[STAY_FOCUSED]

Just curious on different ways to study.. I like the ninja method of re writing notes but would like to hear other suggestions as well

FAR - 69, 65 TBD
BEC -TBD April 2016
AUD -TBD May 2016
REG -TBD

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I'd like to hear other peoples approaches as well, and if/how your study method changes by which section you are studying for.

I use Becker review materials, and for my last exam (FAR) I have purchased Ninja MCQ but have't really utilized yet.

I've studied/passed 3 parts so far but I've found that what worked for some sections, didn't seem effective for others. For example, when studying for AUD, my first section, I would watch lectures, read the chapter, then do all the HW problems once taking notes on all the incorrect questions or concepts I didn't understand. Some sections I did sims, others I skipped only because of time. During review period I would go back through each chapter and took REALLY detailed notes. I hand wrote all notes because it helps me remember better. Filled up an entire notebook of notes–this took a long time and my hand almost fell off. I did each chapter individually. Taking detailed notes, re-do all the HW problems & sims, then move on to the next chapter. I didn't do any progress tests. After completing each chapter in review I reviewed all my handwritten notes, my notes on incorrect questions/concepts, and then took the Becker final exams 1 & 2 and that was it. Based on my score that worked very very well with AUD and I'm assuming because taking detailed notes by hand helps remember more and for AUD the devil is really in the details.

However, when I moved on the BEC/REG I started taking notes but I didn't feel like it was as effective. I didn't take as many and focused on major concepts not every single detail. For REG that would be such a waste of time seeing as there are so many “general rules” and exceptions, and exceptions-to-the-exceptions and so forth. Also for these sections I was on a major time crunch that I didn't have during AUD so I was more pressured by the time it took to take these notes, when I felt doing more practice problems was a better way to study during review period.

Now I'm studying for FAR (almost done actually) and I haven't taken any notes. Everything is so conceptual and then formula/calculation based I'm not sure taking notes on each chapter would help at all. Love to hear other peoples strategies and thoughts on what I should be doing for the next 12 days of studying

AUD- 99 (11/26/2014)
BEC- 81 (1/12/2015)
REG- 85 (2/28/2015)
FAR- ?? (5/18/2015)

[Tcohle]

@Dunkin I think it's interesting for FAR that you haven't taken notes. I started taking notes but found toward the end it may have been a waste for me. I do better by DOING. Meaning understanding the concept, doing the MCQ, and understanding why it's right or wrong. I've also found I rarely look at my notes…maybe for some acronyms to help remember but that's about it. I use note cards, Ninja Notes, and Ninja MCQ 99% of the time.

I take my test next Monday so we'll see how that works!

FAR- 5/11/15 76!!
AUD-10/31/15 63, 84!
REG-7/12/16 72
BEC-8/31/15 75!! Perfect Score!

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Ninja 10 pt combo for FAR/AUD/BEC

[Anonymous]

I found throughout the process that taking notes was only helpful to me to the extent of making diagrams for processes, writing out journal entries and T-accounts for MCQs, and understanding why I got a question wrong on practice tests. Writing notes other than brief, explanatory stuff in the margins of my books didn't really help me much.

If you are a visual learner, I am a big believer in diagramming. For instance, if you're trying to learn the formula for pension liability or for calculating AMT or the steps for determining goodwill impairment, drawing it out and continually looking over your diagrams can be a big help.

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When I said I haven't taken notes I meant that I haven't outlined/rewritten the textbook. I always take notes on questions I get wrong or concepts I didn't understand during mcq/sims and I always write out my work when doing calculations. But writing out my work during calculations is more of an organizational thing for me to answer the question and separate out the information, I never go back and review that stuff because it is chicken scratch and a bunch of numbers scribbled everywhere

AUD- 99 (11/26/2014)
BEC- 81 (1/12/2015)
REG- 85 (2/28/2015)
FAR- ?? (5/18/2015)

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