[Goingallin]

I look at the scores of the some of the members here and wonder how on earth did you do it.. It’s not an easy exam for sure. I’ll be happy with just a 75. Either you’re gifted with above average IQ or you have a very efficient way to study. If you think it’s the latter, please provide some pointers. I’m trying to finish all exams by April. Which means I have 5 weeks to study for each exam. Any tips will be much appreciated.

[Starwing6]

Caveat: I currently go to grad school and don't have a job, so I have a lot of free time on my hands. I also find lectures mostly useless and mainly prefer to read and do MCQs as I learn best by doing something, messing it up, and learning from said errors so I don't repeat them on test day.

Anyway, what I would do in this situation is spend the first week going through the book twice. In the first reading, you aren't going to get much out of the reading, or at least I don't. It is basically a “breaking the ice” on the material. During the second run, I focus more and actually start absorbing the material. I would take notes on things that pop up, and do the MCQs at the end of each chapter (I use Gleim, which has 30 MCQs at the back of each chapter in the books) in order to have an initial refining of the knowledge picked up during the reading. In essense, the first week would be used to lay the foundation.

I would then hop into my primary review course's MCQ test bank (in my case Gleim) and try to get them all done in the next two weeks. Using REG as an example since it has the most MCQs at about 2650 in Gleim, you would be looking at doing almost 200 MCQs per day (2650/14 = 189, round up to 200). On questions you get wrong or otherwise aren't 100% sure on, I would copy and paste the explanations into a Word document and highlight the part in the explanation that caused the right answer to be what it was. I would also aim to read through the book at least once every week as well during this phase to keep everything fresh in your mind and so that you can have those “ah-ha!” moments as you see things in the text that you didn't before encountering them in the MCQs.

On week 4, I would hop onto the NINJA MCQs and get them done within the week (Which can be up to 300 MCQs per day), and again copy and paste explanations on things you get wrong (or lucky on) in a separate word document from the one(s) you used for your primary review course's test bank. A secondary test bank is good since it may ask questions and provide explanations on things your primary review course doesn't touch. Not to mention the additional practice on questions you have already seen can help reinforce what you've learned from last time. During this week you should also start reviewing your notes you've taken as well.

On the final week, week 5, I would spend the first half of it going back through and re-attempting the questions you missed. During the second half of week 5, I would practice some sims in areas I'm weak on in order to get additional practice and perspective on those areas. Then, on test day, hope everything goes my way!

Hope this helps, and good luck!

BEC- 94
AUD- 8/9/16
REG- 10/15/16
FAR- 12/3/16

[waffle_house]

@Starwing6

So you read the REG Gleim book 4 or 5 times. Holy Sh&%.

So let me sum this up.

Week 1: Read the book twice from front to back with the second time doing the questions at the end of each chapter.
Week 2: Doing primary study material questions (Becker, Gleim, Wiley, etc..). Read the book again?
Week 3: Same as week 2. Read the book again?
Week 4: Do all NINJA MCQ. Read the book again?
Week 5: Reviewing missed questions and concepts. Read the book again?

Do you review SIMS as well??

Lol dude you are a stud for reading that Gleim book. Their material is very extensive.

[Son]

Very similar experience on the exam where I got 93 to what @Starwing6 describes. Was my first one, so I seriously overstudied and thought I needed to understand every single concept to pass.

Read the book once to understand the basics and see the big picture. Watch lectures and highlight the book. Read the book again, this time to understand all the details, and prepare notes paraphrasing main rules from the materials. Do MCQs, update/supplement notes as necessary. Do a thorough review in the last 3-4 days going over everything again. Do practice exams.

This is a time-consuming approach though and might not work if you're looking for a quick way to pass. But 5 weeks per exam is a lot of time even for this thorough approach if you're studying full-time (provided you're actually studying:)).

AUD - passed
REG - passed
BEC - passed
FAR - passed

[Starwing6]

@waffle_house

Well that's ideally what I would have done….. I actually took it easier than that due to having more time to spread out my studying, but if I were confined to a 5 week period per section that would be my plan of attack.

But regardless I do believe it would be a good way to keep everything fresh in your head.

BEC- 94
AUD- 8/9/16
REG- 10/15/16
FAR- 12/3/16

[waffle_house]

Is that how you will study for FAR?

[Starwing6]

I actually already took FAR and REG on Dec 7 and the 10th, respectively. Started studying for FAR in September for a November take, but moved it to December 7th due to a scheduling conflict. Felt ready for FAR, so I started hitting REG while keeping maintenance on my FAR knowledge so I could take it in December as well so I could have at least 2 chances to take both sections before the big changes in Q2 2017 hit… feel very confident on FAR and mostly OK on REG.

My original plan was to take REG in February but decided it would be best to cram and give it a shot now and see if I couldn't pass it and knock the final two birds out in one quarter.

But to answer the question, I spread out my FAR studies but did lots of MCQs on it from Gleim, Wiley Test Bank, the Wiley Study Guide, and the Ninja MCQs as well as reading the book, in addition to most of the Gleim Sims.

I may have said this before, but I learn best by reading and then by doing it.

BEC- 94
AUD- 8/9/16
REG- 10/15/16
FAR- 12/3/16

[NeedsA75]

How the heck do you take two exams within 3 days of one another? That means you are studying two sections simultaneously? Which means you study full time w/out working?

[Starwing6]

Yes… I don't have a job and go to grad school (took easy classes this semester so I could focus on the CPA exam…. already have the 150 hours).

But I didn't just cram for REG from scratch for 2-3 days…. studied it for 3-4 weeks from mid November till December 10th when I took its exam.

I also had been studying for FAR since September. So it wasn't like I was studying for both all concurrently.

BEC- 94
AUD- 8/9/16
REG- 10/15/16
FAR- 12/3/16

[RE2PECT]

@Starwing6- I don't know how you can read the Gleim REG book once let alone that many times! That thing is rough to look at. I ordered the test bank for my REG retake and their mcq's are insane!

I scored stronger on my actual exam mcq's, but I'm only averaging around 65% after doing around 750 mcq's. Their sims are really tough too, which is just what I need considering I was weaker on them for my exam.

Did you practice many sims before you took REG and did you feel that they helped for what was on your exam?

FAR: 75 Roger & Ninja (notes/flashcards/audio/MCQ)
AUD: 73, 81
BEC: 71, retake 8/29
REG:

[ZombieMouse]

I work full-time and took all four exams within the six-month NTS. REG was my worst exam, in part because it was my first and I didn't know what to expect (no matter how many you take, practice tests just aren't the same), and in part because I studied for it while waiting on state board approval to test, so I ended up drawing out the process over several months. By the time I got to the end of my study program (Becker), I'd already forgotten everything I learned at the beginning! I passed REG on the first try, but I didn't do as well as I did on the exams I studied for over a more condensed 4- (AUD) or 6-week (BEC) schedule. So — I really do think that 5 weeks is doable, and in some ways it may even work to your advantage.

Like @Starwing6, I learn best by doing, especially when I give myself room to make mistakes and learn from them. I skipped the recorded lectures (after REG) and focused on the reading, MCQ's and practice sims. I would read a section, highlight, take notes in the margins of the textbook and occasionally reread a section if something didn't “click” the first time. (I would really have liked to have read the each book at least twice, because I agree that the material is easier to absorb if you've already exposed yourself to it once, but I just didn't have the time.) After each section, I'd do the MCQ's for that section. After each chapter, I'd do the sims for every section in that chapter. Everything I got wrong, I'd redo until I got it right and understood the underlying concept. Then I'd move on.

For AUD and BEC, I used Becker's cumulative progress tests to keep old material fresh. I tried to do at least one 30- (AUD) or 24-question (BEC) progress test every day, to ensure that I continuously revisited old concepts as well as to get used to the length of each testlet and learn to pace myself. I didn't have time for that with FAR (which I spent about a month studying for during planning season, which is the FP&A Analyst's version of hell), and I really felt it on the exam. I am not sure I passed FAR at all; I definitely wasn't ready for it, but my NTS was about to expire so I just went for it.

It's exciting to get good scores, especially when you weren't feeling particularly confident about your performance on the exams, but at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter if you pass with a 75 or a 99. I had a former boss tell me that if I passed with more than an 80% then I was doing it wrong, because the key is to put in enough effort to pass and move onto the next exam, and the next, and the next — and then get on with your life. I really liked that philosophy.

[Goingallin]

Star, thanks for writing such a detailed response. It was helpful.

I passed FAR by studying the multiple choices only. Didn't even take notes which is probably why I scored a mere 75. I did the same far BEC and awaiting score. My concern is AUD. I don't think the previous technique would work for AUD bc it is mainly based on memorization so if the multiple choices do not cover all terms and concepts, i'm screwed. I'm realizing now the homework questions cannot possibly cover the entire book. the problem is I don't study with books as I tend tp fall asleep n not retain much.

[Goingallin]

Thanks for everyone's great tips. I'm not expecting to get a 90+ but the question is mainly to set myself up to pass and leave little room to fail. I would be happy with a 75 for all sections.

For those who read the books more than once, I applaud you for exceptional discipline.

[CPYay]

Close to the 90's… (most likely lucky?) So I'll provide some insight from a different perspective.

I am a dad with two girls. I have a girlfriend with a son. I start work at 8 and get home around 7 or 730… make dinner… and start studying around 830. I give an hour or two on weeknights and push harder on the weekends. Weekends are also filled with family stuff, so I have to be diligent in my efforts. Here's my study routine:

I have Roger. I watch the videos first and follow along with the book. Minimal pausing to help the timing. I take notes as I watch. If I have a bit of free time after studying, I'll do a set of like 10 MCQs to gauge my memory.

I reread the notes when I have free time.

Once videos are finished, I buy Ninja MCQ and push for 80-100 MCQs a day. Every day. I take notes on the ones I get wrong and the ones I get right, but wasn't 100% sure about. On weekends, I push for 120-140 MCQs and fill in gaps with reading the text on sections I struggle with.

That's it. I fill in SIMS here and there to break up the monotony. I schedule my exams for 8am so I get up and just GO. No stress or cramming beforehand. If I'm ready, I'm ready.

This is all my schedule allows and so far it has worked. I don't always have the energy to do the MCQs, but I do my best. Some days I only get a set or two in, but that's better than nothing.

Good luck!

[Starwing6]

@RE2PECT

I didn't practice many sims for REG as I didn't have as much time due to trying to cram for it and get it knocked out, but I did do so for FAR and AUD and I believe that the extra practice helped there and would have helped for REG had I had the time to do it.

BEC- 94
AUD- 8/9/16
REG- 10/15/16
FAR- 12/3/16

[SaveBandit]

I only got 2 scores in the 90s but I'll play anyway.

Backstory: My under-grad GPA was a sub 3.0. I put off taking the test/going to grad school because I thought I was too dumb to do it. I finally went through with it ten years later. I went to grad school, studied for the cpa and worked full time.

This exam is a game of statistics, so I thought I would use statistics to my advantage. In any given window they are going to pass approximately half the candidates. That means you have to beat the guy sitting next to you in the exam room. So, I started researching the exam 9 months before I even sat for it. I wanted to get a gauge on how many hours people were studying per section. Once I knew the range for each test I decided I was going to study 25% more than the top end of that range. I figured if I put in 25% more time than the high end of an average candidate, I was going to beat the guy sitting next to me at prometric. It worked.

I know “study more” isn't what anyone wants to hear. But my grades were always crappy, and it wasn't for lack of trying, so I knew I was too dumb to simply go through the material once with maybe a week to review. That is for smart people. I am not one of them.

I was very organized about what I was studying and exactly what I would be working on when I would study. Really, you have to ABC (Always Be Consuming) the material. Whether that's reading notes before bed, looking at flash cards in the car, or using the Becker app while you're waited to be seated at dinner, there are a ton of little opportunities throughout the day to get your hours of studying in. ABC.

And you do get more efficient as you go on. By the time I got to Reg (last section), I knew exactly what I needed to do. I studied far less for it than I did for the others, and it was my second highest score. And no, I don't work in Tax.

4 for 4

FAR 85
AUD 94
BEC 86
REG 90

[Author]

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