[Anonymous]

I used CPA Excel for REG and ended up scoring a 90 on the exam. I went through ALL the video lectures, wrote down a ton of notes from the slides and reviewed the text for topics I wasn’t sure on, which was quite a few. It took me a LONG time to get through all that material for REG. I’m now buckling down and getting ready to take BEC on 10/6. I’m finding the videos to be a complete waste of time and am focusing on the slides and reviewing the text. I’m still working my way through the material so I haven’t started doing a ton of MCQ’s yet but wanted to see if anyone else felt this way about the videos (on any section, to be honest).

I’ve been reading the exam experience threads for BEC and it seems most people used Becker with wiley or ninja. I don’t read much about CPA Excel so I would love to hear if it prepared you or helped you pass. I totally felt it did with REG.

Happy Studying Y’all.

Created with Compare Ninja

[Anonymous]

I'm using CPA Excel and took BEC in July which I passed (yay!). I definitely agree with you that the videos aren't as helpful as FAR or REG. For FAR, I took soooo many pages of notes while listening to the lectures. That wasn't the case when it came to BEC. I felt like they were reading from the book a lot. I still watched some of the lectures to ensure I didn't miss anything but didn't take much notes at all. I just listened with my book in front of me and made little notes in there. I relied on reading the text more to actually understand concepts. I don't think the videos added significant value to my preparation and I definitely think you can pass without them. BUT if you have the extra time, it doesn't hurt to watch them either 🙂 But overall, CPA Excel is definitely enough to pass to BEC.

I'm taking REG next week and judging by your score it seems like CPA Excel does well to prep for it! Any tips or recommendations?

[Anonymous]

I used CPAExcel self-study and thought it did a great job to prepare me for all sections. However, I think you could read some outside COSO material to be better prepared. I also used the Ninja Notes for all sections and would read the corresponding section after reading the chapter in CPAExcel two times. Many people here used Wiley's tb, but I only used it for BEC and FAR, and only worked a few sections. I would recommend working the MCQs in Study Mode because I think you learn a lot more that way. Forget the Flashcards, SIMS, videos, PQs, and read the book and work the EQs multiple times. Check the 2011 AICPA released memos and try to imitate the format on the exam.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the input…

Annie – my only complaint was the research function in CPA Excel, I wished I would have practiced with a tool a little more similar to the exam tool. If I had, I would not have been scrambling at the end to find my research answer. I know there is a site you can go to for a more realistic version…people have talked about it on the REG forum. My hint is: you will be tested on all the crap you don't want to be so really focus on your weak subjects. Knowing how to work the problems also translates to understanding the concepts so practice, practice, practice!

CPATerminator – I will definitely pull out my COSO stuff from my college classes and look it over. I remember it being dumb back then as well. I will also check out the AICPA memos, that was recommended in the BEC study forum. I don't want to buy anything extra unless I don't pass. I felt good about REG so I'm hoping I have the same results with BEC.

[TripleNetAcct]

CrockPot78 – How long (hrs) did it take you to get through all the REG material? I am going to tackle that section next and I am in the planning stage and I need to plan and perform my studies to provide reasonable assurance that I will cover all of the material.

So lame…I know lol

AUD 73 (Aug 12) 77
BEC 66 71 (Nov 12) 80
REG 54 81 (May 13) 81
FAR 63 (Dec 13) 75 TEXAS

[I love numbers!]

I am also using CPA Excel this time around. I think it is very helpful when it comes to the MCQ's and notes…but for BEC I struggled to get thru the lectures as well….mainly because of the person who did Eco and Finance! He was extremely slowwwww and put me to sleep a couple of times. I think doing the MCQ's over and over, and possibly supplementing with cpareviewforfree.com, or Jeff's resources will be enough!

B - 71, 83
A - 85
R - 80
F - 80

[Anonymous]

Triplenet – looks like I studied about 80 hours using cpa excel. This doesnt count the time I spent re-writing notes and looking over my notes, though. I took about 6 weeks getting through the material and 1 week rewriting notes and doing MCQs.

Numbers – I know, the video guy is boring me to death.

[gennatay]

Did you guys buy the actual text books or use the ebook?

[TripleNetAcct]

I bought the textbooks because I study better out of an actual textbook. I have found that looking at the screen for 5 hours at a time messes with my eyes.

AUD 73 (Aug 12) 77
BEC 66 71 (Nov 12) 80
REG 54 81 (May 13) 81
FAR 63 (Dec 13) 75 TEXAS

[Anonymous]

@Gina – I bought the textbooks for REG & BEC but won't do the same for AUD & FAR. I haven't opened the BEC book once and stopped during REG as I found the Study Text feature online to be easy to use.

[Kru]

CrockPot78, how long did u study for REG with CPA Excel?

Thanks.

AUD - 82p
FAR - 69, 72, 75p
BEC - 09/2012
REG - 10 or 11/2012

Using CPAExcel, Gleim for SIMs, and Red Bull

[Anonymous]

KRU – I studied 80 hours using the software…I don't know how many hours I spent rewriting & reviewing my notes, but probably an additional 10 hours or so? Maybe 90 hours…

Link: Current CPAexcel Discount Codes

[Author]

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