[karla]

Hi, so I am new to studying and looking for some guidance. I recently started studying about 2 weeks ago. I have Becker and work a full-time job. I am looking for ways to use my time more efficiently in studying.

These past two weeks I have been watching the Becker Lectures and going along reading the textbook AND taking notes. This seems to be taking a lot of time as I am still in A1! I want to be able to get through concepts much faster. I kind of stopped watching the lectures, as I saw it was a waste, since they just say highlight and circle this. But just reading the textbook is sometimes difficult to understand key concepts.

I know you need to put in a lot of time into studying, but following Becker is taking up TOO much time so I feel like there must be a more efficient way to study.

I have been reading some forums and many have said to skip the lectures and just do MCQs, but I feel like I need a base before doing MCQs. Also, I have been looking into getting the Ninja course, as it has been said to be simpler, but want to make sure this is not a waste.

I have dowloaded the free study materials and I guess it is simpler, but that is hard to tell from just a few demos.

My plan was to buy Ninja (says it is $67 for everything, so not too bad, unless I am reading the pricing wrong) and to use the Ninja Book and take notes on it as a base. Then go back to Becker and do the skills practice and MCQs, and eventually SIMs, etc. to complete the Becker promise. All while doing Ninja MCQ, reading the Ninja notes, and listening to the audios.

Is this a good plan of attack? or do you have any suggestions?
How did you use Becker AND Ninja?

Sorry for the long explanation.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

[Anonymous]

Hi, Karla-

For what it's worth, here is what I have done pretty much for all the sections using Becker as my primary resource and Ninja as a supplement:

listen to Becker lectures-instead of following along with the book, just listen to them-for me, I am in the car for nearly two hours each day, so I listen to them. Then after I have listened to them, I do the MCQ for that module-you will be surprised how much sticks especially for audit which is mostly conceptual. then i would go back through the book and take notes, and watch parts of the lecture that are difficult or you need another explanation on. then redo MCQ for that module. SIMS and Skills practice can be done at the end as part of your review, just make sure you have enough time and don't skip out on those! I have always used Ninja as a supplement-so after you have been through all of Becker, go into Ninja testbank and do it for “new questions” section by section. Then go back and do “missed since last time seen”, and then do random sets of MCQs. Ninja testbank will rattle your confidence and you will feel terrible, but better get beaten up in practice than at the real thing! AUD testbank is quick to get through, because it's all conceptual, no calculations. I strongly recommend doing at least some of the SIMS in Ninja-I did about 30 or so the night before my AUD exam, and felt like crap, as they kicked my butt-but I think they honestly helped on exam day. Also, make sure you do the AICPA practice test.

[karla]

@anyatver

Thanks for your response! I will try that out to see if it works.

[Author]

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