[guitarcpa2017]

Is anyone else using the Wiley CPAExcel FAR textbook? Is it intended to be supplemented with video lectures?

I’m often finding MC that come out of left field. I take notes on the topic, feel like I thoroughly understand the material, then hit the MC I encounter questions that weren’t covered.

Compounding this, the topics are non-sequential. For example: the differences between IFRS and GAAP are discussed in module one before GAAP is thoroughly covered (which is the rest of the book). The interest method of allocation is discussed before NPV, a later module. One of the MC questions was about comprehensive income and unrealized gains on available-for-sales securities before the income statement has even been discussed once in detail. This was so puzzling I even checked for missing pages! But nope, everything’s there :'(

Does Wiley expect a better prepared reader than me? Is there a textbook with a more step-by-step “for dummies” approach? Or does it get easier as the modules get more topical?

[Anonymous]

I used the Wiley FAR textbook, but didn't do any MCQs till after I was done with the reading. For me, that was a better study method. So, I can't speak to the MCQs matching the material sequentially; however, after I'd completed reading the whole book, I felt like the MCQs represented the material fairly well, and more importantly prepared for the exam quite well. I used the 2013 version of the books, since it's been a couple years since I studied, but I don't think the books have had any major changes in that time.

My advice would be to try not to worry too much if, right now, the material doesn't make a lot of sense. None of the exams seemed like they were making sense or “sticking” for me till I finished reading the whole book. I'm the type to need to see the whole picture before I can see how all the pieces fit in, so I thought that was the reason for this too. Maybe you've identified the real reason, though, if it's because the book's layout is illogical. However, regardless of the reason, it gets better. Once you've finished reading through the whole book, it all starts to fit together and make sense. Then when you go back and do question sets taken from randomly from all chapters, you'll find yourself being able to use the things you learned from Chapter 5 and Chapter 1 that somehow fit together to make the information in Chapter 6 make sense.

[Anonymous]

I used CPAexcel. FAR is beyond overwhelming! I saved it for last…I think I probably would have quit otherwise. All I can tell you is that things will start to come together at some point. I studied for nine weeks…my exam is today…and I did not feel like things started to make sense until about a week ago. I still feel very unprepared at this point, but I'll give it my best shot. There's just so much material with FAR that it's difficult to really understand things until you've gone through everything once. I will say that things started to get a bit better once I got to the second book. The material in the second book seems to not be as difficult to understand. In any case, just keep at it and there will be a point when things start to click. Best of luck to you!

[guitarcpa2017]

Thanks Lilla and ASUAlum. That's what I needed to hear 🙂

[ABTX411]

guitarcpa2017 –

Which book are you referring to – the participant guide or the course outline? The CPA Excel stuff really is intended to be used with the full online software, which includes video lectures for every topic as well as over a thousand MCQs + simulations for every section of the exam. If you don't have access to the online materials, you will definitely want to get access to practice MCQs and sims. The ones in the book just are not enough to adequately prepare you.

BEC - 90 - 2/04/2016
AUD - 97 - 2/29/2016
FAR - 92 - 4/19/2016
REG - 88 - 5/19/2016

[Author]

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