[RWCPA]

I am using CPA Excel for FAR and have gone through all of the material in the past few months. I am reviewing now and feel like I have forgotten quite a bit of the material. I recently purchased the ninja audio ( I listen everyday on a 1 hour commute both ways) and the notes (just started reading). I am taking the exam In mid July. Does anyone have any advice for the best way to use my study time over the next for weeks? I have been putting the majority of time on the Government NP, Leases, Pensions, Bonds and EPS as those seem to be big topics. Thanks in advance

[Anonymous]

EVERYTHING on the FAR exam is somewhere in the CPA Excel book (that thing is dense). That being said, there's a whole ton of information and it's impossible to retain all of it, especially for FAR (I used the CPA Excel/Wiley book myself). Using the Ninja audio and notes to supplement your CPA Excel studying is great, especially during your commute.

In my opinion, the majority of your available time at this point (since you've already gone through all the material and are forgetting portions of it), should be spent continually banging out MCQs on the areas you've already covered. Modules you do poorer on (my benchmark was always 75%) I'd go back into your book/notes and do some brief re-studying on.

That's what I did anyways 🙂

[okcpa2015]

@RWCPA I was exactly in the same spot as you, using CPAExcel, so I figured I would share.

I started studying for FAR at the beginning of November and planned on sitting for the exam at the end of January, I got through the material 3 weeks before the exam and went to review. When I started to review I immediately had a nervous breakdown because I didn't remember a thing.

How I got through it was I took the next two weeks to go through each lesson and do the questions in exam mode. If I got a 90% or above I just moved on from the lesson. If I scored less than 90% I would review what I didn't understand and then test over those questions the next day. I studied a total of 53 hours over two weeks to get it done.

After all that I felt like I really got a hold of the material. I would do random 30 question quizzes over the entire material and started scoring in the 80s and 90s.

What I learned is that I studied for way to long, and I wasn't reviewing past material along the way. I know my approach above is very time intensive, but so is FAR in general. Let that panic motivate you because I know you can do it… I did.

Good luck!

FAR - 91
REG - 88
AUD - 98
BEC - 88

[RWCPA]

It looks like I have some MCQs to get through! I am feeling very motivated to get through this thing and will put whatever time I need to make sure the time already spent is not wasted.

okcpa2015 Was going over the MCQs enough to be comfortable with the SIMs?

Thanks again!

[kyle.brown]

I was in the same boat the first time i took FAR. I plan on retaking it at the end of August after i sit for AUD July 11th.

FAR - Passed 4/2016
AUD - Passed 11/2015
REG - ?
BEC - 05/28/2016

[okcpa2015]

@RWCPA my approach to preparing for SIMs was just to do more MCQs. They are nothing more than an extension of the same material.

Understanding the relationship with when doing JEs is key. For example, if I was asked about booking an accrual or deferral I know I'm going to have a BS account and an P&L account.

FAR - 91
REG - 88
AUD - 98
BEC - 88

[Author]

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