[MintsRGood]

Help! I’m looking for suggestions on new study techniques for my FAR rematch in January. Every time I have to retake a section, I do everything from the prior attempt AND a few new tricks to up my game.

When I sat for FAR the first time, I went through the entire Wiley text, pounded the test bank, used daily Ninja Notes+Audio+flashcards, recopied my notes, and watched Yeager vids on only my weakest topics. I also sat through a live review course offered by my grad school for FAR and I have great notes and handouts of which I covered as well. I also take notes on incorrect MCQ responses and keep a fact nugget journal.

Then I got 72 and instantly thought “A-ha! I failed because I didn’t watch ALL the vids! If I do everything from before and watch all the vids, I will pass!” and away I went watching all my Yeager vids with detailed notes AND everything above mentioned all over again.

That got me a 74 and I’m out of new ideas. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, so I need to add something new to my study schedule…but what?

Suggestions appreciated!!! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[MintsRGood]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, it's very much appreciated!!!!!!

On average, I hash out between 1,500-2,000 MCQs per attempt. One of my biggest problems is pure memorization of the test bank, so @WhopperWarrior that is a great tip to review the WRONG answer choices and analyze WHY that response is wrong when I run across a repeater instead of just picking the correct answer and moving on! I also love the ideas of “cheat sheets” by topic and fine tuning them as I go; great ideas!

I'm always looking for new ways to learn when I don't pass and everyone has their unique approach to the material. When I was struggling with audit so badly, Kricket suggested that I create a concept map of the audit process from start to finish. It's something that I never would have thought of myself and was tremendously helpful in my conceptual understanding.

Thanks again everyone for your help and have a great Thanksgiving!!!!! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[nbad311]

Be super honest with yourself – do you have weak areas? Are/were you banking on these subjects being tested lightly (or not at all) on your exam? Like Baxter said, your score was probably up to a question or two. Whether or not you actually remember being tested on your weak/least favorite subjects, murphy's law says you'll get 'em again and you might end up with a score in the mid-70s again – pass or fail – it might be dependent on the answer to a question you really didn't wanna see. Will you be ready for the question this time?

I knew what I had to RE-study had I not SQUEEKED by with a 75 on FAR – I had weak subjects for SURE and yes, as much as I thought I wouldn't be tested on them (AND MUTILATED BY THEM IN THE SIMULATIONS HOLY CRAP) I definitely had questions I was dreading!! My score was pure luck; I know now I was borderline dangerously under-prepared. Don't be like me!

Anyway. That's my story/advice and I'm sticking to it. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Know NOW as your start to re-study your most hated areas and make yourself stronger in them. Be prepared for the worst and afterwards you can expect the best!!

REG - 65, 70, 80!
BEC - 35, 62, 79!
AUD - 73, 75!
FAR - 65, 73, 70, 75! DONE.

[nbad311]

Be super honest with yourself – do you have weak areas? Are/were you banking on these subjects being tested lightly (or not at all) on your exam? Like Baxter said, your score was probably up to a question or two. Whether or not you actually remember being tested on your weak/least favorite subjects, murphy's law says you'll get 'em again and you might end up with a score in the mid-70s again – pass or fail – it might be dependent on the answer to a question you really didn't wanna see. Will you be ready for the question this time?

I knew what I had to RE-study had I not SQUEEKED by with a 75 on FAR – I had weak subjects for SURE and yes, as much as I thought I wouldn't be tested on them (AND MUTILATED BY THEM IN THE SIMULATIONS HOLY CRAP) I definitely had questions I was dreading!! My score was pure luck; I know now I was borderline dangerously under-prepared. Don't be like me!

Anyway. That's my story/advice and I'm sticking to it. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Know NOW as your start to re-study your most hated areas and make yourself stronger in them. Be prepared for the worst and afterwards you can expect the best!!

REG - 65, 70, 80!
BEC - 35, 62, 79!
AUD - 73, 75!
FAR - 65, 73, 70, 75! DONE.

[MCLKT]

MINTS!!!

I really like these suggestions you have received. My heart is still broken over your 74 :'(

Keep at it and take all these tips into account.

Try to “teach” some of the more difficult concepts. Find someone (maybe your dh?) that will let you practice.

I fake taught my mom, and she actually loved it! Probably because she is a bookkeeper for the family business and really liked knowing some of the more difficult Financial Reporting concepts. But you get the drift.

I'm rooting for you!

Kick some FAR butt!

A:[73]97 F:[74]85 R:86 B:[74]82
*NINJA 10 Pt. COMBO & Yaeger*

[MCLKT]

MINTS!!!

I really like these suggestions you have received. My heart is still broken over your 74 :'(

Keep at it and take all these tips into account.

Try to “teach” some of the more difficult concepts. Find someone (maybe your dh?) that will let you practice.

I fake taught my mom, and she actually loved it! Probably because she is a bookkeeper for the family business and really liked knowing some of the more difficult Financial Reporting concepts. But you get the drift.

I'm rooting for you!

Kick some FAR butt!

A:[73]97 F:[74]85 R:86 B:[74]82
*NINJA 10 Pt. COMBO & Yaeger*

[Anonymous]

Mints: Are you using Wiley TB? I have Wiley and Gleim Online and I like them both for different reasons. Gleim may help you with a different perspective or fresh look at the material. Of course. the Ninja notes and writing fact nuggets takes you back to basics.

I am really worried about my test on Saturday. I just haven't had the time with Dad and my surgery to really focus and study like I would need. I am focusing on my weak areas for the next few days with a final review on Friday!

FAR sucks!

[Anonymous]

Mints: Are you using Wiley TB? I have Wiley and Gleim Online and I like them both for different reasons. Gleim may help you with a different perspective or fresh look at the material. Of course. the Ninja notes and writing fact nuggets takes you back to basics.

I am really worried about my test on Saturday. I just haven't had the time with Dad and my surgery to really focus and study like I would need. I am focusing on my weak areas for the next few days with a final review on Friday!

FAR sucks!

[Zaq]

I wish I would have done for FAR what I did with BEC on my first go. But I got a 26pt jump in FAR by doing the following:

1.) List each section within a chapter via each roman numeral, major subsection, etc.So if it's Chapter 1 and there are 10 main items write/type out the subject title. Then read through the section. Do you truly understand it? Could you teach it to someone else? Are some points a big vague? In order to pass, you MUST find your weakpoints and CORRECT them. So rate the “difficulty level” between all of your sections within a Chapter and establish which portions are the most difficult for you.

2.) Know the material well enough that you could explain to a person who has little knowledge of the subject how to solve for a problem, and why incorrect answers are incorrect.

3.) Know how to do any journal entry asked of you. Debits/credits. Balance sheet items. Income statement items. Know it.

We've studied materials together so I know you know how to get around the material. Find your weaknesses and correct them!

FAR: 50, 76!
REG: 74... (ouch baby, very ouch), 76!
AUD: 65, 91!?
BEC: 80! Aaaand doneskies!

May 2012 to August 2013. Can't believe it's over.

[Zaq]

I wish I would have done for FAR what I did with BEC on my first go. But I got a 26pt jump in FAR by doing the following:

1.) List each section within a chapter via each roman numeral, major subsection, etc.So if it's Chapter 1 and there are 10 main items write/type out the subject title. Then read through the section. Do you truly understand it? Could you teach it to someone else? Are some points a big vague? In order to pass, you MUST find your weakpoints and CORRECT them. So rate the “difficulty level” between all of your sections within a Chapter and establish which portions are the most difficult for you.

2.) Know the material well enough that you could explain to a person who has little knowledge of the subject how to solve for a problem, and why incorrect answers are incorrect.

3.) Know how to do any journal entry asked of you. Debits/credits. Balance sheet items. Income statement items. Know it.

We've studied materials together so I know you know how to get around the material. Find your weaknesses and correct them!

FAR: 50, 76!
REG: 74... (ouch baby, very ouch), 76!
AUD: 65, 91!?
BEC: 80! Aaaand doneskies!

May 2012 to August 2013. Can't believe it's over.

[nolifecpa]

with 1500-2000 mcq per attempt im willing to bet your score report said you rocked the mcq but were weaker in sims. sims are another studying tool and is a better review than a memorized tb and brings your understanding of the topic to a whole new level. its easy for me to answer 20 mcq on consolidations and think i understand it but give me parent + sub financials and there's no way in hell i could consolidate. also, on my cheat sheet i wrote down what the JE would be for every transaction on every topic

if you have already thoroughly reviewed sims then i would suggest another review. i know putting in the time is not an issue for you (i see how you rally the troops!). for FAR i went from becker to yaeger to rogers. roger explains things in a way that i understand, wish i woulda known earlier…oh well

hope this helps and good luck!

REG-65,71,74,73,70,74,79
BEC-60's,60's,69,71,76*,78
FAR-67,66,65,79
AUD-54,60's,65,83*,69,80
*expired

DONE

[nolifecpa]

with 1500-2000 mcq per attempt im willing to bet your score report said you rocked the mcq but were weaker in sims. sims are another studying tool and is a better review than a memorized tb and brings your understanding of the topic to a whole new level. its easy for me to answer 20 mcq on consolidations and think i understand it but give me parent + sub financials and there's no way in hell i could consolidate. also, on my cheat sheet i wrote down what the JE would be for every transaction on every topic

if you have already thoroughly reviewed sims then i would suggest another review. i know putting in the time is not an issue for you (i see how you rally the troops!). for FAR i went from becker to yaeger to rogers. roger explains things in a way that i understand, wish i woulda known earlier…oh well

hope this helps and good luck!

REG-65,71,74,73,70,74,79
BEC-60's,60's,69,71,76*,78
FAR-67,66,65,79
AUD-54,60's,65,83*,69,80
*expired

DONE

[MintsRGood]

@nolife I received my score report over the weekend and you could have knocked me over with a feather when I read that I was comparable on SIMS and weaker on MCQS!!!! I had nasty nasty nasty SIMS and it makes my blood boil to think that I held my own on them but dropped the ball on a handful of MCQS to get a 74. Grrrrrr…..

@Baxter Yes, I'm using the Wiley text and test bank so I will check out Gleim! After working so many questions from Wiley I could use some fresh meat! I'm hoping, praying, keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you on the 30th!!!!!!! 🙂

Thanks all for the suggestion of teaching the concepts to a 3rd party! That is a great idea @MCLKT & @Inferno!!!!

@MCLKT Much love, lady!!!! Thank you for the kind words and your support!!!!! 🙂

@Nbad My score report indicated, to my surprise, that my only weak topic was Government. Honestly, I thought I had that topic under control but apparently not so government is where I've picked up studying again.

Thanks everyone so much for the feedback, I really do appreciate it. 🙂 I've been doing my best to keep a positive and proactive attitude about this. I really beat myself up for not passing in 3rd quarter and it did tremendously more harm than good to my psyche. I keep telling myself that the only thing that I can control is how I expend my energy. Tears and frustration will not get me 75 points in January, period. Only hard work and commitment to quality prep will yield a pass. Needless to say, I'm willing to try anything and do whatever it takes to close out!!!!!!!

Thanks again!!!!!!!!! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[MintsRGood]

@nolife I received my score report over the weekend and you could have knocked me over with a feather when I read that I was comparable on SIMS and weaker on MCQS!!!! I had nasty nasty nasty SIMS and it makes my blood boil to think that I held my own on them but dropped the ball on a handful of MCQS to get a 74. Grrrrrr…..

@Baxter Yes, I'm using the Wiley text and test bank so I will check out Gleim! After working so many questions from Wiley I could use some fresh meat! I'm hoping, praying, keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you on the 30th!!!!!!! 🙂

Thanks all for the suggestion of teaching the concepts to a 3rd party! That is a great idea @MCLKT & @Inferno!!!!

@MCLKT Much love, lady!!!! Thank you for the kind words and your support!!!!! 🙂

@Nbad My score report indicated, to my surprise, that my only weak topic was Government. Honestly, I thought I had that topic under control but apparently not so government is where I've picked up studying again.

Thanks everyone so much for the feedback, I really do appreciate it. 🙂 I've been doing my best to keep a positive and proactive attitude about this. I really beat myself up for not passing in 3rd quarter and it did tremendously more harm than good to my psyche. I keep telling myself that the only thing that I can control is how I expend my energy. Tears and frustration will not get me 75 points in January, period. Only hard work and commitment to quality prep will yield a pass. Needless to say, I'm willing to try anything and do whatever it takes to close out!!!!!!!

Thanks again!!!!!!!!! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[Anonymous]

Mints

You think I may be kidding on this but if is where you can, you almost have to lock yourself in your home until your test day. The ONLY outside activities that should be allowed are work and the grocery store. Yes, you will be worn out and you will have to give up some holiday activities but those can wait. But these are small sacrifices to make when you consider that you will have those precious letters after your name.

I used Becker for all for parts and supplemented FAR with NINJA material. For Becker, I would make out mock testlets( think of fill in the blank) of EVERY mnemonic, journal entries, formulas, you name it anything that needed to be memorized. I wrote and rewrote ALL of the Govt.statement format types. I would make several copies (sometimes 10 or more) and take those “tests” over and over and over. As you know journal entries are very important. I can't tell you how many pages I had of these. I want to emphasize WRITING and not typing. There is just something that sticks when something is written out.

And if there is one mnemonic you memorize make sure it is RTFQ. This in one I picked up from Kricket . When I would be working MC at home, I would have this written on a sticky note stuck to my computer. And usually when I got one wrong, I had not RTFQ.

I am pretty sure I did close to 5000 MC for the final time alone that I took FAR.

Just one other thing. If you haven't already, start visualizing yourself jumping up and down as you see your final score. There is just something very powerful about visualization. Trust me. Over the two and a half years that I took the exam, I kept visualizing myself calling my director at work and telling him that I needed help with some paper work. And that paperwork being signing off on my license application. February 22, 2013 I had that conversation.

Good luck and I will be checking back on you!!!

[Anonymous]

Mints

You think I may be kidding on this but if is where you can, you almost have to lock yourself in your home until your test day. The ONLY outside activities that should be allowed are work and the grocery store. Yes, you will be worn out and you will have to give up some holiday activities but those can wait. But these are small sacrifices to make when you consider that you will have those precious letters after your name.

I used Becker for all for parts and supplemented FAR with NINJA material. For Becker, I would make out mock testlets( think of fill in the blank) of EVERY mnemonic, journal entries, formulas, you name it anything that needed to be memorized. I wrote and rewrote ALL of the Govt.statement format types. I would make several copies (sometimes 10 or more) and take those “tests” over and over and over. As you know journal entries are very important. I can't tell you how many pages I had of these. I want to emphasize WRITING and not typing. There is just something that sticks when something is written out.

And if there is one mnemonic you memorize make sure it is RTFQ. This in one I picked up from Kricket . When I would be working MC at home, I would have this written on a sticky note stuck to my computer. And usually when I got one wrong, I had not RTFQ.

I am pretty sure I did close to 5000 MC for the final time alone that I took FAR.

Just one other thing. If you haven't already, start visualizing yourself jumping up and down as you see your final score. There is just something very powerful about visualization. Trust me. Over the two and a half years that I took the exam, I kept visualizing myself calling my director at work and telling him that I needed help with some paper work. And that paperwork being signing off on my license application. February 22, 2013 I had that conversation.

Good luck and I will be checking back on you!!!

[Author]

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