[thomthom27]

Looking for some opinions on study techniques…

Started study BEC a week or two ago using Wiley. I plan to take BEC in early March.

Would you recommend reading the entire text/watching lectures to get a good background then move on to having a few weeks to concentrate solely on MC practice/exams? Or is it it more useful to do practice questions after each section and just leave less remaining time to do a final review of all the material?

I’m considering just reading everything with as little note-taking as possible and moving on to MCQ where I can then read the explanations to incorrect answers and look back at the text if I need to.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

What I did is listen to the lecture/read along (or just read, depending on what you prefer, I found listening kept my attention better). Then do all of the homework, until I get 90% (that Becker promise). As you go through MCQ you inevitably learn more as you read explanations, go back to the book and just hone your skills… Then after it's all said and done just do those MCQ in various cuts for what seems like weeks:)

[KC22]

From my own experiences, it is better to do MC as you read the first pass through because you are reinforcing the material as you read along. If you are like me you don't like doing mc the first go at it because not only is it time consuming but its also demoralizing lol. Believe me, you will be much more excited after you first pass through knowing you have done some mc!! Hope this advice helps!! BTW I am also currently studying for BEC using wiley book and testbank!

FAR-83 (May 2016)

[sallybreann]

Getting through the material the first time is very painful no matter how you approach it, I’m finding. I said I wanted to “Read the book first before doing MCQ’s” but to be blunt, that’s a lazy approach. (at least that’s what I concluded for myself) It sounds nice cuddling up on the couch with my BEC book and “reading it” for two weeks but the reality is that the learning comes from sitting at my desk doing MCQ’s.
I’m studying for BEC now but just took FAR. I think the best way for myself at least is going straight into MCQ’s with an open book like someone recommended earlier in this post. Once I’ve made it through all the MCQ’s in a particular section then I’ll sit down and read the book and take notes. Then I go back re-work the questions I got wrong one more time. After that second time through though, I move on to the next section because then I risk memorizing the MCQ’s. I don’t watch the lectures at all, but that’s just how my brain works I’m not an auditory learner and you may be. I had a co-worker who was very successful using Wiley to pass her exams. Best of luck to you in your studies!

[thomthom27]

Thanks all! I'm gonna give doing the MCQ with each reading and having the book open during the MCQs to look back at a try.

[mschnei42]

I read everything first, then did MCQ by chapter after gaining full exposure to all testable topics. Using the book as a crutch on a chapter-by-chapter basis to answer MCQ is the “lazy” approach. In addition, people think by doing 15,000+ multiple choice questions, they are inevitably getting smarter. “I learn from the explanations, though.” The AICPA doesn't give you explanations when you fail. You need to THOROUGHLY UNDERSTAND THE TOPICS (and not just memorize explanations). Read without MCQ practice and you can still pass these exams. Do MCQ practice without reading and you will get a 30. I apologize for being so blunt (: But that's just my personality!!

AUD: 98
FAR: 95
REG: July 11, 2016
BEC: August 8, 2016

[Anonymous]

Good point^^^ MCQ help hone the skills but I couldn't have studied without reading the book and in my case, I had to listen to the lectures just to keep me focused. I actually found that listening to COSO, ERM and Economics topics in BEC while driving really helped to reinforce the concepts!

[Author]

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