[future_CPA_]

Hello Everyone!!

I am new here and currently preparing for my first CPA exam. I am taking FAR in first week of April 2018. I am using Wiley CPA and am 57% through the material. But I am getting really nervous now, as I have already forgotten the previous sections of the material because initially I started studying FAR in October last year when I applied to NASBA. But my application was delayed and out of frustration did not do much in December & January. Finally, I got my NTS last week and am back on track.
As the days are passing, I am getting anxious about the exam as I feel I do not have enough time to cover the whole material (working full-time in corporate accounting). Some study tips will be really helpful. I am thinking of getting Ninja CPA exam review too.
Also, do I have to contact NASBA or Prometric center for scratch paper and calculator? I had read somewhere that whiteboards are not user-friendly.
Thank you!!

[Recked]

Did you start over after your delay or just picked up where you left off?
It's important to do periodic cumulative reviews for FAR. Maybe once a week do a quiz that covers all sections from beginning to where you currently are to keep the concepts fresh.
I would recommend 10-14 days for review for FAR.

Yes, you need to contact NASBA 2 weeks before your exam to request the pencil and paper instead of the white board.
Prometric cannot provide that waiver for you, it needs to come from NASBA directly to your prometric center.

[Anonymous]

@Recked

I had no idea about contacting them for paper and pencil?? What is this whiteboard?

Also, does it have to be 2 weeks exactly? Like I can't contact them a month ahead about it?

[Recked]

My First request for FAR was 11/3 with a test date of 11/9. I was told I needed to make the request 2 weeks ahead of time but they would try to help me.
I got to prometric and was able to get the pencil and paper.
Requested for AUD on 11/21 and was still trying to get it sorted out on 12/6 the day before my exam.

Requested REG and BEC both on 12/26. I called Prometric a week ahead of time on both exams so there would no issues. My appointment was 12:30 and I showed up by 11:30 each time just in case they needed to call and verify. The request was received on time for REG so no problems there. I am not sure that my request was ever officially received by Prometric for BEC but they knew my name and face by that point in time. I supplied them with the chain of emails etc. There seems to be some breakdown between NASBA, Prometric's main office, and the Prometric testing centers.

Be diligent and never assume its been handled, call the test center a week before your exam to confirm. This gives them a week to sort it all out.
Show up early so they have time to sort it out if it hasn't been done already.

I have a small test center with about 8 computers in total.
By showing up at 11:30, I was able to “beat the rush”, go through security with an empty waiting room, and begin my exam right away.
I was always leaving the parking garage by around 4pm, even thought I took the full 4 hours plus break and beginning and ending screen.

FAR was a morning exam, I showed up early, and was the first one in the waiting room, but there were people having to wait behind me by the time I got through the security protocol.

Always smile and treat the staff in a nice friendly manner. They are just there doing their jobs, probably making less than you do or will.

[future_CPA_]

@Recked, I picked up from where I left. You are right, I should start doing cumulative reviews, that will help me refresh the concepts. I will contact NASBA after March 4th regarding paper & pencil. Thank you so much for your time and advice.

[Jen-J]

You want to request 2 or more weeks ahead of time. You can request now.

[future_CPA_]

Thank you everyone for guidance, I had FAR the other day and have mixed feelings about how it went. Thanks to the amazing people on this forum, I had no issues getting approval for scratch paper & pencil. I contacted NASBA 20 days before my exam.

[Anonymous]

I have never used pencil and paper.. did not even know you could get that till this thread. I suffered with those erasable white board crap..

[Author]

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