[Tux]

Studying FAR –

If I do ALL MCQ and SIMS in both Becker AND in Wiley test bank with passing scores during practice, what are the chances that I still fail FAR?

It seems that I am reading from these posts how often many people seem well prepared, but still don’t make the cut.

I previously thought that being thorough and covering all my bases with 2 resources (Becker and Wiley) would get me through, but it’s scary to think that it still might not be enough.

Why/How do some people get through on the first time, but others take these tests over and over and over again?

Of course, I want to be in the former group, so wondering what I can do to increase my chances.

FAR - 86 - 2/27/14
AUD - 75 - 5/29/14
BEC - 80 - 8/31/14
REG - 89 - 2/27/15
Praise Jesus! I'm done!!

Study resources:
Becker
Wiley test bank

[Witchkizzle]

Just be sure you learn the material. If there is a topic covered in your review, make sure you understand it. Don't memorize it, know it by heart.

There is absolutely now way to tell how many hours you need to study or how many questions you need to do to guarantee a passing score. People on here have a wide variety of study habits and most people have found the most important thing is to find out how YOU have to prepare and prepare that way.

For me it was about 50 hours per exam. I studied, using Becker self study alone, 5 weeks for each test at about 10 hours a week. Never finished every MCQ and never finished all the lectures. But I didn't sit there and spin my wheels doing pointless MCQs over topics I was comfortable with. My results? I passed three on the first attempt and failed audit with a 71. I retook after 2 weeks of 5 hours/week studying and passed. Took 12 months exactly so I could take a few months off in between each test.

So there are people that do it faster and study more than me, slower and study more than me, faster and study less than me, or slower and study less than me.

You will end up falling in one of those groups, but it is up to you which one.

Texas CPA
Licensed 03/12

[Anonymous]

Whoa, 50 hours per test? That's amazing. I envy you 🙂

[MChro12]

It is all about understanding the material. Quality time and understanding the material is better than quantity time. Practicing the sims isn't that important either considering you most likely will not see a sim that replicates what was in your review package.

@Witch I am jealous of you. I plan on putting in about 70 additional hours between now and when I take my next exam (April 16th)

Reg 77 (Aug 11)
Aud 80 (Nov 11)
BEC 79 (Jan 12)
FAR 80 (April 12)

[Anonymous]

I'm a large advocate of the dual-system study plan — although I think Becker is over-priced. Also, keep in mind that doing multiple choice questions alone can leave a bit of knowledge-gap. If nothing else, I'd recommend reading/covering at least a few of the modules you're not 100% on (as opposed to solely doing the multiple choice questions). For instance, I read the entire section(s) on governmental accounting and NFP's in both Wiley and Gleim, AND did every single multiple choice question from both books at least once AND did nearly every Wiley Test Bank question on the subject. I spent quite a few hours on those two topics alone, but it worked!

[Author]

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