[Anonymous]

Long story short, my first exam was FAR back in Aug just a few months from college graduation. Failed with a 62. Since then I’ve gone on to pass AUD and BEC and missed REG by a few points. I am restudying now and all of a sudden anything is more appealing than studying for FAR. I am currently working full time as an audit associate at a large regional firm and was planning on retaking far 1/18. I already scheduled it and everything but I’ve only gotten through five of the 10 chapters but haven’t done 2 of the chapter homework and I’m completely TERRIFIED of this exam. Any tips on how to overcome this mental hump? I have ninja audio and notes which I am reading through when I can.

[mla1169]

Of course you're going to feel that way. You've recently graduated, started your first professional job, it's the holiday season, there's no good reason to want to tackle FAR. Except you're halfway there, so close to being one exam away from done. Muster up the strength to trudge through, even when you'd rather have a root canal by a blind monkey hopped up on caffeine, you'll be glad in a few months that you did.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

Of course you're going to feel that way. You've recently graduated, started your first professional job, it's the holiday season, there's no good reason to want to tackle FAR. Except you're halfway there, so close to being one exam away from done. Muster up the strength to trudge through, even when you'd rather have a root canal by a blind monkey hopped up on caffeine, you'll be glad in a few months that you did.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

It was so bad today since no one was in the office……I cleaned 16 cubes instead of studying for FAR. I just have a nightmare of just never passing this one section. It really is my achilles heel and either I understand the topic really well or no matter how hard I try to understand I just don't get it.

[Anonymous]

It was so bad today since no one was in the office……I cleaned 16 cubes instead of studying for FAR. I just have a nightmare of just never passing this one section. It really is my achilles heel and either I understand the topic really well or no matter how hard I try to understand I just don't get it.

[hkkenus]

I was on the same boat. I just graduated and then started my firs job. I started studying in September and took FAR in November. I studied 2 hours weekday, 6~8 hours on weekends. I only got through chapter 1-7 in Becker, did the homework and skipped all sims. In the last 4 days, I took the time to skim through chapter 8-10, knowing that those worth little points. I passed with a 80. So, take the comfort that I went in without all the “necessary” knowledge, yet I passed.

[hkkenus]

I was on the same boat. I just graduated and then started my firs job. I started studying in September and took FAR in November. I studied 2 hours weekday, 6~8 hours on weekends. I only got through chapter 1-7 in Becker, did the homework and skipped all sims. In the last 4 days, I took the time to skim through chapter 8-10, knowing that those worth little points. I passed with a 80. So, take the comfort that I went in without all the “necessary” knowledge, yet I passed.

[Anonymous]

Just plow through…take it in small bites. Study one hard section and review two easy sections every time you sit down to study. Don't let it overwhelm you! Believe in yourself and your ability. MCQs until you are ready to change careers… Then do more MCQs.

Most importantly NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

Carry on Soldier!

[Anonymous]

Just plow through…take it in small bites. Study one hard section and review two easy sections every time you sit down to study. Don't let it overwhelm you! Believe in yourself and your ability. MCQs until you are ready to change careers… Then do more MCQs.

Most importantly NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

Carry on Soldier!

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement! I will carry on, Baxter. I cried more when I found out you passed than when I passed my first section. You are an inspiration to us all 🙂

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement! I will carry on, Baxter. I cried more when I found out you passed than when I passed my first section. You are an inspiration to us all 🙂

[g.rosen]

CPA Dilemma-

I feel your pain. I work full time as well and FAR was a really tough one for me. It was my last exam and I was just plain over it. I didn't want to study and it was tough to get motivated and I never really did. In theory, I certainly could have studied more than I did, but I was just plain burned out.

I may have read your questions with influence from my own personal bias, but I'll share in case it helps out. The key for me was to realize that there was more information covered than I could ever hope to remember. Even if I had a solid 5 months to prepare for FAR, and prepared diligently, so much time would have passed between chapter 1 and chapter 10 that I surely would have forgotten a huge chunk of what I studied. This type of thought process made me feel helpless.

My advice would be to realize that there are very few of us that can learn all of FAR. Know that you don't have to know it all and it's foolish to think that you do. Large parts of the material you study won't even be covered on your exam. Realize that you need to be pretty competent with most of it (know the concepts) and if your goal is to be fully proficient with all of it, you might be overdoing it. It sounds funny, but making your expectations for FAR prep more realistic might allow you to do some guilt free studying.

Good Luck!

✓ AUD: (02/12/13) 71 | (05/31/13) 80
✓ REG: (05/13/13) 75
✓ BEC: (08/06/13) 80 - Unwilling participant in the "Server Upgrade" debacle
✓ FAR: (08/31/13) 65 | (12/06/13) 75 - Beat the Cali Education Requirement
✓ PETH: (12/25/13) 86 | (12/26/13) 92
✓ CA CPA: (02/13/14)

[g.rosen]

CPA Dilemma-

I feel your pain. I work full time as well and FAR was a really tough one for me. It was my last exam and I was just plain over it. I didn't want to study and it was tough to get motivated and I never really did. In theory, I certainly could have studied more than I did, but I was just plain burned out.

I may have read your questions with influence from my own personal bias, but I'll share in case it helps out. The key for me was to realize that there was more information covered than I could ever hope to remember. Even if I had a solid 5 months to prepare for FAR, and prepared diligently, so much time would have passed between chapter 1 and chapter 10 that I surely would have forgotten a huge chunk of what I studied. This type of thought process made me feel helpless.

My advice would be to realize that there are very few of us that can learn all of FAR. Know that you don't have to know it all and it's foolish to think that you do. Large parts of the material you study won't even be covered on your exam. Realize that you need to be pretty competent with most of it (know the concepts) and if your goal is to be fully proficient with all of it, you might be overdoing it. It sounds funny, but making your expectations for FAR prep more realistic might allow you to do some guilt free studying.

Good Luck!

✓ AUD: (02/12/13) 71 | (05/31/13) 80
✓ REG: (05/13/13) 75
✓ BEC: (08/06/13) 80 - Unwilling participant in the "Server Upgrade" debacle
✓ FAR: (08/31/13) 65 | (12/06/13) 75 - Beat the Cali Education Requirement
✓ PETH: (12/25/13) 86 | (12/26/13) 92
✓ CA CPA: (02/13/14)

[Anonymous]

g-rosen – that's what bummes me out! The first time around I studied all the “hot” topics like IFRS, Govt, NFP, Pensions, Leases and got maybe 7 questions related to those topics and the rest were topics I should have known but decided to skim through them since I figured they may not be heavily tested….big mistake. Just not sure what works best. I studied 15 hours a day for 5 weeks for far during the summer and failed majorly then half assed audit, didn't do the majority of homework, in all of 3 weeks and passed with flying colors.

[Anonymous]

g-rosen – that's what bummes me out! The first time around I studied all the “hot” topics like IFRS, Govt, NFP, Pensions, Leases and got maybe 7 questions related to those topics and the rest were topics I should have known but decided to skim through them since I figured they may not be heavily tested….big mistake. Just not sure what works best. I studied 15 hours a day for 5 weeks for far during the summer and failed majorly then half assed audit, didn't do the majority of homework, in all of 3 weeks and passed with flying colors.

[neika822]

I was also completely terrified of FAR (and of the whole exam, actually). The first time I tried studying, I had just graduated and was doing my MSA. But I didn't put in the necessary studying, partly because I was so intimidated. I took my first exam (FAR) and just COMPLETELY bombed. So that made me even more nervous. Long story short, I didn't study for three more exams, and of course failed. Two years later, I restarted and gave it my all. Was I intimidated and scared? Very! But this time, I wasn't going to let that feeling win. I set out to make 2013 the year I pass, and I did! I just needed to dedicate my time, sit down and shutup (I told myself this over and over, lol).

Good luck!! And what you're feeling is completely normal. You just need to find a way to accept those feelings and move on from them.

R - *77*(02/'13)-Becker & NINJA
A - 71('11); *87*(04/'13)-Becker & NINJA
F - *76*(08/'13)-Becker & NINJA - "server upgrade" survivor
B - 60('11); *82*(10/'13) -Becker & NINA

DONE, DONE, AND DONE.

CPA in Massachusetts; issued 01/24/14

[Author]

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