[kettlecorn]

Without having to go all in with an expensive review course, what’s the absolute cheapest way to get my feet wet for the CPA exam to see if it’s something I feel I want to/can pursue?

I’m thinking I want to try and go all out on 1 section and if it turns out Ok, as in I don’t get an abysmal score, I may buy more expensive courses and prep materials. But for the first one, I want to try to spend as little as possible while getting the most bang for buck.

My plan is to take FAR first. It’s apparently the hardest, one of the longer ones and if I can pass that then it will give me confirmation I can and should finish the other ones.

I’m still researching all the different brands and prep materials out there. There are SOO many. Becker, Wiley, Ninja, Roger, Moger, Doger, idk..

I know that the big “courses” are thousands of dollars. not an option right now.

Can I just get a good multiple choice test/solutions book from Wiley or Ninja and just do those over and over and over until my eyes bleed? And maybe get a review book as a reference for things I don’t understand? Or would I need to read/listen/view lecture materials before I even attempt the questions?

The best way I learn personally, is to just do it. Doing practice tests and practice problems even without reading the chapter as always been the best way for me to learn accounting. I sit there, try to do the problem, look up a sample problem, figure out how it’s done. And if I still cannot figure out, I go watch a video and read the section on the chapter it pertains to. And repeat.

Any recommendations would be appreciated. thanks

[Zuly]

Why don't you try NINJA's 10PT combo for FAR? It's not as cheap as a Wiley book but the FAR book is very comprehensive, has short and succinct video and audio lectures, notes, flash cards and great test bank. It's a little over $200 but totally worth it.

Please, before you go out and spend even $1 you should ask yourself why you want to do this because you will realize that the CPA is not just about a test. I've only taken it once and failed but after months of studying I've come to realize that in this process you question what you value out of life, your character, your commitment, your sanity and the list goes on. Basically what we're telling you is that you have to be all in because otherwise you'll just give up.

Good luck with everything!

FAR - (11/01/14) 71 (02/07/15) 79
AUD - (04/30/15) 86
BEC - (07/21/15) 73 (10/01/15) 75
REG - (11/30/15) 55 (05/19/16) 74

[fuzyfro89]

Kettlecorn:

Others already addressed frugal alternatives for review courses above, so nothing to add there.

I will say that I think your approach sucks. Sorry, but it does. You can't go into something as challenging as the CPA exams with the mindset that “if I pass, I'll keep going, if I fail, I'll quit”. You're setting yourself up for failure and wasting your time and money.

Other things that don't make much sense:

– Let me just try getting married a little bit. if I don't like it, I'll quit

– Let me just try a little crack, if I don't get addicted, I'll continue

Anyway, do as you wish, but proceed with caution.

Will passing the CPA help you achieve your career goals, and are you willing to invest (time and money) into that? If yes, then whether it's <1k for review materials or 3k+ will not make much of a difference.

[CPA soon]

Wiley books are $60 per book and Wiley Test bank is $279 for all sections or $100 per section, these are the amazon prices. So all for around $500 or you can buy used or in other ways. I don't recommend the cheap way because I ended up paying up in exam fees and time. If I could do it all over I would just invest in Roger.

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..

[EverybodyswaitingfortheCPA]

@kettlecorn – I think you're doing the right thing by reaching out to fellow candidates and others who have passed. With that said, I don't really think that the CPA exam is one of those things that a person can go into with an attitude of, “well, let's try this and see how it goes.” It should be a yes or no before getting into it.

To reinforce my statement, I wanted to pass the CPA exam, but I didn't fully commit to it at first. That's why it took me 11 exams to pass. After I passed my first exam I was thinking that I had alot of time for the 18 month window…well, we all know how fast that can go.

Secondly, if you're thinking you're going to only do 1 section, I feel that you're setting yourself up to fail. My thinking is that, if you don't put a full effort into it, and do fail, then you'll say to yourself, “Well, I guess I tried, but looks like it's not for me.” If you do fail, as many others can attest to, failure in the CPA exam is not an option; you have to work through it to obtain the license. If you do pass, that could give you a false sense of, “Hey, this isn’t so hard;” each exam is entirely different with its own intense material.

With all this in mind, my advice is to figure out where you truly want to be down the road and start working toward your goals today.

BEC - ✔ REG - ✔ AUD - ✔ FAR - ✔

Becker + NINJA MQCs for FAR

Licensed January 2015

[jeff]

@CPA soon – the Test Bank price = 536.30 currently via Amazon

NINJA MCQ is $197 🙂

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[Skynet]

Wow Jeff. Have you considered motivation speaking to CPA candidates?

[hunter32]

The cheapest way to do it is not take it at all.

BEC - 80 (Becker)
AUD - 92 (Becker+NINJA MCQ)
FAR - 87 (Becker+NINJA MCQ)
REG - 90 (Becker+NINJA MCQ and Audio)

[jeff]

Something like this Skynet? (ignore the weird political stuff – I couldn't find just the actual speech)

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[Anonymous]

Well I think I am going to invest in the Ninja MCQ. I having been playing around with this CPA test for almost four years now….Its time I get it together and PASS!. Which part do you recommend studying for first?

[jeff]

Take FAR or REG first.

FAR because everyone hates it and you get it out of the way.

REG because tax laws change on the exam in July to 2015 (which isn't a big deal, but it's a change nonetheless).

My vote is FAR.

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[Anonymous]

Thanks a billion!!! I guess I'm studying for FAR then REG.

Wish me luck!

[On2Sum]

Dana. Forget about getting your feet wet. Just dive in and hit the goddamned thing HARD!! Just do it!

FAR - 79
REG - 76
AUD - 94
BEC - 77

DONE! DONE!! DONE!!!

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts"
-Winston Churchill

[Skynet]

Lol Jeff!

[kettlecorn]

Thanks for the tips. When I said get my feet wet, I wasn't really saying i was going half ass it if i study. I just don't want to put down $2000 on a review course only to find out it's too difficult and I don't want to do it afterall. I have yet to see a multiple choice question so I'm not even sure just how difficult it is for me. But I think NinjaMCQ will be the best way to go to at least get a glimpse of what I should expect. I'll have my answer on how much time and energy and stress it'll take once I crack open the books and get working. Becker is showing 2 chapters a week if I want to finish FAR in 2 months with 2 weeks of review. Sounds like my Intermediate II and Intermediate III class as those were 7 weeks long. But probably a lot tougher with more content.

[Anonymous]

Here's a free way to see some sample questions: https://www.aicpa.org/becomeacpa/cpaexam/forcandidates/tutorialandsampletest/pages/exam_tutorial_parallel.aspx AICPA sample tests, just to get a feel for what you're looking at. 🙂

[Author]

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