[ahugemistake]

Hello all,

I will be taking FAR in july (haven’t signed up yet). I have been studying since February and am just now finishing up pensions. My slow study method is leading me to delay the exam. I want to see how other users have used CPA-excel. My plan is to get through the course as fast as possible. I read the book, do the questions and the sims and move on. Right now I am covering about 2 or 3 chapters? a day.

Once I am done with the course I will be spending most of my time doing questions on the testbank. I hope to able to do this for a few weeks. If I can finish the course by the end of may, I can have all of june to focus on the test bank. Is this adequate?

any advice?

FAR - 78*
AUD - 66, 79
REG - 73, 76
BEC - 79

[nicole2035]

i actually think it's a good idea, i think when you go through and read the chapters without focusing too much on notes it forces you to think conceptually. i'm doing something similar and my scores have jumped considerably in gleim since i've gone back and re-read everything. However im still getting through the material as fast and it's allowing me time to really hit on my weak areas in each topic.

[Anonymous]

I plan to go through all of the CPAexcel lectures and MCQ in 6 weeks. That should leave me around 5 weeks for additional MCQ, flashcards, simulations, Ninja notes and audio. This might change depending on how my studying goes.

[ahugemistake]

You have to excuse me, but I am still new and trying to navigate the site. I want to hear a sample of the NINJA audio so I can see if its worth it. Can you please link me if one exists?

People who have taken the exam in the past keep telling drill the test bank, don't worry about the sims, more than likely you will see the questions you have done before.

lastly, I want to focus on the heavily tested of the exams, covering pensions scared me a little because even though they are not complicated there are a lot of small details to remember.

FAR - 78*
AUD - 66, 79
REG - 73, 76
BEC - 79

[jeff]

Here you go: https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-study-plan/

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[MrsBklovn]

I don't mean to hijack your post, but I've been thinking about this as well this past week.

I've been very successful with using Wiley Test bank and book plus the Ninja Notes and audio for FAR and so far BEC. For FAR I'm concerned the Wiley would be impossible to get through because of ALL the unnecessary information they put in the book.

What do you guys recommend for the basic FAR information review? Unless the NINJA book comes out the first week of June I need something to get me started. I still plan on using the WileyTest Bank and NINJA Notes and Audio.

Thanks in advance!

Hoping 2015 is better...- Wiley MCQs; Ninja Notes; Flashcards; Audio; Becker Live Review
REG- 2/2014 82
AUD- 10/2014 72, 1/2015 73, 4/2015 84!
BEC- 7/2014 70, 11/2014 70 (this must be a joke) 8/2015 77!
FAR- 7/2015 76!

It's only impossible until it's done.~ Nelson Mandela

The journey was long and hard but in the end it ALL paid off.!

[Anonymous]

@MrsBklovn

LOL, I have the same concern about CPAexcel as you do on Wiley. With so much information, even though I can go through all of it, there is no way to be able to fully master all of it, at least not within a reasonable amount of time. I am giving myself 6 weeks to go over CPAexcel and then 5 weeks for review. We'll see how that goes.

[MrsBklovn]

I meant successful with REG* ..

@ Determined_To_Succeed: have you used Wiley before? I'm just curious as to whether or not another type of material is needed for FAR because it is a BEAST that I would like to defeat the first time around.

Hoping 2015 is better...- Wiley MCQs; Ninja Notes; Flashcards; Audio; Becker Live Review
REG- 2/2014 82
AUD- 10/2014 72, 1/2015 73, 4/2015 84!
BEC- 7/2014 70, 11/2014 70 (this must be a joke) 8/2015 77!
FAR- 7/2015 76!

It's only impossible until it's done.~ Nelson Mandela

The journey was long and hard but in the end it ALL paid off.!

[Anonymous]

I have the Wiley Test Bank for all 4 sections. I really like the old version. The new version is meh. As for the Wiley Textbook, haven't really used it that much, so I'm not sure how effective it would be. I did notice how big these books are.

[ahugemistake]

Thank you for your response Jeff, I will check it out.

On the Wiley books, I agree, there is a whole lot of stuff packed in there. There are 2 giant books for FAR and I am just barely getting through the first one. I saw the becker book for FAR and was blown away at how thin it was, and TO THE POINT.

I like the wiley books though because they definitely explain everything fully and you don't feel lost but getting through it is tough.

@Determined are you just using the videos, ppt, and flashcards in the software? I saw that you passed BEC, what was your study plan?

FAR - 78*
AUD - 66, 79
REG - 73, 76
BEC - 79

[Anonymous]

@ahugemistake

Here was my BEC plan:

CPAexcel lectures and MCQ

wrote Ninja Notes 2x

went over Ninja Notes and Ninja Audio 5x

went over all Wiley Test Bank MCQ

focused on weak areas by doing more more MCQ in those areas

made flashcards

I had to change the order and timing of my REG plan cause there were so much material. I suspect I will have to do the same for FAR.

[jes7879]

I am struggling with the same things… I am just starting to study for REG. It will take a long time to get through all the videos in CPA Excel so I started with reading the NINJA Notes. I'm thinking to then starts on SIMS after than and only watch videos for areas I need help with otherwise I feel I'll be watching videos for months, however I probably would master a lot that way it will take forever!

AUD - passed
BEC - retake in July

[ahugemistake]

The CPAexcel videos should not be used as a standalone reference. I found that reading the book is a lot better/faster than watching the videos since I was wasting a lot of time rewinding what the lecturer said trying to understand the concept. I find that reading the book, reviewing the slides, and doing the exam is much much faster/better. If for some reason the topic just isn't sticking then you can watch the videos but they just read out the slides in most cases without little to none in dept explanation.

You can waste a LOT of time with CPAexcel because of how much material there is to cover (with FAR).

In summary, read the book, do the exams, move on.

FAR - 78*
AUD - 66, 79
REG - 73, 76
BEC - 79

[Anonymous]

@ Determined – Please don't take this the wrong way, I am not expert…I believe you are taking too long of a period to study. I tried this long drawn out method years ago, failed 4 exams. I now put life aside for 7 weeks MAX and hit the books at least 3 hours a day. I will have read the CPAExcel REG material this Wednesday @ 2 weeks even, leaving me 5 weeks to do notes and thousands, and by that I mean at least 2k, of MCQ's.

Honestly, I am by no means very intelligent. I have been a B average guy my whole life. I haven't heard many, if any, success stories out of 11 weeks of prep. I'm sure there are some, but i'd say the consensus would be to bear down, pack it in, and let it out on exam day. Just my 2 cents that no one asked for. Just trying to help!

[HowLuckyWeAre]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I'm still laying the groundwork for the exam in that I'm waiting for a personal loan to get disbursed so I can purchase CPAexcel + WTB + all the Ninja notes + Ninja MCQ's (probably by the end of the week). I've also been wondering about the timing aspect of FAR with the NINJA framework. The logical manner in which the info is laid out and repetition of the note-taking/reviewing really appeals to me. Plus, it doesn't hurt that so many people here have passed with this NINJA method. 🙂

OP has been studying since February with a goal of testing in July and it makes me concerned because I haven't even started purchased CPAexcel, let alone started studying. I downloaded the study planners from Jeff (thank you!) and he's got a study plan laid out with completion in 6 weeks. I also plan on taking FAR sometime in mid-July and stretching it out to 7 weeks because life happens.

Much like the OP, I'm wondering how this particular review course works in terms of timing with the NINJA framework. Is 6 weeks feasible for the beast that is FAR? Am I going overboard with the MCQ's (CPAexcel + WTB + Ninja)? Am I setting myself up for failure by taking too big of a bite?

FAR - 78
AUD - 85
BEC - 70, 83! Ninja note bump of 13 points!
REG - 65, 70, 2016 Q1 retake before FAR expires 02/29/16

CPAexcel + Ninja Notes + Ninja MCQ = Success

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. And boy, I am HANGRY!

[ahugemistake]

>OP has been studying since February with a goal of testing in July and it makes me concerned because I haven't even started purchased CPAexcel.

I don't know about you, but I work full-time, and I have two kids at home, and an elderly parent who my wife and I take care of. I also am guilty of procrastinating more than needed. Here I am in June, and I still haven't gotten done with the CPAexcel material. So don't let my leisurely study timeline distract you from your goal of taking the exam in mid-July.

>Am I going overboard with the MCQ's (CPAexcel + WTB + Ninja)? Am I setting myself up for failure by taking too big of a bite?

I don't think the CPAExcel questions alone can get you enough practice. The extra MCQs will definitely help but it's how you use your review period that will count. I recommend only getting one of WTB or NINJA though, and preferably NINJA because some questions from CPAExcel overflow into WTB, and that bothers me a bit when I'm trying to practice on new material.

Link: Current CPAexcel Discount Codes

FAR - 78*
AUD - 66, 79
REG - 73, 76
BEC - 79

[Author]

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