[jeff]

NINJA Study Notes, Flashcards, and Audio: https://www.another71.com/products-page/

Wiley Software: https://www.another71.com/wiley-cpa-software/

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone. My name is Allyson and I too hate being back on this thread. No offense.

I used Becker alone in 2009 to pass REG and I am using it again along with the Wiley test bank.

How I miss the written communications…

[yankeeaccountant]

hey guys,

REG is the pits. So far, I have read the Wiley book and have taken notes. Now I am doing the lectures in Becker and the mcq;s in addition to mcq's in Wiley.I am just about to start on R3 in Becker. I am hoping to have a two week review period before sitting for the exam. Estimated exam date : end of July. …still waiting on my NTS!!

My studying has been sporadic. In that, the quality isn't there. I am not working right now so it appears as though I should be kicking butt with studying. But I have 2 sons that are home and it is tough taking off my Mom's hat. One in high school the other college. My oldest (college kid) just got into a car accident last week (nope–everyone is ok. ). Except he decided to rear end a Hummer. Like he couldn't have found something smaller???? Needless to say my son's car folded up like an accordion ! This is just a sample of how summer goes, always something brewing—I know you guys know what I am talking about.

I am thinking about getting a cram for the review part—what do you guys think? Yaeger or Roger? I need the EXTRA. I don't know why, but it seems like I need constant repetition to keep things straight in my head.

Well, I hope you guys are faring better than me the rest of the week.

[Anonymous]

@Allyson I miss the written comms sooooooooooo much. I had em for my first 3 exams and passed, only exam I didnt have them was for Reg 2011 and failed, sure am regretting not finding a way to take REG in 2010 now! Also, glad to see you passed BEC, from what I remember you work in tax? That combined with Becker should have you well prepared for this beast, good luck, I hope this is our last exam!

@Yankee, always tough juggling this exam with life. I will be studying around my wedding(as well as a few others I am attending) this summer, but we've just got to find a way to make it happen right. Try your best to fit in some quality study hours—I feel like I didnt get enough of those my last go around, and for this exam its definitely needed!

[HazeEastwood]

Allyson. I think you are really close. I honestly think you are going to pass this coming up window and be done. I am going to be there to celebrate with you!!

FAR-81
BEC-84
AUD-91
REG-89

[Letitbleed]

On my last part, taking the summer off and taking REG in Q4. As a guage, anyone have an opinion as to what is more difficult, FAR or REG? I have very little tax background.

Thanks.

AUD - 86 (08/10)
BEC - 83 (11/10)
FAR - 90 (05/11)
REG - 78 (11/11)

[HazeEastwood]

To me, REG is harder

FAR-81
BEC-84
AUD-91
REG-89

[yankeeaccountant]

@Baked

Understood…I will heed your advice. This is my first attempt and I want to make it my last. I only have Audit and REG left. Both of which I am taking this window…hoping to finish as well. I appreciate the push. As they say in the south, ” let's git -r-done.!”

[Anonymous]

There's been alot of talk about the SIMS being crazy for REG. For people that passed, what helped you most with the sims? Did you have a really strong understanding of REG details before you took it? Did you use the research tab alot? Did anyone take REG and NOT feel intimidated by the sims?

[HazeEastwood]

CalCPASoon, nothing. Nothing prepared me for the SIMs. Know that the SIMs will be a challenge and just don't freak out.

FAR-81
BEC-84
AUD-91
REG-89

[kb24]

@letitbleed – I thought REG was harder than FAR. For a lot of people the answer to your question depends on the type of exam they got for REG. This is the exam about which I saw the most complaints due to questions on obscure topics or ones that were completely unclear as to what they were asking. For those that didn't have this problem, the exam was tough but fair. For those that did (and I'm one of them) a difficult exam was made almost impossible. If not for this, I'd probably have thought FAR was harder than REG because you have to know so much more material. Either way, though, IMO these were definitely the two toughest exams.

As far as my background, I've not worked in accounting so I have no financial accounting knowledge beyond school and exam preparation. I do returns for a few family members and friends so I have some tax background but not a lot. I am familiar with all the normal forms for service corporations and individuals and have analyzed plenty of K-1's, but I have never done returns for retail corporations or gift or estate. My business law knowledge is limited to what I learned in one class and in exam prep.

@yankeeaccountant – sounds like the cram worked for you before, so I'd give it a shot for REG if I were you. Sorry about your son's car, but I'm glad he's OK. Hope your summer improves, and I'll be watching for your scores in September.

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

[Anonymous]

FAR vs REG were very similar for me. A lot of material, some things are “easy” and click, some things went over my head no matter how many times I read it/practiced it—I will echo the same thoughts as so many others—part of it is the luck of what you get asked on your exam too—which again being prepared is the best remedy for this.

I felt the exact same after both exams too—“I failed”. For FAR I was so confident I failed that I didn't even keep up with the score release, then I got curious to see “how badly I failed it” checked my score and was shocked to not only pass but score an 80. For REG I held out hope since I had walked out of FAR and BEC feeling like I failed, but sure enough my instinct with REG was correct. That being said would I rank REG as harder than FAR? probably not. I studied nearly 3 months for FAR and 7 weeks for REG. Preparation is key for either exam—because both are pretty difficult.

[yankeeaccountant]

Thanks for nod KB24!!

Hoping to pass on good news come September. Best of luck on the job search—I have no doubt you will have more successes coming your way.

Kids, what are you going to do? I know that you have a daughter, do you have any boys? I grew up with girls basically, my Dad died when I was nine. So, it was girls all the time. Now, I live in a house of boys—OIY!!! The oldest has earned the moniker of “crash”, seeing as he just totaled this car in the spring of his senior year in high school. The funny thing is I ust had my youngest at Drivers Ed this past week….here we go again!!!!!!

Enjoy the summer….hope all is well with your daughter and her exams. Any REG info you think of or want to pass on—I am all ears!!

Appreciate your time and effort on the boards keeping people in the know.

Happy Fourth.

nadia

[Letitbleed]

Thanks for the insight. Based on the amount of material, I was under the assumption I was over the biggest hurdle by getting past FAR. I definitely knew I took the 2 less intense sections first. I was by no means assuming REG was a cake walk, but thought it was somewhere in between FAR and AUD/BEC. Hopefully it being my last section will keep me motivated to put in the appropriate time, which sounds like will be more than initially planned.

AUD - 86 (08/10)
BEC - 83 (11/10)
FAR - 90 (05/11)
REG - 78 (11/11)

[kb24]

@yankee –

You sound like my sister. She was the girliest girl growing up, but she ended up with 2 boys, now aged 21 and 23. When her kids started playing sports, she bought “Football for Dummies” so she could understand the conversation at dinner. Even the pets they've had over the years have been male. My husband, however, is the one outnumbered in our family. We have the one daughter, our dog of many years was female, and he works almost entirely with women. I refer to his golf afternoons as his male bonding time. Our daughter will find out her score in a couple of weeks, but she's trying not to think about it until she has to. I don't envy you the driver's ed. Our daughter's an excellent driver, but I was not an excellent rider when she was learning.

I'm starting my job search in earnest in about 10 days after I get back from helping my sister out. I hope I'll be gainfully employed by the end of the summer. My daughter and I are hitting the outlets this weekend for interview and work clothes.

For REG, study the ancillary material in Becker just as well as you do the rest of text. Lots of it is tested just as heavily as the rest of the material. Like every other exam, do lots and lots of MCQ. If you don't normally do taxes, go thru the forms in addition to the MCQ to make sure you're fully familiar with them. Good luck.

By the way, why is your user name yankeeaccountant if you're in TN? A couple of years ago, I spent the summer in Maine on our boat. My husband flew up there when he could but didn't want to spend the time driving so it was just me and the dog on the road. I had never been thru TN before and thought it was just gorgeous. I keep telling my husband we need to spend a few days up there. He'd be in heaven with the scenery and all the historical sites.

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

[yankeeaccountant]

KB24,

Let's just say that I looove being the “Queen” of the house, but some days!!!! Grrrrrrr!

I agree, Tennessee is beautiful. I had never stepped foot in this state prior to moving here 5 years ago. I must say, I marvel at how the scenery can do wonders on your disposition. I am from the suburbs of Chicago. Hence the name yankeeaccountant.

Thanks for the tips on REG…I will follow your lead.

Best of luck with helping your sister and interviewing!!

nadia

[Author]

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