[whitesoxfancpa]

In a better instructor match, who ya got?!

I’m going with Olinto all the way. While both are very intelligent and know their stuff, I think Olinto brings more to the table to help with the exam. Gearty will tell you little things here and there and have you re-write the same thing over and over to drive home a point. It works. It drives home the point. The problem is that it often doesn’t really help me. I’ll remember it, but I’ll never use it to help me with any questions. For example, in REG, I can’t tell you how many times Gearty used the “Non-taxable, None, NBV” thing to refer to an event being non-taxable and having no income if you use the net book value as the basis. He said to remember the three N’s. For whatever reason, I never once actually thought of that or applied that when doing any questions. I really honestly don’t even know the relevance. If you use an item’s NBV as its basis it’s never taxable??? I don’t even know. I never really even thought about it.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Gearty is a good instructor; just slightly below Olinto.

Both are great and I wouldn’t have passed the two exams I did (and hopefully the third today) without them. Gearty carried me through AUD and I thought he was great. I also thought he was great for REG especially for corporate taxes, where I generally struggled.

But with Olinto, one way or another, I’ll be working the practice questions and for at least one or two, I’ll be struggling with the answer and think back to a little sidenote mentioned. Perhaps Olinto looks at the practice questions and incorporates in what the lecture didn’t cover? Maybe Gearty doesn’t? Who knows?

Both are my best friends and have been since I started the CPA. I will gladly send them both $1.00 if I pass all four on the first try!

AUD 96 FAR 95 REG 94 BEC 88

[Whatdidyou]

Wow, I thought Gearty would be the clear cut winner.

“I don't undertand the comparison. Gearty reads to you, and Olinto teaches.”

I feel the opposite of this actually.

REG - Passed!!
BEC - Passed
FAR - Passed
AUD - Passed

Study Materials: Becker basic course

[Anonymous]

As much as I dislike Gearty's inability to read whats on the page, and the fact that he doesn't seem to understand the point of highlighting, I do like him more than Olinto.

In a 3 hour lecture, I really rather not take 2 minutes for Olinto's rap on becoming a CPA. And when he's teaching I always get the feeling that a member of the Jersey Shore cast is teaching me; I'm always half expecting him to fist pumping when the video goes back to him.

[MIA4MYCPA]

I liked Peter Olinto's more upbeat style, especially when listening to the videos while working. By the time I started studying for FAR, I found myself laughing at both of their jokes (at this point I had concerns about my mental state). But I must give props to both instructors because they helped me pass all exams on the 1st attempt!

AUD - Oct 2011 - 79
BEC - Feb 2012 - 84 (seriously thought I failed this one)
REG - May 2012 - 84 (hmmm.....do they actually grade the SIMS???)
FAR - Aug 2012 - 80

I must be dreaming.... am I really done!!!

[HustlinHustlin]

Had to bring this topic back up as I go through F2. I am slowly starting to loathe Gearty. Especially now that I am doing my notes Ninja style, and writing key points as the instuctors speak it's a little hard when he JUST READS THE DAMN BOOK WORD FOR WORD and doesn't expand on or give a summary of information.

I keep pausing every page to read it myself and write the notes. I am about to just replace him with the book.

B 71 - 79 EXPIRED
A 69 - 75 EXPIRED
R 65 - 48 - 45
F 56 - 61 - 65 - 64

Becker, Wiley Test Bank, Wiley Text and Ninja Notes

"The fish who keeps on swimming is the first to chill upstream" -311

Experience - Done, like WAAAY done.
Still need 30 more credits, in basket weaving (gotta love new CA requirements)

[MRSJLeon917]

I actually can't really stand Olinto – he is SO boring to me and I feel like his lectures are pure torture – they are always so long, especially in BEC – some of them are over 4 hours.

AUD (5/25/2012): 91
FAR (10/22/2012): 89
REG (11/28/2012): 89
BEC (01/05/2013): 82
Ethics Exam: 90

IL Licensed CPA - 7/15/2013

A long journey, officially DONE!

[Anonymous]

WHAT?! I love Gearty!

[wjuchnie]

A lot of people seem to dislike Gearty because he mainly reads from the book and tells you exactly what to write/highlight. I actually prefer him for that very reason. I like knowing exactly what to focus on when I go back later. Olinto, on the other hand, will explain everything that's already explained in the book and I'll have to figure out what I should be highlighting while he's talking. Olinto might be a little more entertaining to listen to but Gearty's lectures help me out much more when it comes to reviewing.

AUD - 11/30/12 - 89
REG - 1/17/13 - 89
FAR - 5/28/13 - 87
BEC - 7/18/13 - 89

Done!

[Anonymous]

I have to bring back this thread. I am currently studying for FAR and I really dislike Gearty's style of teaching. Olinto is by far a much better instructor in my opinion when it comes to passing the exam.

For example, Tim will point out a topic such as guaranteed residual value in Leases and make a comment on it being confusing, then subsequently re-read the passage below it and move on…

Peter would have gone into a bit more detail and made connections. I really did love the way he taught BEC made it very easy to absorb and learn quickly.

Just had to vent that out.

[Anonymous]

@Dutkas, I feel you. I have finished both of Becker’s FAR & AUD materials and unfortunately I had to repeat both of them. With Gearty’s style, he merely instructs what to highlight & underscore, that’s all. The only good thing I could see from highlighting & underscoring is that I could use them easy during the final review. But pretty much, students are left by Gearty to study on their own, without explaining or teaching much of the topics. Yes, Olinto explains well and has a great sense of humor too.

I am redoing AUD with the AUD-B materials now. In the beginning, Gearty teaches A1 all the way to A3. Same thing, same highlighting & same underscoring. I would have to re-read the notes and shut the audio so I could understand and write down important bullet points from each chapter. When I reached A4, I was surprised that Gearty turned younger, but a little bit heavier (LOL). Well, it was the new guy, Mr. Mike Brown! Oh, wow, I like him a lot, LOT better. He would explain the facts first then instruct what to highlight and underscore. I think Mike Brown does it SOO GOOD, and that I want to listen to him all day. I could understand the topic without having to read and re-read again, unlike with Gearty. And also, I find Mike Brown’s voice very calm too. His voice stays calm even emphasizing significantly important points. When I got to A6, there Gearty goes again! Now I can differentiate them. Gearty yells to emphasize important points. I find it annoying like a Baptist preacher in the pulpit yelling the congregation about people going to hell for their sins.

[ssiegri]

Olinto is way better at relaying concepts to the lamen – Gearty focuses too much on highlighting crap, which you end up paying less attention to the material and more on highlighting crap.. Plus Olinto is better at making fun of Gearty than Gearty is of Olinto

[icanhazcpa]

Olinto all the way, I just got finished with R4 and I just stopped listening to the lectures at R2 because I did better making my own notes.

BEC - 83
FAR - 83
REG - 74, 78
AUD - 76

Becker Self Study

[mmp3]

You down with BEC yeah you know me…I love CPA man!

FAR 92 (2/27/13)
AUD 99 (4/18/13)
REG 93 (7/5/13)
BEC 92 (8/12/13)

Becker Self Study

[Anonymous]

@ Amordiva

I have to agree with you regarding Mike Brown. He is even better than Olinto. They are comparable but I give the nod to Mike because he relates back to early and often regarding the material. Really does a great job and I would love to see more of him in other lectures!

[TDKR]

Mike Brown is new with Audit B and he has great potential.

Olinto Vs. Gearty? Olinto is great at keeping me motivated through his jokes and his energy but Gearty is great for listening to on the morning commute.

They need to fire that Mike Potenza guy from BEC, he sucks!

REG - 72, 72, 81
BEC - 77
FAR - 70, 81
AUD - 74 "so that's what it feels like." Round 2: 79

Passing the exam is not impossible task. GIVING UP is the only way YOU can make it impossible!

[evesocal]

Another vote for Olinto! Much less boring. And his accent reminds me of home. 🙂

Gearty's “again” gets old fast although he's a good teacher.

That embedded thing is hilarious, LOL!

Ex-New Yorker, licensed in California

B: 75
R: 80
A: 77
F: 81
Ethics: 84, 92 and done!
Licensed in California

[Author]

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