[CH89]

I have not been on this journey all that long. I’ve taken FAR once, and REG twice, with score release tomorrow for REG. I have failed FAR and REG, and unfortunately I have a gut wrenching feeling that this score release will be no different. I know I won’t know until I actually receive my score. I can already feel the toll on me and the impact the CPA exam has on my life already. This has definitely had its negative impacts on life and current relationships. Simply put, I find myself not caring about much anymore. I know others have experienced much much more than what I have. I find myself questioning, upon this score release, if this is worth it to continue studying for the CPA exam, of if I should just take time off and regroup physically and mentally. I was in the midst of wedding planning for this summer, but that may or may not be on hold for now, as well as looking into buying a house. I’m not sure if I just have too much on my plate right now. I realize too, that giving up on the CPA could ultimately haunt me and be a regretful mistake in the long term of things. Thank you for reading, and I appreciate any help and advice. Good luck to everyone who keeps marching on!

[Kimberly]

Hi @CH89

I just wanted to say you are not alone. It may feel like it and I understand the feelings of discouragement. Trust me, failing 3 straight times during the 3 month wait for scores during 2017 made me question quitting daily. And I seriously did want to. There is something horrible about this process that it takes over your life. And it did mine, and it certainly bled into my personal life and my physical and mental well-being.

Thankfully I got another pass after that bad stretch, and by then I had figured out what worked best. That is actually a huge part of this process, figuring out what works best for you to study and work smarter. Some people figure it out right away and go 4-for-4. Many more of us have to go through trial and error. Expensive and time-consuming trial and error. After passing only 1 exam in my first 8 months (delays included), I passed the final 3 within about 5 months to finish it out. So something obviously clicked and I knew what I had to do.

I hope you get good news tomorrow. If not, it is truly up to you whether you want to continue onward or stop and re-start – only you can determine that. But this process is hard emotionally, mentally, and physically. Don’t deny that for a second. I had everything school-wise come easy in my life, but I struggled mightily with these tests at the start. A test of endurance and dedication, not necessarily intelligence. But I do believe you can do this. Good luck to you whatever you decide.

[Recked]

I regret not doing it sooner, and it doesn't get any easier the older you get.
Just my 2 cents. It's completely normal to feel devastated and demoralized by the exam/process.
If you need a break to get through tax season or whatever, do what you have to do. But don't let life slip you by. Get back to it as soon as you can.
At the end of the day if you don't want it bad enough to make it the number 1 priority in your life, then you'll continue to have failures. Only you know your journey.

[jombe]

I agree w/ what Recked said about “I regret not doing it sooner.”
If there was one thing I could change about my past (for career purposes), it would be getting my CPA right after I graduated from college.
I wasted too many years exploring other fields after swearing off accounting (I majored in Accounting).
–
W/ that said, there are plenty of non-CPAs in the world that are leading successful careers and I wouldn't want anyone to think CPA is a necessity to be successful. Does it help? I think so, but you have to really find what you want to do for the rest of your life. If accounting is what you want to do, CPA will definitely help, but again, not a necessity unless you plan on making manager/partner in a public accounting firm.
–
Good luck w/ whatever you decide to do and wish you the best.

FAR - 94 (10/4/15), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
AUD - 99 (1/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
REG - 96 (4/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
BEC - 91 (7/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ

581 days of listening to lectures, reading texts & 10,000+ MCQs...

[Jimmy Dugan]

I don't think there is anything wrong with taking a break if it becomes too much. It will give you a chance to regroup and get a fresh perspective on things. You may look at it after awhile and decide it really is something you want to pursue, and have enough energy at that point to give it another shot.

Out of curiosity, how are you studying? What course are you using?

[lfranc8]

HI @CH89!

So I actually planned my wedding, moved my fiance from 4 states away and had him start a new job, got married and bought a house all in the last year. So I can understand exactly how you feel. I passed AUD with a 77 right before my wedding. I took FAR in Dec. and failed with a 72. It was the hardest thing to see the failure. I struggled with it. I took about 3 weeks off and studied for the retake. Pass or Fail (and I get my scores today), I am moving on to BEC. I felt like I was just running through the motions. If I have to come around and retake it I will. I did two years of night school to get to this point. Dont let the failure discourage you. We will all get through this. But if you need the break take it. I can't recommend that enough. In between tests I take about 2 to 3 weeks off. Cause honestly my mind cannot take anymore information at that point. I also broke up my study plan instead of trying to study in one continuous block and that helped me retain more info and feel more productive.

[CH89]

Thank you everyone for your advice, tips, comments, and encouragement. It is all appreciated! I definitely wish I would have started this sooner too, had a bit of a hiccup if you will with school which took longer then necessary.

@Jimmy Dugan – I am using Wiley and Ninja as study material. As for my method, I find reading the material to be better than lectures, and I tend to take notes as I read. I do the MCQs at the end of each lesson, and take notes accordingly. Once I get through all of the material, I start doing MCQs, and again taking notes on anything I got wrong or guessed at. I tend to study at least an hour before work, then a couple of hours after work. I don't study on Saturday, and I try to get in as much as I can on Sundays. I sometimes have difficulties with sitting for so long that I tend to break it up a good bit.

[CH89]

Just giving an update, I did not pass REG again. I scored a 73.

[sam]

@CH89 so sorry to hear that. I failed the first time I sat for audit and I questioned if I could do it at all; if you need to take a break take a break. But, know that YOU CAN AND WILL DO THIS. I'm waiting on a fail for FAR 3/19, but use each fail as more motivation to pass. I know its hard and you're angry and questioning everything but I am a complete stranger telling you that you can and will pass all 4 parts.

[Jimmy Dugan]

It sounds like you have a good routine, very similar to mine. I think what has helped me is taking random quizzes in Ninja (30+ questions each session) and using the analytical tools to hone in on my weakest areas.
Nothing wrong with taking some time to get your head right, then make a decision to go or no-go from there. I just got my last passing score back tonight and while it's good to be done, the feeling for me is far more relief than it is joy and I don't know if it was worth the struggle just to be glad to not have to struggle anymore. I didn't fail one, but I felt like I was going off the rails every day for 6 months. I've often thought about it and if I had failed a couple of times, I would have walked away and not felt bad about it.
I wish you nothing but the very best in whatever you decide.

[KeepGoingCPA]

@CH89 I took the exams 24 times over a 7 year period!!!!! I had two children along the way and bought a house. Later this month will mark my 2nd year as a partner in my firm and I am under 40. My life has changed dramatically since I passed my exams and moved on to part owner. I could have quit at any time and just paid for an MBA and tried to figure it out from there. The special thing about CPAs is that there are not many of us. There are more and more accountants but less and less are moving on to being CPAs. We need more. We are not going anywhere. The world of business is changing dramatically, and many of the world's organizations are looking at CPA to help. Jump on the wave and ride it with us, pass the other exams and help us shape the future!

[CH89]

I like the set up of Ninja over Wiley, I think it is easier to determine my weak areas. I tend to do cumulative anyway, but I will focus on a specific section if I know I am struggling with it. I always find myself doing MCQ in sets of 10 at a time, I feel it is easier for me. I think this might be going against the grain here, but I think another problem is not practicing enough SIMs. I know the different types of SIMs, but I always seem to struggle with trying to figure out what the Exam is asking exactly, and sometimes get confused with how to do this or that based on the information provided. While a 73 is definitely heart breaking, I am not upset, and definitely makes things harder. I might have to be honest with myself too, maybe I wasn't giving it my all when studying. It is easy for me to get distracted. Thank you again for your words and advice, a lot to consider for sure.

@KeepGoingCPA – I read your post, and that is quite the story! Your determination and persistence is amazing! I'm glad the outcome of you pushing through resulted in many many positives for you. I appreciate the encouragement!

@Sam – Thank you, that means a lot! I wish you the best of luck on FAR! I have a lot to think about. While scoring a 73 is not desirable, I woke up this morning feeling motivated to keep on pushing, but I am definitely going to think on this on before I make any hasty decisions.

[74phoenix]

@CH89, I truly have been in your boat – for a good year I struggled. That entire year I did not pass any CPA Exams, and it just kept getting worse. It really was because I did not know the material, and I was not studying hard enough because I felt like I was just going to fail anyway…which I did. My mindset was not helping, at all. I kept saying “if I fail the next one, I will reassess and might be done trying.” It was only until my 3rd attempt on almost each exam that I actually felt like I knew the material (simultaneously felt like screaming/crying every few days because I was tired of having this in my life). I started to recognize my doomsday thought patterns and try to change them. I joined accountability groups to study. I reached out for help from people to encourage me to study. When I was tired, I took a break. I scheduled exams and pushed back exams until I thought I was ready – I was done “chancing” it. I focused less on how many hours I was studying again, and more on my effort to study and how well I was focusing and grasping the material. I did MC, sims, and watched Youtube videos that explained concepts I couldn't get. Now I have 3 passed! One had expired, and I had to take it again and I passed while having mono AND depression and anxiety out of control. Everything sucked. But I have finally gotten out of my slump so there is hope for you, too. You failed this time, but have a good grasp of the material since you were close. Think of it that way – you know your stuff. You just need to know a bit more next time…. Keep it up!

Graduated 05/2016.
NY CPA Candidate.
Public accounting.
FAR COMING UP 07/07/2016 !! GOD HELP ME.

[Author]

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