[SmallVictories]

So the title probably doesn’t make sense, but hear me out.

Long story short, I’m paying off the last bit of tuition (about $4k) I owe my university after graduating. I already have my 150 cr hrs. Since I haven’t paid them off yet, I cannot get my official transcripts to submit to be eligible to take the exam. In the meantime, I’d like to start studying anyways just to be ahead when that time comes. The firm I work for will of course pay for Becker, but I don’t want to start the timer on when the Becker access will expire in case it takes longer than expect to become eligible to sit.

Soooooo, I’m thinking about just paying out of pocket for Wiley which is relatively inexpensive, and studying every section over a 6-8 month period. Dedicate maybe 10-12 hours a week for 6-8 weeks per section, or something like that. I figure by then I will have my tuition paid off, and I can start with Becker. The positives are that I will still have more knowledge than when I started and I will have a decent idea of what studying will entail. The negatives I see is that by the time I get through all sections and start on Becker, I will have lost some/a lot of knowledge. Also, I could see the argument that I may burn myself out by effectively studying every section twice over when it may not be necessary.

Does anyone think this is a bad idea? Good idea? Have any alternative suggestions?

Thanks for your time.

[barelystayingsane]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but if there's a chance that you won't go past Becker's 18-month window, why wouldn't you just wait and buy Wiley after you've used Becker if you have to? I don't see the point of preemptively spending your money on Wiley when you may not even need it. Might as well wait to spend your money until you actually need to spend it.

[barelystayingsane]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but if there's a chance that you won't go past Becker's 18-month window, why wouldn't you just wait and buy Wiley after you've used Becker if you have to? I don't see the point of preemptively spending your money on Wiley when you may not even need it. Might as well wait to spend your money until you actually need to spend it.

[SmallVictories]

So you're saying, assume I'll get it done within a year and a half, but worst case scenario if I don't, pay out of pocket for Wiley?

[SmallVictories]

So you're saying, assume I'll get it done within a year and a half, but worst case scenario if I don't, pay out of pocket for Wiley?

[barelystayingsane]

That's what I would say. I don't know what your schedule looks like while you'll be studying, but if it were me, I'd save the money and see where I'm at in 18 months.

[barelystayingsane]

That's what I would say. I don't know what your schedule looks like while you'll be studying, but if it were me, I'd save the money and see where I'm at in 18 months.

[SmallVictories]

@barelystayingsane

I appreciate your view on it, and I tend to agree. But, would your answer change if money was not part of the equation?

[SmallVictories]

@barelystayingsane

I appreciate your view on it, and I tend to agree. But, would your answer change if money was not part of the equation?

[Anonymous]

If you're already employed and have a decent credit report, I'd just pay off the $4K to the school by charging it to a credit card with a good interest rate. You should be able to find a new credit card with a 0-3% promo interest rate for new purchases. Or, charge it to an existing credit card with the intention of balance transferring it to a new or existing card with a good BT promo.

Then just get on with your original CPA plan. $4K is not worth the stress of changing your plan just because your transcripts are being held hostage.

[Anonymous]

If you're already employed and have a decent credit report, I'd just pay off the $4K to the school by charging it to a credit card with a good interest rate. You should be able to find a new credit card with a 0-3% promo interest rate for new purchases. Or, charge it to an existing credit card with the intention of balance transferring it to a new or existing card with a good BT promo.

Then just get on with your original CPA plan. $4K is not worth the stress of changing your plan just because your transcripts are being held hostage.

[barelystayingsane]

@SmallVictories if money were not part of the equation, then it would be totally up to you and when you would like to begin studying 🙂

[barelystayingsane]

@SmallVictories if money were not part of the equation, then it would be totally up to you and when you would like to begin studying 🙂

[Anonymous]

Don't fall for the idea that Wiley is just a supplement for a “real” curriculum like Becker. You can pass with *just* Wiley, as long as it works for you (you can understand their teaching, etc etc). So, if I was you, I'd get Wiley, and I'd study like my life depended on it. And then, if I decided that I just really wasn't understanding one of the exams (we'll use FAR for an example, because it's always a likely culprit 😛 ), then at that point I might buy Becker. (Also, at that point, I'd consider whether it's cheaper to risk failing or to buy Becker…but I'm a cheapskate, and most people would rather be sure to avoid failing. 😉 )

Right now I'm 3 for 3 with Wiley books and test bank, and minor substituting with other materials (free materials I found randomly, some Ninja audio, etc). We'll see if I can pass REG and make it 4 first-try passes…but even if it's just 3, the price of failing REG is far far far far less than having bought a lecture review course for all 4 parts!

So, don't think that you are destined to have to buy a lecture-based course when you have the money.

But to address your real question… You can study for all 4 at the same time. There have been people on this forum before who have studied for all 4 concurrently and then taken them all within a couple days of each other, because they were from other countries and wanted to knock out all the tests with 1 plane big trip to the States instead of several. So, if they can pass them while dealing with jet lag, culture shock, etc., then you can pass them too. But…in my observation, most foreign students have far better study-skills than most Americans. Not judging, I've only bee about 10 miles outside of our borders myself, so I'm judging myself as much as anyone else. But…usually, Americans suck at studying. 😛 So, I would say that if you want to pass all 4 in a short time like that, then you'll definitely need to apply yourself extra, but also that it can definitely be done. Generally, I'd say study for one at a time, but sometimes life throws you melons (and if it does, you're probably dyslexic…………sorry it's a Monday).

[Anonymous]

Don't fall for the idea that Wiley is just a supplement for a “real” curriculum like Becker. You can pass with *just* Wiley, as long as it works for you (you can understand their teaching, etc etc). So, if I was you, I'd get Wiley, and I'd study like my life depended on it. And then, if I decided that I just really wasn't understanding one of the exams (we'll use FAR for an example, because it's always a likely culprit 😛 ), then at that point I might buy Becker. (Also, at that point, I'd consider whether it's cheaper to risk failing or to buy Becker…but I'm a cheapskate, and most people would rather be sure to avoid failing. 😉 )

Right now I'm 3 for 3 with Wiley books and test bank, and minor substituting with other materials (free materials I found randomly, some Ninja audio, etc). We'll see if I can pass REG and make it 4 first-try passes…but even if it's just 3, the price of failing REG is far far far far less than having bought a lecture review course for all 4 parts!

So, don't think that you are destined to have to buy a lecture-based course when you have the money.

But to address your real question… You can study for all 4 at the same time. There have been people on this forum before who have studied for all 4 concurrently and then taken them all within a couple days of each other, because they were from other countries and wanted to knock out all the tests with 1 plane big trip to the States instead of several. So, if they can pass them while dealing with jet lag, culture shock, etc., then you can pass them too. But…in my observation, most foreign students have far better study-skills than most Americans. Not judging, I've only bee about 10 miles outside of our borders myself, so I'm judging myself as much as anyone else. But…usually, Americans suck at studying. 😛 So, I would say that if you want to pass all 4 in a short time like that, then you'll definitely need to apply yourself extra, but also that it can definitely be done. Generally, I'd say study for one at a time, but sometimes life throws you melons (and if it does, you're probably dyslexic…………sorry it's a Monday).

[Author]

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