New here, Need help picking a review course - Page 2

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    Topic
  • #186781
    user13
    Member

    Hi everyone, I just graduated with an MS and will be starting work in November. I want to get 2-3 parts complete before then, but I am having trouble deciding what review course to take. I am debating between Becker, Roger’s, and Ninja. Do you think you can use Ninja as a stand alone, and does it have similar lectures like the others?

    Thanks so much

Viewing 15 replies - 16 through 30 (of 31 total)
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  • #579598
    JamesBJames
    Participant

    Becker is better, just not twice the cost better.”

    I totally agree with this. If you are put in a situation where you can get reimbursed fully for any review program, I think Becker is the way to go.

    If you have to pay at all out of pocket, then it really loses its appeal.

    FAR: May 1st, 2014 - 91
    AUD: May 29th, 2014 - 97!
    BEC: July 16th, 2014 - 91
    REG: August 29th, 2014 - 88

    Licensed December 2015

    Feel free to add me on LinkedIn by clicking my username!

    #579599
    user13
    Member

    Thanks for the replies, I am now considering CPAexcel too…How do you like their lectures compared to the others? Also are their MCQs as good as the others?

    Would a CPAexcell gold and Ninja test bank combo be good?

    #579600
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I use CPAexcel. The lectures can be great, but are mostly average, and sometimes kind of worthless. Their pension lectures were great, it's a topic I never fully understood (or was able to remember at least) in college but it's now one of my best major areas.

    I was never a book learner, I could NEVER read accounting books in college, but CPAexcel's book is actually amazing. I was very surprised when I switched from exclusively lectures to watching lectures and reading the book, and eventually just dropped lectures altogether unless I really needed to see an example happening in person, which did happen from time to time and the lectures did that just fine.

    Question wise, plenty of MCQs (around 1700? I think), mostly AICPA released questions like every other review course will have. Also, lots of sims. Other than that, I just love the way CPAexcel is organized, you tell it when your test is and it tells you which sections to do what day, everything is very neat and organized so you're never wondering what to do next.

    I bought CPAexcel because it was cheap. 20% student discount combined with a $200 off coupon code brought it down to $1200 for me, and they threw in a free Wiley Test Bank to seal the deal. If someone was paying for me, I'd have Becker. But I honestly cannot imagine what more Becker could do for me at this point, or any other review for that matter. I'm perfectly content with it.

    The standard advice: Yaeger is great if you need to learn new things (as a fresh graduate, I can't imagine you do). Roger is great if you need a lecturer to keep you awake (personally, after watching one of his videos, I cannot imagine spending a hundred hours listening to him). Becker is great if you have someone else's money to burn. I don't know where CPAexcel fits in here, but I guess it's the cheap all-around course that gets the job done. But all of these courses will probably get the job done. I think it really comes down to you. They're all over a thousand dollars, and they all sell well enough to be common names around any CPA candidate, so they're all doing something right. If you put in the effort, I think any course can do the trick.

    CPAexcel + Ninja MCQs is exactly what I would do if I didn't get a free Wiley Test Bank. The supplemental test bank is going to be pretty invaluable no matter what course you take, IMO. I've done all 1400 of WTB's and all 1700 of CPAexcel's and I'm still doing more, unfortunately they must be repeats. I'd love more questions. I'd buy Ninja MCQ if my test wasn't 2 days away.

    #579602
    silvercamaro77
    Participant

    I'm one of the people that hates Becker, but it's a personality thing for me. I used it and passed BEC, but doing the work with Becker was miserable (more so than other materials). What really got me was trying to work their multiple choice questions.

    When I started working the MCQs there was so much material that wasn't in the book/lecture that I was completely discouraged. I couldn't even use it as a good learning tool because I had no where to go within their materials to pick up the material and there wasn't enough information in the explanations for the MCQs to appease me.

    If I didn't mind getting things wrong it would probably work fine for me, but too many wrongs makes me want to give up.

    I'm currently using Yaeger lectures and NINJA everything else. Toying with the idea of going strictly NINJA once the books I need are out, but I think I really need the lecture piece to get it and with Yaeger I'm only having to pay the upgrade price for the lectures. Otherwise I would probably look more into CPAExcel.

    AUD- 95
    FAR- 75
    BEC- 83
    REG- 85

    Officially done! Exclusively used NINJA for BEC, REG, and FAR

    #579603
    user13
    Member

    Yea the no upgrade with CPAexcel is a big deal. Anyone else have any more opinions about CPAexcel's lectures?

    #579604
    JEjunkie
    Member

    CPAExcel is also what I use. When searching for a review course I was hindered by cost and wanted something that is broken up into smaller, bite-sized chunks. Sitting for 30, 45, 60 mins is impossible for me. Not only do I start to space out, but I have three young children, work full time (actually about 60 hours a week), and my husband is in the military so he is gone often (sometimes weeks on end). CPAExcel has been great because I can log in, watch a lecture or two and do the flashcards, MCQs, and SIMS and get one small piece done at time. I even study over my lunchtime at work and can usually squeeze in two lectures. In addition to CPAExcel I use the Wiley test bank and the Ninja audio. The Ninja audio has been excellent in reiterating the big points and is nice for commutes.

    I don't have any experience with any other review courses. But, for me, it made me feel uneasy that I will likely still be chugging along and need the material past the expiration dates that many other courses had. Whichever you choose, best of luck and welcome to this crazy ride.

    #579605
    user13
    Member

    Thanks I am happy that the lectures for CPAexcel seem pretty good. (that is really important to me). Any advice between Wiley test bank and the Ninja test bank? I have a choice with CPAExcel for either the test bank or virtual class room for free. I am not sure which one to get? (I will prob get the Ninja questions either way)

    #579606

    I would recommend NINJA test bank. We are mostly all biased, I would recommend doing free trials of some of the programs. I know CPAexcel has a free trial which has several lectures and stuff for you to test drive. I doubt Becker's greed has that though πŸ˜›

    #579607
    JEjunkie
    Member

    Unfortunately I know nothing about the Ninja test bank. I will say, look long and hard into the Wiley test bank before you go that route. In June they switched everyone over from their older legacy system to the newest system available and to put it bluntly, the new one sucks. There's even a thread that many people have participated in about the newer WTB and how awful it is. For many of the FAR MCQs the “correct” answers are not right and at least 5 SIMS in REG have broken picture links, so you can't even see the pertinent info and data in order to complete the question. It's very frustrating and confusing. With so many of us having precious, little time it's maddening to be in the middle of SIMS and come across one that you can't even complete.

    #579608
    Kimboroni
    Member

    True about WTB. I Googled the tax forms so that I could complete the SIMs, but when I got the answer back, the lines weren't matching up. With a little research, it turned out they're using forms from 2009 (even though they say tax year 2012 in the problem)! I emailed them to let them know.

    AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
    FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
    REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
    BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

    Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. πŸ™‚

    #579609
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I passed FAR with Roger. However, for BEC, am f***ing terrified. Roger's great if you have a short attention span and need reminding that anyone can pass the Exam if they try. I have absolutely no idea how I passed FAR because I flew through it and guessed on half the questions, but I passed. Roger works.

    #579610
    user13
    Member

    Okay thanks everyone for your help. I think I am going with CPAexcel and the Ninja 10 point combo. Does anyone know if the Ninja MCQ is cheaper if you need to renew it? Also is the Ninja audio downloadable?

    #579611
    Kimboroni
    Member

    Ninja audio is a download– then you can burn it on a CD, put it on your MP3 player, or whatever you need to do with it to use it. It comes to you in a link to download zip files when you order it.

    AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
    FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
    REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
    BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

    Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. πŸ™‚

    #579612
    user13
    Member

    Okay thx and it also never expires so it will always be updated right? Will the updates include the book as well after it comes out?

    #579613
    Kimboroni
    Member

    Jeff gives you free updates until you pass that section. For instance, I had ordered REG Ninja Audio a couple of months ago, and he updated it for new tax law at the end of June. All I had to do was email him my receipt, and I got the updated REG Ninja Audio download link. (He emailed us when the updates were available and told us what to do.)

    I assume he will do the same for his books.

    AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
    FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
    REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
    BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

    Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. πŸ™‚

Viewing 15 replies - 16 through 30 (of 31 total)
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