Most effective CPA studying tools

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #1817398
    shawnl112
    Spectator

    What are the most effective CPA studying tools?
    For example, flash cards, wiley, ninja, becker, gleim etc.

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • Author
    Replies
  • #1817569
    jeff
    Keymaster

    The ones you actually use. Accounting is accounting … tax is tax … it’s more about your efforts. Pick one and study 🙂

    #1818740
    turo9992000
    Participant

    Time, you have to live the CPA exam. Your friends and family will hate you, but you have to be strong and dedicate yourself to passing. It's not easy, but it's doable. I've used Becker, Roger, Wiley, Gleim, and Ninja. I was able to pass with Becker for the lessons, and grinding out the MCQs on Ninja.

    #1818791
    shawnl112
    Spectator

    Thank you for the support guys!!
    Turo, What would be the third thing you would advise using besides Becker and Ninja?

    #1818797
    turo9992000
    Participant

    Take hella notes while watching the lectures. The main reason I liked Becker was they made it the easiest to take notes while watching the lecture, Wiley and Roger moved a bit to quickly for me, and I found myself pausing too much.

    Roger, he's funny and works out problems on a white board. Wiley's website is very buggy, it's difficult to stay on track because when you log in sometimes it will start you in an MCQ session, and if exit, those scores will be reflected in your trending scores. Also it will randomly redo your study plan. Only use wiley for the test bank.

    I know some people like Gleim because the questions are very comprehensive, but I feel they are overkill. Grinding out the MCQs in ninja or wiley is good enough. Becker has MCQs as well, but they lay out their questions differently from the other sites and they make it hard to to study sessions.

    #1821473
    shawnl112
    Spectator

    How is Gleim overkill? What was your studying habit or procedure like?

    Basically studying for the exam is arrange in 4 things to do for every day or every other day activity. How did you manage or balance your time to retain information and move on to new topics? For example, did you look through the lecture, take notes and basically work out each MCQs and focus on MCQs? and when did you know you are good to go to the next topic?

    1. Lecture/notes/reading textbook
    2. MCQs
    3. Simulations
    4. Moving on to the next topic (Lecture/notes/reading textbook, MCQSs, Simulations)

    Thanks, hope you pass FAR on 6-9!

    #1821671
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Time and effort you put into it, and ability to actually be disciplined about studying. I would say any review course out there will prepare you and is designed to prepare you if you don't cut corners. I liked Becker for the layout, the lectures and the organization of it. I loved Ninja for the stats and the ability to pick and choose sets of MCQ. I could not have been confident on exam day, without supplementing with Ninja. if you give it 100% and figure out what works for you, it will be fine. Some people like notes, some don't, some read the book, some don't, but as long as you learn and retain enough to get 75 or above, the winning combination doesn't matter. Good luck!

    #1821751
    turo9992000
    Participant

    Gleim was overkill for me because the MCQs are too long compared to the other software. I'd rather do a set of 20 questions in half an hour, than do a set 8 in Gleim in half an hour. My head would hurt with Gleim. Others love Gleim, but it's not for me.

    When I failed my first exam (audit) I failed because I wasn't fully committed. I spent too much time studying and forgot a lot of what I first studied when I took the exam. I started passing when I started studying the way Jeff suggests. 5 weeks for Audit, 6 weeks for REG, 1 week for BEC. For AUD, REG and FAR, I got through all the material as quickly as possible 2 to 3 weeks. Very little if any mcqs. After I got through all the material, I just did MCQs until the day of the exam. I get up at 5 am 4 days a week and I stay up until 11pm-1:30 am 6 days a week depending on how I feel. Wednesday is the only day that I sleep at a regular time, If not I would not be productive at work.

    anyatver above is correct unless you are exceptional, it seems that effort and commitment is what is needed to pass. You have to have a plan, and stick to it.

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
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