[KNVB]

So guys, what are some tips that are not in the book? How should I prepare for the exam in the days leading up to it and the day before the exam? How did you prepare yourself in the morning and how did you calm your nerves? Did you get jacked up on caffeine to keep your mind alert for the 4 hours during the exam?

I’m looking for general tips on CPA test taking. I don’t want distractions such as tiredness or hunger or anything like that. Thanks guys!

FAR - Studying
AUD - 0
REG - 0
BEC - 0

[QuesoDip]

Out of the three exams I've sat for and taken, FAR was where every second counted. I sat down for 4 hours and hammered away with no breaks. I entered the simulations with 1 hour and 42 minutes and finished with 36 seconds left on the clock.

I recommend drinking a lot of water the night before so you're well hydrated the next morning and won't be too thirsty. Obviously, pee in the morning and immediately before your exam. Try to poop if you can, any annoyance has the potential to distract your thought process at a critical point. Eat very healthy the night before and have a solid breakfast that's low on sugar (to avoid the sugar crash) with some orange juice.

Also, like many others have pointed out, know where your exam location is. Visit it a few days before so you don't get stressed out trying to find it half an hour before your scheduled time. I normally get to my location with about 2 hours or so before my exam.

As far as reviewing right before, I do plenty of MCQs all the way through the day before the exam. I try to focus on my weak areas while casually doing practice tests that cover everything so I don't forget material. I convert my excel notes to PDF and email them to myself the night before. This is where my 2 hour window kicks in. I sit in the car with my iPad and just read and reread my notes along with tabbed pages of my book.

REG - 88 - 8 Weeks (Becker, Ninja Audio/Flashcards, Wiley TB)
FAR - 87 - 10 Weeks (Becker, Ninja Audio)
AUD - 98 - 6 Weeks (Becker, Ninja Audio, Ninja MCQ)
BEC - 87 - 2 Weeks (Becker & Ninja Audio)

[thechapman]

Another thing – some people might disagree with this, but it hurt me instead of helped me to bring my book and notes with me in my car. I sat in my truck looking over things, would have a small freak out moment where I thought “I can't remember how to calculate _______”. Then I'd be frantically looking through the book to try to find things I thought I had forgotten. It might have been better just to bring my NTS and ID, and leave it at that. I found that it hurt my confidence a little trying to tear through the book or notes to find things right before the test.

Passed - 2014

[Author]

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