[Zaq]

So I have 4 days left until my BEC exam this Saturday…

As the time ticks away, the reality that this could be the last four days of studying for this exam is quickly sinking in. And in doing so increases my desire to put this away and knock the exam out the park.

For people who have passed BEC or already taken the exam, what would you advise to a person in my situation? So far:

1.) I’ve been studying for the past week and a half doing non-stop MCQ’s from both Wiley and Becker. Scoring average of 74% in Wiley and 82% in Becker.

2.) Created flashcards for all the formulas. I’d say I have 90% of them down, but some of the formulas are really wonky and difficult to memorize and apply (B6 stuff)

3.) I have a very strong understanding of B2 and B3.

4.) B6 seems to be my weakest Chapter.

Etc. etc.

I have to pass. Failure is not an option. But I need all the help I can get.

FAR: 50, 76!
REG: 74... (ouch baby, very ouch), 76!
AUD: 65, 91!?
BEC: 80! Aaaand doneskies!

May 2012 to August 2013. Can't believe it's over.

[Whopper Warrior]

What exactly are you about to change to your greatest strength in B6?

ALL 4 parts passed summer 13
Ethics October 13
Experience (waiting)

Becker Only

[Anonymous]

I took BEC last month and was super focused on the formulas/cost accounting and my test was much more conceptual. I have heard people say they had the exact opposite.

My advice would be to review the big theories/regulatory stuff as well. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the details that I can't see the forest for the trees.

I feel your pain, I re-take audit in five days and I really, REALLY want this to be my last hurrah. Good luck to you!

[Never_Give_Up1]

Inferno

When you are doing the Becker questions at the end of the questions when you get your results are you saving your scores for each section in excel? Beckers software does not do the best job of letting you know your weak areas, so I have created a spreadsheet and put in how I score in each section so that I know exactly where my weak areas are, and I just drill on those questions.

Are you taking practice tests or the build your own test? I never do the practice tests, I go to where I can choose the sections I want and then once I know where I need to be I just select those ones until I know the material.

FAR - 81
REG - 81
AUD - 82
BEC - 81

Ethics - Done
State License Exam - Done

License - Licensed CPA in Utah

[Never_Give_Up1]

Double posted…

FAR - 81
REG - 81
AUD - 82
BEC - 81

Ethics - Done
State License Exam - Done

License - Licensed CPA in Utah

[Zaq]

@Whopper Warrior: ?

@auslaf: Yeah, I could back up from the hardcore calculations and get into the conceptual more. For AUD (I was in your position), keep hammering out those MCQ's endlessly. I also recommend that you try to “visualize” the entire audit program from the beginning of an engagement to the end. Having a broad understanding of AUD was crucial. We got this!

@NeverGiveUp: For Becker, I'm just doing 80-100 MCQ progress tests. I normally skip the practice exams because they're huge motivation killers. For Becker, you can actually go back to previous progress tests that you've done, “retake it” with the answers already in from last time, and just submit it to see your score breakdown. I think I've done about 1000 MCQ's from progress tests between Wiley/Becker… not including the ones I did for the homework (1st time around) and the homework review (2nd review).

FAR: 50, 76!
REG: 74... (ouch baby, very ouch), 76!
AUD: 65, 91!?
BEC: 80! Aaaand doneskies!

May 2012 to August 2013. Can't believe it's over.

[Whopper Warrior]

I could say problems with, but I prefer areas for accomplishment. A mind game of sorts, that I find improves my ability to learn new / difficult concepts.

Also, I would not skip the practice exams. I find I do terrible on them as well; but they provide subtle nuisances that you do not get in the regular practice exams.

ALL 4 parts passed summer 13
Ethics October 13
Experience (waiting)

Becker Only

[Zaq]

Ah! For B6? Hedging, probability questions, and a lot of those oddball formulas. Oh, and Internal Auditing. I definitely need to go over these topics in more detail.

If you suggest I take them, then I will! My mentality lately has been less frustration on getting answers wrong and moreso on being happy that I'm getting an answer wrong so I won't get it wrong on the exam. Which is weird.

FAR: 50, 76!
REG: 74... (ouch baby, very ouch), 76!
AUD: 65, 91!?
BEC: 80! Aaaand doneskies!

May 2012 to August 2013. Can't believe it's over.

[Whopper Warrior]

Honestly, I have not had BEC yet, but for the three exams I have had calculations should not be that intensive, because of their time consuming nature. There is nothing wrong with wrong answers, I find I learn more by getting it wrong because I rely strongly on my intuition for answers then pure memorization. Changing the way you think is better then memorizing a formula because the reasoning / the intuition behind it is better then the formula. I havent gotten that deep into B6 so I use a B2 formula

Days in Year / (net payment – payment for discount) * discount $ / (100 – discount $)

What is this equation solving? It solves the # of times you could of taken a discount and foregone it * the return on the discount. Example 2/10; n 30 you save 2 on a 100 bill or your return is $2, on a $98 investment. So when calculating the interest forgone we examine the return on 98$ and the amount of times I can invest the $98 I find the formula makes more sense, then memorizing it. It is also easier to recall.

It is not the formula you want to memorize, but more so what the formula tries to accomplish, plus I feel like this understanding would aid in the written portion. What exact formulas are you having difficulty with? I like to think of probability as an extension of WACC, and hedging as insurance.

ALL 4 parts passed summer 13
Ethics October 13
Experience (waiting)

Becker Only

[Zaq]

Well, for example, the “Annuity Present Value” formula which is like C x (1-[1(1+r)^t]/r)….

Yeah, that's just silly.

FAR: 50, 76!
REG: 74... (ouch baby, very ouch), 76!
AUD: 65, 91!?
BEC: 80! Aaaand doneskies!

May 2012 to August 2013. Can't believe it's over.

[oilgaslb]

@Inferno, I may be wrong, but I've been informed that all PV factors will be given and that those formulas will not need to be calculated – they will give you the option of which to choose (PV of Annuity vs. annuity due, etc), then it's up to us to calculate the PV based on the correct factors.

[SeattleAccountant]

@Inferno

No melting is allowed! Nope, none. Re-read/re-listen that damned B6 and move on. No worries, concentrate on all topics evenly.

YOU CAN DO IT< YOU CAN DO IT> YOU CAN DO IT

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

[barelystayingsane]

@oilgaslb Based on my exam experience that is not entirely accurate. Without going into specifics, I had a real b**** of a question that took forever to calculate. You can't assume anything about these exams.

Somebody please report this post for deletion if you think this is a disclosure violation. I'm never sure what is and isn't considered a violation. I think this is okay, but just in case….

[MintsRGood]

@Inferno You can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep cycling through all the topics to keep all of them fresh! You don't want to lose ground on an area that you are strong in spending all your time on one topic. I don't use Becker, so what topics are contained in B6?

Keep positive and we are all pulling for you! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[mmp3]

@Omni: I think you are doing all you can. The only thing I would suggest is that if B6 is your weakest chapter (it was mine too) try doing progress tests and only select that chapter. I found when I started breaking down my progress tests like that with just one or two chapters, I didn't get the same questions over and over again and it enabled me to get a better understanding of my weak areas. Also, I would suggest just writing out the formulas you are unsure of one more time on one or two sheets of paper and let that be the last thing you look at walking into your exam. Good luck, you'll be fine!

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

Becker Self Study

[Anonymous]

I don´t know if it helps, Inferno, but I am in the exact same boat. Having my (hopefully!) last exam next week Thursday. I have gone through Chapter 6 only one, and feel exactly like you. I think I understand 1,2,3 since it seems very logical to me.

Also I do not really feel prepared for the IT, but will go over Wiley (in addition to Becker) for this one.

Thought it would be great to studying for the last exam but honestly I have a lot of pressure since Tax Season part 2 is starting and I really want to be DONE with this “§)$§/”%%!/(=$?*

I am sure you will do great!! Just keep us posted how it was 😀

[Author]

Replies