[jeff]

This is for people taking their exams in the January/February 2010 testing window.

Recommended prep time for FAR is 6-8 weeks @ 20 hours a week.

CPA Exam Score Release Predictions:

https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-scores-results-january-february-2010-wave-1.html

[OOOOLando]

Hey first time user/first part to study for:

Using Becker…2009:

I know all study habits are different, but I guess this is trial and error (hopefully not an error).

I was hoping to do all of the lectures in the next two weeks…

Then just pound on the mcq/sims that are provided and using other resources that provide any more mcq/sims for the next two months…(with any other issues research more into it)

Then 3 weeks before the exam, just listen to all the lectures again and do that last study/cram session…

I allotted two months and want to take the exam in the end of FEB.

Hopefully it works…i'll tell yall how it goes ;P

FAR: TBA: Studying
REG: 07/23/11: Studying
BEC: 07/10/10: Passed (8/23)
AUD: 05/23/11: Waiting

[Anonymous]

Jeff – I would be retaking FAR in Feb'10 using Yaegar 2009 homestudy material. Scored a 69 in Oct'09. Did not have the time to practice from the Wileycd., Since, i do have their 2009 cram DVD along with the Wiley 14.0cd., was not sure if I should get their 2010 cram. would appreciate any suggestions. thanks

[jeff]

Anushka730 – if i had the materials that you had – I would not purchase anything more. You have the 09 HomeStudy and CRAM…there aren't major changes in 2010.

I answer questions based on what I would do…so, I think you're ok.

You have the best review course for FAR in my opinion…Cindy and Phil are the best at their respective sections in FAR.

Don't spend any more $$ – just study hard!

[Anonymous]

I am planning to appear for FAR sometime in Feb 2010. I just started with the subject and its driving me nuts …I am using Becker and doing Matching Rev & Exps……. cant get even a single question right. Was there some one who had the same issue on this topic as well????????

Now that I am having such a hard time @ the beginning of the subject, i m really nervous.Can someone tell me if this subject gets better as it progresses or does it get worse………..

[strider4216]

@WorkingHard

I know EXACTLY what you mean!!! I was hoping someone would bring this up, in fact I registered for this forum JUST to respond to your post because I'm going through the exact same thing.

Basically, I took Audit back in November using Becker. I had never taken an audit class or worked in audit or even knew what an audit was, but I crammed the Becker review for about 10 days and got a 78 on the test. Simple enough.

Next, I took Regulation at the end of November and I had taken indiv. and corp tax classes at my college, but never took business law. I crammed for about two weeks (maybe a little less) using Becker review, took the test and thought I got OWNED. I literally felt like I got a 50 on it, it was almost all tax, and the simulations absolutely destroyed me. Turns out I got an 85 so all was good.

Now I'm studying for Financial which I'm taking in 8 days, I'm only on lecture 3 right now using Becker and I'm kind of worried because of the vast amount of material. Financial I know more than any other topic because I took financial accounting in college from principles up to advanced, but it's still ridiculous.

Lecture two specifically…Lecture 1 was ok and I breezed through it and got all the MCQ and simulation down in just one full day of studying (did this while I was actually on vacation out of town, took one day and just went to Starbucks morning to night). Anyway, I watched lecture two while I was out of town, got back home like 3 days later to do the MCQ, and OMG it destroyed me. I spent 3 days trying to finish that matching section, I felt like such an idiot because nothing has ever taken me that long.

I'm glad to see I wasn't alone. My best advice to you is just keep doing it and read through the answers, you'll understand why you got the question wrong (usually it's stupid wording reasons that aren't your fault at all). Right now I'm working on lecture three and am about 1/4 through, it's a lot better than 2 was. Just try to get through two and hopefully the rest will be easy for both of us.

I'm hoping to be done with all four sections by the end of January, good luck to you and remember that once your done with FAR the worst is over (at least in my opinion). Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Thanks Jeff. I do agree with you that Cindy and Phil are excellent at explaining the concepts. I know I did not practice enough to pass. So will try to study hard and stay focused and positive.

[Anonymous]

@WorkingHard and Strider4216,

I was in tears doing chapter 2 homework questions (those first 63). I can't say it will get better because FAR is so much material. The only bright side was nonprofit and governmental at the end because there was mostly concepts and not near as many difficult calculations. I never took a course in those subjects. My exam is in 9 days and I am in review mode. I joined Club 75 to watch the videos Jeff has posted to help supplement. Becker gets extremely boring. FAR is extremely boring and it feels like it will never end. Just keep practicing the homework problems and get a feel for what they are asking and how to tackle it.

I studied about 5 weeks for REG (on and off with kids and a full-time job). I thought I had failed but studying does pay off. I am putting way more effort into FAR than REG. There are some topics I just don't think I will ever be an expert on because there is just not enough time. Just learn what you can and try not to beat yourself up when you score 30-40% on the homework. It takes practice. Practice until your eyes bleed and your head explodes. Hang in there!

[Anonymous]

strider4216 and CPAWannaBe ……Thanks for the feedback…I truly appreciate it …

It feels good to know that there r people out there having the same problems that I m going through …coz, since last 3 days i was having a sick feeling …I felt like I am an idiot …which i m sure I m not …

thank you guys again for your response…

and Thank you Jeff for this site…

[Anonymous]

Man I am so glad I found this website. It has made the difference in me passing this exam and not giving up all together. I have truly felt alone. Here are my score breakdowns:

REG ( 65, 71, 78 ) Credit Expires : 02/04/2010

BEC ( 51, 54, 61, 74, 67, 67, 72, 75 ) Credit Expires: 05/02/2011

AUD ( 64, 80 ) Credit Expires : 05/27/2011

FAR Scheduled on 02/01/2010

@ Working Hard/strider4216/CPAWannaBe/ Anyone else who can help! —I am taking FAR on Feb 01, 2010. I am using Becker 2010 CD ROM Home Study and so far so good I think. I have used Becker on the prior three exams and I have gotten used to it. Do you suggest doing the homework after each lecture or waiting until after completing three and reviewing like Peter Olinto says? Any other tips with the Becker FAR program?

How do you feel about Becker Final Review vs. Yaeger CRAM?

As you can see, I lose REG Feb 4th so I have to pass. I am so motivated but seriously stressed at the same time. I have a baby due in July (my first) and all I can think about is spending time with it and my wife.

Any thoughts, suggestions, words of encouragement will be greatly appreciated.

[MadamJ]

Might want to try the Yaeger cram. It's a whole different outlook on the material. I felt for FAR Becker simply reviews everything in the book and lectures, but Yaeger actually teaches you how to do things. Depends on how comfortable you feel with FAR.

[Anonymous]

What I did for AUD and BEC (changed my strategy with REG and FAR, and, well, you can see the difference in my scores…)

AUD and BEC, though:

1. Listen to small subtopic of lecture (not even whole lecture)

2. Do homework part for it

3. Repeat for each subtopic in lecture

4. After that – do supplemental questions for the whole lecture.

5. This would take me approximately 1-2 days for each lecture.

After all lectures worked in that manner – review. Becker final exams, Becker generated practice exams etc. Looked through simulation answers. I love Becker Final Reviews – strongly recommend them.

With this strategy it took me only 10-12 business days, 4-5 hours a day to pass BEC and AUD.

I'm pretty positive that if I did same for REG and FAR – I'd pass much more easily.

[strider4216]

Hey Chucker,

I did what Anna did…basically listened to each lecture part (like cost method for example) then did the problems for that part, and after every few lectures I'd spend a day doing all the HW problems a second time from the sections I've already finished.

For FAR I am doing each lecture piece by piece, and then redoing them every 3rd lecture (though it looks like I may have to do the review only twice instead of every 3rd lecture since I'm taking the test in 7 days and am only on lecture 4).

My advice to you is when you do the HW problems, READ the answers, even the wrong ones, that is invaluable because it teaches you how to do problems like that rather than just memorizing answers.

Good luck and hope you do well 🙂

[strider4216]

Almost forgot to ask, I'm using Becker 2009 for FAR and I'm taking the test exactly on week from today, does anyone know for certain any major changes that occured between 2009-2010 (for example FASB 154 doesn't exist anymore or something random like that which would make it easier for me to study without having to go over useless material).

Thanks in advance.

[jmsmith13]

I'm not sure how it is presented in Becker 2009, but in the 2010 edition, they stress the importance of FASB 86 “Computer Software Development Costs”. It's just a few points to memorize, and it's something I would have just skimmed, but Gearty acted like it was a pretty big item.

BEC 86

AUD 87

FAR January

[kmath007]

COULD SOMEONE HELP ME UNDERSTAND THIS QUESTION, I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT IT FOR TWO HOURS! PLEASE, THANK YOU

CPA-00790

On May 1, 1990, Marno County issued property tax assessments for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1991.

The first of two equal installments was due on November 1, 1990. On September 1, 1990, Dyur Co.

purchased a 4-year old factory in Marno subject to an allowance for accrued taxes. Dyur did not record

the entire year's property tax obligation, but instead records tax expenses at the end of each month by

adjusting prepaid property taxes or property taxes payable, as appropriate. The recording of the

November 1, 1990, payment by Dyur should have been allocated between an increase in prepaid

property taxes and a decrease in property taxes payable in which of the following percentages?

Percentage allocated to Increase in Decrease in

prepaid property property taxes

taxes payable

a. 66 2/3% 33 1/3%

b. 0% 100%

c. 50% 50%

d. 33 1/3% 66 2/3%

The answer is D but I'm not sure how the people at becker got to that answer

[Author]

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