[jonathan22]

Jeff et al,

Wanted to ask your opinion on something.

I’m currently living in Hong Kong but am returning back to the US next June. I sit for Exam 2 of the CMA at the end of this June.

After that, I’m planning on studying for the CPA. My plan is to go through all the material once. Using Jeff’s CPA Exam study planner, if I start in 1 July this year, I will end studies in May of next year, just in time to move back and begin cram session on 1 June.

Then the plan is to:

Cram 1 month for BEC

Take BEC beginning of July 2012

Cram 1 month for REG

Take REG beginning of Aug 2012

Cram 1 month for AUD

Take AUD end of Aug 2012

Cram 1 month for FAR

Take FAR beginning of Oct 2012

I plan on using CPAExcel as the base material (I get it cheap through work; I work for KPMG). Was thinking about using Yeager CRAM for the cram sections.

My questions are:

Is there a better order to the exams that I should consider?

How should I structure my studies between June 2011 and June 2011? Follow NINJA for each section or do all videos/notes for all sections, then start flashcards for all sections, etc.

When should I start doing MQC: just during CRAM sections or earlier?

Thanks for any advice.

AUD - 77 08/22/2012 (expires 01/31/2014)
BEC - 86 09/17/2011 (expires 02/28/2013)
FAR - 74 12/15/2012
REG

[Herbieherb]

First get all ur review materials in

2012. Cramming one month for FAR and REG? Good luck

NEW YORK- DONE

[Anonymous]

I think first off, its never an ideal situation to study for all the sections at once during the course of a year, then try to cram in the last four months and take them back to back. So if there is anyway this can avoided…

If not, then I would say that it doesnt matter what order you take the exams in, especially since you are taking three in one window. Normally I would say take the hardest one first so that you can begin your 18 month window with the hardest one already out of the way, so you won't waste time retaking it if necessary.

I would use Yaeger (not cram, the regular one) and follow the ninja strategy for each section. Study and master the material for each section as if you were taking the test now instead of in a year. Once you've gone through the ninja strategy and mastered one section and scored high on a full practice exam (including sims), then move on to the next section.

Also, study the sections in the reverse order that you are taking them. So if you are going to be taking BEC, REG, AUD, FAR, then study FAR, REG, AUD, BEC. Then there is no time delay between studying for BEC and taking it, there is a slightly larger time delay between studying and sitting for AUD, etc. As you go on, the time between studying and sitting for the exam lengthens, but you cant really expect to remember what you learned a year ago anyway, so at least this way you've got the best chance for BEC and AUD, and then REG and FAR you are going to have to completely restudy anyway. But at least you are only restudying two sections instead of four.

[kb24]

Whether or not this is doable depends on how much time you're going to have to study in each of your cram months. You've got plenty of prep time total, but you're unlikely to remember much of what you review at the beginning of the process. I think it's easier to review the material in FAR and AUD before BEC because there's a lot of overlap. I think the overlapped material is easier to understand in the context of FAR and AUD and the review materials I'm using (Becker and Wiley) cover it better in those sections.

While there won't be changes due to restructuring the exams, there is new/different material covered each year as new standards, etc. are published. I think the most changes in study material will occur in REG. There's changes to the IRC every year plus the 2011 review material I'm using was printed in 2010 before the extension of the Bush tax cuts at the end of the year so I had to frequently refer to the IRS website to make sure what the current law is. Also, the review companies may make adjustments to the material for 2012 based on the experience of people taking the 2011 exam. They wrote the books using the criteria issued by the AICPA and might feel some adjustments in emphasis or the material covered are needed.

FAR 4/1/11 - 89
AUD 4/15/11 - 85
REG 4/29/11 - 80
BEC 5/13/11 - 85

[Author]

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