[itooshallpass]

Hi! I am new to the forum and looking for advice. I am taking FAR (first section for me) on Dec 1 and am really having trouble making things stick. I am overwhelmed and discouraged and have lost focus. I’ve been studying since Sept, using Roger, and have gone through all lectures and a good amount of quizzes. I am now going through a second time, but really having a hard time with applying the material successfully. I am very discouraged and have no confidence for taking the exam.
I work in a small tax firm, and there is no work this time of year, so I essentially have 8 hrs a day to study at work. I know that I am incredibly lucky to have that time but I just can’t focus for that long and be productive.
Please, if anyone can share tips for final review strategy, memorization, key points to focus on, and motivation! I would really appreciate it.

THANK YOU

[lisa]

I would do NINJA notes (re-writing) and MCQ's along with SIMS from ROGER. Try to understand why you get something wrong and go back through the calculations until you can apply it. As for motivation, think to yourself how long do you want this studying in your life? Would you rather suck it up now and get it over with or continue on dreadfully studying for a long period of time because you lacked motivation? 🙂 I guess for me, I want to get it over with so I am very motivated. I am sitting for REG on November 13th and I have been reviewing and solidifying concepts. When I read a question, I try to understand what the question is asking me, what concept is this teaching? If I get it right or wrong, I read the NINJA answer or WILEY answer to understand it and then I move on to another topic that was giving me trouble. I hope this helps you. I know it is tough to study dry material and retain the information until you sit for the exam.

[Anonymous]

You have to really study-no other way around it. You are saying you have gone through lectures-did you read the book and do all of the MCQ in each related lecture? I would go back to each subtopic and redo the MCQ, take notes on the ones you get wrong, and make sure you know why you answered the ones correctly. Also, read the book-I find that when I re-read the text is when the missing info comes into focus. Also, are you taking notes and making flashcards as you go along? I find taking notes helps things stick as well.

[itooshallpass]

Anyatver, I read the book the first time around and am working on doing ALL of the MCQ this time around. I have taken pretty good notes and made flashcards for some sections. I should probably rewrite my notes. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

If it makes you feel any better-I am two weeks away from the exam, and feel extremely unsure. FAR is unlike all the others in the amount of information that is thrown at you:) So it's no wonder everyone feels overwhelmed!

[Recked]

You have 30ish days to review and 30-ish days until the exam.
31 sections for FAR Roger course.
Try and focus on 2 sections a day for the next 15 days, leaving you another 2 weeks for trouble areas.
Hammer away on the MCQ's.
I went through the lectures and book for each section and then did all the MCQ's for that section.
I also focus on doing 10 question quizes so I can get to the review of each question while it is still fresh in my mind and I can see what I did right or wrong.
I did SIMS hit or miss on my first pass through, then at the end I went back and hit all the non-research SIMS so I could see what they were asking for.
Just keep at it, you have lots of time left.
The MCQ's fresh after the lectures and book really helps your mind to understand the concepts.
Take notes on trouble areas, write out mnemonics and formulas you have trouble gasping.
I spent a full 8 hour day on Gov't and wasn't grasping it so I started over from scratch the next day, and after another 5-6 hours it started to click.
If you study you will pass!!!

[CS]

NINJA MCQs were a great help for me (Wiley was my primary review course), so if you're not utilizing that, I'd say it's definitely worth it.

[itooshallpass]

@Recked, great plan, thank you!

[Author]

Replies