[rpike]

How much did you study for each section? If you had to rank them from top to bottom, where would each section fall?

It’s probably different for everybody, depending on work experience, focus, etc. Just curious.

I’m in tax, and I took 3-4 weeks to study for REG. Watched all of the Becker lectures, did all of the homework, took a couple of practice exams.

My boss wanted to me at least try BEC during this last window, and I basically only had about a week to study (less, actually), but feel pretty good about how it went.

I’m terrified of AUD and not looking forward to FAR. Thinking they’ll both require much more of my time.

REG (2/27/14): 82
BEC (5/30/14): 90
AUD (8/18/14): 88
FAR (11/17/14): 81

[JamesBJames]

I studied 170 hours for FAR and probably around 125-130 for AUD. I plan to study around 150 hours for REG and 120ish for BEC.

I don't have any work experience in the slightest, but my college had a good honors program for accounting and I'm taking the exams before I start working in tax full-time. I don't really know much about tax, unfortunately. I'm saving REG for last so that if I fail it, maybe some job experience will help pick up some slack on the re-take.

I didn't think the content for FAR was too bad (minus a couple of things), and AUD really clicked for me when I read through it for a second time (hopefully; score pending; no jinxes)

Most people will say FAR and REG are the hard ones and that AUD and BEC are more straightforward. So far, my ranking goes FAR >>>>>>>>>>>> AUD.

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!

[Anonymous]

I'll preface this by saying I feel like I took a longer period of time to cover my studies than most people.

I took one section during each testing window, at the end of the window for every attempt. In other words, I tested once every three months evenly, regardless of whether I passed or failed my previous attempt. I spent four months preparing for my first exam, FAR, and three months for each of the rest. Most nights I studied about 2 hours, sometimes 3 or more, and every once in awhile, not at all. I didn't keep a record, but if I had to guess total hours spent preparing for each section, I would estimate:

FAR: between 270-300 hours

AUD: between 200-225 hours each time (two attempts)

BEC: between 180-200 hours

REG: between 270-300 hours

So all in all, somewhere around 1,120 – 1,250 hours over the course of 16 months. At the time I began testing, I had been out of school for roughly 3 years and had no relevant accounting experience to pull knowledge from. It was a complete and total “start from square one” ordeal and I am so glad it's over.

[Lindrobe]

I am super nerdy and I actually logged my hours in an excel spreadsheet. I probably overstudied for some of the sections, but would rather overstudy and just take each section once. I figure it is less nerve wracking and also cheaper than understudying and being stressed when I take the exams and just having to pay more testing fees for a retake. My hours are as follows:

FAR, 230 hours

AUD, 163 hours

BEC 170 hours

REG, 233 hours

FAR 12/3/14, 87
AUD 2/3/14, 90
BEC 4/1/14, 88
REG 5/27/14, 94

Licensed CPA, Indiana

"Successful people do things that unsuccessful people don't want to do"

[Tripp11]

FAR – 180 hours

REG – 160 hours

BEC – 100 hours

AUD – 60 hours

I wasted no time watching the video lectures, and I spent all my time working MC questions and memorizing legal pad notes that I took when I read the chapters and also when I would miss certain questions. I worked every MC question at least 3 times and every SIM at least 2 times. I also memorized every word on my legal pad notes, and I brain dumped right when sitting down to take my exam.

AUD - 93
BEC - 80
REG - 86
FAR - 83

[lanoner]

I have only take 2 tests, but here are my estimates:

FAR 280 hours

AUD 160 hours

I have heard mixed things about all of the tests, but AUD does have the lowest pass rate consistently.

AUD 83
FAR 80
REG 83
BEC 81

[stag]

140 for FAR, 90 for REG, 70 for BEC, 60 for AUD, so of course, my score got worse each time, but I'm hoping to get a passing score for AUD come tomorrow, otherwise I'm gonna kick myself for slacking off.

FAR - Aug 2013 Passed
REG - DEC 2013 Passed
BEC - FEB 2014 Passed
AUD - MAY 2014 Passed

BSEE = who needs accounting degree to pass CPA exams?

[PurpleK]

I think a lot of test takers spend too much time trying to understand every single aspect of the exam. For my exam preparation, I went through most of the MC questions from Becker twice and did not study any simulations or listen to any lectures.

FAR – 80 hours

AUD – 50 hours

BEC – 40 hours

REG – 25 hours

My background is in tax and I had one year of public accounting experience at a Big 4 before I took all the exams in a 4 month period during the summer while working about 50 hours a week.

In my opinion, one busy season in the Big 4 is 10 times harder than the CPA exam.

[Author]

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