[redox1100]

Although the point I am about to make is simple and not original by any means, I believe answering the question I am about to pose is often overlooked and essential to passing the CPA exam.

Let me get right to the point. So when you graduate college, you receive/purchase study materials which consist of thousands of questions and hundreds of lecture hours. Usually the study materials you receive recommend that you study for about 6-10 weeks for each section and then take the exam. At this point you need to ask yourself the fundamental question to passing the exam:

“Considering I have to know about 400 pages of material, how can I implement a study system where information learned on day one of a 6-10 week cycle is retained on the last day of a 6-10 week cycle?”’

The problem with the CPA exam as opposed to every other exam you have ever taken is the volume. So when I asked myself this question, I came up with the following solution that helped me finish my final 3 parts in a 10 month period.

I decided to make notecards for every chapter. I would go through the Becker lecture and make a notecard for every key point highlighted or emphasized. First, let me go over the cons of the notecard method. I spent more time writing notecards then actually studying. Yes, this seems ridiculous but it’s true. I made sure my notecards were properly written, exact and well understood. The reason I was so meticulous is because these notecards acted as my foundation for the exam. Now let me tell you my why this method works. Every day before I started learning NEW information I would go over an old chapter of notecards. This way my “review period” started from day one as opposed to leaving 3-5 days to review. It’s unreasonable to not look at information learned 2 weeks ago and expect to remember minute details required to pass the CPA exam. Coupled with this methodology, I was constantly doing multiple choice questions to reinforce the material.

If you have failed repeatedly or are just starting, please consider the question I posed above. If you have a different solution to approaching it, best of luck to you (everyone learns differently). I just wanted to tell you what worked for me. One last thing – you can do this. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you differently. Just be persistent and work hard every day

[Gabe]

@cpa soon I do the exact same thing. I also downloaded the Wiley flashcards and incorporated those to my Becker outline. Notecards drive me mad.

CPA, CFE
CISA- Experience will be completed by August 2016

[CPA soon]

I feel like I'd get lost if I use flash cards and wouldn't know where they tie-in in the chapter, rather than when I see the big picture. But then again I'm still failing so I'm not the best advice.

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[CPA soon]

I feel like I'd get lost if I use flash cards and wouldn't know where they tie-in in the chapter, rather than when I see the big picture. But then again I'm still failing so I'm not the best advice.

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[KBinMN]

I would do 3 chapters (including MC) then review the previous 3 chapter's MC, rinse/repeat. All the while listening to Jeff's audio each day for my commute. Then after you get through your material review everything for a week. Then rate how comfortable you are with each chapter and focus on that material more. Then the day before the test quickly read over the entire book.

This has worked for me for 3 exams. Just using Wiley (book + TB) and Ninja notes/audio. This way I also feel like I have an understanding and although it might take 8-10 weeks to study, I feel like I actually retain most of the material for a decent amount of time. Studying 6-8 hours a day for a month would be too much for me, and I don't have the time anyways.

I also made a plan for each exam about a chapter or 2 per week. More if the chapters are short, less if the chapters are long. But having a schedule and sticking to it is an immense help.

[KBinMN]

I would do 3 chapters (including MC) then review the previous 3 chapter's MC, rinse/repeat. All the while listening to Jeff's audio each day for my commute. Then after you get through your material review everything for a week. Then rate how comfortable you are with each chapter and focus on that material more. Then the day before the test quickly read over the entire book.

This has worked for me for 3 exams. Just using Wiley (book + TB) and Ninja notes/audio. This way I also feel like I have an understanding and although it might take 8-10 weeks to study, I feel like I actually retain most of the material for a decent amount of time. Studying 6-8 hours a day for a month would be too much for me, and I don't have the time anyways.

I also made a plan for each exam about a chapter or 2 per week. More if the chapters are short, less if the chapters are long. But having a schedule and sticking to it is an immense help.

[Kenada]

For BEC and AUD – I did the note cards.

For REG I did letter size size pages and I think FAR will be the same.

CA Candidate. 05/27/2014 ~ 786/110
I am done!!

[Kenada]

For BEC and AUD – I did the note cards.

For REG I did letter size size pages and I think FAR will be the same.

CA Candidate. 05/27/2014 ~ 786/110
I am done!!

[samdiegoCPA]

@CPA soon – you print all 200 pages of the final review?!? How do you keep track of things? I use it as supplementary material but can easily use ctrl + f to find answers I need.

AUD: 84
REG: 84
BEC: 79
FAR: 83

[samdiegoCPA]

@CPA soon – you print all 200 pages of the final review?!? How do you keep track of things? I use it as supplementary material but can easily use ctrl + f to find answers I need.

AUD: 84
REG: 84
BEC: 79
FAR: 83

[Author]

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