[jeff]

NINJA Study Notes, Flashcards, and Audio: https://www.another71.com/products-page/

Wiley Software: https://www.another71.com/wiley-cpa-software/

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

[Lidis]

Hi Sequin

It is very hard to predict what topic you are going to get in the exam. Seem to me the system know your weak areas and pound you in these areas. I had my exam on the 7th . The topic that you all always get quite few questions is governmental and not-for-profit. You can get hit also on topics like stockholders equity, segments reporting, debt restructuring, current assets and liabilities. The major topics like bonds, consolidation F/S, fixed assets, statement of cash flow, leases in the SIMS.

I failed, I started studying again (I don’t know my score yet) I going to hit the small topics hard.

[xwingdingx]

I considered rescheduling as well (my exam is on friday) bc I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed. I feel like I've forgotten everything I've studied in the beginning and barely know the topics I just studied. BUT I feel like I'll be overwhelmed even if I give myself a few extra days. So I think I'll just go in and do my best =/

AUD 6/24/11- 76
BEC 11/23/11 - 79
FAR 11/26/12 - 76
REG 1/14/12 - 82

[jtb328]

I am having a really bad day! Just realized that i have been at this CPA thing for 14 months and I haven't passed any exams. I really want to pass FAR because my confidence is shot

BEC - 67, 68, 68
AUD - 44
FAR - 40, 50
REG - 68, 68

[NapkinThief]

How does no-one else find this incredibly amusing…?

Becker covers every single minutia of every single topic. I'm only on F5 right not, which means I'm not even HALF-WAY through, and yet I'm supposed to know how to do every single type of statement, every type of lease (for both Lessee and Lessor, as well as Sale-Lease-Backs), and consolidations – for both GAAP and IFRS…

I literally had either an Undergrad or Master's level course on each of those topics – AN ENTIRE COURSE, and that isn't even everything in 1-5. Suddenly I'm supposed to remember all of it, combined, with the added bonus of them making the questions intentionally tricky, plus whatever is in 6-10?

I don't even know where to begin to explain how not even close to possible that is. My favorite moment so far in the entire CPA is when Tim goes, “Now many candidates may be tempted to just skip Sale-Leasebacks because it seems complicated and just hope you don't see it on exam, but the reality is it's not that complicated…” and then proceeds to talk about it for 5-pages (or so I think – I just skipped it hoping that it won't be on my exam!).

BEC - 89 (5/31/2012)
AUD - 88 (7/02/2012)
REG - 76 (7/31/2012)
FAR - 83 (8/30/2012)

"Amateurs practice until they can get it right. Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong."

[NapkinThief]

p.s. I'm not saying that it isn't possible to pass FAR…

My point is that in terms of material for FAR, Becker is being extremely unrealistic. It would be the equivalent of telling someone you will guarantee they pass the SAT – all they have to do is read the entire dictionary and memorize all of the words.

BEC - 89 (5/31/2012)
AUD - 88 (7/02/2012)
REG - 76 (7/31/2012)
FAR - 83 (8/30/2012)

"Amateurs practice until they can get it right. Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong."

[nymets1986]

Hello,

Just registered for this site but have always looked on here for advice when taking the exam. I am finished studying for the FAR section that i take on AUG 31st and i am wondering if it is worth it to study the government section that Becker has in its self study review. Any thoughts on what you guys think or experience with government questions on the exam would help out.

[Anonymous]

@nymets, I haven't taken FAR yet (scheduled for 8/31), but according to Becker and the AICPA, the government and nfp sections are around 20% of the exam. I'm equating it to the blaw section of REG, which is also supposed to be around 20% (and becker devotes half of their lectures in REG to blaw). I would take these sections very seriously, as we are almost guaranteed to see at least some questions on these topics.

[rabshaka21]

Hi there everyone, Thanks for all of the posts. I have 12 days till the test and everyone's information is helping me stay on track and not overwhelmed.

@nymets1986 when I've taken FAR, there is a lot of governmental stuff on there, also lots of stuff with cash flow statements.

BUS 78 4/11

REG 71, 77 6/11

AUD 65, 72, 90 6/12

FAR 60, 68, Retake on 8/29

[Anonymous]

I finished my review yesterday. I've been studying for 5 weeks and I feel like I know the book inside out.

Can't even look at my notes anymore without feeling pure disgust. Can't wait to take this exam already.

[nymets1986]

thanks guys for the reply and good luck i know i will need it

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone, I recently joined the site after much lurking and an absolutely awful experience with BEC. Next up for me is FAR on November 5, 2012 and my confidence is absolutely shot already.

My tools of destruction for the CPA Exam are as follows:

Becker Review Course (Full course, at home “style”)

Becker Final Review Course (Full course, at home “style”)

NINJA Notes (Full course) <—-purchase yesterday

I purchased the NINJA Notes after taking BEC and feeling like Becker didn't do the best job to prepare me. I studied for two months for BEC, had a solid handle on 90% of the information, but recognized little, if anything, on the actual exam. Now as I sit here trying to study for FAR, I cannot get a grip on where to start.

I've done F-1 & F-2 lectures in Becker and have written down the first 34 pages of NINJA Notes. I've done some HW questions in Becker, but I don't feel very comfortable while doing them. The Becker lectures are so jam-packed full of information that the rules I learn in the beginning are forgotten by the end. Bottom line, I feel like I'm all over the place.

Can anyone recommend a good way to weave the NINJA Notes in with Becker? I have more than two full months to study and would love to blow this out of the water. Any help would be much, much appreciated!

[stokey45]

Oh my, I am listening to the Governmental section of the FAR review material and I feel as if I could fall asleep! This whole section has so much information I feel as if my brain is going to explode.

I understand that others have said it will all come together, just keep going. I am trusting you guys cause I certainly do not see that right now.

[stokey45]

@ Charlos

I took AUD and followed the plan laid out by Mr. Elliott and this website with only slight alterations. I used the becker review material, Ninja Notes and Ninja Audio and felt prepared for the exam. I do not know my score yet but I felt better than I ever had going into the exam. I listened to all of the lectures first, wrote the Ninja Notes, did many MCQs. The MCQs I got wrong I typed out the correct information for me to restudy. After restudying all of the questions I got wrong I rewrote my notes and then did the progress test to see what areas I needed to review. All of this takes a long time but it will be well worth it if I get a passing score on Tuesday. The only alteration I did was not following the ELL plan. Studying during lunch doesn't work for me so I get up at 4:30am to study early and go to the library after work for another 2.5 hours.

Check out Ninja study framework, like I said I felt more confident going into this exam than I ever have before.

Good Luck to you.

[Anonymous]

I'm actually looking very forward to taking FAR tomorrow. I know it's a horrible thing to say but it's true.

I feel like I'm at least 10 times more prepared than when I took it back in February. I can't imagine how I possibly pulled off a 70 back then. Let's do this.

[ShowMeThaMoney]

New here and Ive had my Becker FAR material for a couple days.

So far in F1 I finished all the lectures and worked through the MC at least once through. I averaged about a 60% total, some around 80-90% and others I bombed 40-50%, but I didnt refer to the book just tried them without assistance.

Do you think I should work through them again or go into the simulations?

As far as “Review” for each section, what do you all do for that if you didnt purchase the flash cards?

FAR - 11/3/2012
BEC - 1/2013
AUD - 2013
REG - 2013

[Author]

Replies