[jeff]

I’ve had a few requests for April/May Study Groups…March will be here before you know it.

In order to take an early April exam, you should begin studying…now. 🙂

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

[Anonymous]

Only made it to 4.5 hours, but I'm beat. Criminal Minds awaits. See you guys tomorrow night. Sorry for all the posts, but it keeps me motivated to feel like I have to answer to you guys about my progress. 🙂 I know, I'm silly, but it really does help.

[oilgaslb]

I only made it 2 hours – BUT I finished all my notecards for the section that I wanted to. I almost gave up halfway through, saying “I'll finish them in the morning” But I didn't! Knowing I would have to let you guys know made me keep truckin 🙂

@CPAMommy – I haven't across a question with a “future” issue like that before but if I do, I'll let you know what the Becker explanation is.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Right now I am of the mindset that the Wiley book has a typo and the improvement was actually made in year 3, but if you see something in Becker I would like to know what it says.

[How many letters do you need]

The Wiley book has tons of errors in it. Anybody catch that one Inventory problem that had the wrong diagram??

I had to stare at it for 10 mins before I realized what they were asking wasn't there lol

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[MattyCPA]

Hey guys…I hope the studying is going well. Just wanted to check in with ya'll. I would really appreciate some insight with the note taking within the ninja framework. Currently I am going through the videos and taking my own notes at the same time. While doing this I realized that it takes a really long time to write everything that he is interpreting from the book. Can someone just kind of help be to get a better mental image of how the listening to videos and note taking process should be like. Should I write down verbatim what he is reading out of the book or should I note what he is saying. I don't know I just want to be sure I'm on track with the notes. I do feel like the information is being retained to a certain extent but still very uncertain. Any feedback would be awesome guys. Hope to hear from you guys soon.

FAR: 4/21/2014
AUD: TBD
REG: TBD
BEC: TBD

Ethics: TBD
Experience: Check

[Anonymous]

This is my 4th exam and I study a little different every time because I learn a little more about retention capabilities with each test. For this exam I am skipping the lectures. While I go through the book I have my Ninja Notes out. I take notes within the Ninja notes to expand on those topics and for topics not covered in the Ninja Notes I write on a separate sheet of paper “Topic X additional Notes”. I also keep a separate notebook with just journal entries. Eventually I will rewrite my notes, excluding the JEs, into one combined set so that each section is complete and together. I hope that helps you.

[Anonymous]

@MattyCPA – It does take a while taking notes while listening to the lectures and personally I don't think is a productive use of time. a) it isn't effective learning since you aren't listening to understand the material and b) you end up writing a lot only to realize most of it is unnecessary. While listening to lectures, I don't take any notes nor do I highlight the book. I just listen to understand and occasionally I would pause the video and jot down something. My note taking mainly happens while doing the homework. For each question answered, you get an explanation of why an answer is right or wrong. That's when I would take the notes and if need be, refer to the book and take additional notes. I am not sure if you have purchased the NINJA material but the notes that Jeff has put together are also a good supplement. I plan to rewrite his notes towards the tail end of my study. I just hope this method works for me. I am still a student in this whole process:)

[Tncincy]

I'm pulling out the books. I feel much better today. Business is a little slow so I'm taking advantage and doing flash cards between clients. Hope everybody is studying.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[Tarheelgirl]

Been studying up a storm this past week at work every chance I get, NINJA audio (already tired of hearing Jeff's voice), and studying for 2-3 hours every night. Hope to finish up Unit 5 in Gleim today, Cash and Cash Equivalents.

FAR - 46, 79 (7/8/14)
AUD - 56, 59, 2/23/15 3rd times a charm!
BEC - 69, 74 Really??
REG - April, I hope. Fingers crossed!

[ljrpr]

For anyone using the wiley test bank, do the financial statements and basic modules have the same questions?

AUD-83
FAR-4/12/14
REG-5/30/14
BEC-TBA

[melonie88]

@cracked I agree with you about the note taking. I got to DEPS and completely checked out and haven't touched my books since tuesday (birthday was thursday, anyway). I'm really discouraged, because as i'm reading the book, i'm jotting down almost word for word what the book says, because I can't think of a much better way to put into my own words, even if i do…so what? It doesn't help me so much with the problems. Then when I get to the problems, i'm so worn out from taking 2-3 hours worth of notes. And of course with the problems, you need to take notes also.

What i think i'm gonna focus on is taking notes solely on things I don't understand. Terms that i'm not sure about clarify and study, so that way i can better understand what's being asked of me in questions. The chapters are chopped down in such small bites anyway, i don't think it's useful to rewrite the whole book (basically what you're doing). It may be better for me to make a general outline of notes while reading. Then work out problems, take notes from problems/how to do them correctly, then go back and read and clarify things. Then around final review time (week and half or so before exam) Go back through the chapters, re-read then take notes to clarify key points. Hammer away at more MC questions, re write your notes, and re do key problems/weak areas. There's just no way at this rate i'd be able to do thousands of MC questions and Sims at the rate i'm writing down notes for chapters.

Ugh blah blah blah, i think i'm just gonna do it, and if i fail, i fail, then i'll try a new approach

*sigh*

@oilgaslb def work out, it will clear your head. What i do is study for 2 hours, work out , then come back after i've showered and done a few chores. Your head will be soooooooo much clear. I also found as i'm thinking about stuff, listening to audio or reading my notes on the elliptical, i burn a lot more calories because i'm not focused on being tired

[Anonymous]

I took FAR on Thursday, my first attempt. I don't think I did too well because I feel like I kept getting similar questions throughout the testlets, and I've been told that that can be a bad sign. I didn't study much on Governmental Accounting, but found there were more questions on that than I anticipated 🙁 Oh well, I'm debating on starting another section now, or just waiting until scores are released and see if I need to re-take FAR..on the anticipation!

[BEACPA]

Greetings Future CPAs!

I hope this finds everyone well. I'm writing to

– Share my recent FAR experience

– Ask if there's a one shop place for all of the Mnemonic sprinkled throughout

– Get additional resources for FAR simulations

My FAR Experience. I took FAR yesterday 28 Feb. I prepared for a battle and believed I would walk away victorious, but instead I felt defeated – slayed by the CPA dragon. I was optimistic because I received a 72 on my last FAR exam in November and I studied a lot more this time around. I expected for it to go smooth. However, I panicked when I reached the simulations because out of the 7 tabs, there was one that I never came across through all of my studies. I didn't know what they were asking for, and therefore, didn't know how to begin. I was able to work through the others, but they were more convoluted then what I believed to be typical simulations. I have to ask myself, if I studied 5 hours on week nights after work and 8 hours on the weekend, and still didn't pass – should I continue this pursuit. I can't stand quitting, but right now I feel so discouraged!

Mnemonics. Is there a place on Another 71 with all of the mnemonics in one place? Thanks in advance.

Simulations. I used the simulations from Becker's software as well as their final review sims. Could anyone provide some great resources for simulations since these seem to trip me up every time? Thank you and have a great day!

Cheers,

FAR - 2/28/14 PASS Praise be to God!
AUD - 7/5/14 PASS Praise be to God!
BEC - 11/29/14PASS Praise be to God!
REG - 2/28/14 PASS Praise be to God!

[Anonymous]

You guys may be surprised. I thought I bombed AUD the second time around and I passed. I would wait until the score release (study lightly this week if you don't want to stop studying) and see. If you passed you've only missed one week studying for your next section. If you failed you can join us and take it in Q2. You will still have a lot of the info in your head, you probably already know your weak areas and can focus on those. I hope you pass, but don't get down on yourselves if you have to retake. It happens to a lot of people. FAR is no joke! There isn't one place for mneumonics because each review course has different mneumonics. Scroll through the previous study groups and see what has been posted on there. Maybe we can compile a good list on here that will help everyone. I study the SIMS at the back of the Wiley book and on the Wiley online test bank. There are also SIMS on the AICPA release questions that you can find by a google search.

[RachelP]

WoooHOOO!! I took REG on the 27th of Feb & looked at my AUD score that I took Jan 10 & got my FIRST PASS!!!!! (: I tried 1x around, took FAR first, studied for like 6 months (waaay wayyyy too long). Anyway, didn't pass, was 3.5 hours long-distance from my boyfriend (now my husband) and seeing him 1-2x a month on weekends + toxic work environment + living with chatty-cathy mom… ya, obviously it didn't work out for me.

We got married, I got a new job, and the environment change seemed to work for me on AUD! In busy season now & I'm not feeling too good about REG bc busy season + some health issues the last month I was studying. I didn't see too many questions I hadn't studied (thank GOD) so if I pass it will be like, phew, but if I don't, only person to blame is me!

Anyway, I'm using Becker & Ninja flash cards & plan to do one chapter a week during the rest of tax season & then ramp it up to two chapters a week and review 2 weeks to take FAR Mid-may, right before my anniversary weekend so I can enjoy it!! I've read the whole thread (phew, it's long already). It's amazing how much more effort I want to put in now that I have my FIRST PASS!!

Let's do this monster!

"Don't worry, beeeeee happy!"

Unhappy with job, long distance boyfriend, not much studying:
FAR- 66 [08/28/12] AUD- 61 [10/04/12] REG- 59 [11/28/12] BEC- 63 [01/11/13]
Year off (from exams): Got new job, got married, moved, etc
✓ AUD- 79!!! 01/10/14 FIRST PASS!! WOOOO!!!
✓ REG- 73 02/27/14, 81 10/27/14
✓ FAR- 83 5/16/14
✓ BEC- 80 7/24/14
✓ Education ✓ Experience
Ethics Exam

[Author]

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