[quid_pro_quo]

Hi Everyone,

I just scheduled my first section of the CPA exam, FAR, for May 31, 2016. The firm that hired me completely covered the cost of the Becker review course, so I am very lucky with that.

I have a bunch of questions that I would love to receive comment on from those who have been through this process. Answer as many or as few as you like and I would be very grateful!

1) I took Intermediate I&II in the past year. I was averaging with about a B/B+ in those courses. I would say that I am “familiar” with the material/topics, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable answering detailed questions in these areas today. My intention is to really comprehend these FAR topics very well. What are some good strategies? I think that I might benefit more from doing multiple choice questions as opposed to simply focusing time just reading. Is this a good strategy?

2) I have an option to order 50% discounted flash cards from Becker. Has anyone used these? If so, were they helpful?

3) I have a bit of testing anxiety. I am the type of person who understands the material in class to the extent that I can answer most questions and work through a problem in a classroom context, but I choke a little on tests. I suspect I might need to try some relaxation techniques as well as balance my lifestyle so I don’t over stress myself. Any suggestions from anyone who has been through this on balancing time?

4) Is there any best practice with respect to how long you should study without a break? For example, is it better to knock out 4 straight hours or study in smaller blocks with short breaks in between? Sometimes I tend to get very distracted and have to exert much energy to refocus my attention so I would appreciate any suggestions with respect to timing.

5) I scheduled my test for 5/31/16. Today is 3/15/16. Assuming I can certainly devote 20 hours per week to CPA studying, do I have enough time to move from familiarity with the subject matter to through understanding that would yield a passing score in this time frame? Or am I trying to overachieve in this time period?

I am very realistic in pursuit of this exam. I simply want to achieve a passing score. I know that I will never be the brainiac in the room, but I’m more the type of person that can get work done accurately and on time.

Thanks for all your help and I truly look forward to your responses!

Regards,

quid_pro_quo

[debitcash]

Follow Becker to the T…then supplement your understanding with Ninja MCQs. Sets of 30. Write down notes as you do them. Journal entries are a must for this exam.

If you find yourself lost in the midst of all the information, you can get Ninja notes to help you understand some of the more difficult concepts. Jeff does an excellent job breaking things down.

Read the posts from previous exam takers. There is a lot of useful information on this website.

FAR:75!
AUD:69, 63, 73, TBD
BEC:76!
REG:71, TBD

BECKER + NINJA PRODUCTS

keep your cool

[Jdn9201]

Congrats on getting started and committing to a test date. Getting started for me was the hardest part. There is alot of useful information here. As far as study habits and best practices go, I think the first thing you should think about is what worked for you in college. You are going to read many tips, but some will work for you and some wont. Originally I thought I'd be able to study for 8 hours straight like I did in school but it didn't work out that way. I only studied as long as I was in a zone so that I could be the most productive. I would also suggest downloading the content specific outlines from the AICPA – they are very helpful in guiding you how to prioritize your study time. Preparing for these exams can be overwhelming because of the volume of information involved. The outlines helped me to separate the material that was vital vs info that may not be important. Good luck!

BEC - 88 8/29/15
REG - 82 11/14/15
AUD - 83 1/8/16
FAR - 80 2/29/16

[Spartans92]

Good Luck with FAR and smart choice. This section is very overwhelming in my opinion. Mainly because it covers a lot of small details and one small mistake can cause you to get the wrong answer.. Pay attention to the dates for sure. @Jdn, I recall you mentioned you studied for only 3 weeks.. how many chapters did you cover per week? I took a week for Bonds and seems like Pension will take me a while.

BEC- PASS

[Author]

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