[Keely]

I need some advice. I started studying for FAR a couple weeks ago, got to F2 and then just stopped. I got sick and then, I don’t know, I just completely stopped caring. F2 was insanely overwhelming and I got flustered and quit.

My strategy for the past three exams has been to study one lecture per week. I don’t feel rushed this way and it gives me a chance to take at least a day or two per week to review past chapters. I’ve passed all three on the first attempt, BEC and AUD were a breeze, but I felt REG took a lot of my time and when I took the exam I thought it completely kicked my ass, especially when it came to SIMs. I felt very underprepared.

I have my FAR exam scheduled for November 30th. I could either start tomorrow and try to cram and essentially get a ‘freebie’ attempt at the exam, but if I failed, I know I would want to start studying from scratch and do it my old way of one lecture per week, which puts me taking the test at the end of February at the absolute earliest. More than likely I’d have to wait until April because of the Christmas holidays, etc. OR I could start tomorrow doing the one lecture per week and feel much less rushed but lose my free attempt at the exam for this quarter, and take the exam at the beginning of January.

Does anyone have an opinion as to which plan sounds better? I don’t exactly work well under pressure, but I’m hoping to hear from people who were daunted by FAR in the beginning but once they started studying, it became less so. Hopefully…ha. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

BEC: (4/2012) 88
AUD: (5/2012) 91
REG: (8/2012) 82
FAR: (1/2013) 78 🙂

VA CPA #42010

[Keely]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I went with the majority opinion and started studying two weeks ago to take the test November 30. I felt okay about it until I got to F4 and I just realized I wasn't going to have time to study the material like I'm used to doing. The past three tests, I must have reread my Becker book probably 15 times before the exam. The rate I was getting through the FAR material, I would be lucky to get through the book twice. I felt like I was not giving myself a fair shot, so I pushed my test back to the first of January.

For some reason, the FAR material is extremely difficult for me to grasp. I used to fly through the MCQs and now I'm averaging 2 to 3 minutes a question, and my percentages are quite low. I got a 46 on one section the first time though, and I about died! Anyway, I ultimately decided to just keep with my previous study patterns because they've been so successful in the past. I am going to kill this test in January and put this stressful experience behind me. Good luck to everyone who's taking exams this quarter!

BEC: (4/2012) 88
AUD: (5/2012) 91
REG: (8/2012) 82
FAR: (1/2013) 78 🙂

VA CPA #42010

[Anonymous]

I've been studying since 2 weeks ago and just finished chapter now. But that's a false sense of accomplishment. I don't understand or remember what I learned. I've been getting 40s on all of my homeworks and feel like an idiot.

The calculations are killing me.

I'm afraid this might become my achilles heel in terms of the CPA. I'm afraid to open up lectures for chapter 3 because I dont know if I can handle any more 40s on the hw and not knowing the sims at all and taking 4 minutes per question just to get it wrong.

I feel helpless. I'm taking the exam Jan 4, may god be with me and anyone else taking this crappy exam.

[Anonymous]

@Keely,

FWIW, I agree with your decision. Would you have passed on Nov. 30th? Probably/maybe. Will you pass in Jan? Most likely. I think it’s the more conservative approach and one you won't regret.

I kind of did the same thing by taking my studying from two chapters a week, to one. I didn't like feeling rushed and this way I have more than enough time to review. I didn't like the idea of letting the schedule dictate my comprehension.

As far as the scores, I'm ranging from 50-70 on the homework for each section but when I go back I'm finding that it starts to click. One thing I will say is that I retain absolutely nothing from the lectures alone. What I do is watch the lecture and make any notes that the instructor provides…acronyms etc. THEN, I go back and read the book and take my own notes. This has been the only way that I've actually been able to retain any of the info.

I'll also print off any questions I have trouble with and make notes on them and put them in a binder. Hopefully this will help during final review. Overall I feel like it’s still too much information to possibly retain but I'm confident that in the end, I'll have the important stuff, the basics if you will, covered.

My point is, don't get too worried about you scores on the practice problems the first time through. Use them as a critique to make adjustments to your study methods and be confident that it will eventually come together in the end. For now, just get through the material.

That's my inexperienced opinion. This is my first attempt at the exam

Also, I will be studying through the holidays as well. For me it gives me an excuse to avoid all the things I could'nt before…lol. I'm studying F6 now and plan to test on Jan 4th.

[Author]

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