[italianCPA]

I am studying for FAR, which I plan to take as soon as my application gets approved and I get a NTS (I completed the education requirements the first week of June), hopefully in the first half of July.

I am using Becker. I completed F1 through F6, and I scored consistently between 80% and 90% in the homework questions (just got 54/60 right in the income tax accounting topic).

I haven’t touched simulations yet.

From what I’m reading, I should wait until I try the simulated exam to see how I’m doing.

I feel I’m doing well, but I don’t want to walk into my first exam and get shocked.

From your experience, especially Becker users, is scoring 80/90 in the homework MCQs a good sign (obviously, it’s not a bad thing), or is it just normal and what really counts is the simulated exam about all content?

FAR - 7/26/10 - 95
AUD - 8/10/10 - 88
BEC - 8/31/10 - 88
REG - 10/15/10 - 95

[kt]

I haven't been successful at FAR yet, but I know some people on Becker that would answer between 65-70% and would still pass. I'd say you have a good shot at it.

[Anonymous]

italianCPA

Have you done the progress tests for each section you completed? Also, when you finish the last chapter there are Final exams that you can pratice.

You sound like you are on track!

[italianCPA]

cpa journey,

No I haven't done the progress test and I'm now doing F7. My plan was to finish all lectures and then starting to review.

And that's my problem. Yes, I scored very well on the homework MCQs, but obviously it's much easier to do so right after you watched the lecture.

If I were taking MCQs on F1 right now, I doubt I'd score a 90….

FAR - 7/26/10 - 95
AUD - 8/10/10 - 88
BEC - 8/31/10 - 88
REG - 10/15/10 - 95

[Anonymous]

italianCPA

You can actually take the progress tests whenever you want. The MC questions are pulled frpm the homework questions. Each time you take the progress test they MC questions are different. A good way to keep the information fresh!

[Anonymous]

italianCPA – I would not wait to review. There is so much material you will end up having to relearn F1 by the time you are done unless you have a photographic memory. I would continue to take progress test every day or every other day. As cpa journey said it is a great way to keep things fresh in your mind. Some nights when I did not feel like learning new material, I just did progress test on each chapter that I had finished and reviewed what I got wrong. Piece meal the information and do progress test along the way. As far as simulations, it is a personal choice but since this is your first exam I would definitely take the time to read through the simulations and read the answers if nothing else. This will give you a feel for how the different tabs of a simulations can be presented. Keep plugging away and piecemeal the information. FAR is nicknamed “The Beast” for a reason.

Good Luck Studying.

[italianCPA]

Lee_IN:

I do have a great photographic memory, but I don't want to (and should not) rely on it too much.

I'll finish F7 (I don't want to leave it at half) and then start to review a couple of lectures a day (I don't work right now, so I'm a full-time CPA exam student and that's why I'm starting with FAR) and take the progress test F1-F2, then F1-F4, F1-F6, etc.

The upside of doing all lectures first was that sometimes having the big picture clear helps a lot in comprehending the questions. For example, right now I have a much clearer idea of what OCI is and how it works.

FAR - 7/26/10 - 95
AUD - 8/10/10 - 88
BEC - 8/31/10 - 88
REG - 10/15/10 - 95

[potatogun]

FAR was my first test and I just got the results today. I used Becker studying full time having graduated from school early. I can give you some thoughts about my study process.

I would watch the video lectures having not read anything. I would then review the topics in the book to actually read it through and understand it. I would do the MC for that section. At the end of a whole lecture I would do the supplemental questions.

I did pretty bad on most of the FAR practice MC usually 60-70% a lot of the time, the first time through. It is sort of disheartening but I learned from it by reading the explanations and redoing them.

I do the simulations after I finish a lecture (sometimes I would wait until I did 2 lectures). I would review the previous lectures every 2-3 lectures I completed. So after I finished Lecture 3 I flipped through 1-3 again. You don't have to totally reread but it helps a lot to just jog your memory.

My final review consisted of thoroughly reading through each chapter again (I have 2.5 weeks to review). Looking at the simulations again. And then I did the practice finals. I have flash cards too that I would use to help me figure out what topics I was unfamiliar with.

But anyways I will agree that you should review as you go. Do the simulations because they aren't that time intensive. You can look at the solutions after each tab as long as you learn why you might have been wrong.

Anyways I ended up getting a 92 even though I was really uncertain of how I did. I felt I did well enough to pass but I was worried about being on the border having read too much online about people not really knowing how to gauge their feelings during and post test taking.

Keep to you study plan and study everyday (even if only a couple hours). You can do it.

FAR 92 - AUD 91 - REG 94 - BEC 86

[italianCPA]

Thanks potatogun,

I'm in a similar situation. Had a 10-year career being controller and CFO for nonpublic foreign companies in NYC (with lots of consolidations and foreign currency transactions) and I just moved to California now, haven't found a job yet and taking advantage of the free time to study full-time and I'd like to take as many parts as I can in the July-August window, as long as they approve my application in a decent time (can't schedule yet).

FAR (and maybe BEC) is the part I should be definitely the most familiar with because of my previous jobs. The volume is impressive though.

Did you think Becker's MCQs were more difficult than the ones you found on the actual exam?

FAR - 7/26/10 - 95
AUD - 8/10/10 - 88
BEC - 8/31/10 - 88
REG - 10/15/10 - 95

[Anonymous]

Yes, Becker over-prepares you, which is a good thing.

[potatogun]

I would agree with that. During the MC sessions in the lectures I often felt like I was “failing” because I scored poorly at times. But when I did the final review tests I did better overall.

So I think of it this way: on specific subjects Becker will have all sorts of questions, some of them incredibly difficult. But on the real exam you get a swath of subjects so they won't all be _incredibly_ difficult. Hope that helps.

FAR 92 - AUD 91 - REG 94 - BEC 86

[Anonymous]

Italian,

I crammed 8 weeks worth of FAR studying into 1.5 weeks as I was inbetween jobs and scheduled it that way to take the exam on May 28th, starting my new job on June 2nd. I must say those 15 hour days were a nightmare, and I would not recommend you do it that way, but I am living proof that it is possible to pass. Just woke up this morning to a 78, which was my last exam. If you are scoring 80's and 90's thats def a great sign, but dont get content. I am a Becker user and I did not even make it through the material. I knew I wasn't good at Government Accounting, and didn't have enough time to master it unfortunately, so I pretty much just held on for the ride and hoped that I could wiggle a few points out of it. I would recommend this: The stuff you know well, absoultely master it. This will help if you get an essay topic or simulation on it. THe stuff you are having trouble with, concentrate on that section and do every multiple choice question, read and re read that section, and know it well enough to be confident. You will not master all the material on FAR. Frankly, there is just too much. Go in with confidence, and make sure you use your time efficiently. I can't tell you how many people have asked how I pulled it off. I tell them that this exam is 50% technique in HOW to take the exam as much as it is knowing the material… It's a skill I developed after failing a few my first time through. I think I will write a post on test taking technique if any of you would like to read. I am new to this site and stumbled upon it while googling when the California scores would be posted by AICPA.

Practice practice practice. Get your hands on any practice test imaginiable, and get used to the time restraints.

[Author]

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