[Noct]

A few insights for those just starting the exam process…

1. Schedule your first exam right at the beginning of a testing window. This will effectively give you one additional month to pass the remaining three because the 18 months starts at the end of the month you pass your first exam. Also, by passing in the first month of the window, your 18 months will have 7 different testing windows instead of 6 allowing more oppertunities for retests.

2. If you don’t pass your first section, retake it until you do. You have to pass it eventually, and if it’s giving you difficulty, it’s better to pass it before you’re on the 18 month clock. Jumping from section to section is counterproductive.

3. Once you pass your first section, schedule your next 3 sections near the end of the next 3 testing windows. This will allow you 3 months of prep for each section if you pass each on the first try. If you fail one, you can spend the non-testing month restudying, and retake it right at the beginning of the following window. This will maximize the benefit of the time you’ve already invested and still allow 2 months to prep for your next section. As an added bonus, your wait time for your score is shortest if you test at the end of the window.

FAR - 79 - 07/2012
AUD - 65, 78 - 11/2012
BEC - 76 - 11/2012
REG - 78 - 01/2013
ETH - 98 - 01/2013

Material: Wiley books

[FlipACoin]

Great advice Noct! I especially appreciate #3 as I was trying to figure out how the heck to schedule in retakes if necessary. Id be a little worried that two months might be a little light for a first time study (especially for FAR and REG) and could create a domino effect, but I think it's worth a shot. Better than delaying a whole window due to a retake. Thanks for your insight!

[Noct]

I suggest taking REG 1st, then FAR. You will have unlimited time for REG as you just retake it until you pass. Assuming you took REG at the beginning of a window, you will have nearly 5 months to prep for FAR at the end of the following window. You could switch the two, but FAR leads well into both AUD and BEC.

FAR - 79 - 07/2012
AUD - 65, 78 - 11/2012
BEC - 76 - 11/2012
REG - 78 - 01/2013
ETH - 98 - 01/2013

Material: Wiley books

[Anonymous]

@Noct – Not trying to be a jerk, because I definitely agree on what you are saying in this thread. Its actually some phenomenal advice that I wish I would've had when I started planning my sections out. However you are contradicting your argument you made against me when I said taking one exam per window was a great strategy. I still am on the side that taking one per window offers you optimal amount of time to study and fully learn the material and increases your chance of success. From this thread it looks like you are too. But on the thread linked below, you werent:

https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/passing-the-exam-for-idiots-1/page/2

“@bmsheppard87

Any given 18 month period only covers 6-7 testing windows (depending on when you passed the first section). So taking one exam per window will only allow 2-3 retakes. By taking 2 sections per window you more than double your potential retakes to 8-9. Thus, you can take each of the remaining 3 sections 3 times before you risk losing credit. Not to mention that if you pass each one on the first try, you can be done in 5 months instead of 9-11.”

Just taking a playful jab at you. Great thread though!

[Noct]

@ bmsheppard87

I still stand by what I said before. 2 tests per window maximizes retest oppertunities and shortens the overall time to complete the exam. However, as I said before, not everyone is able to accommodate such a rigorous review regimen. In speaking with a coworker, we came up with the above “hybrid method” which maximizes prep time for the two most demanding sections while allowing room for retakes if necessary.

FAR - 79 - 07/2012
AUD - 65, 78 - 11/2012
BEC - 76 - 11/2012
REG - 78 - 01/2013
ETH - 98 - 01/2013

Material: Wiley books

[Author]

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