[Anonymous]

I am graduating at the end of this month and will have 10 weeks off before I start my summer internship at a big 4 firm. When the internship ends I am jumping head first into a full-time graduate degree program. I initially planned to take 1 or 2 of the tests in the 10 week window, but have been recently plotting to go for all 4.

I want to make the most of my time off, and I am generally a good test taker. I work best under pressure, so I think this might be a good plan for me. I just wanted to get some other opinions on this plan. Is this crazy? Has anyone else done something similar? What would be the best way to divide up the 10 weeks for the tests?

[LongJourney]

@Minimorty – I still prefer the private route. I'm a CMA holder but the market still prefers a CPA holder.

REG: 80 (02/02/2012)
FAR: 91 (02/06/2012)
AUD: 89 (02/09/2012)
BEC: 79 (02/12/2012)

Ethics: 90 (02/11/2012)

[Minimorty]

True. What are your thoughts on the new CGMA designation? I hear a lot of CMAs are pretty pissed about.

[MChro12]

Theoretically, I think this can be done. You only need to put in about 100 hours to pass BEC/Audit. That is 10 days a piece for those 2 exams. REG and FAR will be in the 150-200 range… The question is can you mentally handle studying accounting as a full time job and the pressure that goes along with the test for 70 days? You are going to hate your life and these tests aren't easy.

Reg 77 (Aug 11)
Aud 80 (Nov 11)
BEC 79 (Jan 12)
FAR 80 (April 12)

[LongJourney]

A new designation could have stirred a nice competition but I still believe that AICPA & CIMA took the wrong approach with this (a deignation without examination). I'm not that pissed about it since I might add some new letters to my business card (even though they are currently useless). The CPAs were already viewed in a better way than CMAs so I don't feel that the new designation created any difference.

REG: 80 (02/02/2012)
FAR: 91 (02/06/2012)
AUD: 89 (02/09/2012)
BEC: 79 (02/12/2012)

Ethics: 90 (02/11/2012)

[Minimorty]

Yeah, you are certainly less impacted since you have/will have your CPA. I agree that the way they went about it was wrong. The AICPA keeps stressing that to qualify you must have two or three years of management accounting experience. Clearly, the requirements say financial or management accounting. So now you'll have a not insignificant number of financial accountants holding themselves out to be management accountants as well. Thats a bummer. I've decided not to accept the new designation.

[Tux]

Adele – If you're determined to try and get the exams done in the 10 weeks, or even by end of summer before you start graduate school, buy a program NOW and just start studying!

Although you can't file your paperwork yet, you can definitely begin studying. Just choose a program and get started – ASAP. Time is not on your side. Just get started and see what you think.

I, personally, couldn't do it, but every one is different. The only way to know is to try.

Good luck!!

FAR - 86 - 2/27/14
AUD - 75 - 5/29/14
BEC - 80 - 8/31/14
REG - 89 - 2/27/15
Praise Jesus! I'm done!!

Study resources:
Becker
Wiley test bank

[Uncle Chips]

I was able to pass two exams (REG, AUD) in one testing window. Overall I studied about 4 weeks for REG and 3 weeks for AUD, but I also work full time so I was limited during the week to only 3-4 hours per night. Saturday and Sunday I would put in about 6-8 hours of studying.

I agree that it's technically do-able, but it seems a little too ambitious unless you literally spend every waking hour cramming.

REG - 82 (10/28/11)
AUD - 78 (11/22/11)
FAR - 75 (2/29/12)
BEC - 82 (4/20/12)

[Anonymous]

Nope not possible. Your setting yourself up for failure and wasting money.

Do two now in the 10 weeks. FAR and REG, trying to study as much as possible…maybe 4 weeks on each. Then use the last two reminaing weeks to jump start studying for AUD and it will be momentum to continue studying during the first couple weeks of your internship. Then after that, take BEC. Try to schedule it during the first week or two of Grad school before your semester gets hard if you need the extra time. If not, knock that sucker out the week before you start school so you have a break.

Remember, take FAR before you take AUD.

[LongJourney]

@adele – here is another piece of advice, try to put more focus on the quality rather than the quantity of studying hours. Each person might require different number of study hours for the CPA exam (it has nothing to do with your IQ but rather your studying skills), but it all comes down to the quality of your study time. During my study time, and after spending so much time on reading the textbooks, my mind went blank and I wasn't able to learn anything new and started to forget what I already learned. Try to balance between maximizing your study time while maintaining your efficiency.

REG: 80 (02/02/2012)
FAR: 91 (02/06/2012)
AUD: 89 (02/09/2012)
BEC: 79 (02/12/2012)

Ethics: 90 (02/11/2012)

[Minimorty]

@Bean – It is clearly doable since its been done by numerous people on the forums. Why do you say it is impossible?

[nvx2222]

First and probably last post on these forums. But I just wanted to give something back since I've been a lurker in my short 2.5 month journey.

Long story short — I agree totally with Minimorty and here's why:

REG – Regulation 77 Pass 01/20/2012 07/20/2013

FAR – Financial Accounting & Reporting (FAR) 76 Pass 02/10/2012 08/10/2013

AUD – Auditing & Attestation 92 Pass 02/20/2012

BEC – Business Environment & Concepts 88 Pass 02/29/2012

I started studying seriously right after new years. Used becker, got old 2011 materials in November, but only opened them up in the first week of December. I work in industry doing risk management — so while I'm somewhat close to Audit, I'm very far removed from anything quantitative or financial reporting. Furthermore, I'm a Canadian — so US GAAP and US Tax (obviously) would be and are more foreign to me. Mind you, I had worked at one of the Big 4 firms around 3 years ago and I have passed the Canadian CA exam.

I did study very hard once new years came and you can tell what days I wrote what exams in the above and the order I wrote them in.

The reason why I wrote them in such a short time frame was to try and get in before the IL change in law where they'll stop being a two-tiered state in a couple months on July 1.

[LongJourney]

@nvx2222 I'm also an Illinois candidate! It's a good thing that our “crazy” plans worked for both of us! I'm also planning to become a registered CPA before July 1, although I might also apply for a license as well (Illinois experience requirements are simpler than other states)

REG: 80 (02/02/2012)
FAR: 91 (02/06/2012)
AUD: 89 (02/09/2012)
BEC: 79 (02/12/2012)

Ethics: 90 (02/11/2012)

[Anonymous]

@LongJourney

Wow! You should change your name to SuperShortJourney 😛

[nvx2222]

Congratulations LongJourney — I see your dates too and they appear even crazier than mine 🙂

Ya I just got my score for the final two today so I'm pretty ecstatic. I did notice that the people working at the Illinois board are nicer and more willing to do things versus the customer service I'm used to up here in Canada. I don't know why people always say Canadians are overly nice. Maybe the grass is always greener on the other side 🙂

[LongJourney]

@75 I've noticed the irony. I went through a lot in my personal life so it was nice to finish one thing earlier than expected!

REG: 80 (02/02/2012)
FAR: 91 (02/06/2012)
AUD: 89 (02/09/2012)
BEC: 79 (02/12/2012)

Ethics: 90 (02/11/2012)

[Author]

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