CPABOUND2013:
Yes, correct, my FAR exam is on Aug 14, so 5 more study days.
I started off reading through all Becker chapters and doing the Becker MCQs after each chapter (no sims). I spent about 125 hours on that approach, and scored 60-70% on the MCQs – however, did not do all of them, say 60% or so, and also did some NINJA MCQs for some chapters. I took notes based on both the chapters and the MCQs (in an Excel document, to be efficient). After that, I changed my approach for the remainder of my 125 study hours. I basically printed out my notes, and had my NINJA MCQ database “reset” so that all MCQs were listed as “new”. I began doing 120 “new” NINJA MCQs every day, in sessions of 30, and built on to my notes as needed and occasionally revisited the Becker chapters on topics I found difficult. I used a simple Excel model to keep track of my failed MCQs, just taking note on what topic it was and why I failed (classified as “language”, “math”, “theory”, “conceptual” and “impossible”). I also made sure I understood the answer everytime I failed. This way, I identified my weak areas. I was scoring an average of 75% on each 30 NINJA MCQ session during my first days. A few days in, I divided my notes into equal portions divided over my remaining study days (I think I had 9 days left) and started memorizing one portion of my notes each day, while continuing with 120 NINJA MCQs on a daily basis. I noted governmental accounting to be a major weak area, so I also started doing Becker MCQs on that topic for a few days.
It has worked out pretty well, and as of now I have done 780 NINJA MCQs with an average of 77%. My average on each 30 session has increased the last days as I put focus on governmental accounting and also memorized more and more of my notes, I was up on on an average in my daily 120 MCQs of 79% yesterday and today I started off with a 30 “new questions” session of 93%, and did 90% on my second session today. So moving in the right direction. The breakdown of my trending score is now conceptual 87%, NFP 83%, FS accounts 81%, specific transactions 80% and gov 62%. My current NINJA “trending score” is 78%. Note that these scores are still based almost completely on “new questions” – If I would do “random” instead, I would probably trend a total around 85% since there would be a portion of recurring questions in each session (I have done a few sessions like that just to check, and scored 85-90%).
How are you doing?
Big 4 Audit Manager from Europe here to pass the CPA in the U.S. of A in 2014! Niiice!
AUD - 95 / Jul 15 / 130h over 4 weeks
FAR - 86 / Aug 14 / 240h over 4 weeks
(11 week break)
REG - 81 / Nov 14 / 200h over 4 weeks
BEC - 87 / Nov 17 / 30 h over 2.5 days
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