[Nevergiveup2012]

Hi,

I’d like you to share with me your successful experience in preparing for FAR exam. I only have 2.5 months to prepare but based on my past exam preparations I learned that I am a slow learner , so I need your advice on the most efficient way of studying FAR. Due to the overwhelming amount of information, what’s your strategy in retaining the information?

My past experience is like this. I went through the lecture, MCQ, SIMS for each chapter, but by the time I finished chapter 10 I would forget stuff I had learned in chapter 1. How do you tackle such situation?

THank you!

BEC - 86 (8/31/12)
AUD - 97 (11/18/12)
REG - 83 (5/12/13)
FAR - 91 (12/2/13)
Done!!!

[10keyLeah]

Did you take notes? I found having a set of notes or using Ninja notes was an effective way to jog my memory. If anything, you can hit the major points in a short period of time with notes.

Ninja Combo, Yaeger, Wiley -- Licensed CPA, May 2015

[ImaCPA168]

Look into and follow Jeff's NINJA and ELL plan. The plans are free on this site. The NINJA plan remedies the problem you are experiencing with your current study plan. Going through a lecture, the MCQs, SIMs…then forgeting everything? That's frustrating. The NINJA plan will fix all of this. Go get it. And while you're at it, I recommend spending a couple extra $$ and get the NINJA notes and audio to supplement your CPA review materials. It saved my life.

B - 83 Done
A - 88 Done
R - 81 Done
F - 77 Done

Ethics - Done
Attest Hours - Done

Licensed-May 2013!

[Nevergiveup2012]

It seems that both of you are recommending Ninja's approach. I'll look into it.

Thank you for sharing your experience.

BEC - 86 (8/31/12)
AUD - 97 (11/18/12)
REG - 83 (5/12/13)
FAR - 91 (12/2/13)
Done!!!

[jokami]

@Nevergiveup2012

FAR for me was the easiest to pass. Although it is the one with most material to learn; it is basically “Principles of Accounting” and “Intermediate Accounting”. You know this already. You may feel overwhelmed and this is very normal. Don't let it take over you. You can do this!

B - 62, 70, 72, 79!!!
A - 68, 81
R - 70, 82
F - 84

"The limit to your abilities is where you place them" - Fortune Cookies

[Gerg, CPA]

my approach: study your a$$ off

the NINJA method seemed to work pretty well when i did it for BEC

FAR - 1/26/2012 - PASSED (78, but Lost credit), re-do 11/27/2013 - PASSED (87)!
AUD - EPIC FAIL, 71, 69; 68; 5/25/2013 - PASSED (85)!
REG - 10/1/2012 - 72; 7/1/2013 - 73 UGH, 10/1/2013 - PASSED (85)!
BEC - 2/28/2013 - PASSED (82)!
Licensed CPA!

Used Becker self-study materials (just this for FAR original & REG #1), WileyTestBank, NINJA notes/audio, and Roger cram course for AUD #5, REG #3 & FAR reboot. CPA!

[TripleNetAcct]

@Nevergiveup2012 – I have had a similar journey up to this point. What review course do you have and plan to use?

AUD 73 (Aug 12) 77
BEC 66 71 (Nov 12) 80
REG 54 81 (May 13) 81
FAR 63 (Dec 13) 75 TEXAS

[overapplied]

I studied 7 chapters until I gained 75% proficiency with them (this took about 2 weeks). After that I continued working on the material in the next chapters, but each day I reviewed one of the chapters that I had completed [to the point of taking tests and passing the material for that chapter]. Then I just kept studying and rotating to keep the information fresh.

I also wrote out the ninja notes by hand 4 times during the period of 87 days that I was studying for FAR.

AUD - 75 - 07/06/2012
FAR - 72, 74, 82 - 05/30/2013
BEC - 84 - 01/16/2013
REG - 60ish, 84 - 08/16/2013

CISA - Passed

[Anonymous]

I did FAR in 2.5 months as well. I used Becker self study. FAR is broken up into 10 sections. I didn't take any notes at first. I just want to get through with the materials. The first go round, I'll get around 50% right on my MCs and will struggle w/ the simulations. Don't be discourage and just keep doing the questions. Becker suggest you do all the questions 3x, and it's pretty accurate for me. The 2nd go round, I got 70% ish and the 3rd go round, I got 80-90% correct. I pass FAR with a 83.

Week 1 – sections 1 & 2 (lectures & questions)

Week 2 – sections 3 & 4 (lectures & questions)

Week 3 – sections 5 & 6 (lectures & questions)

Week 4 – sections 7 & 8 (lectures & questions)

Week 5 – sections 9 & 10 (lectures & questions)

Week 6 – review notes of 1-3+ questions. (this is where I'll take notes, and make index cards)

Week 7 – review notes of 4-6 + questions

Week 8 – review notes of 7-10 + questions

Week 9-10 3rd go round on questions – progress test and practice exam. I did each practice exam 2x if that helps.

Good luck.

[Phillip]

When practicing mcq's and sims I would randomly pull 5-10 questions from each module so each would stay fresh in my head. Mark down the one's i've done so I wouldn't do the same ones so soon. Sort of like making your own practice exams each day.

F - 73, 86
R - 60, 76
A - 84
B - 83

[Author]

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