[futuremdcpa]

Okay so I just finished reading the first half of F5 (Leases), and I understood nothing. I have half of F5 to go, and THEN do the HW which will take a whole day. Then I have F6-F10.

I am not even doing SIM’s, just reading and doing the MCQ’s.. I have 15 days until my exam. I don’t know what to do.. I have passed BEC, REG, and AUD.

I start work a few days after I am supposed to take FAR at a Big 4 firm.. I will not have too much time to study.. I dont know what to do.. I am really feeling very exhausted and honestly feel like calling it quits with FAR.. Its simply TOO much information, and I only have 15 days left…….

Please give me some good feedback on some suggestions..

REG: PASS || BEC: PASS || AUD: PASS || F: SCORE PENDING..

[futuremdcpa]

@Sandra – You are right about FAR making sense.. Its just system overload on my brain haha.. I should of done it first, and I would be fine now.. I am about to take Final Exam #1, even though I am half way through re-doing F4. If I score lower then a 65ish avg. I am rescheduling and will do it all over for a third time, and then most likely purchase Becker Final Review.. I'd rather over study then under study.. I would just hate to study while working.. its gonna suck. I guess its my fault for scheduling the beast last haha.

REG: PASS || BEC: PASS || AUD: PASS || F: SCORE PENDING..

[Sandra]

I think you are going to make your head explode if you keep on this track. I think for FAR it comes down to either understanding the material or not. If you really understand it the test won't throw you too many curve balls and no amount of additional review will really make a difference.

I think rescheduling would be a mistake for you, but obviously you have to do whats right for you not what some chick on a forum tells you to. LOL. It seems like Becker tests are notoriously hard and people generally don't score too well but then pass the real thing.

[Minimorty]

I took the 2nd FAR Becker final exam two days before my exam. Here are my scores:

Financial Final Exam #2 Results

# of Questions # Correct % Correct

Testlet #1 – M/C Questions 30 23 76

Testlet #2 – M/C Questions 30 11 36

Testlet #3 – M/C Questions 30 19 63

Testlet #4 – Simulation 1

“Discontinued Operations” Tab 6 4 66

“Segment Reporting” Tab 2 2 100

“Extraordinary Items” Tab 6 6 100

“Fair Value Measurement” Tab 3 3 100

“Foreign Currency Translation” Tab 18 13 72

“Stock Options” Tab 16 10 62

“Research” Tab 1 1 100

I got an 87 on the exam.

[futuremdcpa]

36 on the second testlet? hahah!!! I feel so much better about my 50 on the first final. I did find myself not knowing anything about pensions, like I completely forgot. I am going to reschedule.. I am just mentally exhausted from doing 3 in one window, with no days off. It worked for 3 exams, but I feel like I am skipping stuff on FAR.. Skipping 10, not really understanding everything.. skipping SIMs.. I never skipped on anything for the other three and I passed. Some people can do 4 in one window (Sandra!!!), I thought I can.. but I had some personal problems that had me waste a good 2 weeks of FAR study time. So its okay, I will pass this! I am going to reschedule it for end of November, to take advantage of all the downtime I will have since its not busy season just yet. I am thinking about buying the Becker Final Review for FAR as well.. Anyone here try it?

Thank you guys for your continued support, and feedback. We WILL overcome this!

REG: PASS || BEC: PASS || AUD: PASS || F: SCORE PENDING..

[forever4]

Becker final review for FAR worths every pennies.

FAR 5/14 88 PASSED!
REG 7/13 74 :((((((((....! I cant believe it!!!! I studied so hard...
REG retake 11/29 -> 89!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BEC 10/11/12 -> 84!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AUD 10/25/12 -> 95!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm DONE! OMG 8 months of hard work.

I SHALL PASS. BECAUSE IT'S ME, SO EVERYTHING WILL BE OK!

[futuremdcpa]

@forever4 – Thank you for your input, I went ahead and purchased it last night!!! I am planning on reading the book twice, doing the MCQ's at least 3 times, and doing the Final Review.. This is my last, and I want to aim for the highest possible score!!! But I am worried that I will start forgetting what is in the book those small little details if after reading it twice all I do is MCQ's 3-4 times, and the Final Review..

REG: PASS || BEC: PASS || AUD: PASS || F: SCORE PENDING..

[futuremdcpa]

I dont know what to do to be honest anymore.. I've tried taking a couple of days off, and hitting the gym.. But I am on F4, (65% complete on MCQ), and I seem to still be getting a bit wrong (not a lot but a few), and I just keep getting more and more frustrated to the point where I notice myself having major anger issues and hitting my laptop, throwing books across my room.. This is pretty unhealthy, and I think its hindering my studying.. I am just so frustrated with FAR.. I do not think I can do all of this… I just dont know what else to do.. I effing hate FAR… I have headaches all day everyday.. because of FAR.

REG: PASS || BEC: PASS || AUD: PASS || F: SCORE PENDING..

[Sandra]

Well- I don't think moving your test out and getting more material to study from was the right call.

but now that you have maybe you just need to take a week or so off. Sounds like you've pretty much lost it and aren't going to be super productive at this point.

[futuremdcpa]

@Sandra – I have completely lost it.. I really don't know how you and other people have done it! You guys amaze me! 🙂 Im just going to do the MCQ's 2-3 times most likely 3, and then read the book for the 3rd time, and just do the final review from becker for the last 4-5 days before my exam to sum everything up.. and take both final exams and take the exam.. Honestly I would of failed if I took it this week. I skipped a lot of material to rush through everything. I start work next week, and go for a week long intensive training.. I was going to take it last week in Oct, but because of training mid-Nov.

Any advice? I know you used Roger.. How did you keep yourself from getting overwhelmed? Did you use Wiley Test Bank? Becker has almost 1700 MCQ's related to FAR, and its mind boggling.

REG: PASS || BEC: PASS || AUD: PASS || F: SCORE PENDING..

[Mom2two]

It is overwhelming! There is a lot of material related to FAR. I just took it one section/subject at a time. So on my study plan I would be like ok today I am just focusing on leases. Then the next day I would say today, these two hours I am just focusing on bonds. And so on. I just took the exam on Monday and really I felt like I could have used another week of studying but I know myself and I probably would have never felt fully prepared so I just went with it. I wouldn't look at it like f*** there are 1700 questions how am I ever going to do this many!!??? I would just break it into small sections. And then go back and keep reading your other sections whether that be your notes or flashcards. I made my own flashcards so I would try to reread all the previous sections so about an hour of flashcards a day. I ended up completing 2,456 MC on the Wiley test bank and that does not include the homework questions I completed in the Wiley text book. Break it into small sections, take a break every hour for ten minutes and maybe consider yoga or meditation. I would definitely keep up with the exercise because you need a release. As for starting work, a lot of people work and study. You just have to be dedicated to your schedule and stick with it. When I started with Big 4 several years ago training was a joke and more like a party so I wouldn't stress that training is going to be super intense. Maybe hold off on the drinking and after dinner or the evening activity…I am guessing you will travel for training…go back to your hotel room and study for two hours.

B: 81 (3X) May 2012
A: 76 (1X) Nov 2011
R: 86 (2X) Feb 2012
F: 64, April 2011, retake 10.01.12 - 75!!!!!!!!!!

[Sandra]

I wish I could be more helpful to you, but you and I have such a different approach to these tests that I'm not really sure that my approach would be in the least applicable at this point.

I went through the videos as many times as I needed to in order to understand the concepts. Then I read the book, highlighting not the important stuff, but rather the stuff I didn't know. After that I moved on to MCQs, skimming over the book a few more times.

Overall I would say I put in 80 hours for FAR, 40-50ish for REG, 40-50ish for AUD and 15 for BEC. These are NOT recommendations, its based on my background (I took the CMA prior to the CPA, so BEC had a LOT of overlap) and time schedule. I should have put in more time for REG and still have no idea how I passed that. I got worried after REG (since I was sure I had failed) and put in more time for AUD than I really think was neccessary. Likewise I wish I would have put in a bit more time for the IT and COSO stuff for BEC. I actually teach this stuff so having BEC be my lowest score sucks.

My point is that it didn't seem so overwhelming to me because I didn't spend nearly as much time on any one section. I didn't do MCQs more than once, nor did I really fret about reading the book cover to cover too much. You can't really compare your approach and mine because they are so vastly different.

Also, more applicable- I didn't freak out about the test as much in general. I've said this to you before and you seemed to take it well so let me say it again…. “STOP FREAKING THE EFF OUT”. That alone has to be exhausing. You have passed 3 of the sections the first time around (I think at least). Either way you know these tests are passable. FAR is really no different from REG or AUD. MCQs and SIMS. You've been there and done that. So at least try to let go of all this abrehension, study like a normal human being (books work better when you don't throw them!) and pass it already. All this talk about FAR being the hardest is purely opinion. I found AUD the hardest in a lot of ways and hated it with a passion. Its all about your attitude really. You can't control the test and its content but you can control your response to it.

[mla1169]

Pushing out the exam, in your case = more days of headaches, more days of frustration and the very likely chance that you will destroy your laptop.

If you've been this freaked out this long, its not likely to change in the next several weeks. You'll probably just get more frustrated and more irritable. Seriously.

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[futuremdcpa]

Well.. it has been quiet a while since I was on A71 ( a whole week!) started a new job.. and busy busy! I can study maybe 1-1.5 hrs in the morning, and maybe 1 at night.. but honestly thats about it..Today I studied for like 3 hours. I honestly hate myself for not just sucking it up and taking it before I started working. It sucks. I mean, I am reading the book for a second time and actually taking notes.. but I am going to stop the notes, because its taking way to much time up.. I mean really took me 45 minutes to make good detailed notes on 3 faqqin pages.

I am going to just read a chapter, and do the problems..

Now heres the problem I have….. I just looked over some of the earlier chapters MCQ's.. and again I am forgetting.. and even if I do progress tests.. its not helpful. WTF DO I DO!? I will be done 5 tomorrow, and so far I have it planned to be done chapter 10 by October 31st, and then Becker Final Review for 2 days (since I will be working), and then Final Exam 1 & AICPA Questions on Saturday and then review it, and then on Sunday I will do Final Exam #2, and review the flashcards.. On Monday I take it (Nov. 5th).

Pushing it back is no longer an option. The more I push back, the lazier I get. Any advice? I feel like I need to go do the MCQ's 15 times before I start remembering all the damn friggin details of the 1700 questions.

REG: PASS || BEC: PASS || AUD: PASS || F: SCORE PENDING..

[sarah210]

@futuremdcpa– it's really not like you have to remember every single detail. You remember when you were studying for BEC and totally freaked out about those absurd multiple step, multiple calculation MCQs in Becker? But the test was nothing like that? It's the same with FAR. I don't even know you, and the level of stress and freak-out you are piling on yourself are starting to stress *me* out. It is really not that big of a deal. Just take the damned test. If you fail it, SO WHAT? Just take it again. At least you'll have an idea of what you're up against. I have no idea whether or not I passed FAR on my second try this week, but it is definitely the kind of test that when you sit down to take it (in my opinion anyway) you are struck by how fair (not easy, but fair) the questions are. The other sections I've taken have what seem like a decent number of weird questions about stuff I've never seen. But I didn't feel that way about FAR. Becker prepared you for all the other sections, you are going to be prepared for this, even if you are not getting 80s and 90s on the MCQs. Also, seriously do not take those final exams. They are a waste of time and are just going to make you feel worse.

REG- 53, 91
BEC- 88
FAR- 62, 85
AUD- 85

Ethics- 93

[futuremdcpa]

Haha Sarah, I stress my self out for no reason.. But thank you for reminding me about BEC and those freakin calcs! I forgot all about that! You are right. Becker does a great job.

I just hope that going through everything in even more detail the second time is good enough to make everything stick.. I do every question, and understand every detail while doing the question, and if I get it wrong, I don't move on until I understand it 100%.. But now for example, I went back to F3 (Business Combos/Acq/Costs) and I don't really remember anything.. Im not sure what to do.. I thought by doing everything a second time in more detail was more then enough.. Im sure you passed btw 🙂

REG: PASS || BEC: PASS || AUD: PASS || F: SCORE PENDING..

[Author]

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