[CPANOVICE]

Hello Everyone,

This question is for the future CPA’s who are using Becker.

How do you guys take your own notes while using Becker?

Watch videos and take notes? If so, do you write down everthing the instruction talks about? Please share your note taking strategy for Becker.

Thanks

 

 

FAR:TBD
REG:TBD
AUD:TBD
BEC:TBD

I am using Becker self study, ninja blitz and Wiley (I am using the paperback version of the testbank)

Brief overview of study method:
1. Skim through chapter quickly
2. Watch lecture videos
3. Take a lot of notes on what the lecturers emphasize
4. Complete half HW after lectures half after rewriting notes

[CPANOVICE]

@NicoleL Did you read the book at all or just watched the lecture.videos an take the notes they mentioned? Great score on FAR by the way. I am currently prepping for FAR as well.

FAR:TBD
REG:TBD
AUD:TBD
BEC:TBD

I am using Becker self study, ninja blitz and Wiley (I am using the paperback version of the testbank)

Brief overview of study method:
1. Skim through chapter quickly
2. Watch lecture videos
3. Take a lot of notes on what the lecturers emphasize
4. Complete half HW after lectures half after rewriting notes

[Study Monk]

Another strategy Becker students should consider is ONLY watching the videos on the pages they don't understand. I am studying REG right now and I can read through several pages at a time without getting stuck on a concept, so why would I need a person to explain(or reread) the material to me?

A lot of people complain about the Becker videos, but being able to select the exact page that the lecture covers is a great tool. If I get stuck on a concept I just select the page, listen to the explanation, and go back to reading/flash card creating. It almost an OCD thing to feel obligated to sit through an hour and a half of lectures just so you can check it off your your To Do List.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Study Monk]

Another strategy Becker students should consider is ONLY watching the videos on the pages they don't understand. I am studying REG right now and I can read through several pages at a time without getting stuck on a concept, so why would I need a person to explain(or reread) the material to me?

A lot of people complain about the Becker videos, but being able to select the exact page that the lecture covers is a great tool. If I get stuck on a concept I just select the page, listen to the explanation, and go back to reading/flash card creating. It almost an OCD thing to feel obligated to sit through an hour and a half of lectures just so you can check it off your your To Do List.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[CPANOVICE]

@ Study Monk Not a bad idea. I usually find it easier to skim the textbook and watch the lecture videos instead. Your idea does not seem that bad as well.

FAR:TBD
REG:TBD
AUD:TBD
BEC:TBD

I am using Becker self study, ninja blitz and Wiley (I am using the paperback version of the testbank)

Brief overview of study method:
1. Skim through chapter quickly
2. Watch lecture videos
3. Take a lot of notes on what the lecturers emphasize
4. Complete half HW after lectures half after rewriting notes

[CPANOVICE]

@ Study Monk Not a bad idea. I usually find it easier to skim the textbook and watch the lecture videos instead. Your idea does not seem that bad as well.

FAR:TBD
REG:TBD
AUD:TBD
BEC:TBD

I am using Becker self study, ninja blitz and Wiley (I am using the paperback version of the testbank)

Brief overview of study method:
1. Skim through chapter quickly
2. Watch lecture videos
3. Take a lot of notes on what the lecturers emphasize
4. Complete half HW after lectures half after rewriting notes

[NicoleL]

@CPANOVICE My method was to just watch the videos for the whole chapter (which was challenging since they are quite boring) without doing the highlight/underline thing. Next I opened the ebook and read my book and transferred all of their highlights/red lines to it. This gave me the time to read all the examples and make sure I understood everything without trying to hurry to keep up with Olinto/Gearty. (That drove me crazy on the first lecture). Then I answered all the multiple choice and SIMS. I repeated that through all 10 chapters (it took me about 8 weeks). Then for the last two weeks I flipped through the ebook, reread all the passkeys/examples/highlights, read the chapter outlines, did the Becker provided flashcards and did lots of progress tests as well as the Becker finals.

I made sure to always read the explanations of the MCQ I got wrong. I don't learn by writing…I learn better by reading so having the Becker flashcards made much more sense to me than creating my own. However, there are lots of people who learn better by writing. I can tell you that if my score hadn't turned out quite as well…I would have been sitting here rewriting all the flashcards (no matter how much I hated it). You've just got to try different ways and hope you find the one that works for you quickly.

Good luck on your exam! 🙂

FAR - 93 (YAY!!!!)
REG - 93 (Double YAY!)
BEC - 87 (Whew!)
AUD - 96 (DONE!!!!!)

[NicoleL]

@CPANOVICE My method was to just watch the videos for the whole chapter (which was challenging since they are quite boring) without doing the highlight/underline thing. Next I opened the ebook and read my book and transferred all of their highlights/red lines to it. This gave me the time to read all the examples and make sure I understood everything without trying to hurry to keep up with Olinto/Gearty. (That drove me crazy on the first lecture). Then I answered all the multiple choice and SIMS. I repeated that through all 10 chapters (it took me about 8 weeks). Then for the last two weeks I flipped through the ebook, reread all the passkeys/examples/highlights, read the chapter outlines, did the Becker provided flashcards and did lots of progress tests as well as the Becker finals.

I made sure to always read the explanations of the MCQ I got wrong. I don't learn by writing…I learn better by reading so having the Becker flashcards made much more sense to me than creating my own. However, there are lots of people who learn better by writing. I can tell you that if my score hadn't turned out quite as well…I would have been sitting here rewriting all the flashcards (no matter how much I hated it). You've just got to try different ways and hope you find the one that works for you quickly.

Good luck on your exam! 🙂

FAR - 93 (YAY!!!!)
REG - 93 (Double YAY!)
BEC - 87 (Whew!)
AUD - 96 (DONE!!!!!)

[CPANOVICE]

@NIcoleL Thank you very much for a detailed explanation of you study method. I appreciate it!

Did you use WTB for additional practice or did you just only use the homework problems and the final review problems that Becker provides for practice?

FAR:TBD
REG:TBD
AUD:TBD
BEC:TBD

I am using Becker self study, ninja blitz and Wiley (I am using the paperback version of the testbank)

Brief overview of study method:
1. Skim through chapter quickly
2. Watch lecture videos
3. Take a lot of notes on what the lecturers emphasize
4. Complete half HW after lectures half after rewriting notes

[CPANOVICE]

@NIcoleL Thank you very much for a detailed explanation of you study method. I appreciate it!

Did you use WTB for additional practice or did you just only use the homework problems and the final review problems that Becker provides for practice?

FAR:TBD
REG:TBD
AUD:TBD
BEC:TBD

I am using Becker self study, ninja blitz and Wiley (I am using the paperback version of the testbank)

Brief overview of study method:
1. Skim through chapter quickly
2. Watch lecture videos
3. Take a lot of notes on what the lecturers emphasize
4. Complete half HW after lectures half after rewriting notes

[Study Monk]

CPANOVICE I ended up posting the study system I used for audit on a prior post a month ago:

I have created a new study system and even gave it a mnemonic because I am arrogant:)

It is the RIGHT way to study(more arrogance):

(R) ead carefully over 1 section at a time

(I) mmediately go over related multiple choice to that section

(G)o over SAME problems next day and flag difficult/key questions

(H) arvest notes/flashcards on flagged questions

(T)est yourself frequently on flagged questions and flash cards/notes

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Study Monk]

CPANOVICE I ended up posting the study system I used for audit on a prior post a month ago:

I have created a new study system and even gave it a mnemonic because I am arrogant:)

It is the RIGHT way to study(more arrogance):

(R) ead carefully over 1 section at a time

(I) mmediately go over related multiple choice to that section

(G)o over SAME problems next day and flag difficult/key questions

(H) arvest notes/flashcards on flagged questions

(T)est yourself frequently on flagged questions and flash cards/notes

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[NicoleL]

@CPANOVICE I did CPAforFree questions before I got Becker (I had to wait for the current year's release for a couple of weeks). After I got Becker, that's all I used. I felt like a total idiot with the CPAforFree questions as they were incredibly hard…plus I've been out of school for a very long time. They did have really good explanations though.

I kinda figured I'd see how Becker went for the first exam before I purchased anything additional. Plus I don't know if I would have had any time to go through additional material. If I don't pass REG, I'll pick up the NINJA products and WTB for the retest.

FAR - 93 (YAY!!!!)
REG - 93 (Double YAY!)
BEC - 87 (Whew!)
AUD - 96 (DONE!!!!!)

[NicoleL]

@CPANOVICE I did CPAforFree questions before I got Becker (I had to wait for the current year's release for a couple of weeks). After I got Becker, that's all I used. I felt like a total idiot with the CPAforFree questions as they were incredibly hard…plus I've been out of school for a very long time. They did have really good explanations though.

I kinda figured I'd see how Becker went for the first exam before I purchased anything additional. Plus I don't know if I would have had any time to go through additional material. If I don't pass REG, I'll pick up the NINJA products and WTB for the retest.

FAR - 93 (YAY!!!!)
REG - 93 (Double YAY!)
BEC - 87 (Whew!)
AUD - 96 (DONE!!!!!)

[CPANOVICE]

@ Study Monk Thank you very much once again! Great plan to say the least. I will incorporate your method into my study plan.

FAR:TBD
REG:TBD
AUD:TBD
BEC:TBD

I am using Becker self study, ninja blitz and Wiley (I am using the paperback version of the testbank)

Brief overview of study method:
1. Skim through chapter quickly
2. Watch lecture videos
3. Take a lot of notes on what the lecturers emphasize
4. Complete half HW after lectures half after rewriting notes

[CPANOVICE]

@ Study Monk Thank you very much once again! Great plan to say the least. I will incorporate your method into my study plan.

FAR:TBD
REG:TBD
AUD:TBD
BEC:TBD

I am using Becker self study, ninja blitz and Wiley (I am using the paperback version of the testbank)

Brief overview of study method:
1. Skim through chapter quickly
2. Watch lecture videos
3. Take a lot of notes on what the lecturers emphasize
4. Complete half HW after lectures half after rewriting notes

[Author]

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