[Pnbrock11]

Directed Becker FAR Studying

So I am in the Becker course, and I have about 2 weeks until the exam. I have come to realize that the course has some parts that aren’t as important as others. Obviously, any question can come up, but in terms of maximizing my score it would seem I could do best by focusing on a couple areas. To me Becker makes Foreign Currency Translation and Cash Flow look equal in the chapters in its prep course. So my question here is what areas are a strong idea to exclude because they are unlikely, and where should I focus.

Below are my ideas about what I should focus on, and I shouldn’t focus on based on lurking in this forum. I’m just looking for some input about whether these are good subjects to not focus on and to focus on.

Becker Chapters I think I shouldn’t be focused on

Derivatives (our teacher even said he is instructed not to teach it), Ratio Analysis, Sale-leaseback, foreign currency translations. Are there any others?

Income taxes, EPS, and the weird chapters basically titled “and other.”- like other retirements plans, other liabilities,

Becker Chapters I should really focus on

NFP/Gov’t Accounting, Cash Flows, Non-monetary transactions, General Accounting Concepts, Bonds, Equity Method, Pensions, Leases, IFRS differences

AUD - 78
BEC - 85
FAR - 76
REG - 81

CPA Candidate

[SchruteBeet]

While you can definitely focus on the areas you listed, I would not completely ignore the other areas. The concepts you mentioned have been heavily tested upon but the exam is all fair game. Studying all the topics while focusing on the important ones could mean the difference between a 74 and a 75.

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 83
REG - 78

Ethics - 97

"If it were easy, everyone would do it."

"Hard work, perseverance, faith, blessings."

[Pnbrock11]

Of course! And that is what mentioned by the book itself. However, that can't be the complete story. Where there is only a fixed amount of time to study (and there always is a fixed amount of time to study). Lets say you get 2 hours. Your advice of spending one hour on derivatives, and one hour on cash flows doesn't strike me as right. Of course, you could get questions, about derivatives. The best certainly is to know both. If you have two hours, which one of these would maximize your score?

AUD - 78
BEC - 85
FAR - 76
REG - 81

CPA Candidate

[Author]

Replies