[GoingToBeCPA87]

Hey all,

So I woke up this morning at 4:30am….unfortunately am learning to be a morning person. My alarm makes me solve 2 math problems before I can turn it off. I’d probably go right back into bed if I simply had to hit the snooze button ANYWHOOOO.

So this is the best CPA community I know and I want to know your opinion on my first day of studying. It may be too early to actually critique but any help is more than welcomed.

STUDY MATERIALS

2014 Wiley CPAExcel FAR book

Ninja flashcards

Exam date: 4/14/13

So i began with reading the first module and it took me about 1.5 hour to get through 10 pages while taking notes and trying to understand. Is this too much time? While on the treadmill I reviewed the flashcards relevant to the section, which was not easy at all but I got through them twice.

I plan on going to through the whole module and then doing the multiple choice questions at the end of the chapter to ensure that I am retaining the information. If I were to use the NINJA method of reading the whole book and then start doing multiple choice, I do not think ill have any confidence that I am grasping the material. Then again this is going to be a very timely process.

As of now I budgeted about 170 hours to study before the exam.

Any feedback would be really appreciative.

FAR: April or May 2014
AUD:
REG:
BEC:
Scared: 100

FAR first and only attempt: 2014 Wiley textbook, 10 Pt Combo, and WTB

I only get one try to have to give it my all and try to get 75 on my first go around.

-The only thing that stands between you and what you want out of life is the will to try and the faith to believe it's possible.

[GoingToBeCPA87]

Thanks all for the feedback. This is exactly what I'm looking for. I have purchased the Ninja flashcards so will not be making any unless you all were referring to buy some in addition to the cards.

I have yet to schedule my exam. April 14th is based on the timeline I gave myself.

@CR7 I do work full time, fortunately I'm in public and my company has a 9/30 year end so my busy time is behind me. I'll be sleeping anywhere from about 6 and 7 hours Do you think I should be pushing for 8?

@bartman12234 My material actually didn't mention any time frame to take the exam. I'm using 8 weeks as that's what Jeff suggest. I agree with you I want to be overprepared and want to ensure that I pass on my first try due to financial constraints. Also my Q2 filing period begins on April 14th so if I don't take it this day i'd have to wait until mid May and won't be able to study during my filing period. Do you think its worth pushing to May?

@Study Monk that's exactly what happened with CPAExcel 4 pages of notes for 8 pages of materials…I definitely do not want to half of this book. I can't see how this would be efficient. I will be planning to take less notes and when i get to the sections that note “Now do multiple choice 1-10” I'll tackle them and take applicable notes.

@mla1169 and @Amay I actually am planning to re-write my notes and do a ton multiple choices after im done taking my initial set of notes. I might have confused you guys in my initial post, in my review book after a few pages it tells you to go and do some questions that are part of the material and this was what I was wondering if I should do.

THANKS ALL!!!!

Putting my son to sleep in 10 minutes, fitting in an hour to an hour and a half while he naps!!! Here I come FAR!!!!

FAR: April or May 2014
AUD:
REG:
BEC:
Scared: 100

FAR first and only attempt: 2014 Wiley textbook, 10 Pt Combo, and WTB

I only get one try to have to give it my all and try to get 75 on my first go around.

-The only thing that stands between you and what you want out of life is the will to try and the faith to believe it's possible.

[Amay]

Yes, doing those few questions after each material is fine. I do the same thing with Becker after each lecture. But the bulk of the questions I am saving them for after I am done doing lectures/going through all the material once.

BEC: 73, 81
AUD: 85
FAR: 71, 77
REG: 74, 75...finally DONE! 😀

*This is my 2nd attempt at the CPA exam. For all of you who have failed this exam many times, given up on it, or taken a break like me, remember that it is still possible to finish what you started...failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently 🙂

[Amay]

Yes, doing those few questions after each material is fine. I do the same thing with Becker after each lecture. But the bulk of the questions I am saving them for after I am done doing lectures/going through all the material once.

BEC: 73, 81
AUD: 85
FAR: 71, 77
REG: 74, 75...finally DONE! 😀

*This is my 2nd attempt at the CPA exam. For all of you who have failed this exam many times, given up on it, or taken a break like me, remember that it is still possible to finish what you started...failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently 🙂

[Anonymous]

@cpa87 I am just trying to say that I scheduled (for the most part) all of my exams/class courses around the becker suggested timeline : FAR 5 week course 2 week final review = 7 weeks total. however it for all 4 parts it took me 1.5X as long as they suggested (cost me a text fee that expired). If your Ninja class says 8 weeks to fully prepare for FAR I would say plan for 8-10.

As far as pushing back to May, it depends how far you are 4 weeks from now. If you are not ready for april push it back to may, then try to schedule your next exam first of july when the next window opens. That way you can fit 3 tests in by the end of August.

[Anonymous]

@cpa87 I am just trying to say that I scheduled (for the most part) all of my exams/class courses around the becker suggested timeline : FAR 5 week course 2 week final review = 7 weeks total. however it for all 4 parts it took me 1.5X as long as they suggested (cost me a text fee that expired). If your Ninja class says 8 weeks to fully prepare for FAR I would say plan for 8-10.

As far as pushing back to May, it depends how far you are 4 weeks from now. If you are not ready for april push it back to may, then try to schedule your next exam first of july when the next window opens. That way you can fit 3 tests in by the end of August.

[Author]

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