[mike_terror]

I will have my final exams for my undergrad next week (last week of August) and be officially done with all my requirements to receive my Bachelors of Science in Business Admin Accounting. Grades won’t be available until September 9th.

I already sent in my initial $100 to California Board of Accountancy, but have not yet send in my transcript. I’m assuming that it would be best to request my school to send in the transcript after September 9th correct? Since that is the date when the grades will be available showing my completion for my B.S.

I read that it takes around 5-8 weeks for this procedure to clear through before I will even receive my payment coupon to pay for the NTS.

I want to purchase the Yaeger Now & Then Program, but I’m not sure if I should get FAR & AUD for 2011 or just FAR? I would like to start studying for FAR during the first week of September and sit for the exam on 10/31/11.

I would then study AUD right after October, and sit for AUD on 11/30/11. This will only give me 7 weeks to study for FAR, and 4 weeks to study for AUD. I plan to study 4 hours a day with Yaeger & Wiley, would this be doable?

Also, based on my situation with sending in my transcript to pay for the NTS, do you think I will have everything processed in time for me to schedule FAR for 10/31/2011? My grades wont be available until Sept. 9th so I’m afraid that the processing time will take too long and I wont be able to schedule for 10/31/11.

The reason I ask this is because I plan to purchase Yaeger’s Now & Then Program, but I am unsure to whether purchase FAR 2011 & AUD 2011 and get the rest in 2012, or if I should only take FAR 2011 now, and the rest in 2012?

My main concern is the processing time from when I request for my school to send in my transcript on September 9th, and then getting the payment coupon, and then getting my NTS.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I had the same problem back in May.

Expect the process to take 3-6 weeks. You are also in California which tends to lag.

Personally, I would just get FAR and take your time with it. You do not want to be rushed when you do not

understand something. Audit is very easy compared to FAR, so it'll be a nice break from extreme studying once FAR drains you.

I know you want to take both and I know the above is not what you wanted to hear, just my 2 cents.

[Anonymous]

I'm not in California so have no advice on the NTS issue. But regarding the Yaeger Now and Then program, could you go ahead and request FAR now and then decide closer to your FAR testing date whether or not you want Audit for 2011? I am a Yaeger student as well, and they shipped my materials the same day I ordered them.

[Shanti]

I'm in CA and just went through the process earlier this year. It usually only takes the 3-6 weeks (like superfly said), but since you sent in your money without your transcripts, they are going to send you a deficiency notice. Sounds scarey, but I had 1 transcript lag behind my payment and I got one. It just means you have a year to fix it or your application is considered abandoned.

Also, as far as your grades being posted on the 9th, does that mean posted to your transcript and will your degree be on there? The CBA wants the see that degree on there and some schools take a few weeks to finalize everything before they put your degree completion on your transcripts. I would think about calling the school to check that out and to see if they offer a rush service for sending out transcripts.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Ya, its not just your grades, you can't send the transcript until after the degree has been posted. Personally, i think it'll take at least 8 weeks for the application to get procssed once they have received your transcripts. In 2009 when I went through it, it actually took 5 months, but that was also during furloughs. My friend did it last year, and her's took 2-3 months to process once she sent in her transcripts. So I would plan on it taking a little longer to get processed…But thats ok, you can use the time to study for FAR.

I would just purchase FAR for now, like the other poster said, they can ship it out really quick, so you can get AUD later if you need it.

[mike_terror]

Thanks everyone for your great advice!

@CalCPASoon – Wow, it took you 5 months?! and your friend 2-3 months? This makes me extremely nervous thinking that I may not even be able to schedule for FAR alone in the remainder of 2011. My school is notorious for lagging when it comes to dealing with Transcripts. I was not aware that it takes a few weeks for schools to post the degree to the transcripts because I thought that once the grades were posted, the degree will be immediately posted simultaneously since all requirements have been met.

@apbandj – Would you mind sharing your plan / schedule is for your other sittings. How is your studying going so far with Yaeger's FAR. I see your scheduled date is 11/28, I hope to go with that plan as well. How long have you been studying, also what is your study schedule?

I THINK I will now consider just doing FAR for the remainder of 2011, if that is the case, I think 3 months will be sufficient time for me to study and be ready for FAR on 11/30 if I study 4 hours a day. Or do you guys think I'm underestimating this and should do more / allocate more time?

If I do FAR in the last window of 2011, what are your suggestions for scheduling the rest of the other 3 sections in 2012? Would it be wise to follow up with AUD & BEC in JAN & FEB? Then REG in APRIL?

Or AUD & REG in JAN & FEB? or just AUD by itself in the 1st window of 2012 and REG & BEC in the 2nd window of 2012? I'm pretty clueless with the combinations, I've tried reading numerous old threads to get a feel of the best combination, but if anyone else has a good mixture / schedule that they recommend, I'm definitely all ears!!

[valueofnothing]

you guys need to get outta california. new york processed my app in like 1.5 weeks

REG - 81
BEC - 88
AUD - 85
FAR - 81

[Anonymous]

Not sure if you saw my reply to another post…

https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/yaeger-2011-updated-materials

I am only taking 1 exam per testing window.

FAR – Nov. 2011

AUD – Feb. 2012

BEC – May 2012

REG – Aug 2012

I'm taking them in the order that was recommended to me by Sonny at Yaeger. I've been studying for 6 weeks already for FAR. I watched all the lectures first and just got done with those a few days ago. Now it's MCQ's, SIMS, NINJA notes and my own notes until exam time. I've been out of college for 10 years and out of the work force for 7, so I'm sure it will take me longer to study than someone like you who is taking it right out of school. I spend about 2-3 hours a day studying and skip a day here and there if I have other stuff more pressing. HTH!

[kb24]

I would recommend doing AUD and one of your other exams in the first test window. If you're planning to take AUD in early January, you could do either REG or BEC. If you're planning on later in the month, I'd recommend BEC. REG is tough and requires more time to prepare for than BEC.

FAR 4/1/11 - 89
AUD 4/15/11 - 85
REG 4/29/11 - 80
BEC 5/13/11 - 85

[mike_terror]

How does this schedule look? I'm worried about AUD since it only gives me room of 4 weeks to study.

Study for FAR starting in September

Sit for FAR 11/28/11 (around 10-11 weeks of studying, 4 hours a day)

Study for AUD right after the FAR sitting

Sit for AUD 1/2/11 (jammed packed 4 weeks of studying, 4 hours a day)

Study for BEC right after the AUD sitting

Sit for BEC 2/27/11 ( 7 weeks of studying, 4 hours a day)

Study for REG right after the BEC sitting

Sit for REG 5/28/11 (11 weeks of studying, 4 hours a day)

[Anonymous]

Can I ask why you are only studying 4 hrs a day? LOL, I study about 30 hrs a week in addition to a full time job, so I'm just giving you a hard time! 😉

I think once you start studying you will get a feel for how long getting through each chapter takes you, how much time you need to get through MCQ and take notes, etc. You'll probably find yourself adjusting your study schedule alot as you start going through the chapters. If I've learned anything throughout this process, its that nothing ever quite works out how you planned.

Audit can be done in 4 weeks, especially with no distractions like work or family, but you might have to study more than 4 hours a day.

I think this plan looks good. Good luck!

[mla1169]

APBand, that was exactly the order I used, by coincidence. I am convinced that if I met you a year ago and you convinced me to take only one exam per window, this entire process would have gone better for me. Great plan! I am sure it will work for you.

Mike that plan sounds good to me, good luck!

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mike_terror]

Thanks everyone!

@CalCPASoon – aww man, you just sh*#%ed on my plans on studying for 4 hours a day haha, but seriously, I thank you for opening my eyes and giving me a wake up call. I'll have to push myself to study more hours. I really don't have any excuses compared to your 30 hrs a week since I'm not working full time right now. I saw that a majority of the people were doing 30 hours a week as well, that's how I came up with the assumption that by doing 4 hours a day, I'm at 28 hours a week, being close enough to 30 hours lol.

I'm REALLY bad with studying and reading straight from the book to understand material. I'll read a sentence, and think to myself “what the heck did I just read right here”? and then I'll have to read it over and over and over again, before I finally understand the material. I'm also a big time procrastinator and get easily distracted. I can't sit still for too long, that's why I thought 4 hours per day would be good enough for the material to sink into my head without information overflowing and going to waste.

[mike_terror]

Does anyone know if there will be any changes in the 2012 cpa exam vs 2011's study review material / books.

[Anonymous]

@Cal, I only study 4 hours at a time. If I try to study more than 4 hours in one day, the remaining hours are just a waste of my time. I hit a wall. Maybe I'm a weakling, I don't know. 😉

[Minimorty]

I study for an hour and a half a day, five days a week. Too much going on with work, family, etc.

[Author]

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