[Bee]

Hi, everyone.

I demoed Gleim and found that I don’t get much out of the video lectures that are included in the Premium and Traditional Review System. So, I am trying to gauge whether Gleim Supplemental Mega Test Bank and books (or other company’s test bank and books) would be sufficient to pass. I would really appreciate your feedback.

Has anyone used only test bank and book to pass?
If so, which company’s material did you use?
It would be helpful to know whether you have an accounting background.

My background:
– MBA graduate (relevant courses completed: financial accounting, finance I and II, valuation)
– I have never worked in accounting

[Recked]

First you need to figure out your personal learning style. Some people can learn great from reading books, others learn from watching videos, some from rewriting notes, and some from massive amounts of MCQs.
I learned the best from videos and MCQs. I just did not have it in me to read the books and comprehend what they were saying.
I'd suggest you use the free trial from some other courses and see how their videos compare. The videos are not the strong selling point for Gleim. Gleim's best selling point is the test bank, and specifically the analytical data it provides to narrow down your strong vs weak areas so you can focus on those.
Check out some other providers and then post back.
Full disclosure – I used Gleim for EA and was going to use them for CPA as well. I was reading an old Lambers book while I waited for my approval to sit and got really stuck on one part and ended up googling youtube videos and found one from Roger's course that explain what I was not grasping. Ended up with the Roger videos and the Gleim TB and books.

[Bee]

Thanks for your detailed feedback, Recked. Very nice scores with minimal study time.

I was leaning towards Gleim's test bank and books because Gleim videos were so disappointing and I read postings that compliment Gleim's MCQs and SIMs in comparison to other companies' MCQs and SIMs. You're right, though. I better demo other companies' products.

[alloverit]

I used Gleim and 90% of my study was devoted to MCQs….9% probably to SIMS and 1% to the book when I just had to have a further explanation.

PROS: Gleim has some very long MCQs that are actually great prep for SIMS
and TONS of MCQs overall

CON: Gleim is designed (in my opinion) for self-study types who like to take on material and questions head-on and don't like videos…whether the videos are good or bad….Gleim is good for a certain type of learner, but not everyone.

Another con when I took it is that the AUD SIMS were a joke….other sections for SIMS were okay

[Bee]

I did get the sense that the Gleim MCQs were helpful in solving SIMs. Ross, your thought on AUD SIMs noted – thanks! Btw, did you have any accounting background before passing with Gleim?

[alloverit]

Yes. I work in accounting full-time. It's interesting, aside from REG, the material on the exams doesn't match up to what I do in the real world that much…so not sure how much that matters. A good undergrad accounting program is likely better prep for the test than work experience (at least in my case)…I'm sure others might disagree though.

[RoseMarie]

It really depends on how you learn best. I am an auditory learner so programs with bad videos were automatically out for me (like Becker and Gleim). I did free trials of most of the major software and ended up deciding Rogers program fit me best. His videos were by far the best in my opinion, the book are fairly well done (though a little too detailed in my opinion), and I personally found his test bank sufficient and very comparable to the actual exam. I supplemented my learning with NINJA but mostly for the Notes, Audio, and PLUS videos (didn't really use its MCQ as I didnt like the software so much – though the new software for 2019 looks better). Using primarily Rogers program I studied FAR for about 8 weeks if you don't count the first time I started and stopped and had to start over like 2 months later due to grad school stuff and ended up with a 92. BEC was 29 days of hell but I passed with a 95 with just 4 weeks of studying. Personally I highly recommend Roger's program if his videos are more your style (based on checking out the free trial).

[Bee]

That's somewhat encouraging since I don't have accounting work experience. Thanks for the real world input. Such a big divide between academia and the real world.

[Bee]

Rose Marie, thank you for your feedback. Yes, I agree. Rogers does have the most engaging videos. I wish other companies' instructors would write and explain as they go along, instead of doing Powerpoint-style.

As far as I saw in Gleim's demo, Gleim textbooks are bullet-point notes, instead of in prose. Very dry. As far as I can tell, Gleim's strong points are its MCQs and SIMs. Good to hear that Rogers test bank reflected the exam. This is helpful.

Are you an accounting major? Excellent scores, btw.

[Author]

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