[averageaccountingchica]

I have been studying with Wiley since January 2019. Now its the end of March and I am not feeling anywhere prepared. I understand the lectures and sometimes the textbook, but once I start a quiz, I feel like a complete idiot. I looked at the test bank for the first time today and realized I am no where near prepared.

I dont start with my firm until October 2019, but I would like to get a couple exams completed before then.

I got C’s on all my financial accounting classes. Most topics I am seeing for the second time but I am actually understanding it for the first time.

I am feeling pretty pathetic. Basically, I am venting but hoping there are others like me. Especially ones that eventually passed the exam.

Any study tips? should I just focus only on the MCQs? Should i supplment with ninja?

 

 

[CH89]

Ah, don't let the exam bring you down, it is tough I know. From my experience when I move onto hammering MCQs it is a bit of a rough start since you tend to forget all the material you learned from the beginning. As you focus on MCQs, you should be able to build, learn, and develop a better understanding of those concepts. MCQs are great for learning, and take notes as you do MCQs. If you got any thing wrong or guessed at the answer, take notes. Understand why that one answer is correct, and why the other 3 are wrong. This might be going against the general consensus on here, but I do think it would be beneficial to practice SIMs too, as I feel this also helps bring a better understanding.

I started off with Wiley, and it took me a bit to figure out how I learned best, and I eventually ended up supplementing with Ninja. I like Ninja's audio, notes, and MCQs. It is easy to listen to Ninja audio or read the notes while at work. I like the diagnostic report Ninja MCQs offer, I feel it does a pretty good job showing your weak areas.

[1rightanswer]

I remember it was like that for me too when I first got my Wiley CPA Excel books in 2014. I was staring at all the inventory costing methods, lower of cost or market, tax assets/liabilities like what are all these? So much so I stop studying until 2017. You need to want to pass these exams to want to really study for them, you need to be zoned in and focused. Also, you need to accept you don't know A LOT of things about Accounting and will therefore get a lot of questions wrong. After you accept that you don't know a lot of things getting questions wrong won't bother you anymore, you will just see it as a learning opportunity. Getting answers wrong and learning from it is how most candidates pass FAR and REG, it was for me. BEC and AUD MCQ's are easier to get right for me anyways.

Accepting I don't know anything was a major step mentally that got me back studying again, if I didn't do that and was still getting angry about every MCQ that I got wrong I wouldn't have been able to get through the almost 1000 pages of the FAR study material. Now, I have passed all 4 sections with an 89 average no less, I can just look back at those initial days and laugh.

[Recked]

That's the way the process works.
I remember taking some quizzes and only getting one or 2 right out of ten, it's completely demoralizing, and also completely normal.
Just keep plugging away at it, do lots and lots of MCQs and eventually it'll all start to click together.
You'll never feel “ready” to take the exam, but you'll be alright.

[Accounting_is_Taxing]

I saved FAR for last and I'm feeling the same way. Luckily I have 13 months to pass it…..
I remember getting low scores on REG when I first started it. It didn't take long to get the material though and it was actually my easiest section.
FAR on the other hand, is killing me. EVERY question feels like a multi-step problem, and every section has intricacies that are difficult to grasp. I was hoping that passing the other three sections in a short period would be all I needed for this last section, but now it's just pure hate for this process.
I think hatred is fueling me at this point….

[TerriSilva]

hi everyone! I just recently found out on February 26th that I FINALLY passed FAR (exam taken on January 31st) and was DONE with the exams!!!! But let me tell you, I passed by the skin of my teeth and it was my 5th time taking that beast! Yes, FIVE. I was going to have to retake my first passed exam, BEC, if I didn't pass it this last time. I knew the material yet every exam I got beat me…I failed with 57 the first time I took it, then 73, then 57, then 72. I almost wanted to quit after that 72! By the grace of God I got the board to extend my BEC expiration date to the end of the month, and I sat for it on that day. Yet again I ended up with a very hard exam chock full of attachments. I still feel like I should have gotten a higher score than I did.

I used Wiley the first time, then I added Ninja. The last and 5th time I broke down and bought the Gleim test bank (just for FAR) and that was the thing that helped. Ninja simplified things for me, but I got to where I was memorizing the mcqs and that wasn't helping by the 4th exam. Gleim is like Wiley (same person started Wiley) but the SIMS are on a whole different level. They are TOUGH. So are the mcqs. But it was what I needed to get a pass. You guys if you are still having trouble and don't pass this time, try Gleim. I had told another candidate about Gleim because I had heard about the SIMS, and she used it and passed before I did!

Now, I am waiting for my license!

[Island Mango]

OP: Like a previous poster said, it's all part of the process. FAR was the hardest beast for me as well. It took 3 tries before I passed it. I also used Wiley the first tries. Hammered MCQs, did SIMS & watched the lectures. After these fails, I realized nothing was truly sinking in & I've got to do something different. I bought Roger & with his lectures finally understood the material enough to get FAR out of the way. Not advising that you abandon Wiley. Wiley has a ton of MCQs & since I already had it, I used it to supplement my understanding after watching Roger's lectures. I want to let you know that all of us who've gone through the CPA journey understands exactly how you feel. Like @recked said, no one ever feels “prepared” walking into Prometric. And walking out, WOW! each time I felt like I got hit by a truck. My confidence level dove so low & like you, I felt pathetic. Don't let that feeling get you down! It feels crappy right? Use it! Get as far away from that feeling as possible. Power through & you too will pass and have those 3 letters behind your name.

@TerriSilva: Congratulations. I also found out last March 8 score release that it's FINALLY over! I passed BEC (passed it first time but lost credit). Like you FAR was also the dragon that needed to be slayed. My whole timeline was delayed because of it. But hooray! Here we are! DONE!

[Jimmy Dugan]

I'm with Recked. The way this works for every section is:

1. Read/Watch Lectures
2. Get head kicked in by practice questions
3. Get head kicked in a little less by practice questions
4. Get head kicked in a little less by practice questions but start to kick back
5. Kick practice questions a$$ sometimes
6. Kick practice questions a$$ most of the time
7. Pass exam

Don't let 2. get you down. Everybody goes through it. This stuff is hard.

[TerriSilva]

@Island Mango congratulations to you, too! and thank you 😉

[Tncincy]

@Averageaccountingchica, How's it going? Is it getting better? Are you gaining ground with your review course?

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

[Ger]

The information posted here is very encouraging. I initially took Far and AUD in 2016 and got so discouraged from how hard I thought I studied just to fail so here I am again because the dream never dies. Getting MCQs wrong makes me feel like I didn't read or take notes and nothing stuck but as some mentioned…. it may be common to get the majority of them wrong. I just need to learn and understand why it was wrong. No too excited for preparing statements in Sims though but that will change.

[Chris]

Hi Ger!

I started studying for FAR in July 2016 using Becker and allowed myself to get discouraged with how overwhelmed it made me feel. I was 23 and just out of my MBA program and felt invincible. I very quickly realized I was not in a place to properly commit myself to the CPA journey and went on with my professional career. Circling back to 2021 and I passed 3 parts between March and November. I personally lacked the maturity and discipline at the time, but now I am one test away from the finished line. I have actually found that my work experience has benefitted WAY more than any college course did. I wish you best of luck in your journey! My best recommendation for FAR is to listen to the audio, read the notes a few times and just spam as many multiple choice questions a day as your brain allows. you will get there in your own time. If there was a sure fire way to pass, everyone would do it.

[MONA]

I passed AUD in Dec 2022, just failed FAR 64, 70 previously, and signed up for REG. Should I keep studying for FAR until I pass before going onto REG?

[MONA]

I mean passed AUD DEC 2021

[Chris]

Hi Mona! I personally think it is a good idea to stick with a section until passing so you do not have to “start over”. At the same time, you know yourself better than anyone else so if you feel you confidence is broken or are getting nervous about time, changing sections may help regain control over your 18 month window and with the confidence. Congrats on AUD, that is my last section and I am regrouping after a fail.

[Mona]

Thank you Chris, that is what I think I will do, keep studying for FAR until I pass. It's been tough but with other folks that are also trying to pass the CPA here, it gives me some hope! Thanks again!

[Author]

Replies