[Shane]

Hello Guys

I scheduled my FAR exam at the end of May. I have around 11 weeks to go before the exam but I noticed that it’s extremely difficult to study after work and mostly during first 2 weeks of close, where we have to pull 60 hrs.

Any advise, how to tackle this situation? I had everything planned with 10 days to review but I can hardly get pass the review lectures on a workday.

Also, I am moving in this month so I am wondering if its a good idea to postpone the exam until July to get some extra time or should I stick to it for MAY.

Also, when is it a good time to make a decision to postpone an exam? How far before the exam date.

plz Help

[Quinacridone]

Shane – I work full time as well and long hours, but not in public accounting (just governmental auditing). I took almost 4 months to study (since I had almost zero familiarity with many of the topics in FAR) and do not believe that I could have passed this test the first go around if I had tried to rush it.

For you, its really going to depend on how much knowledge you have going into your studies. I did Becker (not sure what you are using) and found that most of the lectures I could get away with skipping by reading the book. Instead of watching the lectures, I made deep summaries of each chapter with example problems and journal entries that I carried around everywhere with me and studied my summaries every spare moment and during lunchtime. I also have the Becker flashcards which I also kept on me at all times. I spent almost 3 weeks in review before the test also. You could potentially do it at the end of May, but I think you would need to start getting through 2 chapters a week rather than one. It is doable, though, even with a busy schedule!

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[Quinacridone]

Shane – I work full time as well and long hours, but not in public accounting (just governmental auditing). I took almost 4 months to study (since I had almost zero familiarity with many of the topics in FAR) and do not believe that I could have passed this test the first go around if I had tried to rush it.

For you, its really going to depend on how much knowledge you have going into your studies. I did Becker (not sure what you are using) and found that most of the lectures I could get away with skipping by reading the book. Instead of watching the lectures, I made deep summaries of each chapter with example problems and journal entries that I carried around everywhere with me and studied my summaries every spare moment and during lunchtime. I also have the Becker flashcards which I also kept on me at all times. I spent almost 3 weeks in review before the test also. You could potentially do it at the end of May, but I think you would need to start getting through 2 chapters a week rather than one. It is doable, though, even with a busy schedule!

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[yourmomsaCPA]

I work full time as a controller (international company, so IFRS AND GAAP) and took FAR on Feb 18 (in tx so don't know yet.).

I started studying mid December then did the annual close, went through two audits, (IFRS,GAAP) and then turned around and closed feb. I probably would've gotten 25% of the material on my own…so studying was PARAMOUNT.

My exam experience was surprisingly not bad. If I failed, I got close. Just do it.

FAR - 87 2/18/14
AUD - 84 4/2/14
REG - 87 7/23/14
BEC - 78 8/26/14

I'm finally an *official* CPA - TX

[yourmomsaCPA]

I work full time as a controller (international company, so IFRS AND GAAP) and took FAR on Feb 18 (in tx so don't know yet.).

I started studying mid December then did the annual close, went through two audits, (IFRS,GAAP) and then turned around and closed feb. I probably would've gotten 25% of the material on my own…so studying was PARAMOUNT.

My exam experience was surprisingly not bad. If I failed, I got close. Just do it.

FAR - 87 2/18/14
AUD - 84 4/2/14
REG - 87 7/23/14
BEC - 78 8/26/14

I'm finally an *official* CPA - TX

[Anonymous]

Good grief! RTMFQ!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Good grief! RTMFQ!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Ha! Meant to post that in my study group. 🙂 Oopsie!

[Anonymous]

Ha! Meant to post that in my study group. 🙂 Oopsie!

[Study Monk]

If you do 15 hours a week for 11 weeks you will have a chance to pass. If you can get 20 hours in each week you should have a very good chance to pass.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Study Monk]

If you do 15 hours a week for 11 weeks you will have a chance to pass. If you can get 20 hours in each week you should have a very good chance to pass.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[mla1169]

It depends. It certainly can be done with a busy schedule ( I worked full time during the week, had a retail job on Sundays, was taking 2 classes online to finish my masters and have 2 kids) I studied about 7 weeks for FAR and it was exhausting but I trudged through.

If you feel better waiting until after your move, wait. But remember things will always come up that make this exam inconvenient. So be prepared to be stretched whenever you make up your mind to do it.

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

It depends. It certainly can be done with a busy schedule ( I worked full time during the week, had a retail job on Sundays, was taking 2 classes online to finish my masters and have 2 kids) I studied about 7 weeks for FAR and it was exhausting but I trudged through.

If you feel better waiting until after your move, wait. But remember things will always come up that make this exam inconvenient. So be prepared to be stretched whenever you make up your mind to do it.

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Author]

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