[Texan_176]

I’ve been using Roger only and what I will do is scan a section, watch the video and follow along while highlighting and making notes in the book, and do this for the whole chapter. Then I go back and read it on my own while writing my own notes. Then it is on to MC and SIMS.

I will do this for weeks then about 10 days before the exam I study my notes and rewrite them, work as many problems as I can, and watch any lecture I am weak on again.

With BEC it worked but I don’t know about AUD. I took it Monday and doubt I passed because the questions were somehow very different. I did really well with MCQs in Roger but they were very easy compared to actual MCQs on the exam where 3 of the 4 choices are good answers. Roger covers the concepts well but it’s the details that make it bad. Well, I saw 2 things in the MCQs that were not covered in the review at all so I went and looked them up after the exam.

I think MCQs and doing at least 100 a day is the best way to go. SIMS can be done from the knowledge you get from the MCQs.

BTW, whatever review or test bank you are using, did you ever see any identical or almost identical questions come up on the actual exam? I saw one MCQ that was nearly identical to a Roger question in AUD.

BEC 11/29/14 77 (Roger)
AUD 2/23/15 60 (Roger) 4/13/2015 83 (Roger & Ninja MCQ)
REG 5/30/2015 66 (Roger & Ninja MCQ(7 hours only)) 8/23/2015 78 (Roger & Ninja MCQ)
FAR 11/23/2015 60 (Roger & NINJA MCQ) 2/24/2016 74 (Roger & NINJA MCQ) 5/25/2016 83 (Roger+Roger CRAM & NINJA MCQ/NOTES)
Texas Ethics Exam 92%

Licensed TX CPA Aug 2016

[Mamabear]

I changed my methods a couple of times, but the one that I think worked best for me was to read the book without taking notes. Stop to work the problems in the book. Highlight key facts in the solutions to the problems, not throughout the book. If needed, go back and take notes off of the highlights. Start working the test bank section by section. Go through every question in a section one time and take notes as needed. Move to the next section and repeat through all the sections while still taking a refresher quiz on prior sections. Once you've got through every section start hammering out your weak areas. Focus on those and use every source possible to understand the topics (google, ask questions here, use the study groups, use the chat feature in Ninja MCQ, watch a lecture, etc). The main reason I don't watch lectures from the start is because I work better by doing than listening. Also, you could waste precious time watching lectures on topics that come easily to you instead of only watching them on previously identified weak areas.

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[Anonymous]

As you can see by my scores, I was struggling to pass and couldn't get over the hump. Reading the book (Wiley) and taking notes does help, especially if you need to recall long-forgotten concepts and formulas. However, don't spend too much time doing that.

I found that doing MCQs are the best use of time. Definitely start at least the MCQs 1 month before the exam, give yourself even more time with the MCQs if you can. Try to do 20 or 30 question batches (depending on what section you are studying for) with breaks in between. Start slow, then ramp up the number of batches per day.

I used Wiley MCQs for FAR and AUD, then used Ninja MCQs for REG (and BEC). I believe the Ninja MCQs are miles better than Wiley and were the key to my recent one-timer. It teaches you the concepts that underlie the question much better than Wiley. I also like how it keeps track of your progress, review older sessions, etc. While there is room for improvement, I think Ninja MCQs are great and well worth the $50.

Specific to your question, you won't see identical questions at all, but will come across with very similar ones. I had one that was just a word different.

Don't aim for 100 questions a day and burn through them just to get them done. Aim for understanding each question fully, even if you only get through half of your goal.

[Peterman25]

I use Roger too. I really enjoy his lectures. However, in my opinion, their test bank is inferior compared to NINJA MCQ. You can't beat the NINJA materials for the price. Keep doing what you are doing with Roger, but get the NINJA MCQs to supplement. 30 days prior to your exam start hammering the NINJA MCQs. Put in 2,000 to 3,000 attempts over those 30 days and you should do just fine. Don't neglect the SIMS in NINJA either. They help too.

BEC 7/14 - PASS
FAR 10/14 - PASS
AUD 1/15 - PASS
REG 4/15 - PASS

AZ license - Official 8/20/2015

[Anonymous]

I'll let you know if my strategy worked 100% March 10th. If I pass then, I will nearly guarantee passing on first try for anyone that follows the same strategy.

[Anonymous]

It looks like Cbones used a similar strategy to me. Looks like we both took 1 exam per test window.

And that leads into my suggestion perfectly. My advice is to not take a portion of the exam until you feel ready for it. That's what has worked for me so far and that's why I've only taken 1 section per window. I've given myself plenty of time to study the material and get ready. I'm not trying to cram multiple sections into a window. It's worked for me but if I had failed a portion, it could have really backfired. I get 4 shots at REG and then I start losing credit. I do not want that to happen.

[Author]

Replies