[Char143]

If I had a dollar for every time someone gave me bad advice during this CPA process, I wouldn’t need to be a CPA…

“Don’t study/review the day before the exam it won’t do anything for you” UMMMMM it does everything for me. I go over topics I am still a little confused on, I do MCQ, and I have “OH YEAH moments that seem to stick with me on exam day”

“Don’t review the day of the exam” ARE U KIDDING MEEEE do u know how much I go over a specific topic on the day of the exam that I just can’t seem to memorize. Like governmental for FAR, or a certain audit topic, or ratio’s.. and how much it has helped me on the exam.

“Just don’t get your CPA, you already have a degree and can work, right?” oh, okay. Wow.. I never knew that was an option.

“You are only 3 points away from passing, study what confused you and take it again in a week” …No comment

“It’s just a test, stop getting so nervous” not advice but this is possibly the worst of it all

… :/

AUD (2/16)-84
REG (05/16)-69 Retake (7/16)-79 (ty ninja MCQ)
BEC-TBD
FAR-9/8/16

[Stilgoin]

I understand the ‘don’t study the day before’ concept. From someone who has studied 8-10 and sometimes 12 hours in one day, there is such a thing as over-studying. I have done 200 FAR MCQs in one day, 100 in one sitting, with full-on notes and research. The first time I took FAR, I barely remember going to the test center and I have no clue what was on that exam. I was under an immense amount of stress and I tried to compensate by over-studying. That was too much. I have learned to slack off the week before- so no more than 5 hours per day and take a weekend day off. I usually schedule an exam on Thursday, take off studying the Sunday before. Then I do sims on M,T, and review on Wednesday. On my 2 hour drive to Prometric on Thursday I listen to my voice memo of my NINJA notes (Far happens to be the exact right length lol), look over my mnemonics right before I go in, then go in and test. This is my formula, and I wish I had known this in the beginning. I could have potentially saved a lot of cash. lol

Advice is subjective and everyone is different. 😉

B | 62, 78
A | 73, 67, 79
R | 82
F | 59, 59, Waiting

Ethics | 93

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
~Winston Churchill

“In a world full of critics, be an encourager."

[jeff]

I can tell this is going to be a good thread, so I polished up the title 🙂

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

[Char143]

The cpa exam is currently a lot of memorization, which is why they are changing it. There words not mine.

Memorizing the difference between IFRS and GAAP.. I'm sorry that isn't something I do everyday in my life. No matter how hard I try I can't retain that part, so I'm going to listen to a ninja lecture on my way to prometric. I know a lot of concepts, but it isn't just about knowing concepts, cause if it was.. we would all pass. Ratio's, IFRS vs GAAP, REG: tax deductions, income ceiling for tax credits… so much to memorize. Which is all totally fine and fair, but saying the CPA exam is not about memorizing- wayyyy off in my opinion.

AUD (2/16)-84
REG (05/16)-69 Retake (7/16)-79 (ty ninja MCQ)
BEC-TBD
FAR-9/8/16

[aaronmo]

^^^ Exactly why I think the exam changes are a good thing. It should test concepts more and de-emphasize stuff like IFRS vs. FARS a LOT. Some stuff just requires memorization…and the memorization IS part of the concept (like REG and knowing what is below and above the line), but the sheer bloody mindedness of memorizing non-sense like statement titles to the nth degree, or the arbitrary 7 components of the COSO cube…which ALL FREAKING OVERLAP…is ridiculous. It makes it a test of tolerance for tedium and pain rather than one of accounting.

Make it harder to pass, but considerably easier to prep…more like the bar exam. More sims, less detail.

(says the guy good at reading and concept who HATES memorization and tedium)

[Goingallin]

I have to agree with not studying on the day of the exam. AT least for me, if I don't know it by the day of the exam, than I'm not ready to take the exam. That's all there is to it for me.

I don't talk about the CPA exam with people who are not familiar. I think there's a correlation between getting a lot of useless advice and us complaining too much about the exam. What do people do when we complain? They offer an advice. Don't want to hear it, than don't complain to those people. Right?

[Stilgoin]

Today-worst advice ever……..you should totally take your scheduled vacay to the beach the week before your exam. You can study by the pool. It will help you to relax and you might even do better on the exam.

I.cant.even….who says this?!?!

Someone wanting you to fail, that’s who. 😠

B | 62, 78
A | 73, 67, 79
R | 82
F | 59, 59, Waiting

Ethics | 93

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
~Winston Churchill

“In a world full of critics, be an encourager."

[TX LECPA]

That's funny stuff stilgoin…lol! A week! I'd die!

FAR - 64,71,64,71,75!!!!
REG - 64,63,65,68, July
BEC - 69,74, July
AUD - 53, June 8th

[Ryan]

I didn't memorize one formula for any part. I did about 6000 MCQ each section, until the information became cemented in my skull.

Did not study day before or day of exam. Everyone is diffferent. I think the key is to not tell a single soul outside of spouse you are taking the exam. Do not need any additional pressure or annoying comments.

[N4]

That's all bad advice. The worst for retakers is probably the last. And its not possible to take it a week later anyways!

FAR (5/31) PASS (Best birthday gift ever!)

[Anonymous]

I think this is a good thread though the title begins with the word BAD, LOL.
Shouldn't we have a counterpart thread such as Good CPA Exam Advice?
-Don't eat at Taco Bells before going into the testing center;
-Drink a lot of water a day before the test
-Drink less coffee before testing;
-Do less MCQs a day before the actual test

[jeff]

^Bad Advice!! 🙂

Don't alter caffeine consumption prior to your exam…take your exam under the same caffeinated state you did when you studied.

😀

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

[slackergurl]

When I took BEC, I studied for about 30 total hours – 12 hours each the two days before the exam and 6 hours the day of the exam. I scored an 81. It really is dependent on the person. I would NEVER suggest someone study like I do, because it really doesn't work for most people. I just happen to be a person for which cramming works really well.

[N4]

I agree I need plenty of caffeine before my exam. Need to go in ready for battle. Can't be at all sleepy! Everyone is different though but I make sure to have at least two shots of expresso in me before my exam. Everyone is different though!

FAR (5/31) PASS (Best birthday gift ever!)

[SaveBandit]

“Don't study the SIMS” is the most common piece of bad advice I read on this forum.

With the exam moving toward a more simulations based approach, some people are going to be in for a real treat if they skip studying SIMS.

4 for 4

FAR 85
AUD 94
BEC 86
REG 90

[aaronmo]

I learn more from the SIMS than the MCQ. SIMs are actual practical application of principal, and the real test of your knowledge/understanding. I can't imagine skipping them and think Becker is doing a disservice to its students by not making them mandatory (perhaps giving the false impression that they're “extra”).

I can't speak for others…but I found the SIMs 100% ESSENTIAL.

BTW…I barely used any flash cards and thought the Becker flash cards were a waste.

[Author]

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