[abacus]

I am hoping for some advice from my fellow exam candidates and alumni.

I am scheduled to take FAR next weekend and REG Oct 15. My current NTS is good through mid October.

My first exam expires 02/28/13. This leaves me with 3 chances to pass FAR and 2 to pass REG. Not much breathing room, but it is my own fault for taking an uneccesary absence from this process earlier this year.

Current plan is to take FAR in November if I do not pass next weekend and take again in Jan if I do not pass in November. Which would mean a REG retake late Feb if I do not pass in Oct. This seems like such an ineffecient study approach. I am concerned that bouncing back and forth from the tax treatment and the financial reporting treatment of the same items will make things fuzzy.

Questions:

1. If I do not pass FAR, should I push REG back to November and take FAR again in October? If I go this route, I will have to pay for a new NTS. This is not ideal, but it might be worth it if it would increase my chances of passing both FAR and REG without losing credit.

2. What should I do from Aug 26 – Sept 6? Continue studying for FAR? Start on REG? (I could possibly start on business law instead of tax in order to prevent the confusion between tax treatment and accounting treatment). As much as I love the idea of taking that time off from studying to enjoy the holiday weekend, I do not feel I have that luxury with my 18 month clock ticking.

Any thoughts, advice or comic relief is welcome.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend as much as possible!

BEC 81
AUD 76
FAR 70, 76
REG 58, 78! DONE!

"I am not my intentions. I am my actions."

[abacus]

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of going straight back into FAR.

Which begs the questions, if I am certain I will fail and am okay with giving up my REG NTS, what is the motivation to sit next week? Why not just reschedule for Oct 15? I won't loose the 12 days of score release and I could take REG this weekend instead so that I at least get a blind look at the exam and get some value from the NTS.

However, I really liked the idea of having 3 attempts at FAR. I have just been so slammed at work (67 hours last week including 13 yesterday didn't leave much time to study). I am back at work now and hoping to be out of here in 8 hours, but doubtful. I have been listening to audio at work and yesterday I studied for an hour before work, took an hour break to do a few quizzes and studied for a few hours after work. It just isn't enough. I am still covering new material and that is not going to yield positive results if I take it next weekend.

Have I gone off the CPA deep end? Please help!

BEC 81
AUD 76
FAR 70, 76
REG 58, 78! DONE!

"I am not my intentions. I am my actions."

[Anonymous]

@abacus Were you looking for a study meeting with candidates in the area? I live 30 mins from downtown Chicago in NW Indiana. Let me know.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a tough situation. If you are truly not ready to FAR then I would push that forward until you feel more ready. If it means losing your REG NTS so be it. You could still sit for REG just for experience sake (I did that and got a surprising 60 despite sitting for it cold.)

How many hours have you invested in FAR to this point? If it looks like you may lose one of your NTS anyway, maybe you could drop FAR for the time being and start from now until Oct 15th for REG?

Whatever you choose to do I would recommend sticking with one until you pass. I did that with REG, I scored 74, altered my plan, studied an additional month and then scored a 75. I'm so glad I did that. Restudying takes slightly less time than studying all over again.

[abacus]

@bumsdonthavedebt_ido I live in Indy which is too far from the region (do they still call it that?). Check with the Indiana CPA Society for student or candidate members that might live in the area?

@bluegirl Thank you! I decided to push FAR back to Oct 15. I see a value in attempting it this weekend, but don't want to lose momentum (I know myself and instead of studying this weekend or labor day weekend I would inflate my chance of passing and not want to “waste time” studying until score release. As far as my REG NTS, I thought about going in blind so it isn't a complete waste, but in order to do that, a spot will need to open up in Aug (on Sat because I can't take time off work) because I only have two windows left and don't want to waste next window on a blind or under prepared attempt. Thanks again for your advice and good luck on FAR next week!!! I am also using Yaeger, Wiley and NINJA. Cindy Simpson for the win!

BEC 81
AUD 76
FAR 70, 76
REG 58, 78! DONE!

"I am not my intentions. I am my actions."

[Author]

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