[wakefern58]

With not a great background in accounting, is the FAR material unbelievably difficult or is it the amount of material that makes it so challenging?

[tygolfer]

I honestly felt that REG had more information than FAR, but the complexity on FAR is the greatest of all the tests I have taken so far. I would not say it is unbelievably difficult, but some of the topics can take some time to learn.

[Anonymous]

Both. 🙂

[GrumpiestMage22]

I thought it was the amount of the material more than the content. There are some areas that are tricky, (deferred taxes, government) but I thought the material in REG was more complex than FAR.

[IwannabeaCPA2017]

it is really ironic to see different opinions..I think REG is so much easier than FAR but thats prob because I'm a tax guy? Answers will vary but one thing for sure FAR was scary cuz the mass amount of info. At least tax was broken down into piece meal.. 4 chap on tax alone and 4 on Bus. LAw.

[Anonymous]

The volume of material is indeed overwhelming. The key is repetition. Review and rehearse and recite the stuff over and over as needed. I studied FAR for 2 months straight, then I got a new job and it took me another month to finish off the 20-25% I had left. I took me one day to forget almost everything I'd studied over those 3 months.

Different people on here will tell you different things about FAR. Some will say “I learned it all in school, pass on 1st try!” The next dude will tell you they struggled with retention of the topics because there were so many fine details to remember, which is a more typical scenario.

“Everybody's different….”

[CPA788]

Agreed with most/all on here – everyone is different. I've never worked a day in audit, passed AUD on my first go. I work in industry with lots of experience in FAR related material, took me 3x. Don't go into a study mode with a pre-conceived notion that you won't do well based on your history. Attack the material and be the boss. You can do it. In hopefully less attempts than it took me.

BEC - 74, 77
FAR - 72, 71 (retake 7/29)
REG - 69
AUD - Q4 '16

CA Candidate

[Anonymous]

Some people have no problem passing all four in a short period of time. Others have a very serious problem passing them. It seems like half of it is about luck (the day you take it and the questions you happen to get on your exam) and the other half about your own preparation and how well you studied. There is very little rhyme or reason with these exams, and it gets weirder by the day. With the new exam format, it's anyone's good guess as to what's coming up and how it will change the climate of CPA Land. I quit worrying about it long ago. Maybe I should worry more, actually!! At this point I personally don't even care *when* I pass. I just care about *eventually passing.*

[Author]

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