[jeff]

I’ve had a few requests for April/May Study Groups…March will be here before you know it.

In order to take an early April exam, you should begin studying…now. 🙂

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

[How many letters do you need]

Quin: Ahh that good huh? I was hoping to try to get through BEC with just the NINJA notes and Wiley bank, looks like I might need to add a book to the mix. What are your three least favorite topics so far with BEC?

CPAoneday: Don't let that get you down. Those practice exams aren't awful IMO, but they aren't the be all end all either. It can also vary from day to day. There are days where I literally cannot think, my brain is stuck, weird as it sounds. I've learned when I feel like that I'm going to do no good for myself forcing myself to study because I won't retain anything and MCQs won't tell me anything (aren't representative of how I'm going to be on test day…hopefully). I would just focus on what you got wrong, try to determine if there is a leak, and if so, plug it.

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[Quinacridone]

HowManyLettersDoYouNeed (we need to get you a shorter name),

None of the topics do I dislike – its the amount of homework that is attached. For the first time in using Beckers, I feel like some of what is being taught does not need to be repeated in 107 MCQs. Or the chapters need to be broken into smaller homework sections. For example, the chapter that contains all of the Break even point analysis questions could have 20 questions on break even analysis and be just as effective as having 90 questions on BEP. Its overkill and keeps students from progressing to other topics. I do not believe that it is completely effective to master one calculation, then move onto other chapters only to forget what you mastered in an earlier section. Instead make achievable chunks of questions that I can go back and redo and not feel so overwhelmed. My attention span is just too short!

I have been patiently waiting for Jeff to release his new BEC book. If it is not released soon, then I am thinking about the Ninja notes. Please tell me about what you like about the Ninja notes. I may just go on ahead and do that instead of the book since I'm now 3 weeks out from my test.

I've also pulled my old Cost Accounting book and Business Analysis book that I had from my bachelors program and am thinking about switching to those.

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[How many letters do you need]

Quin: Ah I see! I love NINJA notes, it really helped getting through FAR and I imagine they will help get through BEC as well. I used them mainly for topics that just weren't sticking for whatever reason. He does a great job of summarizing the bare bones and throwing them in an easy to read format. Of course it comes in handy during review time to stay fresh on topics. I am contemplating Jeffs book myself. Since you only have three weeks left the notes might make more sense.

Alternatively, you might be able to pick up some older CMA material pretty cheap. Gleim does an excellent job in preparation for this stuff. I found their CMA material to be a perfect level of detail and could be a great supplement for BEC.

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[Anonymous]

Alright, it's official!!! May 29th!!!

[RedSoxFan77]

Casa, you pushed the date back!! Somehow that makes me feel more anxious about my exam. The thought did cross my mind to push the date back too but I want that earlier score release! I really need to step up my game, have less than a month left and haven't reviewed IT yet… saving the “best” for last.

FAR 75
AUD 74, 82
REG 58, 74, 83
BEC 68, 75
Licensed 7.1.14!!!

[romajoon]

Took BEC on 04/14, felt that the wiley book and test bank covered everything. Did about 3000 mcq and took 3 sets of notes. On to REG!!

AUD – 2/25/14 (PASSED)

BEC – 4/14/14 (TBD)

REG – 5/30/14

FAR – 7/28/14

AUD 2/25/14 - 82
BEC 4/14/14 - 82
REG 7/5/14 - 66, 80 (11/30/14)
FAR 10/13/14 - 76
ETHICS - PASSED
EXPERIENCE - DONE

[How many letters do you need]

RedSox-I'm kind of curious, whats your reasoning behind a test date earlier in the window? Is it just release date based, or is BEC a strength and you don't feel you would make good use of the additional few weeks? I took FAR early because I'm going to try to squeeze in some BEC on May 24th…but if it were my last exam and I had a potential retake riding on it I don't know that I would have such confidence. (well, with BEC I would but I would still want the extra few weeks just because hah).

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[SpartanCPA]

Hello all! I have been active in the FAR study group lately and having just completed the test, I can say that I'll be moving on to BEC now!

How is everyone doing?

I am planning to start BEC next Monday!

AUD - 01/18/14 - 81
BEC - 05/29/14 - 85
FAR - 07/18/14 - 81
REG - 11/18/14 - 80

Becker CPA Review
NINJA Audio
Michigan State University

[Anonymous]

I'll let you know after my test on friday 🙂

[Quinacridone]

CPAOneDayHopefullay: wishing the best for you!

I'm feeling REAALY discouraged (which is not normally like me). I've been able to pass the other tests within a reasonably good clip, but I'm not gelling with this material. Too much pressure on my head to squeeze it all in there in one month. I started studying April 5th (the night I came home from my Aud test), and am sitting May 6th…3 days before I go on a three week vacation. I wish I wasn't taking it until July but my boyfriend who thinks I'm smart, and my boss who thinks there's no way I could ever fail have full faith in me and have pressured me to just get it over with (btw: people's expectations of you are sometimes a heavy burden).

I have no faith in me for this one. I can't get the formulas memorized and shoved in there. I'm still very dependent on the book (in the other tests, I try to separate myself from the book in the last two weeks and do MCQs and sims non-stop without the book). I'm only through about 90% of the lectures (my goal was to be done this past Sunday, but I didn't make it) and 50% of the homework, and none of the writings. I'm not hitting any of my study goals. I have no idea how to move this along.

I work full time as a gov't auditor so can't study during the day. The only saving grace on my job is I'm being sent to a 2 1/2 week class on computer crap (the extent of my computer knowledge beyond excel and email is zilch). That should help me with the IT stuff for the test.

sorry, whine over. back to the material.

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[Anonymous]

@Quinacridone Thank you so much!! I honestly feel as ready as I think I ever will be, but reading people's posts about how they're getting questions on the exam that seem completely foreign to their review programs is scaring me a bit.

Definitely make note cards for the formulas in the cost accounting and financial management chapters! I honestly haven't even looked through my notecards THAT many times, but I know all of the formulas like the back of my hand. Notecards + excessive m/c questions really help cement the forumlas in your head.

I would also recommend not practing ANY writing. It's not worth the time. The most you should do for writing is to get an idea of your intro and conclusion paragraphs which you can immediately type for all three of the questions. Other than that, just hope that you somewhat understand the material you get tested on.

You probably don't want to hear this, but just based off your scores for FAR and REG, I think you'll do great 🙂 However, your friends and family should sympathize with how hard these exams actually are, and if somehow, someway, you receive a failing score I'm sure they'll support you 100% and encourage you to kill it on your next try.

[RedSoxFan77]

Howmanyletters… good question. The main reason is for the earlier score release. I planned my schedule several weeks ago based on that test date, aiming for a 6-week study period, which I’m on track with. Even if I scheduled on May 31, I still would have given myself 6 weeks to study, more than that and my studying would be inefficient.

FAR 75
AUD 74, 82
REG 58, 74, 83
BEC 68, 75
Licensed 7.1.14!!!

[NYCaccountant]

@romajoon See that's Bull****! I used Wiley, read the entire book. My test had questions on material that was not in 3-4 different review courses. Trust me, I checked! Sounds like you did well, congrats.

FAR - 93
REG - 87
BEC - 84!!!!
AUD - 99!!!!!! CPA exam complete.

[Kenada]

RedSoxFan77 – are you there ?

CA Candidate. 05/27/2014 ~ 786/110
I am done!!

[How many letters do you need]

NYC: Was it in the outline of topics from AICPA? Was the weight % roughly in the range they publish? I get your frustration, don't get me wrong, I would be frustrated too. However, in reality if the review courses don't cover that topic and the AICPA let it be known it's fair game, I can't see how you can call it unfair. It is what it is, and I am honestly hoping that, come release day, you can say you passed in spite of it.

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[Author]

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