[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

[Jsmi77y]

mmp3 – I've never once practiced the writing portions. If you can write good paragraphs and repeat the question and use terminology that the question is asking you're fine. Even though I've failed I've always got comparable or stronger on writing portion. Focus on MCQ and the content imo.

PS: You'll obviously pass with your prior section scores.

REG - 68 | 71 | 88 | 86
FAR - 72 | 74 | 79
AUD - 66 | 70 | 77
BEC - 62 | 74 | 80

Guess that means I'm a soon-to-be CPA!

[Anonymous]

Hey guys!

I'm taking BEC for the 2nd time next Wednesday and am still really struggling with the variances. It seems like something that should be so easy and I just keep mixing up the numbers. I'm using Becker and wondering if you have used something else that just made it “click” for you? I am thinking about purchasing the 10 point combo lite but not sure I want to spend the $ on it and if I have time to really use it. Any recommendations? I'm sure it was the variance questions that caused me to fail my last exam because I had a LOT of questions on them last time. Just frustrated that I STILL can't seem to get it!! Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

Hey guys!

I'm taking BEC for the 2nd time next Wednesday and am still really struggling with the variances. It seems like something that should be so easy and I just keep mixing up the numbers. I'm using Becker and wondering if you have used something else that just made it “click” for you? I am thinking about purchasing the 10 point combo lite but not sure I want to spend the $ on it and if I have time to really use it. Any recommendations? I'm sure it was the variance questions that caused me to fail my last exam because I had a LOT of questions on them last time. Just frustrated that I STILL can't seem to get it!! Thanks in advance!

[Jsmi77y]

If it refers to Price Variance or Rate variance you are looking at Actual QUANTITY x (Standard PRICE (sometimes worded budget) – Actual PRICE)

If it refers to Efficiency or quantity you are looking at Standard PRICE x (Standard QUANTITY – Actual QUANTITY).

The way I figure out favorable vs unfavorable is whether or not the budget amount is more or less than the actual amount. For instance if budgeted price per unit is $5 and actual was $4.50 it's going to be FAVORABLE, because you ACTUALLY spent less money.

This works the same way for efficiency.

Just remember the keywords and then lay out one of the related formula's listed above, then right below where you write it down, plug the numbers from the question by re-reading it. Just remember it's always S-A x either the standard (aka budget) or the actual, and your trigger will be the words they use. ie price variance, quantity variance, efficiency variance etc.

REG - 68 | 71 | 88 | 86
FAR - 72 | 74 | 79
AUD - 66 | 70 | 77
BEC - 62 | 74 | 80

Guess that means I'm a soon-to-be CPA!

[Jsmi77y]

If it refers to Price Variance or Rate variance you are looking at Actual QUANTITY x (Standard PRICE (sometimes worded budget) – Actual PRICE)

If it refers to Efficiency or quantity you are looking at Standard PRICE x (Standard QUANTITY – Actual QUANTITY).

The way I figure out favorable vs unfavorable is whether or not the budget amount is more or less than the actual amount. For instance if budgeted price per unit is $5 and actual was $4.50 it's going to be FAVORABLE, because you ACTUALLY spent less money.

This works the same way for efficiency.

Just remember the keywords and then lay out one of the related formula's listed above, then right below where you write it down, plug the numbers from the question by re-reading it. Just remember it's always S-A x either the standard (aka budget) or the actual, and your trigger will be the words they use. ie price variance, quantity variance, efficiency variance etc.

REG - 68 | 71 | 88 | 86
FAR - 72 | 74 | 79
AUD - 66 | 70 | 77
BEC - 62 | 74 | 80

Guess that means I'm a soon-to-be CPA!

[mmp3]

Jsmi77y: Thanks that's really helpful advice. I hope you are right on your prediction about passing. I am going back to work full time this fall and have 3 kids ages 4 to 12, so I have been putting all my time into studying now as I know it will be close to impossible once I start working. Good luck to you as well!

FAR 92 (2/27/13)
AUD 99 (4/18/13)
REG 93 (7/5/13)
BEC 92 (8/12/13)

Becker Self Study

[mmp3]

Jsmi77y: Thanks that's really helpful advice. I hope you are right on your prediction about passing. I am going back to work full time this fall and have 3 kids ages 4 to 12, so I have been putting all my time into studying now as I know it will be close to impossible once I start working. Good luck to you as well!

FAR 92 (2/27/13)
AUD 99 (4/18/13)
REG 93 (7/5/13)
BEC 92 (8/12/13)

Becker Self Study

[Jsmi77y]

Ah, yeah. I hate to blame kids but there's no doubt my struggles have strongly correlated to having children while trying to pass this thing! lol, my own fault though!

Keep up the good work.

REG - 68 | 71 | 88 | 86
FAR - 72 | 74 | 79
AUD - 66 | 70 | 77
BEC - 62 | 74 | 80

Guess that means I'm a soon-to-be CPA!

[Jsmi77y]

Ah, yeah. I hate to blame kids but there's no doubt my struggles have strongly correlated to having children while trying to pass this thing! lol, my own fault though!

Keep up the good work.

REG - 68 | 71 | 88 | 86
FAR - 72 | 74 | 79
AUD - 66 | 70 | 77
BEC - 62 | 74 | 80

Guess that means I'm a soon-to-be CPA!

[Amay]

@CPA.hopeful.2013 The mnemonic PURE DADS and SAD (Difference = Std – Actual) Really helped me nail that part down. Have you tried lining it up and calculating the variance that way? Does it confuse you more? Maybe post an example that you are not getting and your thought process to see how we can help you?

BEC: 73, 81
AUD: 85
FAR: 71, 77
REG: 74, 75...finally DONE! 😀

*This is my 2nd attempt at the CPA exam. For all of you who have failed this exam many times, given up on it, or taken a break like me, remember that it is still possible to finish what you started...failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently 🙂

[Amay]

@CPA.hopeful.2013 The mnemonic PURE DADS and SAD (Difference = Std – Actual) Really helped me nail that part down. Have you tried lining it up and calculating the variance that way? Does it confuse you more? Maybe post an example that you are not getting and your thought process to see how we can help you?

BEC: 73, 81
AUD: 85
FAR: 71, 77
REG: 74, 75...finally DONE! 😀

*This is my 2nd attempt at the CPA exam. For all of you who have failed this exam many times, given up on it, or taken a break like me, remember that it is still possible to finish what you started...failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently 🙂

[smyoung0521]

I keep hearing about this PURE DADS….is this explained out there somewhere on the web or is this something that is one study materials intellectual property. I thought about googling it but I am kind of terrified of what all that search would bring up:-)

If it is a public knowledge type thing can someone help me with some key words to search for it more efficiently please.

Restarting my journey!
Using Rogers and supplementing with Ninja

[smyoung0521]

I keep hearing about this PURE DADS….is this explained out there somewhere on the web or is this something that is one study materials intellectual property. I thought about googling it but I am kind of terrified of what all that search would bring up:-)

If it is a public knowledge type thing can someone help me with some key words to search for it more efficiently please.

Restarting my journey!
Using Rogers and supplementing with Ninja

[smyoung0521]

I keep hearing about this PURE DADS….is this explained out there somewhere on the web or is this something that is one study materials intellectual property. I thought about googling it but I am kind of terrified of what all that search would bring up:-)

Restarting my journey!
Using Rogers and supplementing with Ninja

[smyoung0521]

I keep hearing about this PURE DADS….is this explained out there somewhere on the web or is this something that is one study materials intellectual property. I thought about googling it but I am kind of terrified of what all that search would bring up:-)

Restarting my journey!
Using Rogers and supplementing with Ninja

[Author]

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