[Jzjac]

Hey everyone,

I’ve been coming to this site for about 2 months now, ever since I started studying for BEC. I really like reading other peoples problems and the words of advice everyone gives. I am coming to you all now for the same reason! I am currently studying FAR with the Becker material and I am in week 2. Every day I am stressing out because I cannot grasp the material when it comes to the questions. During the lectures everything makes sense but once I start the simulations and MCQs I run a blank, start freaking out, and want to quit. The questions are so much harder and more detailed I really don’t know if I can do this. I still have 6 more lectures to go!

I am currently in graduate school pursuing my masters and attempting to take FAR during the semester. I really thought I could do it since BEC seemed kinda easy but I am starting to contradict myself. I have come to realize BEC cannot compare to FAR in my opinion.

I have the whole Becker schedule planned out and have already changed it to give me more time to study for FAR. I originally had AUD starting in early April but moved it back to the end of April to give me more time to study for FAR with all of March as review. Even with this move, I have serious doubts that I will be able to even finish FAR.

I am just totally lost with what I want people to say to me right now but I needed to vent and hopefully some things people say will make me feel better about my situation…

BEC - Passed!
FAR - Passed!
AUD - Passed!
REG - Passed!

[Mikey89]

Hey same here,

Taking it in 12 days 🙁

Reg 4/18/12 78
Far 7/30/12 74, 74, 75
Bec 11/11/12 74, 78
Aud TBD 51, 71, XX

[Anonymous]

@Jzjac: Hang in there buddy, if you could pass BEC, u can pass FAR as well!

The FAR questions in Becker are actually slightly harder than the ones in the actual exam. Having said that, u should still study as hard as u can for it. I understand it is tough, but just keep up the hard work and u shall make it through!

FAR and REG are the two most difficult CPA exams among all, in my opinion of cuz. I was once liked u, feeling totally frustrated about the questions in FAR. But hey, just don't give up and it's all about repetitions. Keep practicing the questions until u understand the concepts.

[khum2011]

@Jcjac – Don't worry! I think FAR is the toughest, there is so much material. I felt the same way though, I didn't really feel like I was getting it. Just keep at it, the more you do the homework problems the more things will start to stick! I didn't feel good going into FAR at all, but like @CPA_Rookie said, I also thought the test questions were easier than the Becker questions. Just remember, it's a timed exam! They can't give you some crazy pension or lease problem like the Becker questions that will take you 20 minutes to do! Just study hard and you'll be fine! Brace yourself for a few rough chapters (4-6 aren't so fun) but the last 2 on governmental are pretty easy so look forward to that when you're not sure if you can see the light at the end of the tunnel! Good luck! 🙂

FAR - 82
BEC - 77
AUD - 79
REG - 81

Done 🙂

[katiekanton]

I have nothing really encouraging to say. To be honest, going through FAR full time (as in I don't work, I just study) for the last three weeks has, for the first time in my life, tempted me to quit. I seriously don't know if it's worth it. But I can say this, I had a meltdown a few nights ago, where I just sat at my computer and cried. I still have 40% of the material to cover (and the dreaded NFP and governmental is in there) in one week, but I've come to terms with it somehow. I think everybody gets to a point that they freak out, but if you just keep pushing on through you'll get over that hump.

I wish I could remember who said it, dang it's gonna drive me crazy, but somebody said, “imagine the absolute worst case scenario” and go ahead and think about what you would do. For me, worst case scenario is I don't sit for FAR before my NTS expires. That costs me, what, $300 about? Ok, I can handle that. $300 is a lot of money, but it's not worth all the anxiety and guilt I've heaped on myself.

AUD - 88
FAR - 90
REG - 85
BEC - 88

[Peanut]

@katiekanton, aww Katie! 🙁 I can totally relate. FAR gave me a complete meltdown on attempt #2. Going through the material in FAR for the first time is the most brutal. It was taking me 6 minutes to answer some of the calculation questions! But to be honest, going through the material for the second time it seems much more clear than the first time. Since there are so many chapters I suggest to do progress tests after every couple of chapters, that way you can keep the material fresh. I found that once I got the hang of FAR, it wasn't that the material was difficult, just the amount of material is what is hard about FAR. I know it seems impossible the first round through the material, but I promise there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

AUD 81 (X4) Previous scores 59, 72, 72
REG 80 (X3) Previous scores 59, 60
FAR 75 (X2) Previous score 67
BEC 79 (X2) Previous score 58

[Anonymous]

People, it's worth it! Keep pushing.

[jeff]

Give the Ninja guide a try…see if it helps

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

[Anonymous]

FAR is hard as hell…I starting looking @ the material while still going to school last semester. I've gone over most chapters 2-3 times…YES!!! 2-3 times (I've always done the same since college)…MCQ's 4-5 times…lol..For some reason some of the topics I just don't get no matter how much I try (hedging contracts losses ewww..spot and forward rates, some equity parts, and some parts of business combinations). I've come to the conclusion that I should just keep reading, doing MCQ's and hope that on test day feel I'm tested on topics I'm comfortable with…I cannot imagine preparing for FAR in 4-6 weeks…I would probably gain 100 pounds and be angry all the time…With this being said I'm off to review NFP….:(

[Jzjac]

Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom/advice/thoughts. It has been a hard 2 weeks and it is only going to get harder. what @katiekanton said that if I can get over this hump I am sure there will be another hump to follow but I have to be persistent and tell FAR that I am better than you! haha

BEC - Passed!
FAR - Passed!
AUD - Passed!
REG - Passed!

[Anonymous]

@jzjac…trust me I felt the exact same way. I was making 50s and 60s on the MCQ the first time through and was constantly screaming at the computer and crying thinking I will never get through this. I didn't grasp anything and totally forgot what was going on at the beginning of the book once getting to chap 7-9. Now I have gone through the book for a second time and I am making 80s and 90s on MCQ, so just keep pushing and go back through it if you have time. I use Becker too but I don't listen to the lectures (and that has worked for me on AUD and REG…BEC I went through the lectures b/c was my first exam and new to me). I typically go through a chapter each day and all of the MCQ- some of the middle chapters take me 2 days…but you will get it eventually and things will start sticking when you least expect it!! I am now going through for the 3rd time so I'm hoping that does the trick. Good luck!!

[CPA Dex]

I'm studying for FAR for my very first CPA exam. I started toward the end of December and take the exam leap day. A little over 2 months may be a stretch for me but we will see how it goes. I'm using Yaeger. My method seems to be working. I watch all the videos and follow along in the book. This gets me familiar with the content and what I will be tested over.

As far as learning the material and allowing it to soak into my brain, I rely on the homework problems in wiley. It seems as if there are anywhere between 50 and 100 questions depending on the chapter. The solutions to the problems are very in depth and I learn most of what I know from their solutions. The chapters are long, boring, and I feel like they expect you to understand everything already. The solutions, to me, do the best job at explaining why the answer is what it is.

Noah

[Anonymous]

I'm feeling the same way. FAR will be my first section and I'm planning on taking it the first week of April.

@noah…do you watch the video's and then do the assigned homework for that module or do you just watch all the video's and then do the homework?

[CPA Dex]

Cowgirl,

I watched all the videos to get an understanding of what the material is about. Now that all of the videos have been watched, I'm going back over each module and taking serious notes based off of the homework solutions. I found the videos were not that helpful for me. It's not because I already knew the material because most of this is new to me. I'm just a better learner when I go through problems and make up mnemonic methods to remember things.

I'm taking Yaeger and anytime Phil comes on to talk I just skip the video. Not trying to bash him but I find his teaching method horrible. He just reads from the book most of the time, and I have caught so many errors in something that he has said that has thrown me for a loop. Cynthia, on the other hand, is fabulous. She is the reason I purchased the videos.

[Anonymous]

I've passed all sections, and FAR was the king as far as moments of utter despair. You may have more than one such episode when you just feel like you're hitting a wall, you're not retaining anything, etc. JUST KEEP GOING. You can do it.

[Kayla86]

Let me just say, I am so glad that I am not the only one who has cried over FAR!! I took it for the first time at the end of November and a few days before my exam I had a meltdown…just balled my eyes out! I just took it again on 1/31 and while this time around I didn't have a meltdown, I definetly was not a pleasent person to be around the last few weeks.

FAR is evil. Like someone else said, it's not that the material is that difficult, there is just SO much of it. My biggest problem has been remembering it all. I would understand it just fine going through the homework but actually remembering it long term was a challenge. I felt fairly confident going into the exam on Tuesday morning but came out feeling like I had gotten beat up! I was tested on such weird topics and it was A LOT more theory than calculations which was tough for me.

I am hoping it turns out like my 2nd attempt at AUD- I felt like I wasn't even taking an auditing exam the questions were so random. Some how I passed though. I am keeping my fingers crossed….all I need is a 75!

AUD - 73, 82 7/2010
REG - 79 7/2010
BEC - 72, 74, 78 7/2011
FAR - 66, 83 1/2012 - AND I'M DONE! Best feeling ever.

MN Licensed CPA as of 5/18/12!

[Author]

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