[FutureCPA]

Hi,

I am back to studying after a break. Was wondering what are your thoughts on just answering MCQs and doing sims without taking notes. I want to try something different. I also plan to listen to audio while driving.

Thank you in advance

I need to pass before busy season.

[jenpen]

I suppose it depends on how you learn. For me, after multiple failures, I went back to MCQs only. I would do enough to get out of the assessment phase in Ninja, then I would look to see where my weak areas were, and then would read or watch videos to beef those areas up. That worked well enough for me so that I was able to pass them all in just over 6 months.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[AndreA]

I would focus on MCQs only after I learned the concept, and then I would do MCQs to find my weak areas and work on them.

[parveen.asia]

hi jenpen,

if you don't mind me asking, how you were scoring in MSCQs before taking the test?

[thunderlips]

I am doing what you are doing with my test being tomorrow ahhhhh!

[parveen.asia]

I am doing same, but whenever I get mcqs wrong I would read the explanation and take note on it.

[Club74]

Jeff says this all the time and I agree with him. Treat your retake as if it's your first time taking the exam. Read the book again cover to cover to refresh your memory. For this exam, you need to be able to recall the information and concepts, not just recognize it when you see. There's a lot more study time needed to go from recognition to recall. Use flashcards – it's a surefire way to tell if you can recall it or you just recognize it. For tricky/complex areas that you don't fully comprehend, review lectures or youtube videos on the subject. Prioritize MCQ's after you have nailed down the concepts; aim for about a 1000 MCQs. Take notes using flashcards for questions you missed. Good luck on the retake. I just went through this process for BEC and it wasn't fun after getting a 74 the first time.

[Southfldiver]

Taking AUD tomorrow. Any suggestion on areas for last minute prep before I go in?

[rlarivee01]

I've done the only MCQ method before, and the closest I've come to passing is a 72 on BEC once. I would strongly recommend having a Word document open and taking note on the MCQ explanations. If the question is just a no brainer, obviously move on, but if you had to guess, or you think there's something that might trip you up, put it in your Word doc notes.

And if you get the answer completely wrong and you don't understand the concept at all, there is an opportunity- make a section for that in your note file, and whether from the book, lectures, or other MCQ, start to answer your own questions and explain the concept in your own words.

Next time around, you can refer to your Word doc to get the answer. A third time through, maybe you've learned the concept and don't have to double check.

I know that's a long way to go to say “take notes,” but I recently discovered my approach to notes was all wrong. I was basically just re-writing almost the entire book/lecture, instead of pulling out pieces most relevant to the MCQ

[Tncincy]

I tried the mcq only method as well. No I did not pass. When there was a tweek in the questions I was stuck and very frustrated. I did well answering questions early in my study periods but when I was closer to test time I panicked. MCQ worked for many years ago, but the sims might be a different story. My motto is do what ever works, depending on which part you're taking.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[DJD17]

MCQ strategy only really works in you are very familiar with the topic already. At the very least read the book/watch the lectures first.

[Skynet]

2 weeks before my exams, I would study all the SIMs in the review course for each section.

The only mcq's i would do are cumulative practice tests only to keep things fresh before the day of the exam. Other than that, it's reviewing and studying every SIMs until the day of the exam.

[FutureCPA]

Studying all the sims 2 weeks before the exam increase my scores tremendously.

I guess more background information is needed to offer advice. I am studying for BEC and I have studied for it before but it was a long time ago but either way because it has calculation maybe I shouldn't not take notes. Maybe I can only do MCQs for Audit which I am so close to passing but even then I feel like what has brought me so close is the note taking and listening to my notes. I wonder if I am just ttrying to convince myself to take a short cut.

I need to pass before busy season.

[Cobalt60]

I used Becker. I didn't read any of the books. I took the pretests and watched the lectures as directed. I ended up watching pretty much all the lectures. I didn't take any notes.

I did the MCQs and redid them until I got 100%. I periodically took MCQ quizzes one section at a time about 12 questions each and retook the quizzes that I got less than 80% on.

I took two of the three mock exams starting four days before the exam day. After each I went back and focused on the MCQs from my three weakest areas.

The MCQs are critical, but how you use them is just as important.

[DocJ]

+1 on what others are saying, MCQs all by themselves aren't the best idea.

You should absolutely pound them out over and over til you got thousands under your belt. But I personally don't think that teaches you the material as well as you might think. Doing MCQs will make you great at reading questions and guessing answers, but it won't give you too deep an understanding of what's actually being asked.

Personally, I've already gone through all my Wiley lessons twice (and still failed FAR -_-), so right now my gameplan is to do the MCQs after each individual lesson. If I score well and feel good, I move on. If not, then I'll watch the vid and try to get a better idea before moving on.

That's my suggestion, do MCQs but also supplement them with something else.

[Author]

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