[jeff]

Recommended prep time for BEC is 4 weeks @ 20 hours a week.

Study Notes: https://www.another71.com/cpa-review-store/

Study Videos: https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam/cpa-exam-review-video/

[2010Please]

LauraN874 and others who are studying with Becker but still waiting to sit for BEC:

Becker explicitly states in the class notes for B3 and B5 that the questions in those sections are from CMA exams and that they are significantly more challenging than anything you should expect to see on the CPA exam. I have to say, in my experience, I agree with them.

Becker's theory is, if you can work through those, you can do anything that may be expected of you on the CPA exam. I'm sure this is true, but I became very frustrated with working so many long, convoluted problems that I finally decided it would be better for me to have a very good working knowledge of how to do breakeven calculations, process costing, ABC costing, DM and DL variances, and OH variances and all of the other items I may have left off this list, from B3 and B5 rather than to spend all my valuable time trying to keep fighting with those supplemental problems in B3 and B5 (considering my time was limited, and my frustration level was past its peak), so I instead just opted to become very familiar with formulas and all of the regular homework problems in those sections (why the answers were what they were, etc.) and to reread in the text for any areas I felt would be heavily tested until I felt pretty confident in my ability to do reasonable problems. All the while, I continued reviewing all other content areas (B1, B2, B4) – these areas were expected to be significantly represented on the exam too.

I won't have my score until mid-November, but I'll have to say, my plan seemed to pan out for me from what I could tell while I was testing. We'll see for sure come mid-November. By the way, this is the only time I haven't completed all supplemental questions. As a general rule, I think they are good. However, in B3 and B5, I found they were doing me more harm than good.

Just my point of view, of course. 🙂 Good luck on the exam! I'm feeling just as horrible about FAR right now…I've ordered Yaeger with Jeff's discount to supplement Becker on segments where I may feel overwhelmed with it or think that I might need more in-depth instruction – hope it works for me. Overall, I think Becker does a good job, but I felt that Becker could have done a better job of presenting B3 and B5 than they did…don't want to be caught holding the bag in FAR if I can help it. This is my last section (if I passed BEC) 🙂

AUD 92, REG 85, BEC 90, FAR 85
Ethics 100
Obtained License 7/11/11 🙂

[LauraN874]

Thank you 2010 Please! Your response was very helpful. Since this will be my last weekend of studying I plan on following your approach and making sure I know the formulas, so I will be doing progress test after progress test. I see that you are preparing for FAR now…. it is a beast but I feel Becker did a great job, that is all I used. The more you can practice those MC questions the better. Good luck!!!!

FAR - 85
REG - 85
BEC - 10/11
AUD - 11/06

[2010Please]

Thanks LauraN874…that is good to know…makes me feel better diving into this mess. 🙂

Again, good luck on BEC – I think you'll do great if you just try to cover all of your bases with a good, solid understanding of the basics and then practice those skills on the more rational problems. Make sure to work at least one of the Final Exams (Becker includes two of them with your software). Those were a little more challenging than the progress test (had different problems too) but not hardly as crazy as the supplemental problems in B3 and B5 – plus they have a good new mix of some of the other sections too (B1, B2, B4). I feel that working through those on the day before the exam helped me with at least one or two problems I encountered on the real exam.

AUD 92, REG 85, BEC 90, FAR 85
Ethics 100
Obtained License 7/11/11 🙂

[2010Please]

Actually, on second thought – I didn't actually have time to finish BOTH Final Exams, so what I did at the last hour was just start the second Final Exam and then shut it down after doing only one problem. Then I reviewed my results – this way I could look at each problem AND its solution. Probably not as good of a plan as actually trying to work through the exams, but I honestly just ran out of time because I had already wasted so much study time on the B3 an B5 supplemental questions in the week before my test. Anyway, I felt that I did pick up some good information on those too since I already had my basic understanding in the concepts. Those final exams do have a few terrible problems on them too – I gained by reviewing and learning from what I could though. Just a plan if you get really crunched this weekend – like I did. 🙂

AUD 92, REG 85, BEC 90, FAR 85
Ethics 100
Obtained License 7/11/11 🙂

[studyingismynewhobby]

Using Becker I did a handful of the supplemental questions for B3 & B5 and the not so really horrible ones appear in their practice exams. So if you didn't do the supplemental questions, the ones they do provide in their practice exams are well worth learning how to do.

The thing that I think helped me the most with BEC was making formula flashcards. If you haven't done that yet, I really suggest it. You can look at them whenever you have a 5-10 minute break and within no time you'll have all the formulas down. — And honestly i did this maybe 5 days before my exam. I already had a comfort level with some of the calculations, but this was more than enough time to memorize them all.

FAR - 87
AUD - 88
BEC - 88
REG - waiting

[tensors22288]

hey all,

Just wanted a quick opinion on my BEC prep. I put in a good 2 and a half weeks of studying for this exam before I started working, and have been working for about a month now, studying a bit every day. I went into AUD and REG feeling pretty good, but for some reason, I definitely do not have that feeling with BEC. I mean the Economics, Business structure, and IT are my strongest right now, but Finance and Cost just keep driving me crazy. Did anyone else feel under-prepared even though they studied as much, if not more, for BEC as the other exams?

I have a lot riding on passing the exam on Sunday. Just want to make sure I'm not walking into a slaughter. Everyone does say the Becker material is significantly more difficult, so I hope that is the case!

FAR: Took 7/1/10 VA: 90
REG: Took 8/2/10 VA: 96
AUD: Took 8/31/10 VA: 96
BEC: 10/10/10

[Florida_Candidate]

I think you will be okay 🙂 I was a little worried even though I KNOW I put in enough time, the material just seemed so random 😀 You'll be great!

FAR-91 (7/29)
AUD-99 (8/23)
BEC-90 (10/1)
REG-99 (11/3)

[tensors22288]

Thanks for the words of wisdom Florida! At least I will have a month off from studying if I don't pass!

FAR: Took 7/1/10 VA: 90
REG: Took 8/2/10 VA: 96
AUD: Took 8/31/10 VA: 96
BEC: 10/10/10

[Anonymous]

Taking BEC again today! Wish me luck!

[rmm91909]

Good Luck!!!

[gabe1475]

I keep seeing the term “Beta” pop up in calculations and questions, but when I go to look it up in the index it is not there. Does anyone have an explanation as to what it is or where I can find it? I am using Yaeger Home Study.

FAR - 95
AUD - 82
REG - 94
BEC - 84

[herbert7890]

Beta is a term used to describe the volatility of a specific stock compared to the market. The market beta will always be 1, and if a particular stock's beta is above 1, it is more volatile than the market (more risky, higher expected return). If the beta is less than 1, then that particular stock will assume a lesser risk and lower expected return.

FAR 88 - BEC 86 - AUD 90 - REG 85

[gabe1475]

Thanks!

FAR - 95
AUD - 82
REG - 94
BEC - 84

[TexasTechalum]

Just got done with BEC…not sure what to think. Some of those IT questions were out there. The rest not too bad, except i think I spent TOO much time reviewing Ch.5 and not enough on the rest of the material. Here's to hoping for a 75! On to FAR now…

AUD 07/13/10 75!
REG 08/24/10 90!
BEC 10/04/10 82!
FAR 11/22/10 79! I'm Done!

[Anonymous]

@TexasTech

I feel the same way. I took BEC today and this is my third time. I don't know what to think about this test. Some of the financial managment/cost questions were difficult. There were times that I had no clue on what they were asking. I think the conceptual questions were ok.

I hate BEC i'm a having a more difficult time with BEC than FAR(passed) or REG(passed).

[Author]

Replies