[aspencookie]

Hi Everyone,

My first post on here was in March 2016 where I had just begun trying to complete my Accounting Credit Hours needed to sit for the CPA (since I am a Finance graduate). Well I am happy to say that I just have two classes left to complete the first hurdle of the CPA!

So I have to start thinking about how to START PREPARING for the ACTUAL CPA EXAM. I believe at this point I will start with ROGERS CPA EXAM PREP.

A lot of you had told me back in the day, to not focus on ROGERS, first finish your 30 credit hours of accounting, which turned out to be quite true. I never got time to read my ROGERS BOOKS because i became too busy with nigh school. But now the time has come for me to start devising a game plan.

I know this sounds INSANE – BUT I have decided to study Intermediate I and Intermediate II from the beginning and learn it all over again BEFORE i even pick up a rogers book. I believe that I need to get the foundations established strongly (ESPECIALLY FOR FAR) before i go out and start spending money on a CPA EXAM PREP COURSE.

Do you agree? Do you disagree? I have a detailed book on Intermediate Accounting I and II that teaches all the basics from the beginning starting with journal entries.

I only have ROGERS BOOKS but i cannot do much with them since they direct me listening to the lectures and so forth. I think I should INTERMEDIATE 1 and II coded into my skin before i begin the actual exam prep.

What are your thoughts? thank you again.

[Recked]

As long as you know debits and credits, and which one increases a liability/asset/equity/income account, then you should move on to the review course.
It's designed to teach you as if you knew nothing.

[ZzzCPA]

If you have the time and do plan to take FAR first, then go with learning both INT 1 and 2. However, I think you already know your strengths and weaknesses from your 30 accounting hours. Perhaps, I would recommend that you go through the Rogers material and identify sections you could use more resources on and only go back to those topics in your actual accounting books. Otherwise, the review courses are designed so that you don't really need to refer to other material except for more MCQ or SIM prep. I sold all my college accounting books but my intermediate financial accounting book and only referenced it a handful for FAR (cash flow, leases, IFRS, equity items).

[CS]

Congratulations on nearing completion of the accounting credits!

I was in the same boat as you. I started taking credits to complete my 33 semester hours (New Yok) in March of 2016 also, and lucky for me, it was also just enough credits I had to take to hit 150 hours on the nose (I needed 19 – I am also a Finance major but was originally in Accounting so I had 14 credits).

Regarding the need for delving into Intermediate I and II, I took Intermediate I back in school 12 years ago, and by the time Intermediate II rolled around, I was out of it. I started to take Intermediate II online for credits (I think LSU), but I couldn't wrap my head around the first few chapters or assignments (it's self-study and a great option for those who need it – I used 2 classes from there). I felt pretty discouraged because I figured if I couldn't even crack Intermediate II there was no way I'm passing this exam.

However, over time my study methods and learning ability (had to relearn “learning” so to speak) greatly improved so by the time I hit FAR (my first exam) I was a better “student”. That being said, I tried to YouTube a few FAR topics that I wasn't clear about, and almost blacked out at the lessons (they were lessons for undergrad students not CPA exam candidates), and reminded me why I could never take an actual accounting course at a university ever again, but I still passed. Like ReckedRacing said, review courses are meant to teach you as if you know nothing. When I started studying for FAR, I knew concepts i.e. very broad, general financial statement components, bonds etc. but pretty much had to learn everything fresh. Good luck!

[Stilgoin]

I think you should move on to a review course. Don’t waste time on Int I and II that you could be using for study towards the exams. You will learn all that you need to know in a review course without the risk of learning a bunch of stuff that has nothing to do with passing the CPA exams.

B | 62, 78
A | 73, 67, 79
R | 82
F | 59, 59, Waiting

Ethics | 93

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
~Winston Churchill

“In a world full of critics, be an encourager."

[Tncincy]

I agree with the others, you could use that money to pay for your review course or nts and focus on what you need to know in the review course to pass the exam. I also agree with the others, you may already know what you need to know to move on. So move on before the exam changes again. Just my humble opinion. 🙂

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

[aaronmo]

I had very weak intermediate 1 and 2…taken online at community college. I then had a 2 year break between class and the exams…

My advice? You're wasting time. Start your prep and it will come back. Repetition and study, that's all there is to it.

[Anonymous]

The review course should have everything you need to know. In my opinion (and experience), the CPA exam is a mile wide and an inch deep-don't waste your time and just learn with the review course.

[aspencookie]

i decided to go ahead and start Rogers, if I get lost of feel like i have no clue what I am doing, I will go back to Plan A.

thank you all!!

[Recked]

Just to clarify… FAR made me feel like a complete idiot/moron at times.
That's to be expected/normal.
I would strongly advise you start with FAR and get that out of the way before your 18 month window starts rolling.
Also, be advised of the 2018 score release delays starting Q2.
Good luck!

[Recked]

Also… take Roger's Study Planner calendar guide and throw it in the trash.
FAR, get through the material in 8 weeks, allow 2 weeks for review.
His study planners don't allow enough time for review, and also seem a little overly optimistic as far as someone getting through a section plus all the IPQs and SIMs in a 4 hour block.
I also have no idea why he says to do the questions 2-3 times. Disregard that suggestion as his questions already repeat as it is. Focus on new/unseen questions.

[scattershot]

I dunno, I felt repeating each question multiple times really helped. The key is knowing why each answer is right/wrong…if you just memorize the question and the correct sounding answer, then yeah, that's pretty useless.

[Author]

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