[Nicolec22]

Is it possible to do MCQs and rewrite my notes in just 3 weeks or should I reschedule my exam date?? I am using NINJA Framework and did not accomplish much last week. I have just completed 200 MCQs. I also have Jeff’s FAR Audio which I also have not been using to my full advantage. I do not work full-time. Has anyone done it in 3 weeks and passed the exam or is this too little time???

[kr557]

How long have you already studied for? What time of review have your completed so far?

BEC - 81 (Nov 2011)
FAR - 87 (May 2012)(Skipped 1st window)
AUD - 80 (Aug 2012)
REG - 81 (Nov 2012)

[Nicolec22]

I use Rogers CPA review. I have already watched the lectures and took notes(practically rewrote a short version of the his book). I started studying around May 22, but wasted about week and a half. I am using the NINJA Framework and I started MCQ's last week but only completed around 150. I also had a school project due last week and finals coming up this week. This will be my last class for my MBA program. So even though I am not working I'm pretty busy with school and my toddler at home. I am using Wiley Test bank. For the questions that I am comfortable with I don't read why the others are wrong. I am not too good in MCQs since I get bored easily.

[Sandra]

Should be TOTALLY fine. I'm taking 4 weeks total to prepare for FAR, and we'll see how it goes, but so far I'm feeling good about the progress I've made. Roger has a study plan that covers the schedule required to be prepared in 1 month.

Ultimately it just depends on how good you feel about the material though. I hope to stick to the 3 month total schedule but if I feel like I am totally unprepared may reschedule a section. We shall see. If you are doing well, feel like you grasp the concepts etc taking the test in 3 weeks is likely as good a time as any.

GOOD LUCK!

[Nicolec22]

@ Sandra – Back in January I completed half of the Becker MCQs but was also studying for BEC so some MCQs do look very familiar. I ended up canceling FAR. I switched material back in February because Becker Videos where not my learning style. I like Roger because I feel like he actually teaches you and although he does sometimes read off the book he also explains it in a way you can understand. I started with his 6 month plan but decided to use the NINJA framework.

I completed my revised schedule this morning. In order to complete all MCQs in the Wiley software I would need to complete 178 question per day. I hope I can stick to this since some MCQs are very time-consuming. So my plan is to complete all MCQs this week and redo the same questions next week. The third week will be to rewrite my notes. I will also be listening to the NINJA Audio whenever I cannot do MCQs.

Has anyone done 178MCQs or more a day? How did it go?

[futuremdcpa]

@Nicolec22 – Im currently studying for REG (which is my first exam ever), and i've probably done over 200 questions today.. I came to my schools library at around 1.. and its 6pm here.. so in 5 hours I've done about 200.. I plan on staying here until 9pm when it closes and will go home until maybe 12-1am, and do more MCQ.. Repetition is key!

Going through the MCQ the first time, I would try to do a lecture a day & all the MCQ for that chapter in the same day.. when I got to business law, it sometimes took me an extra day or so to get through them the first time.. However, I did all Business Law MCQ R5-R8 in about 2 days time.. and R1-R3 in 1.5 days time.

Im not sure if its an effective way of learning.. but I guess ill find out when I take REG in 2 weeks..

REG: PASS || BEC: PASS || AUD: PASS || F: SCORE PENDING..

[Nicolec22]

@futuremdcpa- That is very good!! Don't you get bored after so many MCQs??? How do you do it? Do you read every single explanation or just what ever you get wrong? Are you using Wiley Test bank also?

[futuremdcpa]

@Nicolec22 – I actually left around 7 instead of 9pm! I got to a point where my computer screen seems blurry to me! I hit a wall.. so I packed up, and went home.. I relax for a bit listen to music, watch a bit of tv, and then Ill start hitting those MCQs again..

The way I do is I tell myself that I really dont want to study for this a second time… One time is more then enough for me! Its actually easy for me since I don't really do anything, and my gf is also studying for the CPA exam.. so we just sit in the library most of the day sun-sat, and take a 10-15 minute walk maybe once every few hours..

REG: PASS || BEC: PASS || AUD: PASS || F: SCORE PENDING..

[Sandra]

I can wipe out about 300-350 MCQ a day. For whatever reason I can do MCQs endlessly once I'm ready for them, but really really struggle with getting motivated to read the book again.

[Nicolec22]

@ futuremdcpa- I think its great that both you and your gf are preparing for the CPA exam. I am the only one at home studying for the CPA exam. I try to wake up early to study before my 16 month old wakes up for breakfast. After that it seems that I have so many things to do at home and time goes by so quickly. I also work on school work during the day. I usually try to go to bed early enough to get at least 7 hrs of sleep but I guess that will start changing as of today. I hope I can make it with a couple hrs of sleep.

@ Sandra- 300-350!! I am starting to think there is something wrong with me!! I started reading the book but I couldn't keep it up. You must know the material well. It takes me a while to complete FAR MCQs the first time around.

[Sandra]

Well I don't do MCQs until I have a pretty good grasp on the material. For me doing MCQs too soon is toxic. If I'm unsure on an answer I tend to fester on it and try to “reason it out”. Thats great on the test, but when I do it in practice I think about why I should pick answer <insert blank> and that tends to stick in my brain FOREVER, with no more room for the right answer.

I've always been able to get through MCQs super quickly though, but then struggle on essays, etc. I'm really hoping I won't have that issue on the CPA. The CMA essays were a killer for me… If I hadn't gotten the MCQs quickly I would never have finished the essays.

[jeff]

3 weeks for notes re-write and MCQ review is perfect.

1 week for notes

1 week for MCQs

1 week for review

(20 hrs per week)

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

[Nicolec22]

Thanks futuremdcpa, Sandra and Jeff.

@ Jeff –

This is the first time working on MCQs since back in January ( I only completed half of the MCQs on the Becker software mainly for class credit towards my MBA). I started with 179 MCQs based on 3 topics only and its taking me a while. Since you recommend 1 week for MCQs, you think it would be beneficial to work on Mcqs on all topics at once or one topic at a time. Right now I am doing one topic at a time and if complete 178 each day I would work all Wiley software problems in one week.

[lolwut]

I passed FAR in 3 weeks my first try but I dont work, go to school, and am a bit of a natural when it comes to financial accounting. Also, I took intermediate accounting a year ago that helped plant the seed for a lot of the topics covered. I still only barely passed so its not recommended.

[Nicolec22]

@lol wut- How did you study? what method did you use?

[lolwut]

I own the roger lectures (no book) and the wiley online testbank.

I did not study from a textbook at all for this part.

My study method is extremely simple. I sit through all the lectures absorbing as much information as possible, taking extensive notes. I don't do ANY questions at this point.

After I've sat through all the lectures, I begin doing tons of MCQ. Obviously I get most of them wrong, which makes me refer back to my notes. This way I'm sort of double studying. In my opinion its pointless to do MCQ immediately after a lecture because it is going to be fresh in your mind anyway and youre going to score fairly high. People then make the mistake of ignoring the beginning sections towards the latter part of their studying because they feel confident due to their high scores but then they realize they have forgotten a lot of it and start from scratch. This is a waste of time.

So I do a ton of questions and write down anything that I feel is important or I'm prone to forget. I constantly refer back to my notes until everything becomes second nature. Eventually my progress reports (which begin in the 30-50% range) start hitting the 70-80% range.

In my opinion it is not wise to study for a section any longer than 4-5 weeks. It is better to cram your brain with as much information as possible in a small amount of time.

cheers

[Author]

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