[Nate]

Hello all,

I’ve spent a lot of time lurking on the forums while avoiding studying and figured it was time for me to contribute. Here is some of my preparation experience and a few study tips.

I have been studying full-time over the summer. I did an internship during the busy season, saved all of my money, and have generous parents that let me stay at home for free. If you have the opportunity to study this way I definitely recommend it! I can’t imagine doing this on top of a full-time job.

I applied for my NTS and it took 11 weeks and one day to get it back. I called and emailed twice. Every time I got a prompt response but it did nothing to speed up the process. Make sure to apply as early as possible! Because of this, I am now having to take four sections in six days in order to fit the exams into Q3.

Becker is all I have used to study. Overall, I feel the material is very good. Specifically, I find the explanations to the MCQ’s (including the see lecture function) and the Skill Master videos for the TBS’s to be very helpful. I don’t find the lectures very beneficial. To me, it seems they just read what the book says. If you decide to watch the lectures, I recommend watching them on 1.5 or 1.75 speed. It saves a lot of time and it is still easy to keep up if you pay full attention.

Here are the details of my approach to each section so far:

FAR – Watched all of the lectures, did all of the skills practice, did all of the MCQ’s, TBS’s and practice tests, watched all of the skill master videos. Then did progress tests in sets of 30 to review/keep the material fresh. Did 6,626 MCQ’s total with progress tests trending at 87% correct. Practice test scores: 1 – 71%, 2 – 77%, 3 – 87%. Areas that make me nervous are non-monetary transactions and deferred income taxes.

AUD – Read the textbook, did all of the MCQ’s, TBS’s and practice tests. Then did progress tests in sets of 30. Did 4,816 MCQ’s total with progress tests trending at 91%. Practice test scores: 1 – 87%, 2- 78%, 3 – 92%. Sampling is the area that makes me nervous.

BEC – Read the textbook, did all of the MCQ’s, TBS’s and one practice test. Then did progress tests in sets of 30. Did 3,965 MCQ’s total with progress tests trending at 90%. Practice test score: 1 – 85%. IT is the section I am worried about.

REG – Did all of the MCQ’s and TBS’s twice. Then did progress tests in sets of 32. Did 4,757 MCQ’s total with progress tests trending at 90%. Worried about non-monetary transactions and AMT.

Overall, I find hammering MCQ’s and reading the explanations the best way to study. I cut out more and more of the other stuff as I went along. For REG, I only read the textbook when I used the “See Lecture” function in the MCQ’s. I also stopped taking practice tests because I feel the results either stressed me out or made me overconfident. When it comes down to it, you don’t know what material you will see on test day and you have to prepare for it all.

I will keep hammering progress tests and then go over my weak sections in detail as my final review. I am nervous to sit for all sections so close together but feel I am well prepared–just ready to take them finally!

Hope this helps and best of luck to everyone on their exams!

[OTK1995]

I knew a guy who did this at my firm. Awesome if you have the dedication and willpower to pull it off. Congrats!

[Tim]

Wow, that's extremely impressive! I'm jealous.

[Bulldog489]

Nate, have you heard anything from the AICPA or your state board about the EWS award?

[Silverhawk65]

Every single person in this thread is assuming this is completely real with no evidence to back it up. What happened to professional skepticism lol?

Anyone can create an account and troll this board like this. I would love to see some proof to the matter

[Jimmy Dugan]

@Silverhawk65
He would be an outlier but it could be done. It never fails to surprise me when someone posts that they got all 40’s and 50’s the first go around. There are people at both ends of the spectrum of what’s possible.

[Adam]

SMH people are dumb..I had a threesome tonight with two victoria secret models..and kate upton begged to join…

I find it hard to believe anyone actually thats taken the test could be so gullible to think someone would even attempt this..I mean its a couple hundered bucks an attempt afterall

[Recked]

Have you seen Kate Upton recently?

[iceman]

Why wouldn't someone attempt this. Several years ago, candidates were REQUIRED to take all 4 exams over a 2 day period. Then they retook the failed sections only if they passed at least 2 sections. But plenty of candidates were able to pass all 4 in the first go round.

[Son]

Agreed Iceman. Same with the bar exam (7 subjects on average that you take over the course of 2 days). So, while rather impressive (cheers to the OP), not unheard of or unrealistic like some people claim here.

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

[Author]

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