[Givemesleep]

DONT SAVE FAR FOR LAST, DONT PERIOD! Take it from papa you will thank me. The burnt out level is immense, my eyes are bleeding and a substance resembling guacamole is coming out of my ears. I must finish 8/31 cant take it anymore.

Reg 11/15/2011 - 80
Aud 02/28/2012 - 81
Bec 05/31/2012 - 78
Far 08/31/2012 - 83 Do you believe in Miracles, YES !!!

CPA License received 10/2012 !!
CFE License received 04/2013 !!
EA License received

Givemesleep

[momto5]

I agree, and am so glad I started with FAR. Wondering if leaving REG until last will be just as bad though. Thoughts? I guess it's too late for me to change anything now anyway, but just wondering what I will be up against.

FAR - 92 (4/27/12)
AUD - 96 (7/17/12)
BEC - 92 (8/30/12)
REG - 91 (11/12/12)

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the advice! Lol 🙂 And from other CPA vets,I have heard that the REG is the easiest but people tend not to study that much for it because its by far the easiest which ends up screwing a lot of people. My advice, study for it like you would the others and you will score fairly high.

I have been preparing for this for a month lol but I have been recently informed that you should not study for the CPA until at least 2 months before. 😉

@Givemesleep God bless you dude!

[Anonymous]

I started with FAR first before IFRS and passed it first try but due to a promotion at work had to put my exams on hold for 9 months and now I am having to take FAR last because I lost my credit. Not looking foward to that.

[Givemesleep]

Just my opinion as I near my final part. Reg is tough, if your a tax person, it's very manageble. AUD I found the easiest, and I have no audit experience. No offense to those that are struggling with AUD (we all have our demons). BEC was a killer for me. Not that much material but very all over the place.Thank the lord I passed, I couldn't do it again. FAR is an enourmous amount of material. I am currently 1/3 of the way thru my second full run thru. Have done 1700 mcqs and sims, and logged in 120 hours of study. I plan on 3000 mcqs and another 120 hours of study. It may seem like overkill, but this is my last part so I plan on passing out at the finish line. I would say 60% of FAR is very manageable, it's the other 40% that takes the dedication. For example, fixed assets, boring I could do that in my sleep. The NFP is not so bad, the Govt is death as is stockholderss equity. I promised myself for each part I wouldnt be upset falling as long as I tried 100%. I have four shots at FAR before losing a part, but am determined to pass 8/31. I admire everyone that has challenged themself with this exam. It is very hard and passing means more than being a CPA it means you have the guts and will power to challange your brain and balance everything going on with work, life and family. Sorry for the long rant, Ijust needed to share with people that understand. Set a plan, do it every day and you will look up facing the last part. it's remarkable what we can do if we try. Peace

Reg 11/15/2011 - 80
Aud 02/28/2012 - 81
Bec 05/31/2012 - 78
Far 08/31/2012 - 83 Do you believe in Miracles, YES !!!

CPA License received 10/2012 !!
CFE License received 04/2013 !!
EA License received

Givemesleep

[Anonymous]

While I totally agree about getting FAR out of the way first, don't leave REG to the last either! I'm going nuts right now because there's so much to remember and there just isn't enough room in my head after three exams! But I'm not a tax person so that is probably making REG so much harder.

[pacific1]

I feel REG and FAR have the most material so I am trying to tackle them both first and then move on to BEC and AUD. Good luck givemsleep…you still have a good amount of time to study and I bet you will do great come Aug 31st!

[Whatdidyou]

REG is not the easiest. I've only taken 2, BEC & REG, but still expect REG to be the hardest.

REG - Passed!!
BEC - Passed
FAR - Passed
AUD - Passed

Study Materials: Becker basic course

[mla1169]

I'm glad I got FAR out of the way first, but I never expected to struggle with AUD the way I did. I also think what's “easier” for one person may be the most difficult for another. It depends on your strengths and weaknesses.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Givemesleep]

When I pass, I am going to sleep for a week. I get up at 4:30am study for 3 hours before work then some after work. I am a zombie most of the day but it is the only time I have free with work and family. Including the EA exam I have been doing this for a year. Please give me a 75 on FAR on 8/31, no more no less that's all I ask.

Reg 11/15/2011 - 80
Aud 02/28/2012 - 81
Bec 05/31/2012 - 78
Far 08/31/2012 - 83 Do you believe in Miracles, YES !!!

CPA License received 10/2012 !!
CFE License received 04/2013 !!
EA License received

Givemesleep

[tbstew]

Eventually we'll all learn to stop saying “This section is the hardest!” or “That section is the easiest!” Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. We all need to decide which one we think would be the hardest, and build our strategy around that. Here's my recommendation:

Take the section that you think will be the EASIEST for you FIRST. That will give you some momentum, confidence, and get you the “exam experience.” Then take the HARDEST one second. The idea is to not leave the hardest one for the end, just in case you struggle with it and lose credit or prior sections. You will also burn out towards the end, so don't leave the hardest for last. After that, take your pick. With two sections down, including the hardest for you, nothing should stop you from passing the rest.

AUD - 79
BEC - 88
REG - 87
FAR - 86 - Woot, all done!
Ethics - 100

[nearly_there]

Still can't believe for some people REG is the easiest. I can understand that some people might think that FAR is tougher, but the easiest? There is no way REG is easier than AUD and BEC.

FAR - 85 November 2011
AUD - 81 January 2012
REG - 68 March 2012
BEC - 86 April 2012
REG - 92 July 2012

[Mrs 300]

I praise people who get FAR out of the way first. But I purposely saved it for last. I knew that I could pass the others. And I knew that the only way I wouldn't give up on FAR is if I had the other 3 under my belt.

Let me tell you right now that if I knew how badly I would have to kill myself to pass this test, I never would have started in the CPA process in the first place. The amount of time I spent studying for the last 2 times I took FAR would make you cringe.

REG - 80 (Becker only)
BEC - 76 (Becker only)
AUD - 71, 76 (Becker only)
FAR - 65, 74, 81! (Becker, Wiley Test Bank, Ninja notes & Audio)

CPA Class of 2012 🙂

[Almost Done]

You may be right, but personally, I didn't want to take FAR first and risk losing credit and be forced to retake it. I guess we all have our personal preferences.

BEC: Passed
REG: Passed
FAR: Passed
AUD: Passed

[Anonymous]

I got FAR out of the way since I just finished taking intermediate accounting I , and was able to just add more studying on top of it. Then AUD since that was my next weakest subject.

I should have saved BEC for last, it was SO easy for me.

REG was harder than I expected, despite me being able to do my own taxes (and they're complicated! 10 pages each year, ugh!) for years.

[Anonymous]

I agree that saying one test is the “hardest” is silly. I had no problem with FAR or BEC at all, thought REG felt hard but still passed on the first shot, and struggled like a m********* with AUD. (RE: My score dist. I studied much less for FAR and BEC due to my work experience). I've worked in corporate accounting for 5 years as a managerial accountant, so that made me far more prepared for FAR and BEC, as that is my mindset every day. AUD was a totally different story, I am just not wired that way. Although after studying for the exam for a damn year I guess I am more knowledgeable than many…

[Author]

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