[Anonymous]

Hello friends, I am looking for some advice. I am a first time CPA Candidate and have not yet sat for a section. I applied for all four sections at once in order to save money on the application fee, but underestimated how quickly I would get it back (only took Indiana 3 weeks to return it) and overestimated the amount of time I would have to dedicate to the exam. I was originally planning to take FAR first, but didn’t want to take 3 exams in the 4th window, so I picked BEC (less material = shorter study time) to take at the end of August.

Unfortunately, life got in the way and I am only through the first two Wiley modules (Corporate Governance and IT). My exam is currently scheduled for 08/29. I’ve seen Jeff’s post on preparing in 20 days. I have 9. What should I do?

I work full time. I am a Yaeger student. I a recent graduate, so should be able to pickup on Cost Accounting and Financial Planning pretty quickly, but I haven’t taken Econ since 2006.

Current Plan:

BEC 08/29 (9 day remaining)

FAR 10/24 (8 weeks)

AUD 11/28 (5 weeks)

REG 01/16(7 weeks)

Option A: Study like a mad woman and take BEC as planned (or on 08/31 if a slot opens up & I can finagle the day off). Hope to pass, but understand that it is not likely. Use this as a very expensive introduction to the exam experience and as a learning opportunity.

Option B: Reschedule

FAR 10/03 (6 weeks)

AUD 10/31 (4 weeks)

BEC 11/28 (4 weeks)

REG 01/16(7 weeks)

Option C: Some other variation…

Thanks for any insight you might have! Good luck on your exams!

[SusanStudies]

Personally, I think there is no way to learn all the material for BEC in 9 days…especially if you work. I take BEC on the 27th and I've been preparing for 6 weeks and still don't feel super strong with some of the material. However, rather than lose the money you've spent, why not study, go ahead and take it and see what happens. Who knows, you could get the luck of the draw on the questions and find them easy! You have your recent graduation working in your favor so maybe spend the 9 days reviewing econ and IT.

AUD: 07/11/11 - Passed
BEC: 08/27/11 - Passed
FAR: 01/17/12 - Passed
REG: 04/30/12; Re-take 7/16/12 - Passed

FINISHED!!!!!!!!

[ScruffMcGruff]

To be totally honest, what I think you should probably do is re-schedule (again) and put two tests in Q4 for this year then put the other two in Q1 of 2012. Personally I would recommend doing something like BEC+FAR in Q4, then REG+AUD in Q1 2012, although depending on your strengths and weaknesses in accounting you could really do whichever combination you feel most comfortable with.

As for me, I originally scheduled all four of my tests in Q3 for this year. After a few weeks of studying for my first exam (AUD), I knew it would be almost impossible for me to study for all four parts of the CPA in less than three months. After rescheduling a few times, I am now set to take two tests this quarter (already took AUD; taking FAR in a week) and two next quarter.

Finally, as for some parting words of advise: Whichever exam you take first, do yourself a favor and make sure you are prepared for it. It would suck to go into your first test under-prepared and walk out feeling like you just wasted the last few weeks of your life.

AUD - 85
FAR - 78 (lol@ FAR Sims)
REG - 85
BEC - August

[Skippy1997]

9 days is a very quick turn-around time, but I agree with Susan that you should at least try or reschedule if you still have time on your NTS. I am also taking the test on the 29th, but I am through with Becker and they covered econ on a very high-level. That is not to say that the questions on the real test will be easy, but if that is the section you would be most worried about it may not be as in depth as you may fear.

Not sure if any of that helped, but good luck on your studies!

AUD - 05/27/11 - 81
FAR - 07/05/11 - 83
REG - 08/06/11 - 91
BEC - 08/29/11 - 87
Ethics - 95

[mla1169]

I would not take BEC in 9 days if I was only just getting started on studying. And I don't think being a recent graduate gives you that much of an advantage (and advantage yes, superhero powers, no.) I'm a student now (only one class left though) and I couldn't possibly knock it out that fast.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[kb24]

@eatrunCPA

I took BEC with 13 days of preparation after having been out of school for over 5 years. However, all I did during that time was study. I didn't work and averaged about 12 hours per day. Also, this was the 4th test I'd taken so I'd learned which study methods were most effective for me.

You're the only one who can judge if it's possible, but I think it would be extremely difficult to be properly prepared in only 9 days if you're working full time. You're a recent graduate, but that may be of less help than you might think. I don't know what your college exams were like, but I thought that the CPA exam questions were much more difficult than any I saw in college. They're rarely straightforward and sometimes seem impossible to solve with the information given. Also, you said you studied Corporate Governance and IT in Wiley, but do you mean that you've read through the material or that you've also done the questions and fully understand those that you missed?

Good luck.

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

[Anonymous]

Thank you for all the advice. One thing I forgot to mention in my initial entry: NTS is good through mid-January for all four exams.

@ susan and skippy – you both hit on one of the reasons I am tempted to just take it. I have already paid for it, so why not try it out?

@ scruff – did you just eat the exam fees for the ones you did not take?

@ mla – “advantage: yes, superhero: no” — thanks for the laugh. I couldn't agree more.

@ kb24 – for CG and IT, I have read Wiley, watched the Yaeger videos and done the questions and reviewed the answers once. Also, great point about this being my first exam, so I don't know exactly what works effectively.

Ultimately, I know there is no way I will have a good exam experience if I still take it on 08/29. But my fear is that pushing it back to Oct 1 will have a ripple effect and I either won't allow enough time for each of the other sections (I have to find those 4 weeks somewhere) or will only have time to sit for 2 or 3 instead of the 4 I paid for….

Why can't we test in Sepember and December again? 😛

[ScruffMcGruff]

@eat – No. I knew very early on that I would not be able to take all of my sections during the next 3 month window (Q3). I kept the AUD date I originally had, but changed the other three (pushed FAR back to the end of August and put the other two in Q4).

I don't know how your state works, but in mine there is no fee to change your exam date as long as its done 30 days+ from when you are to sit for the exam.

AUD - 85
FAR - 78 (lol@ FAR Sims)
REG - 85
BEC - August

[Anonymous]

so you were still able to take all 4 before your NTS expired? (in my state, the NTS is good for 6 months, so I need to take all 4 by 01/19/12 or repay for the sections I do not take)

[kb24]

@eatrunCPA

The last month of each quarter is when the AICPA analyzes data, makes changes to exam, etc. Just count your blessings that we aren't in the paper and pen days when the exam was given twice a year and you had to do all 4 sections at once.

If you end up going ahead and taking BEC, I'd recommend using some of Jeff's suggestions about taking an exam in 20 days, buying the Ninja notes, and using a test bank such as Wiley's. I found myself getting confused at times because the topics are so disparate. The Ninja notes are a great summary of the material. Plus, I think the BEC CSO was updated on 7/1–I don't know if there are any online updates for Wiley but the Ninja notes are updated. There is little duplication between the Wiley text and test bank so you get more questions to practice. Also, you can go thru the test bank questions faster than you can the text especially if you use study mode.

If you do end up postponing BEC and using option B, I'd recommend giving yourself an extra week on FAR and decreasing the time for AUD and BEC to 3 1/2 weeks each. FAR covers far more material than either of those plus you'll probably need a little extra time if it's the first exam you take.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

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

[ScruffMcGruff]

@eat – I started applying for my NTS in early April and I think and actually ended up receiving my NTS in late May. The latest I can take each of my four exams is something like November 20th of this year.

As for you, if your NTS ends at on Jan 19th of next year, I would probably try to do something like FAR+AUD this year, then plan to do Reg on Jan 1 and BEC on Jan 19th.

AUD - 85
FAR - 78 (lol@ FAR Sims)
REG - 85
BEC - August

[IwannaBaCPA]

I have battled with sticking to my aggressive (for me) schedule for every exam. Life happens…I think having a little cushion room and flexibility is better than being rushed…I actually had scheduled my REG exam for 8-31 this month and know that there is simply no way I will be prepared enough, so I decided to move it to 10-1. That was not my original plan, but I want to be more prepared so I have a much better chance of passing…

If your gut tells you to adjust your schedule then you should. As others have said, don't underestimate BEC. There is a lot of information and little details you need to be familiar with.

Good luck!

BEC: 79 - April 2011
FAR: 78 - May 2011
AUD: 81 - May 2012
REG: 79 - October 2012
Ethics: Passed - March 2013
I am finally DONE!

[Author]

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