[Mick]

I’m currently studying for BEC using Gleim, with Ninja as a supplement. This is the last exam I need to pass and I feel like I just can’t grasp a lot of the concepts. At least with the other sections I have some experience that helped me get through. A lot of BEC is like a foreign language to me and I could use some guidance on what I can do grasp the concepts. Luckily I don’t take the exam until the Monday before Thanksgiving, so I have time to change study habits if needed. I’ve been on the path for over ten years and just want to get this done and I’m feeling deflated.

REG 55,53
AUD 80
BEC 60
FAR 74, 70

[monikernc]

BEC is the worst. It was my MBA 20 years later and it had to be done in 6 weeks. Or, so I thought. I ended up spending 12 weeks preparing for BEC and just hammered Ninja mcq’s and took volumes of notes that were mostly working through problems with notes on epiphanies and trouble spots. I needed the repetition to make things stick. I watched YouTube, read COSO materials, interacted with the forum, listened to audio. I went a little nuts in the process but I finally felt ready and passed. Give yourself the time you need. Schedule when ready. Constantly tell yourself you can do this and breathe.
I studied everyday after work for a few hours, always took Friday evenings off and spent all day Saturday and Sunday (no family, no life). I took a long walk at lunch everyday. Took 2 days off before exam and took it early afternoon on a Saturday so I had the rest of the weekend to recover.
Even if all you can do is 8:30-10:30 evenings and 6am to noon then 8:30-10:30 on weekends it is a lot and allows for good sleep. Always review after hitting new topics.
Don’t exhaust yourself while studying. Stay rested, well-nourished, and drink lots of water. Try to enjoy it.
Good luck!

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[CPA_VT]

@mick I am what one might call a non-traditional CPA candidate. I have been working in IT for 25+ years now so my experience with all of the CPA exam sections are purely theoretical. My undergrad back in early 90s was in accounting so I did have a conceptual base. I write this only to give you comfort that even with no current experience one can tackle this exam.

I personally do not rely too much on MCQs. I think the reading of text on GLEIM or some other source like short videos on specific topics to get some level of conceptual clarity is important. Once you have that one can do the MCQs more as a revision. Drilling MCQs in isolation does not work for me.

On BEC specifically:
GLEIM does a very good job of preparing you for the exam. I felt I had very good grasp of economics and costing related areas.
I struggled with COSO , COBIT and even after reading the text a couple of times. I took a calculated risk in not worrying too much about these ‘minor' topics.

Also BEC was my very first subject. Some of the GLEIM material on economics concepts was not very well written in my opinion. For those, I went on youtube and khanacademy to understand those topics better. Just for a change of scenery learn some of those economic concepts from a Econ-101 course freely available online.

I feel the Written Communications section is literally free points. Just follow a decent structure, some key words indicating you are aware of the concept tested in the question.

Just follow the GLEIM methodology and take the practice exam. If you score over 70 on that, there is a very high probability , you will do ok in the actual exam.

Relax , you have made it this far, you will be fine.

@monikernc‘s advice is sound. The process and consistency does help in the end. I am not even close to his level of discipline in terms of study method, so I should consider myself fortunate to have made it this far.

I am on the last section REG and I hope to finish this journey soon. Can't wait.
Good luck

[monikernc]

CPA_VT i was in mid-50s when I went back to school for accounting after a 20+ year career in IT. My original degrees were BS Finance and MBA so we have a lot in common. I loved my return to school, have not looked back on IT but would love more systems accounting work, and really enjoyed studying for the exams. I am running out of time to do what I would really like to do in accounting but am happy with the change so far.

This new version is very different from the ones I passed. BEC is now 4 hours and has sim's – I don't know how I would have fared under these conditions.

I wish everyone the best on these exams and believe all of you can do it if you commit, believe and remember to breathe.

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[Author]

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