[Anonymous]

BEC – I fear this section more than any other part. Please let me know what is a good study course ( I need video lectures) and guidance on how to approach. The material is scary. Please no marketing responses, just real true life experience. I study most on Sat and Sun about 6 hours each day and spend about 2 hours all other days. Is it as scary as it looks? How much time do I need?

[KasiaS]

No, BEC is not as bad as you may see it. I thought it would be worse than what it really turned out to be.

I'm sorry, I can't recommend a video based review course, but I used an incredible audio course that made the study beyond easy and when I sat for the exam, nothing really caught me off guard. I used NIU Correspondence CPA Review (cpareview.niu.edu) in conjunction with the Gleim test bank. This is the course that I've been using for all 4 parts and I think my scores speak for the course effectiveness. I understand if audio is not for you, but it's something to consider. (I promise I'm I real person and this is not a marketing ploy).

As for study time, I spent about 5 1/2 weeks preparing with about 20 hours of study/week. Regardless of the course you choose, I recommend that you really hammer down corporate governance, COSO, SOX, and Cost Accounting. I wouldn't obsess too much over IT unless you know next to nothing about the topic. Best of luck to you!

FAR 88 (07/15/11)
BEC 83 (08/31/11)
AUD 81 (10/15/11)
REG 83 (11/26/11)

Used NIU Correspondence CPA Review

[Anonymous]

Kasia – Many thanks for taking the time to respond. I feel a little better. I will take your advice and check out what you used. I find REG to be a breeze, although I am a tax person. Just freekin about all the weird BEC stuff. I just started and will be taking in mid Jan, 2012. The beginning is always the hardest.

Broadstreet

[KasiaS]

My pleasure! I'm always happy to help others out since I've gotten a lot of help from this forum. I'm most definitely not a tax person so I'm not too pumped to face REG. To me, it has been the most painful section to study for, but I'm trying my best to be a trooper!

One more piece of advice: do as many MCQs as you can bear and don't bother attempting to prepare for the WCs. If you're a good writer, you can easily pick up those 15 points. Before my exam, I think I averaged about 200-300 MCQs per day in the week leading up to the exam. That was more than good enough for me to pass.

FAR 88 (07/15/11)
BEC 83 (08/31/11)
AUD 81 (10/15/11)
REG 83 (11/26/11)

Used NIU Correspondence CPA Review

[Mahina]

Definitely agree with KasiaS there. I have been using Becker to study and BEC was a breeze to me. I literally walked out with an hour left. Try doing as many multiple choice questions as you can stand and then some more. My sims were decently easy questions and there was only one I didn't know for sure. Just look out how they want the questions to be formatted and go from there.

BEC - 85
FAR - 85
REG - 82
AUD - 68, 88

[Anonymous]

Kasia – For REG I did 4,000 mcqs and 200 sims (obsessive), you can do it.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the encouragement Mahina. I study this stuff like mad, and am determined. BEC looks crazy, thinking about a personal tutor.

[Anonymous]

I used Becker with the wiley test bank my first go around with BEC and got a 69, not too bad considering I was studying for BEC and finishing up my second degree taking two classes, working full time, and have a family!.

I had to take about 9 months off of studies because of a new position at work so I decided to start completely over this time and I used Yaeger's Home Study. I really liked the way Cindy taught the class. She went through the book, worked lots of problems from the book and really explained how to do the calculations using a white board. This time I passed with a 76

[MyLifeisCPA]

Broadstreet, I agree with Kasia. I had to repeat it though but knocked it out the next time. I feel that was due to me not preparing like I should. Definitely hammer down the Corporate Governance, COSO(I had tons) and Cost Accounting. I think if you know the major topics of BEC, the written communication will be your friend.

BEC-Passed
AUD-Passed
REG-Passed
FAR-Passed (I AM DONE!!! THANK U LORD!!!!)
Licensed Texas CPA - 10/2012

[See Pee A]

@broadstreet: The pass rate for BEC is in a similar range as the other exams, which is surprising because it is one of the shortest review books. The key here is to NOT underestimate the exam, which I believe many people do. It is not a very tough exam, but it is far from easy and will require appropriate preparation. I used the Becker review materials (self-study comes with video lectures, flashcards, and software with MCQ's and practice exams). I studied for about 2.5 weeks (about 30 hrs/week… so depending on your time availability it took me about 80 hours). It's a bunch of random things like cost accounting, IT, economics, and other topics.

I promise with adequate preparation it should be no problem. Assuming you study (as you mentioned above) about 20 hours a week you should be ready in 4-5 weeks, depending on how much time you require to commit information to memory. If you have any other questions please don't hesitate.

Full disclosure: you can see my scores below, both first time exams.

BEC 86 (08/30/11)
FAR 84 (10/13/11)
REG 88 (11/08/11)
AUD 86 (11/29/11)

Exam prep - Becker self-study

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys and gals, maybe I can get some sleep with all the encouragement. Last night I had dreamed and was taking mcq's the whole time, what a nightmare ! Has this hapened to anyone else?

[Anonymous]

4,000 mcqs and 200 sims…lmao what a waste of time.

[Anonymous]

Baseball – Why a waste of tme?

[katiekanton]

@BaseballCPA I admire you. I've struggled all my life with an unhealthy desire to be liked by everyone. It must be wonderful to not care.

FYI, just because something works or doesn't work for you doesn't mean everyone else has the same experience. It might be overkill FOR YOU, but WE don't know it's overkill until we're actually sitting in front of the computer at Prometric. There are many reasons why someone might need to do that much practice: 1) to boost self-confidence going in to the exam, 2) because of learning disabilities, 3) to make certain they pass “this time”, (family circumstances, job situations, health reasons, expiring scores, money–it's expensive to keep taking the test), etc.

AUD - 88
FAR - 90
REG - 85
BEC - 88

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Hmm, let's take a look:

1) Everyone's gunnin for a 75 here; nobody's going to pat you on the head for passing with a “higher” score than anyone else. So to spend an exorbitant amount of time hashing and rehashing concepts is hilarious to me. Unless, of course, you just didn't “get it” and that amount of time was necessary for the information to sink in.

2) Using the study information you posted in the beginning (6 hrs on wknds, 2 hrs per wkday), you study about 22 hours a week (assuming you stick with that schedule, of course). Assuming you answer/review MCQs at a rate of 1 per 2 minutes minutes and sims at a rate of 1 per 20 minutes, you spent 8,000 minutes on MCQs and 4,000 minutes on simulations. That's a total of 200 hours — or, in terms of your study schedule, 9.1 weeks. Granted, I know some sims and mcqs take less time than others, but likewise, some take longer. Overall, in my opinion, that's a huge waste of time.

Hey, just my opinion…a pass is a pass, my friend, so do whatever makes you feel comfortable. lol

[Author]

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