn't easy, but it's worth it in the end! You want to feel overprepared for the exams, not like you don't know anything going into the test. Do all the Multiple Choice Questions you can, rewrite your review notes and make flash cards for your weakest topics.

[mjstevens]

Take the exam ASAP. Have someone be accountable for you so you'll schedule it/study for it.

[GVirgiL]

Career Tip : GET OUT AND NETWORK! ” It's not what you know but who you know ”

Obviously , your skills and knowledge will play a part in landing you the position you want. But, it does help knowing that one person that can help you get your foot in the door or introduce you to another person that may have the key to open the right door for you .

Exam Tip : TIME IS THE MOST INTANGIBLE ASSET YOU MUST POSSES . So if you have the ability and resources to, attempt the exam when you are fresh out of school.

For one, the material will be fresh in your mind and you will still be accustomed to studying . I am attempting the CPA 3 years after i had completed school. It was hard for me to get back in the swing of studying for hours on end . And, i had forgotten many subjects . I found myself relearning and teaching myself some of the topics rather than reviewing the subjects .

Second, i work 40- 50 hours a week. It is very hard to go home after a long day at the office and attempt to study effectively and efficiently . My weekends and free time are like gold for me. Free time = more study time . It is very hard to balance anything that is outside of work and studying and maintain your sanity . I know i would've aced the exams the first time around if i just had more time to study. Also, keep in mind you only have 18 months to pass all 4 parts. Passing them the first time , will not only save you money but also time .

[Anonymous]

Another Exam Tip:

When you are deciding what section to take first. Do the one you found the hardest in school. If you don't know which one that is, do FAR because it has so much info.

I studied for 2 weeks and pasted Audit, because I understood the concepts and it was just a bit of a review, but I did that 2 years after having an audit class. Audit doesn't change much.

Now, I'm on my last test, and FAR classes were 2 years ago, and there are changes, and there is so much info I remember I learned from school. But because this is so much more information than say Audit. It's horrible. If I could redo, I would have taken this first off.

I originally took BEC first, because so many people fail it. but then I found that they fail it because they blow it off. So. I should have started with FAR then done REG then AUD then BEC. But if you found REG to be the hardest thing in school, or had a blow off class about Taxes, take REG first. You don't realize how fast 18 months goes by.

I changed jobs, had a baby, and now have one test left that I need to finish by July 31st.

[theythatwait..shall..]

Exam Tip: Especially Early Test Takers

Know what lane to drive in upon entering the CPA Exam Super-Highway.

There are lanes in the middle of the expressway for the Speeders. This the sect that have accessed their entry point to enter and have comfortably worked out the bumps along the way. There are others on the Exit ramp that are near completion of their journey. There are those others on the highway due a wrong turn. Don't worry the NINJA Patrol Officer will assist you through its Products offered on “another 71.com”. For the drivers just entering this wonderful highway, do a honest assessment of weakness and strenghts and drive the lane of success of your choice.

Thanks for reading.

PASS! PASS! PASS!

[Anonymous]

CPA Exam Tip: Focus on the theory behind the multiple choice. Often, you can start to memorize the multiple choice questions and answers as you do them repetitively, which won't be helpful for the exam. If you master the theory behind the questions and answers, you can apply the correct answer to various forms of the same question.

Career Tip: Network, Network, Network! As you start to grow within your industry you will notice how having a strong, well-versed network can bring opportunities you would not have originally had.

[Anonymous]

I have been using CPAExcel and it has been really helpful! Helps break down everything into manageable sections 30-60 mins at a time.

In regards to interviewing, act like yourself, and do research of the company before coming in. Also make sure to have questions at the end of the interview, you can also ask them during the interview as well, so that you get a good back and forth between yourself and the interviewer.

iPad!!!!!

[josephasass]

CPA Exam Tip:

1. Do whatever you possibly can to try and take the exam as soon as you can after graduating.

2. Say “no” to you friends. This is hard (very hard), but is more than worth it. Giving up a weekend here and there is much better than studying for a section twice.

3. In your review time, after taking the classes, beat the problems to death. Do them over and over and over again. Also, most importantly, be sure you know WHY you are getting the problems right and wrong. Being able to answer a question, but not being able to explain it won't do you much good.

Joe

BEC - 89
FAR - 84
AUD - 90
REG - 83

Becker and NINJA Notes.

[u2buzzbee]

Exam Tips:

1. Persistence, Persistence, Persistence – Remember this is a hard exam and is very difficult to pass.

2. Don't be discouraged if you fail a section – most people do.

3. Find a method that works for you. If you find that you are having troubles passing, try different techniques until one clicks for you. I failed multiple tests until i figured this out, now have passed 2 in a row.

[Irum0505]

CPA Exam Tip:

1) I always find it very helpful to go over the material on my own after going through the lectures (using Becker). Reading through the text on my own helps me make more sense out of everything and connect the dots. A little reading can go a long away!

2) Make sure to take your time when going through the multiple choice questions, make sure to read all of the answer choices before selecting an answer and think it through. Do not rush!

3) If struggling with the simulations, i would strongly suggest using Wiley review. I find the Wiley simulations to be more challenging and they certainly prepare you better than Becker.

BEC: 54,76 (Credit expires 6/30/2012)
FAR: 80
REG: 5/12/2012
AUD: 71,70, (5/31/2012)

[Author]

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