[jeff]

Welcome to the Q2 2017 CPA Exam Study Group for BEC. 🙂

[Anonymous]

Hey all,

I take the exam May 31st and I am starting studying tomorrow using Becker. I am not working and will be studying full time (roughly 9 hours a day/7 days a week)

Do you think this is enough time to pass BEC?

Please help. (PS I am practically learning everything from scratch as its been 3 years since I've seen any of this in school)

[Holly]

@zunnie so clear now!

@brodie5 definitely! I've been hunting a May 31 opening at three different centers but nothing has opened up yet

BEC - 79
REG - 85
AUD - 5/27/16

[Anonymous]

Thank you Holly! Its goo to hear this from someone who has already passed 2 exams!!!

[whitesox94]

This seems like a relatively easy question but to me it's confusing based on what was said in the Becker lecture:
Costs are allocated to cost objectives in many ways and for many reasons. Which one of the following is a purpose of cost allocation?
A. Evaluating revenue center performance.
B. Measuring income and assets for external reporting.
C. Budgeting cash and controlling expenditures.
D. Aiding in variable costing for internal reporting.
The answer is B, measuring income and assets for external reporting.

The reason why I'm confused about this is because, when doing the Becker lecture (B3-M2), they made a point that the objective of cost accounting is to aid in internal decision making, so my question is why would cost allocation have anything to do with external reporting?

Thanks, long time follower, first time poster. Fed up with Becker's answer explanations/lectures that seemingly have nothing to do with the questions asked.

[Anonymous]

@holly With Becker, how do you study? Do you spend the majority of your time listening to the lecture (pause, understand, resume, repeat)? Or do you spend the majority time on the MC and read the explanation on the bottom as to why you got a question wrong?

[Holly]

@brodie5 I start with the lectures and follow along, working the examples, etc. I don't really take notes or make a big deal of it until I'm working questions and repeatedly get the same topics wrong. I continue listening to lectures while I drive or go for a walk even after I've completed them once. I start the MCQ and simulations after I've listened to the lectures and continue until I completely finish Becker. Once Becker is completed, I move to NINJA and hammer those MCQ and simulations. I keep a notebook with topics that I'm not grasping and will re-write my notes until the topics become fewer and fewer.

BEC - 79
REG - 85
AUD - 5/27/16

[Holly]

@whitesox94 I see what you're saying. I can't find the topic Cost Allocation in Becker's book in the index. My stab at this is we're talking about allocation and not drivers, so we're not talking about cost accounting and direct costs. The allocating of costs is more of a financial accounting/matching principle practice. What is the question number in Becker?

BEC - 79
REG - 85
AUD - 5/27/16

[Anonymous]

Holly, thank you sooo much for this!!!

[Holly]

I'm surprised by the amount of IT questions!

BEC - 79
REG - 85
AUD - 5/27/16

[A1lessio]

Maybe it's because I completely skipped B6 in the older Becker book the last time I failed BEC, but this Financial Valuation stuff in B2 confusing! I'm glad they put it early in the book and not at the end when I could care less. For Audit, Reg and FAR I would always half ass the last chapter. My exam is on May 30th and I have no idea how I'm going to finish all this material.

AUD (08/02/2016)

[Holly]

@A1lessio you're just now in B2 and testing 5/30? Based on your scores it looks like you pull it together. I test 5/31 and I'm nervous about the written communications, so even though I feel like I could do pretty well on the MCQ and simulations, I'm going back through to be sure that I can explain topics. Sucks.

BEC - 79
REG - 85
AUD - 5/27/16

[A1lessio]

@Holly – the written communication is very easy. As long as you use complete sentences with correct grammar you're ok. I wouldn't waste time studying that. The accuracy of the content does not matter. Yeah, unfortunately If I wait till July I lose the firm bonus, so I'm going to try and take it end of this month. Luckily, I already studied once so alot of it is review or just developing a much better understanding.

AUD (08/02/2016)

[HoldMyBeerCPA]

Does anyone have any advice on preparing for this exam? I'm taking the exam on the 31st and was wondering if I could make it through the book and write my notes in two weeks, leaving myself two weeks of review/MCQs, would that be enough to get me over the hump?

Also, for anyone using Roger, would NINJA MCQ be enough of a supplemental study tool? Word on the forums is that BEC is one of Roger's weak links when it comes to his courses.

Thanks!

[A1lessio]

TurboSandwich – you should be fine, even a 10 day review will work. Don't spend a crazy amount of time writing. I'm going all out this month. Instead of TV before bed, re-read sections of the book, do MCQs on your commute to work and don't rush the material. If you're a bit ahead in the week, go back to a chapter you really struggled with.

Anyone do the B2 sims in Becker on Financial Mgmt?? They're so hard! If I get anything like that on the actual exam I'm screwed. Plan to finish Chapter 3 by tomorrow night and either start 4 on Sunday or take a day to review mostly 2 (I really suck at Corp Finc stuff) and the harder parts of 3.

AUD (08/02/2016)

[Holly]

@A1lessio I worked those sims ugh. I bet we see things very similar to those on the test.

BEC - 79
REG - 85
AUD - 5/27/16

[Author]

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