[MICPA87]

I recently accepted employment with a regional public accounting firm in Michigan. They offer the Becker software, but it’s in the form of an interest free loan that I have to pay back to the company over 18 months. They also told me it would be around $2000. I went on amazon and saw a lot of the material for a fraction of the price. Is it worth getting it through the company or buying it used?

Thanks.

FAR(11/14/11)- 92
AUD(01/04/12)- 91
REG(05/30/12)- 93
BEC(07/21/12)- 88

CPA - Michigan

[hopefulcpa]

just be careful if you do decide to buy it used. there is time limit on how long you can use the software for and becker only allow for 3 installations. make sure you inquire as to what exactly is being sold. some sellers won't tell you that it doesn't include the software which contains the MC questions and sims.

[MICPA87]

Thank you for responding so quickly! I make sure to do my due diligence on the seller and the product I am purchasing, so I'm not too worried about that. I was considering studying solely from the Becker textbooks. Have others had success with this?

FAR(11/14/11)- 92
AUD(01/04/12)- 91
REG(05/30/12)- 93
BEC(07/21/12)- 88

CPA - Michigan

[kperrucci]

In my opinion, the practice multiple choice questions are more valuable and effective than the textbooks.

FAR 4/9/2011: 88 (Becker)
AUD 5/16/2011: 88 (Becker)
REG 7/1/2011: 82 (Becker)
BEC 8/3/2011: 91 (Becker and Ninja)

[zooyuka]

Just the textbooks is a HORRIBLE idea. Just pony up and buy a review program.

BEC 71,77
REG 65,85
FAR 7/1/13
AUD 8/24/13

[jeff]

Buy it new. If it's not in your budget, then buy a new course from another provider….don't mess around with used materials.

My $.02

[Anonymous]

You really can't study becker just from the textbooks because they dont have very many MCQ in the textbooks, its all in the passmaster software.

Also, when thinking about purchasing Becker used, keep in mind that you need the:

coursedisc-you only need one, it sets you up with the basic platform

Then for EACH course, you have to get the section specific:

passmaster cd

lecture cd

textbook

Becker has an 18 month window from the date the license is first register! Not the date its first installed.

Personally, I've had Becker and it wasnt for me. I can't learn from lecture, and thats really what you are paying for. Looking at Yaeger as an example, you can pay $1800 for the complete course with lectures and textbook…or you can spend $30 on each of the wiley textbooks (so $120 total) and its the exact same course as Yaeger, except you dont get the video lectures.

[IwannaBaCPA]

I agree…there is a lot of risk in buying used. Does your firm offer any type of incentive for passing? Actually it sounds like they don't make you pay back the full tuition for the Becker courses because I know it costs more than $2,000 so it may be worth it to take the loan…

BEC: 79 - April 2011
FAR: 78 - May 2011
AUD: 81 - May 2012
REG: 79 - October 2012
Ethics: Passed - March 2013
I am finally DONE!

[MICPA87]

I get $500 per part passed, $2000 when certified, and $500 extra if its within the first year.

FAR(11/14/11)- 92
AUD(01/04/12)- 91
REG(05/30/12)- 93
BEC(07/21/12)- 88

CPA - Michigan

[Anonymous]

Sounds like passing means that they basically reimburse you for the cost of the Becker loan? But you are still making payments during that 18 month window, even if you havent passed any sections yet?

If it were me, I would use a self study program like Wiley (no lectures) for a total cost of $120, and then pocket all the extra bonus money! I passed AUD and BEC using Wiley, Ninja, and Gleim test bank for extra practice. And I felt pretty good when I took REG (dont have my score yet). So I would say video lectures are worth the money ONLY if you are the kind of learner that really needs to see it visually, otherwise save your money and self study with a text book.

[jimboace88]

Just to piggyback off of CalCPASoon's comment, if you are that visual kind of learner you probably shouldn't use Becker anyway (certainly not for FAR), because a lot of their “instruction” consists of “highlight this.” I've actually found going through Becker's text to be infinitely more helpful to me than watching the lectures.

From what I've heard Yaeger is the way to go if you're that kind of learner because they are very instructive in nature.

The one benefit you can't deny with Becker is the free tuition if you have to repeat a course–in this fashion I suppose it could theoretically pay for itself, as painful as that might be to think about.

FAR 07/27/11 - 87
AUD 10/01/11 - 85
BEC 11/15/11 - 87
REG 01/03/12 - 92

[Author]

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