[jeff]

I have a question that I hope you can help me with…. I purchased the Becker CD’s and installed them on my PC. I have taken and passed all but one of the exams (BEC left).. I was checking to see if my software was up to date and noticed an expiration date of November 2013.. Does this mean my software ( downloaded from my CD’s) will no longer work after November….or will it no longer be supported but I can still take practice exams and do study questions etc?

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

[Anonymous]

It seems there was a break taken by many of us this weekend. I had planned on a major power weekend, but the heat on Sunday really got to me. And last night I had to go find an air conditioner and install that to help with the heat before I could even think about studying.

@Jennifer – I'm so sick of BEC too and actually looking forward to studying AUD. LOL! But I was planning on taking the exam on July 6, and moved it back by two weeks. I think I need the extra time to study and I don't want to keep putting money into this exam and continuing to fail, so I'll take the extra time and make sure I'm really ready for this exam when I do take it again.

@Seattle – It may look laborious, but it is helping you retain the information, right? I'm doing the same thing basically. I learned that I have to do the flashcards on top of everything else as well for the information to really stick. Just writing the info for the flashcards helps that much more as well. You really just have to do what works for you, whether something else works for someone else, that doesn't matter.

@ZSRizvi – There really isn't much that I can say about the exam without going against the disclosure rules. But think about the information we have to know, for just 72 questions on this exam. It's hard simply because of the amount of information you need to know. When I think about, BEC combines about 10 of my college classes into one exam. And while you may have breezed through the college classes, think about putting all the information from all those classes into one exam. I know for me, when I failed BEC, I did not put in quite enough study time because I got sick and lost time and should have just rescheduled, but I thought I could do it anyway and learned my lesson the hard way. If you are doing the work with Becker, you should be set, but the main reason for failures is the sheer volume of information that is required to be known.

[Anonymous]

It seems there was a break taken by many of us this weekend. I had planned on a major power weekend, but the heat on Sunday really got to me. And last night I had to go find an air conditioner and install that to help with the heat before I could even think about studying.

@Jennifer – I'm so sick of BEC too and actually looking forward to studying AUD. LOL! But I was planning on taking the exam on July 6, and moved it back by two weeks. I think I need the extra time to study and I don't want to keep putting money into this exam and continuing to fail, so I'll take the extra time and make sure I'm really ready for this exam when I do take it again.

@Seattle – It may look laborious, but it is helping you retain the information, right? I'm doing the same thing basically. I learned that I have to do the flashcards on top of everything else as well for the information to really stick. Just writing the info for the flashcards helps that much more as well. You really just have to do what works for you, whether something else works for someone else, that doesn't matter.

@ZSRizvi – There really isn't much that I can say about the exam without going against the disclosure rules. But think about the information we have to know, for just 72 questions on this exam. It's hard simply because of the amount of information you need to know. When I think about, BEC combines about 10 of my college classes into one exam. And while you may have breezed through the college classes, think about putting all the information from all those classes into one exam. I know for me, when I failed BEC, I did not put in quite enough study time because I got sick and lost time and should have just rescheduled, but I thought I could do it anyway and learned my lesson the hard way. If you are doing the work with Becker, you should be set, but the main reason for failures is the sheer volume of information that is required to be known.

[Monir]

Can anyone me help understand about the price/Materials/ OH variance ? Rate/ Price variance = AQ(AP-SP),Materials/ Efficiency Variance = SP(AQ-SQ). Sometimes I do find diffculty to find wheather is Fav or unfav. I am also not sure these formual would work every single problem. I would be apprciated for any inputs. Thanks

[Monir]

Can anyone me help understand about the price/Materials/ OH variance ? Rate/ Price variance = AQ(AP-SP),Materials/ Efficiency Variance = SP(AQ-SQ). Sometimes I do find diffculty to find wheather is Fav or unfav. I am also not sure these formual would work every single problem. I would be apprciated for any inputs. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Personally, I like the formulas written as follows:

Use the SAD (“S”td – “A”ct = “D”ifference) PURE (DA)(DS) Mnemonic for this one, its perfect (In my opinion!)

D – A (DM) P: Price Variance = (Std Rate – Act Rate) x Actual Quantity Purchase

D – S (DM) U: Usage Variance = (Std Quantity Purchase/Allowed – Actual Quantity Purchased) x Std Rate

D – A (DL) R: Rate Variance = (Std Labor Rate – Act Rate) x Actual Hours

D – S (DL) E: Efficiency Variance = (Std Hours Allowed – Actual Hours) x Std Rate

If the answer to any of these is negative, that indicates an unfavorable variance. If the answer is positive, that indicates a favorable variance.

[Anonymous]

Personally, I like the formulas written as follows:

Use the SAD (“S”td – “A”ct = “D”ifference) PURE (DA)(DS) Mnemonic for this one, its perfect (In my opinion!)

D – A (DM) P: Price Variance = (Std Rate – Act Rate) x Actual Quantity Purchase

D – S (DM) U: Usage Variance = (Std Quantity Purchase/Allowed – Actual Quantity Purchased) x Std Rate

D – A (DL) R: Rate Variance = (Std Labor Rate – Act Rate) x Actual Hours

D – S (DL) E: Efficiency Variance = (Std Hours Allowed – Actual Hours) x Std Rate

If the answer to any of these is negative, that indicates an unfavorable variance. If the answer is positive, that indicates a favorable variance.

[Jennifer241]

Here is another way to see it:

Variances – plug in the corresponding units:

1. Labor Efficiency – SR * (SH – AH). Actual Quantity Purchased/Consumed *(standard price per unit – actual price per unit)

2. Labor Rate – AH * (SR – AR). Standard price per unit * (standard quantity used – actual quantity used)

3. Material Price – AQ * (SP – AP). Actual Quantity Purchased/Consumed *(standard price per unit – actual price per unit)

4. Material Efficiency – SP * (SQ – AQ). Standard price per unit * (standard quantity used – actual quantity used)

In any of the above four formulas or the two located below, if the answer is negative then the variance will be unfavorable

or favorable if the opposite occurs. Also, some problems might require you to solve for one of the variables located within

the parenthesis.

1. Fixed overhead spending – (budgeted-standard fixed overhead to incur – actual fixed overhead incurred)

2. Fixed overhead volume – (budgeted-standard fixed overhead to incur – ((actual production * standard labor hours)

*(budgeted-standard fixed overhead to incur/budgeted labor hours))

AUD - Jan 9,13 Pass
REG - Aug 30,13 Pass
BEC - Oct 26,13 Pass
FAR - Dec 4,13 Pass

Licensed CPA in the state of Oregon

[Jennifer241]

Here is another way to see it:

Variances – plug in the corresponding units:

1. Labor Efficiency – SR * (SH – AH). Actual Quantity Purchased/Consumed *(standard price per unit – actual price per unit)

2. Labor Rate – AH * (SR – AR). Standard price per unit * (standard quantity used – actual quantity used)

3. Material Price – AQ * (SP – AP). Actual Quantity Purchased/Consumed *(standard price per unit – actual price per unit)

4. Material Efficiency – SP * (SQ – AQ). Standard price per unit * (standard quantity used – actual quantity used)

In any of the above four formulas or the two located below, if the answer is negative then the variance will be unfavorable

or favorable if the opposite occurs. Also, some problems might require you to solve for one of the variables located within

the parenthesis.

1. Fixed overhead spending – (budgeted-standard fixed overhead to incur – actual fixed overhead incurred)

2. Fixed overhead volume – (budgeted-standard fixed overhead to incur – ((actual production * standard labor hours)

*(budgeted-standard fixed overhead to incur/budgeted labor hours))

AUD - Jan 9,13 Pass
REG - Aug 30,13 Pass
BEC - Oct 26,13 Pass
FAR - Dec 4,13 Pass

Licensed CPA in the state of Oregon

[SeattleAccountant]

@ZSRizvi

For each chapter:

Listen Becker vid, read book, do for first time MCQ. While doing MCQ, note all the missed areas/concepts into the spiral notebook. Leave all wrong MCQ as is and go back to book, reread it and make flashcards for missed topics. These flashcards contain anything from definitions to formulas to examples of worked out questions (for AUD flashcards contained definitions that were translated into my native tongue). After all of that done, do SIMS and only then, wrong MCQ. Move on to next chapter, repeat above. Timing is 2 chapters per week.

Once all chapters are completed, go back and starting with chapter one, MCQ/SIMS again now working on speed and accuracy. Anything missed second time, gets researched on the Internet/Youtube further and gets written up into notebook of why it was missed (i.e. what exactly tripped me). Progress tests are taken about 8-10 times and after all chapters completed for the second time, I take 2 Becker finals. After those finals, I go back to AICPA released questions usually a couple years worth and complete them also. These released questions are often already incorporated into Becker SIMS/MCQ but for me they work as reinforcement and another way of practicing. After all of that completed, I usually have about 2-3 days left before the exam. During those days, I get my hands on Willey TB 24 hour free trial and work their MCQ just looking for a curve balls, unusual problems, etc. Again, I've noticed that many AICPA retired/released questions were part of that test bank as well.

Whew! Now, let me assure you that while I'm not native English speaker + older candidate, I had always been academically inclined and had very easy time with accounting courses and did not expect this much of effort. Never before had I've studied this much or this intense. It does not make sense but even relying on both undergrad & grad accounting courses, I still find areas that will be emphasized on the test but were never much of the emphasis in college (and rightfully so b/c they are minutiae, vague, minor issues).

In personal experience, this test is both hard and easy. For example, felt over studied for FAR and also, it is my strongest area, yet my test grade does NOT reflect that. Reasons why not? Without violating disclosure, test tends to ask questions that are at minimum lateral if not remotely connected to financial accounting. So down the drain went my knowledge of higher matters/complex calculations and so on. Again, it might be the lack of draw, but MCQ for that FAR were way off and SIMS were right on.

Sorry for a long drawn out response, but that's how the process is – long and drawn out over many weeks 🙁

Becker Class of Jan - Aug 2013: FARB DONE!!!!
CPA license pending 🙂

[SeattleAccountant]

@ZSRizvi

For each chapter:

Listen Becker vid, read book, do for first time MCQ. While doing MCQ, note all the missed areas/concepts into the spiral notebook. Leave all wrong MCQ as is and go back to book, reread it and make flashcards for missed topics. These flashcards contain anything from definitions to formulas to examples of worked out questions (for AUD flashcards contained definitions that were translated into my native tongue). After all of that done, do SIMS and only then, wrong MCQ. Move on to next chapter, repeat above. Timing is 2 chapters per week.

Once all chapters are completed, go back and starting with chapter one, MCQ/SIMS again now working on speed and accuracy. Anything missed second time, gets researched on the Internet/Youtube further and gets written up into notebook of why it was missed (i.e. what exactly tripped me). Progress tests are taken about 8-10 times and after all chapters completed for the second time, I take 2 Becker finals. After those finals, I go back to AICPA released questions usually a couple years worth and complete them also. These released questions are often already incorporated into Becker SIMS/MCQ but for me they work as reinforcement and another way of practicing. After all of that completed, I usually have about 2-3 days left before the exam. During those days, I get my hands on Willey TB 24 hour free trial and work their MCQ just looking for a curve balls, unusual problems, etc. Again, I've noticed that many AICPA retired/released questions were part of that test bank as well.

Whew! Now, let me assure you that while I'm not native English speaker + older candidate, I had always been academically inclined and had very easy time with accounting courses and did not expect this much of effort. Never before had I've studied this much or this intense. It does not make sense but even relying on both undergrad & grad accounting courses, I still find areas that will be emphasized on the test but were never much of the emphasis in college (and rightfully so b/c they are minutiae, vague, minor issues).

In personal experience, this test is both hard and easy. For example, felt over studied for FAR and also, it is my strongest area, yet my test grade does NOT reflect that. Reasons why not? Without violating disclosure, test tends to ask questions that are at minimum lateral if not remotely connected to financial accounting. So down the drain went my knowledge of higher matters/complex calculations and so on. Again, it might be the lack of draw, but MCQ for that FAR were way off and SIMS were right on.

Sorry for a long drawn out response, but that's how the process is – long and drawn out over many weeks 🙁

Becker Class of Jan - Aug 2013: FARB DONE!!!!
CPA license pending 🙂

[Anonymous]

I hate all the widgets (and process costing)! Just needed to share that with some people who understand! 🙂

[Anonymous]

I hate all the widgets (and process costing)! Just needed to share that with some people who understand! 🙂

[Anonymous]

I hate all the widgets (and process costing)! Just needed to share that with some people who understand! 🙂

[Anonymous]

I hate all the widgets (and process costing)! Just needed to share that with some people who understand! 🙂

[Anonymous]

I think Seattle was venting a bit there. lol

[Author]

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