[Goldfish2012]

Hey everyone, here’s a little background on my CPA exam experience with FAR. I have taken FAR twice. The first time I did Becker Fast Pass, studied hard core for about 2 weeks (was trying to pass all 4 before starting work), and got a 70. The second time I watched all of the Becker videos, studied for about 5 weeks (while working full-time), and just recently found out I got a 71. I did all of the multiple choice questions, practice sims, and reviewed the Becker flashcards each of my 2 attempts.

I’m looking to buy the Wiley Test Bank for my next go at FAR (probably in the April/May window after busy season) because I feel like I have the Becker questions memorized at this point. Here’s a couple of quick questions:

1. Does the Wiley Test Bank and Becker 2012 course complement each other? For example, do the chapters/materials match up with one another?

2. Would you recommend doing both the Wiley and Becker multiple choice questions or just focus on Wiley since they’re the new material?

3. Does the Wiley Test Bank include practice Sims or only multiple choice questions?

4. Would you guys recommend the NINJA FAR notes on top of Becker and Wiley or do you think I’ll be ok with just the Becker textbook?

5. For studying for this attempt, do you think I should rewatch all of the Becker lectures or just read the textbook, or do a combination of the two?

Sorry for all of the questions but any advice you can give me about the test bank or tips for FAR since I’m so close to passing but not over the 75+ mark just yet would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! 🙂

AUD - 7/9/2012 PASSED 77!
BEC - 8/13/2012 PASSED 85!
FAR - 70, 71, 69 7/22/2013 PASSED 78! (I survived "Server Upgrade" 2013!)
REG - 59, 64, 70 11/23/2013 PASSED 81! DONE!

Becker 2012 FastPass, Becker Self study

Experience: Completed!
DONE THE CPA EXAM as of 12/6/13!! License pending!

[StellaFL]

I can't answer all of your questions, as I did not use Becker. But I highly recommend the Wiley Test Bank. I have used it for all 3 of the exams I have taken thus far, and feel the MCQs were instrumental in my passing scores. The test bank allows you to choose questions for one particular area of study at a time. My study plan included doing all MCQs for a given section (Deferred Taxes or Stockholders' Equity or Fixed Assets, etc), and assessing my performance on each section individually. While taking the practice sessions, I would make flashcards for questions I got wrong. This allowed me to see where I was weak, and also have a nice stack of note cards to keep with me at all times and reveiw when I could. In the last two weeks of study, I did every MCQ (over 2,000 of them!) AGAIN.

And yes, the Wiley Test Bank does include Sims, and I think they are representative of what you'll find on the exam.

In my opinion, you would be wasting your time if you watched lectures over again. If you see that you don't fully understand a topic, based on MCQ answers, I think it would be better to refer to your book and try and understand it that way, and then keep at the MCQs.

Good luck!

REG 11/28/11 - 88
BEC 04/04/12 - 88
FAR 07/23/12 - 90
AUD 11/2012 - 92

Yaeger/Wiley

[samdiegoCPA]

Sorry, I only know the answer to one question! Wiley test bank has both MCQ and SIMS, yes. You're so close, hope someone can help you out with the rest.

AUD: 84
REG: 84
BEC: 79
FAR: 83

[Goldfish2012]

@StellaFL: Thank you so much for your detailed response! If your impressive scorse are a result of Wiley, then I think it's definitely worth looking into! 🙂 That's a good tip about making flashcards for the MCQ you get wrong. I was previously keeping track of them in a Word document but I think physically writing each of them out might help to enforce it better. And thank you for your advice about rewatching the lectures. Good luck with the results of your final exam!

@samdiegoCPA: Thanks for your reply! I'm glad to know that the test bank has both MCQ and Sims. Thanks for the encouragement and good luck on your exams!

AUD - 7/9/2012 PASSED 77!
BEC - 8/13/2012 PASSED 85!
FAR - 70, 71, 69 7/22/2013 PASSED 78! (I survived "Server Upgrade" 2013!)
REG - 59, 64, 70 11/23/2013 PASSED 81! DONE!

Becker 2012 FastPass, Becker Self study

Experience: Completed!
DONE THE CPA EXAM as of 12/6/13!! License pending!

[rmm91909]

I definitely would purchase the Wiley testbank if I were you. More questions the better! I would also look into getting the NINJA notes they really are a great overall review of all the concepts in a condensed version. I would read them over and over again and actually rewrite them. Maybe I would rewatch the lectures on the topics that you struggle with instead of rewatching all of them. If you don't pass the next time around I would maybe debate switching review courses. You might just need a “fresh start” and a different teaching style. Best of luck!

[Goldfish2012]

@rmm91909: Thanks for your advice about the Wiley testbank and NINJA notes. And I agree that it would be a good idea to just watch the lectures that I struggle with. Thanks for the luck!

AUD - 7/9/2012 PASSED 77!
BEC - 8/13/2012 PASSED 85!
FAR - 70, 71, 69 7/22/2013 PASSED 78! (I survived "Server Upgrade" 2013!)
REG - 59, 64, 70 11/23/2013 PASSED 81! DONE!

Becker 2012 FastPass, Becker Self study

Experience: Completed!
DONE THE CPA EXAM as of 12/6/13!! License pending!

[Anonymous]

Goldfish2012,

FAR was my namesis, I kind of understand your score experience (70X4). For FAR I was just not fast enough to finish more then 2-3 Sims. I used Becker for all 4 parts. If I had known about Jeff's products while studying I would not have gone through FAR's pain.

I made my own note cards and reset all the HW questions. I did all the HW including all the SIMs. Then I did cpareviewfor free questions on my weak areas.

If you felt that you memorized Becker's questions then you probably should get additional materials. You probably should listen to lectures that are associated with your weak areas. Know and understand the nmemonics and what they mean. Take time to journalize numeric questions. Build up your weak areas to be comparable or better than your strong areas, but do not ignore your strong areas.

You can do this

[Goldfish2012]

@CPAexamhard: I agree with you on FAR being my nemesis too. I have a quick question about CPAreviewforfree. Are there really any free questions or do you have to purchase the monthly subscription of MCQ or the Sims? If you did make a purchase, which package did you buy?

Thank you for your other advice about FAR, I will definitely take it to heart. Good luck to you as well!

AUD - 7/9/2012 PASSED 77!
BEC - 8/13/2012 PASSED 85!
FAR - 70, 71, 69 7/22/2013 PASSED 78! (I survived "Server Upgrade" 2013!)
REG - 59, 64, 70 11/23/2013 PASSED 81! DONE!

Becker 2012 FastPass, Becker Self study

Experience: Completed!
DONE THE CPA EXAM as of 12/6/13!! License pending!

[love2passcpa]

Hello Goldfish2012:

Don;t waste your time watching the video, do tons of MCQs and bunch of simulations. Listen to “StellaFL”. Make sue you find out why you made a mistake on a question and make sure you never do it again. Don't memorize, UNDERSATND. Goold luck.

FAR PASSED
BEC PASSED
REG PASSED
AUD PASSED

[Anonymous]

Goldfish2012,

I had signed up for the free version hundreds of MCQs, I did not use their SIMs material as I think I would have to pay for it. I wanted to ensure that I could see how questions outside of Becker was worded to ensure that I was understanding what is being asked and how to answer. I would also journalized some of the harder questions to ensure that I never faced FAR again (i.e slaying the beast).The majority of their (CPAReviewforfree) questions were way harder than Becker's but a few had errors in them. As I mentioned before, Jeff,s products would have lessen my FAR burden had I known of it before.

Thank you for your good wishes, I am done since early this year. I am currently awaiting licensure in GA

[Author]

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