[Anonymous]

Unfortunatly I failed my first exam – FAR. I used Yeager Homestudy along with the Wiley Test Bank. Since I have been out of school and away from alot of this stuff for nearly 10 years, I took roughly 5 months to study. I tired to follow what Cindy and Phil said to a T, putting in roughly 20-25 hours per week and more towards the end. I would watch the video and take notes, make notecards, and complete the recommneded MCQ’s and Sims in the wiley book. I did this for all sections and finished the Homestudy with roughly 6 weeks till my test. For the last 6 weeks I redid all the MCQ’s in the Wiley book and did min testlets of 30 MCQ’s on each section in the Wiley test bank until I acheived 75% or better.

I purchased the Ninja Study notes and planned on rewriting them but ran out of time the final week where I mainly just reviewed my notecards I had made. One thing that I did not do was incorporate progress tests into my study plan. By the time week 4 or 5 came around I had forgotten the material I had covered in week one and took twice as long to refresh my memory during final review.

So I plan on getting back on the FAR horse 1st window of 2012 as im currently studying for Audit and scheduled to take it end of November. Do I stick with Yaeger and maybe get the cram, or do I switch to another course like Roger?

Also without disclosing confidential exam info, I really felt my exam focused extensivly on 3-4 topics (MCQ’s and SIMS) and hardly touched on the rest. Just so happens the 3-4 topics were areas that I had not fully mastered especially the journal entries.

Feeling pretty disspointed in myself right now…..

Created with Compare Ninja

[gottagetmycpa]

what was the score?? I would not switch just yet since you have already realized holes in your studying technique. Progress test is definitely needed to keep the information fresh. If you were not doing that than that could be one of the main reason for the fail.

FAR 76
REG 76(2x)
BEC FAILED (2x)
AUD FAILED (2x)

"When you don't give up, YOU CANNOT FAIL"

[Anonymous]

Scored a 65 :(.

[heatmiser]

This could seem random, but I think the long window you used to study could have negatively affected you. I am not saying you slacked off or anything, just that you lose some urgency (AKA every minute you study counts) when the test is so far out in the future.

Maybe give a smaller test window a shot. Other than that, just keep studying, you'll pass it soon enough.

2011 CPA Exam Graduate

[RedRage00]

5 months is way too long. I would have gone nuts studying FAR for 5 months. I studied for 8 weeks just because of the pure volume of FAR.

I don't think you need to buy new material. I used Yaeger/Wiley. I think you need to change the way you study. You need to keep reviewing things you study early so that you won't forget it. I do 20 question mini testlets and I go through every module doing 20 question mini test so that I don't forget the earlier things. Eventually you start to see what areas you need more work on because those scores are lower than other areas. Focus more on those areas, but continue to review the other areas at the same time…does that make sense?

Texas CPA
Licensed, March 2012

[Anonymous]

Do you guys think its beneficial watching the videos again? It took a ton of time just to get through the 51 hours of lecture and take notes.

MCQ wise, should i review MCQ's and Sims in the Wiley Book and Test Bank or just use the Test Bank.

And for progress tests, do you recommend doing mini testlets of 20 MCQ's of previously covered topics as mentioned above, or doing say 90 MCQ's each week incorporating all previously covered sections?

Thanks for your advice I really need it.

I'm also thinking of studying roughly 8 weeks this time around so that I can study for it and take the exam in the 1st window of 2012.

[gottagetmycpa]

if you would have gotten a 50 something I would say switch or if this was your 2nd or 3rd 65. I say re-evaluate your technique. I have to retake REG and I am going to get a cram course because I don't want to re-watch countless hours of lectures. especially when I am going to study for 4 weeks. don't know if it will work but I going to try my best!!!

Depends on you. I like to do a 3 set of 24 for 72 MCQ exams to simulate a testlet of an actual exam in wiley

in becker I do the complete 100 once in the morning and another at night.

FAR 76
REG 76(2x)
BEC FAILED (2x)
AUD FAILED (2x)

"When you don't give up, YOU CANNOT FAIL"

[gailxadri]

Cubdom, I just took FAR last Saturday, and I thought I was prepared but I feel just like what you said in your sentence (about not wanting to reveal any confidential info) getting killed on several topics that I just hadn't mastered, while I know so much that I wish they would have asked! I felt horrible after I was done with the exam. I used Wiley – the book and the MCQ online database. I spent 10 weeks and over 150 hours. I also agree that I would easily forget the stuff I learned earlier. But by the end I was getting at least 85% by doing a ton of 30 question MCQ tests.

While I haven't gotten my score yet (got to wait til the 21st) I'm already thinking what I would do differently. I just don't think I need things explained to me, I just need to learn to memorize rules and steps.

Also, one thing I would do differently, is to stop doing MCQ tests just to feel good about getting 85% and thinking I'm ready. I wasted so much time working problems that I know I knew instead of working on what I knew I hadn't mastered. I think a change in the way I study rather than changing review programs would make the difference. But I would listen to others' advice! I mean, I don't want to do this again!

FAR 10/29/11 - 81
AUD 04/07/12 - 89
REG 07/07/12 - 87
BEC 10/27/12 - 83
Wiley Book, Online Test Bank, Focus Notes

[Anonymous]

Do you guys recommend doing MCQ's in the Wiley Book and Wiley Test Bank or is it better to just stick to the Wiley Test Bank?

[Herbieherb]

It took you 5 months to watch the videos only once? What kind of studying did you do…it had to be on and off with more breaks than study time, gaps, and extra cramming at the end…am I right? Anything else wouldn't make sense. a more intense/rigorous 8-10 week study schedule would be more Beneficial. Yes start de scratch and give Yaeger another try.

NEW YORK- DONE

[FrenchToast]

The Wiley Test Bank can provide instant feedback for a correct/incorrect answer — the Wiley Books require a significant amount of page-flipping if you're struggling to understand the logic of an incorrect answer. That being said, I'd do both.

I'm a firm believer that there is no reason to reinvent the wheel — if you are questioning your study technique, then do more multiple choice questions. The best advice I ever received from lurking on this forum was to do more multiple choice questions. Bored at lunch? Bust out the droid and rock out the Wiley questions. Got home late from work and you're super tired? Maybe just 50 tonight. Pets woke you up early in the morning? Cheerios and Derivative/Hedges. Also, as mentioned above, don't do randomized tests — choose a specific topic and hammer it home.

Also, whenever I find myself struggling on a specific concept, I mentally (or verbally) explain it as if I'm speaking to a first year accounting major. I find that if I'm capable of explaining the logic of a problem/answer to someone else, then I probably have a strong enough understanding of the subject to move on.

[Anonymous]

You should also look at all the explanations of the right AND wrong answers. Understand why you got the right answer or why you got it wrong. Often in the explanations of the incorrect answers there are lots of little fact nuggets that you don't get in the books or videos. I keep a notebook to jot down these little facts and I can review them later. After you do enough questions and see the same explanations over and over stated in different ways, it starts to sink in.

[Anonymous]

I am using the same material (Yaeger/Wiley + Jeff's Notes). I finished the lectures, did all the assigned MCQs and SIMs, and lots of MCQs from the Wiley test bank. I am taking the test in three weeks and I don't know if I should go over all my notes and do all the re-writting (as Jeff suggest) or focus on more and more and more MCQs from the test bank. The thing is that every time I sit in front of my notes to re-write I spend so much time because I start making huge analysis of things as if I was starting to study for the first time.

I know we all use different methods and study techniques, but any suggestion will be really appreciated.

[Anonymous]

[Author]

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