[sewid]

What do you guys do when you sit down to study and just can’t seem to stay focused?

I’ve been sitting here for like 3 hours and have done only like 80 questions. But I keep looking on FB and reddit and finding distractors. I have a test on the 5th and have gone through all of the materials (Becker) and am starting my review now (no final review materials). I know I have like a week left and it’s crunch time, but just can’t stay focused. I’ve passed FAR already.

I know being on the internet is a no no, but I just want to be honest and am just reaching out to see if I can get some insight from you guys. Thanks for being a part of this sub.

Any words of wisdom?

Thanks

I’m studying for AUD and have passed FAR.

FAR: Passed first attempt 8/5/14
AUD: Sit 1/5/15
BEC: Next up
REG: I'm scared

[Anonymous]

It's normal so don't beat yourself up over it. Look at me, I'm responding to you when I should be doing MCQs for BEC. However, we aren't robots and our brains can only do so much until they finally fatigue and don't want to absorb anymore information. You then arrive at the law of diminishing returns.

Everyone starts to feel burn out in a sense before the exam and is ready to just get it over with. There's a fine line between goofing off when you've already put in your work for the day mentally and when you're just being plain irresponsible and setting yourself up for failure on your upcoming exam. No one can really answer that question for you IMO. I don't think anyone ever feels fully comfortable walking into these things on exam day, but I know I reach this certain “feeling” when I know I've reached a comfort level that I'm equipped with enough information to go in confidently and battle.

[mla1169]

Google the pomodoro method (I think there are several free pomodoro apps to download as well. It's a method of focusing on a task for 20 min, then 5 min break then focus for 45 min, etc.

Breaks are cool but can't take over.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[JS867_5309]

There's a website out there that will block extraneous sites like facebook and reddit until a specified period of time, if you need that little push. You can passcode it too, so that if there's a real emergency you can get into stuff you need to. I used it a lot in college around finals, but haven't needed to so far with the exam.

I agree with some though – eventually your brain just gets fatigued and you can't do it any more. I call it hitting the wall. I hit the wall tonight and my brain just isn't functioning on a high enough level to answer any more questions. I can always tell when my score drops below 75% after I've been averaging 78 – 80 all day.

Exam:I'm done 🙂 🙂 🙂
REG - 71 (2/22/14); 67 (4/3/14); 74 (8/29/15); 83 (2/29/16)!!!
BEC - 72 (5/24/14); 85 (1/3/15)!!!!
AUD - 72 (8/23/14); 76 (10/15/14)!!!
FAR - 77 (5/26/15)!!!

Started in 2013 using Kaplan and failed REG, REG, BEC, AUD. Switched to NINJA suite in Sept 2014 and passed AUD...then BEC...then FAR!
REG took 2 tries but I finally got it in too!
I'm a hard convert - Using NINJA method with NINJA video/book/notes/MCQ

Education: Check
Experience: 3 months left! I hit 4 years on May 30 🙂

[Anonymous]

turning off the Wifi on your laptop helps

[thechapman]

Remember how much you don't want to study for this section again

Passed - 2014

[zoctoman]

If you have lost it for the day, i say don't spend any time feeling guilty about not studying well….just go have a good time, watch a movie, go out to eat and relax. Then wake up the next day determined to kick butt. use your bad day as motivation to kick butt!! We tend to even out over time. I remember when I had like 6 perfect study days in a row for my audit exam, and then the next day I just had to slack off a bit…i mean i knew I needed a break.

Just kick it into high gear and you will be fine!

Audit(11/5/13) - 89
Reg(5/16/14) - 86
FAR(7/18/14) - 82
BEC(11/14) - 85

[jstay]

im in the same boat taking aud 1/15. hows your review going? where are you at with it?

[Peterman25]

I feel the same way as OP a lot. But I am trying to get in 90 NINJA MCQ for AUD over a 4 hour period. If you are reading all of the right and wrong answers along the way and taking some notes it is tough to get in those 90 questions. Plus my brain is fried after about 4 hours. I would suggest quality over quantity OP.

BEC 7/14 - PASS
FAR 10/14 - PASS
AUD 1/15 - PASS
REG 4/15 - PASS

AZ license - Official 8/20/2015

[Texan_Stuck_In_OK]

I had DVRd several shows that I missed for studying. I studied for an entire weekend (I managed to have the house to myself). What I would do was watch a video lecture or a block of 30 Ninja MCQ and then watch one segment of a show. Only the part between commercials. I would pause it then do another lecture or another block of questions, rinse and repeat. It kept my brain from exploding!

A 88, B 76, F 84, R 76 Passed 2014

Licensed in OK

[Anonymous]

I agree with the above post. Set a goal of 30 MCQ's or 5 Simulations or 1 part of a video if you are on the lectures still. Then once you complete that goal, you reward yourself with a little break time then repeat for as much as your brain can handle. You can fly through so many MCQ's in one day doing this.

[Skynet]

It's going to be harder especially with the NCAAF and NFL playoffs.

[taxgeek83]

I'm with everyone on making yourself sit down and focus, but if it's not happening it's not happening. I left work early today because I was unfocused and pretty much useless. You're only a week out, so you should start feeling the pressure pretty soon and I can almost promise you that you will kick it into gear – it was pretty much my study “strategy” through my last three exams. For your next ones though, take a day. Watch a football game – an entire Saturday/Sunday of football games. See a movie. Go for a run. Take a drive – get out of town. Do something. Some folks can stay inside all day every day studying for 9 months straight – I have a lot of respect for them, but am far from there. I'd rather take a ski weekend and push a test than study. 😉 Seriously though, give yourself a break! If you're anything like me, you'll go crazy if you don't.

[Author]

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