[LIZZ]

NINJA Question –

I want to pass all 4 sections in the 1st qtr. I have had this CPA monkey on my back for 10 years and I’m sick of it. I wanted to see if there were any other crazy people out there who wanted to help keep me accountable?

Yes i know it’s crazy but here is my situation:
-I have sat for all 4 exams at some point in my life using Becker average score in the 70’s
-I took FAR 10/2016 got a 70.
-REG scheduled 01/06 – I am in final review now (feeling confident)
-No Kids, live alone and own my own espresso machine
-Job allowing me to work from home 1x/week with max 40 hours, I have plenty of PTO time, Boss really wants me to pass
– I conditioned myself to study 4 hours/day weekdays and 6 weekends

Plan of attack:
I just cant stand watching another BECKER video so I’m going all NINJA and Wiley.
-REG 01/06
-FAR 01/27 (rematch)
-BEC 02/24 (weakest subject)
-AUD 03/10 (lost credit)

This is an Hail Mary attempt to pass I’m just using the April cut off date as my motivation to just get it done.

FAR - 05/2015
AUD - 75,11/2014
REG - 07/2015
BEC - 09/2015

[aaronmo]

If you've taken and failed the exams before, I'd think you need more prep time, not less. I doubt I could do it, but that doesn't mean you can't.

[LIZZ]

To be honest with you I never really took the time to study. I took the Becker class did some MCQs (most of the time didnt finish the material, never did the SIMS) and took the test. I took the time to do all the MCQ's in Ninja for Audit and passed (that expired last year).

I calculated over a 100 hours of study time for each section. Since I have already watched all the lectures most of that time will be spent doing MCQ, SIMS and Nailing to concepts.

I cant wait to prove you wrong = ) you just need a 75 to pass. If i can get my ninja scores around 80 – 90 I can pass.

FAR - 05/2015
AUD - 75,11/2014
REG - 07/2015
BEC - 09/2015

[aaronmo]

You're not proving me wrong…

1. I don't really care.
2. I never said it wasn't possible.
3. I didn't have a background of having taken them at all before, so that would have likely lessened necessary time.

It wouldn't have been possible for ME to do it as a first time taker…I took about 2 quarters. Some sections I was probably under 100 hours…some I was significantly over. I'm sure I was 200 + into FAR.

I doubt I could do all 4 sections of Becker MCQ and Sims, with lectures, in one quarter…and I wouldn't take an exam not feeling well prepped. I'm also a bit obsessive.

[Over_It]

You can try to prove me wrong. If you need help staying motivated and being held accountable, I estimate you have about a 0% chance of achieving your goal. Good luck!

[Andyred04]

When it comes to this test nothing is impossible. I've seen people on this forum who had a 3.8 GPA in college who couldn't even pass 1 exam and I've also seen people pass all 4 exams in a month. With that being said, if you want to pass all 4 parts in 1 qtr. you're going to need to be studying more than 32 hours per week. Based on a 4 week per month average, you would only be able to study for each section for 2 weeks. That's only 64 hours of total study time. If you were a curve setter I'd say this is probably possible, however, based on your previous scores (not that they're anything to be upset about) I can tell you're, similarly to me, somewhere in the middle of the bell curve. I understand you're trying to get the exams done prior to the change but if I were you I'd focus on BEC and REG (the 2 that are going to change the most), make sure you pass those, then knock out FAR & AUD in qtr 2.

These are simply my opinions, if you think you can do it then I definitely encourage you to go at it with everything you got! Good luck!!

FAR: 80 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
REG: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
BEC: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
AUD: 8/27/16

PA Candidate

[atx15]

I want to encourage you, so that is what I'm going to do! Passing all four parts in one window is going to be extremely hard, but I think if you focus on nothing else that it can be done. Like you said, you've been looking at a lot of this material in one form or another for the past 10 years. I used Wiley and Ninja to pass (not in one window), so it can be done. If you have Ninja Audio, I would listen to that on your drive to work and any other time you can. This helped me a lot. I listened to the audio so much, that I could recite it along with Jeff by the time I was walking into my test. I did all the Wiley Test Bank questions first by section and then I did all the Ninja questions randomly. This might not work for you, but it's the strategy I used. By doing WTB by section, it gave my an idea of the sections I was weakest in. When I started working the Ninja MCQs, I could see if I had learned from my mistakes (if that makes sense) I took notes on the questions I got wrong. I didn't spend a ton of time on the SIMS because after I failed my first 3 tests, I learned that the practice SIMS didn't do a whole lot for me. As long as I knew the concepts really well then I could always figure out the SIMS on the test. I would only do a day or two of practice SIMS to ease my mind and refresh myself of the format. When I got really stuck on a concept or something was giving me trouble, I would watch the NINJA Plus Videos on the topic and that would also help.

All of this might be overkill for you since you have such a short window or this might not be your learning style. I don't have anywhere near the highest scores that you'll find on this board, but like you said, you only need a 75 to pass. I wish you all the luck in the world!! And keep us updated!

AUD - 72, 83
BEC - 71
REG - 74, 77
FAR - Aug 2016

[aaronmo]

I think a lot depends on where you went to school and how soon after you took exams…I have friends who had accounting programs that were very well oriented towards the exams…to the point where their accounting courses were exam prep. They passed pretty easily right after school because they had, essentially, years of prep. That was NOT my experience.

[bucknell39]

It is possible especially since you mentioned there are no kids or significant other to zap your study time. If you truly dedicate yourself to studying then you absolutely could pass in the first quarter. I was able to pass 3 exams in the 4th quarter but I never would have been able to do all 4 with a wife and 2 kids. If I were in your shoes I would have taken FAR first because that is the most amount of material to study. Followed by BEC, REG and AUD, in that order. The format for BEC is going to change the most in the 2nd quarter. I don't know if it will be harder than before but the uncertainty would make me want to pass it in the 1st quarter. Good luck and I look forward to updates along the way!

[LIZZ]

Thanks for all the feedback. I know it is a crazy ambitious goal and see it as a challenge. I passed Audit once, I've prepared for REG over the past 2 months and feel good about it and I was close on FAR. Nope, none of that is a guarantee of a passing score I am going to try and If i pass even 1 that is success for me. I just have to figure out how not to cross the line of Total Burn Out.

I watched all the Becker videos so I am going to skip that this time and go straight to the MCQ's and SIMS.

FAR - 05/2015
AUD - 75,11/2014
REG - 07/2015
BEC - 09/2015

[Missy]

You'd be part of a very rare group (in fact of the people I've seen pass all 4 in one quarter it was almost always first attempts those folks are superhuman so I think you'd be the first I'd seen to pull it off) but I am rooting for you.

Personally the only way I'd attempt more than two in a window is if I was on the verge of losing a credit. That slow and steady pace served me well and I passed all 4 (with 2 AUD fails and one REG fail) in just under a year.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[LIZZ]

@bucknell39 – I started studying for REG while i was waiting for my FAR score. I found out i didn't pass but just decided to finish up with REG the circle back to FAR. My plan is to keep taking the same 2 test till I pass.

FAR - 05/2015
AUD - 75,11/2014
REG - 07/2015
BEC - 09/2015

[LIZZ]

@aaronmo I know you “dont care” You passed not sure why your even here… but your feed back is appreciated. I say all this with a smile… humor is sometimes lost in text.

FAR - 05/2015
AUD - 75,11/2014
REG - 07/2015
BEC - 09/2015

[StudyNowCPA]

I honestly couldn't imagine trying to pass all 4 in one quarter. However, I have a lot more going on then you so I do have to say it could be possible. The only thing is that you probably need to add more study time. There are a lot of people that study that much with more going on. Good luck!

[Tncincy]

Hey do what you have to do to get it behind you (I assume you have paid for all parts already)…..and of course keep us ninja's updated.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[Ginja_CPA]

It is possible, you aren't married, no kids, flexible job. How much PTO do you have? Can you devote the prior 3 days completely to studying and reviewing without having to work? Can you work 40 hours a week, study during the week another 35, then study over the weekends another 16-20? I think if you do that, 2 weeks is possible per section. I wouldn't even bother checking scores, you'll lose motivation if you failed. Listen to audio every waking moment that you aren't doing MCQ. If you are working out, bring flashcards if you need a break from audio and are using a treadmill or something. Make your own flashcards, put the information into your own words.

This isn't a healthy route in my opinion, but it isn't a long term thing either.

It is useful having those that pass here as we can give encouragement, plus advice on what we did. If everyone that passed never again replied to this site, mla11692 is one person that provides a TON of support and encouragement and she passed in 2012, this could be a very different forum. Amor D is another example of a great contributor, check out some of her old posts, great mnemonics!

Here is an example of one that I saw:
https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/far-bonds-bonds-bonds-and-bonds/

Good luck!

REG: 80 (02/19/16)
AUD: 83 (04/11/16)
BEC: 78 (05/28/16)
FAR: ?

[Author]

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