[thechapman]

On May 31st I will be taking my first CPA exam section, and will only be able to start studying on May 12th or 13th. I will only be able to study for 17 of the days in between, but I will be able to study as much as is necessary. Which exam section would you all recommend taking with that time frame? Some may say I should wait, but I really want to sit for one section before the June blackout month arrives. FAR is definitely out, and I was thinking REG probably would be too. What about AUD or BEC? I would really appreciate any advice.

If it helps at all, I will have just completed my masters degree earlier in May, so will be as fresh out of school as possible and will have had hardly any audit/tax experience. Thanks for any help!

Passed - 2014

[Anonymous]

I think I could have taken BEC after 17 days if I were able to study full time. BEC is a lot of memorization which helps in the shorter time frame. However, my background is in business so most of those concepts were not new to me. There are a lot of formulas to study so if you're good with formulas then BEC is the one for you. FAR and REG just have too much material, especially if you don't have any experience. AUD could probably be done in 17 days, but the questions are really tricky and the wording is confusing, for me at least. Without any AUD experience I would hold off on that one until you have more time to do as many MCQ as possible.

[Anonymous]

I think I could have taken BEC after 17 days if I were able to study full time. BEC is a lot of memorization which helps in the shorter time frame. However, my background is in business so most of those concepts were not new to me. There are a lot of formulas to study so if you're good with formulas then BEC is the one for you. FAR and REG just have too much material, especially if you don't have any experience. AUD could probably be done in 17 days, but the questions are really tricky and the wording is confusing, for me at least. Without any AUD experience I would hold off on that one until you have more time to do as many MCQ as possible.

[10keyLeah]

If you are determined to try and sit for one, then I would also say go for BEC. As CPAMommy said, it's more memorization of formulas, etc. If you had tax or audit experience, then AUD or REG would be something to consider.

I took about 4 weeks and studied for REG just to give it a try knowing I was not ready for it. No tax experience. I ended up with a 74. I can understand wanting to give a try, but 17 days is really short. Hopefully you don't have any distractions come up.

Good luck!

Ninja Combo, Yaeger, Wiley -- Licensed CPA, May 2015

[10keyLeah]

If you are determined to try and sit for one, then I would also say go for BEC. As CPAMommy said, it's more memorization of formulas, etc. If you had tax or audit experience, then AUD or REG would be something to consider.

I took about 4 weeks and studied for REG just to give it a try knowing I was not ready for it. No tax experience. I ended up with a 74. I can understand wanting to give a try, but 17 days is really short. Hopefully you don't have any distractions come up.

Good luck!

Ninja Combo, Yaeger, Wiley -- Licensed CPA, May 2015

[Quinacridone]

What classes are you in this semester that relate to the test sections? Its possible you could sit for a test if you are recently studying something (i.e. tax), especially if you have a good teacher. At the university I did my masters at (WAR EAGLE! (sorry, it just slips out still)), there seemed to be a big emphasis on passing the CPA. My Business Law teacher taught everything I needed to know for all of the law portion of the REG test and my Tax professor was amazing (even though I had taken tax several semesters ahead of that). Because of those classes, I chose to take Reg first (I did give myself a few weeks more than you are though).

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[Quinacridone]

What classes are you in this semester that relate to the test sections? Its possible you could sit for a test if you are recently studying something (i.e. tax), especially if you have a good teacher. At the university I did my masters at (WAR EAGLE! (sorry, it just slips out still)), there seemed to be a big emphasis on passing the CPA. My Business Law teacher taught everything I needed to know for all of the law portion of the REG test and my Tax professor was amazing (even though I had taken tax several semesters ahead of that). Because of those classes, I chose to take Reg first (I did give myself a few weeks more than you are though).

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[GoVPI]

I am taking BEC on May 31 but I am starting to study now (while the semester is still going on), will stop for a week for final exams and then keep going. I think BEC is your best shot. If you haven't taken an AUD class lately the wording will get you like CPAMommy and 10key. Any way you can start studying before? Im not in a grad program, but maybe if you can dedicate a few hours every sunday to reading the BEC book and practicing MC it will be easier on you. What review are you going to be using?

BEC 8/14/14 - Passed
Graduated from college 12/13/14
AUD 8/31/15 - 74. Retake - Passed
REG
FAR

[GoVPI]

I am taking BEC on May 31 but I am starting to study now (while the semester is still going on), will stop for a week for final exams and then keep going. I think BEC is your best shot. If you haven't taken an AUD class lately the wording will get you like CPAMommy and 10key. Any way you can start studying before? Im not in a grad program, but maybe if you can dedicate a few hours every sunday to reading the BEC book and practicing MC it will be easier on you. What review are you going to be using?

BEC 8/14/14 - Passed
Graduated from college 12/13/14
AUD 8/31/15 - 74. Retake - Passed
REG
FAR

[Anonymous]

The best one to study in a short time would be the one that you're most familiar with from your studying and experience (not counting FAR – that one's not for 17 days no matter how familiar you are with the material 😉 ) For example, AUD was an easier exam for me since I was more comfortable and familiar with it from my college work. I just looked back at the calendar and I had at most 8 dedicated study days, as well as some studying in the evenings after work (just 3 weeks total though so not too many evenings!), and I got my best score of all my exams. However, that was because I had a very solid grounding going into it.I chose to do BEC first because I have a very solid grounding educationally in the business side of things, so similar preparation for it, but ended up studying for it much longer since it was my first one and I was scared. 🙂 (Basically started studying after tax season was over, started studying more seriously the start of May [we were still quite busy through the end of April], worked throughout, and took the exam the last week of May.)

So, if there is one that you feel more comfortable with material-wise, that's the one that I would try for in 17 days. Especially if the classes you're taking right now relate to it!

[Anonymous]

The best one to study in a short time would be the one that you're most familiar with from your studying and experience (not counting FAR – that one's not for 17 days no matter how familiar you are with the material 😉 ) For example, AUD was an easier exam for me since I was more comfortable and familiar with it from my college work. I just looked back at the calendar and I had at most 8 dedicated study days, as well as some studying in the evenings after work (just 3 weeks total though so not too many evenings!), and I got my best score of all my exams. However, that was because I had a very solid grounding going into it.I chose to do BEC first because I have a very solid grounding educationally in the business side of things, so similar preparation for it, but ended up studying for it much longer since it was my first one and I was scared. 🙂 (Basically started studying after tax season was over, started studying more seriously the start of May [we were still quite busy through the end of April], worked throughout, and took the exam the last week of May.)

So, if there is one that you feel more comfortable with material-wise, that's the one that I would try for in 17 days. Especially if the classes you're taking right now relate to it!

[thechapman]

Hey sorry for the late response. I am going to be using Becker, and I am currently in an audit class that is pretty good.

Passed - 2014

[thechapman]

Hey sorry for the late response. I am going to be using Becker, and I am currently in an audit class that is pretty good.

Passed - 2014

[Anonymous]

BEC. I did it after about a week (no work) and did not even study full-time

[Anonymous]

BEC. I did it after about a week (no work) and did not even study full-time

[thechapman]

I definitely do not remember much from cost or managerial. However, I feel that I can be a pretty decent writer. Does that still seem to be advantageous when taking BEC?

Passed - 2014

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