[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

[NJPRU]

.. and today and tomorrow – the outside world doesn't exist. I'm going to try to do at least 20 hours this weekend! call me crazy but here goes (everything)! good luck all! 🙂

AUD: DONE
FAR: DONE
BEC: DONE
REG: DONE

IM GOING TO BE A CPA!!!!!

[Anonymous]

@NJPRU–That's my goal too. I put in 2 hours last night. Good luck to you!!

[oilgaslb]

@mommy – it's not a Becker thing…it's a historical accounting thing. I was taught it even in high school. At the time I wondering the same thing….but didn't find an answer. Now thanks to you piquing my interest about it again and wonderful Google…below is an excerpt as to the origin of DR for Debit 🙂

“An investigation of the history and evolution of the “debit” in bookkeeping reveals the reason for the abbreviation—a reason almost totally lost without historical perspective. Whereas the accounting “debit” is now viewed as a “technical” term, devoid of any value considerations, referring simply to the left side of a journal entry or ledger account, this was not always the case. Originally, “debits” did have a “bad” side. They were used to record the debts of the merchant or businessman. Debits were debtors. And the abbreviation for “debtor” is “Dr.”

Now the mystery is solved — “Dr” is an abbreviation for “debtor”; “Cr” is short for “creditor.” But when were these abbreviations first used? Certainly by the 18th century, writers on the methods of bookkeeping were using “Dr” and “Cr” extensively [Yamey, Edey & Thomson, 1963]. Littleton has traced the use of “Dr” back to 1690 in Stephen Monteage’s Debtor and Creditor Made Easie [Littleton, 1933, p. 232]. However, there are even earlier uses of the dreaded “Dr.” The 1690 treatise cited by Littleton was the third edition of Monteage’s work. Both the first (1675) and second (1682) editions use this abbreviation, first in describing the proper keeping of the “Country Gentleman’s” accounts, and then throughout the remainder of the text.”

[Anonymous]

@oilgas–Thanks! That is strange to me because I do not ever remember learning it in college or in any job I've had before this one. I really thought she just made it up until I saw some Becker notes. That is so interesting! Makes sense now when you see debtor and creditor. 🙂

[Anonymous]

There isn't a single question in the WTB that shows government financial statements and there are few questions that actually discuss the different sections of the statements, like program revenues. How are you guys quizzing on this topic? I know there is a chance that there could be an SIM on government and I'm not sure how to prepare for that besides know the JEs.

[Uhartsoccer21]

HOLA, this is my first post glad to join you all. I just started FAR on Tuesday and just finished up F-1 ><. I can alrdy tell the biggest challenge with FAR is going to be blocking out all the extra information thrown at you. Hopefully Becker does a good job navigating through the text, LETS GOOOOO

A - 89 10/23/2014
R - 90 2/27/2014
F - 75 5/25/2014
B - 83 8/28/2014

[samdiegoCPA]

@CPA Mommy – definitely know that stuff you specifically mentioned…. if you know what I mean.

Been hassling the CBA and they processed my application yesterday, but haven't gotten accepted yet (I forgot how this goes. I think they accept me, then I pay, then get my NTS?) Been watching the Prometric site and the 14th and 15th of April popped up! People must be moving around their dates cus the latest one last week was like the 11th of April! Hope I can get in that week. It's seriously messing up how to study right now so I've been slacking a little. I think I am going to focus on re-writing my notes again right now to keep things fresh in my mind. Maybe even “teaching” my bird things out loud, haha.

AUD: 84
REG: 84
BEC: 79
FAR: 83

[Anonymous]

Thanks Samdiego! I hope you can get in that week. It amazes me at how different the states are. I go online and register for the NTS and it's here with 48 hours, but usually I get an email the same day. Then I just go schedule the exam. Why do they all have to make things so complicated??

[Anonymous]

Sometimes less is more. One of the sources of my frustration is how overwhelmed I am with all the study materials I have. I have the CPA Excel books, A Kaplan book, and a Wiley book. I have the Ninja notes, ninjs audio, becker notes, ninja flashcards, Kaplan test bank, Wiley test bank, and the Kaplan lectures. I have jumped back and forth between materials so much that the different teaching styles are getting to me. The thought of FAR scared the crap out of me so I gathered as many materials as possible, but I think it just made me less focused. Sticking to the Becker notes, ninja notes/audio/falshcards and the WTB from now. Sad it took me 6 weeks of preparation to figure out what the hell was keeping me from being so focused, but glad to know I have 4 weeks to do it the right way. Won't be making the same mistake with REG!

[Anonymous]

Started doing Becker Progress test questions and feeling better about the material. A lot of the things still need to be reviewed further, but I will do my best this weekend to comprehend the information better.

CPAMommyof3, I know the feeling of having too much material. I too would gather a bunch of things and overwhelm myself. I'm sticking to Becker for my reading and then I'll use WTQ for my review. I do have the ninja notes & audio which I want to rewrite and listen to the audio at least twice before the exam. Completely agree that sometimes less is more. Good luck!

Hope everyone has a great power weekend :0)

[samdiegoCPA]

I had to send off the application to CBA with $50 fee and then they process it. Then they give me a number or something (?) and I sign up and pay for the NTS which yes, comes in a day or two! What do other states do? Last time I had to apply was back in like October, so I forgot really how it all happens.

*Edit: They approve you, then it shows up in your CBA account where you pick the section(s) you want, then that transmits to get your NTS. Looks like it took 4 days for NTS to come after paying after looking through my email. YIKES. Sucks we cannot pay online of re-application (have to mail in a physical check, wtf?) and then be approved immediately because it's not like anything has changed to make you ineligible or whatever. Ugh, I hate EVERYTHING about this process. NOTHING make sense about it!

Also, I am overwhelmed with all the materials I have also! For AUD and REG, I just used Roger, Wiley HW, and WTB… now for FAR, I have SOOO much stuff that I keep going back and forth and wanting to see it ALL rather than learning from just one or two sources. Trying to calm it down, but it's exciting knowing I have lots of different things to go off of.

AUD: 84
REG: 84
BEC: 79
FAR: 83

[How many letters do you need]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

(@FAR)

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[Wanna_B_TXCPA2014]

@cpamommy you may want to take a look at cpareviewforfree for addl govt acct MCQs. There are 58 questions on Govt wide Financial Statements and 55 questions on Fund Based Financial Statements.

[NJPRU]

Yah know, the more I read and study this material, the more I question who (yes I know who lol) in their right mind had the time and creative thinking to come up with these methods, principles, and estimates. I mean, I get them conceptually, but some of this stuff is just laughable – almost like when I was in math class and was trying to figure out how algebra was created. lol uye.

AUD: DONE
FAR: DONE
BEC: DONE
REG: DONE

IM GOING TO BE A CPA!!!!!

[samdiegoCPA]

@NJPRU I believe it all relates back to taxes and paying the government. Roooooood.

AUD: 84
REG: 84
BEC: 79
FAR: 83

[Author]

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