[Yolonge]

I just wanted to share a story as I see people asking how to prepare for BEC. I studied BEC for 2 weeks with Wiley CPA Excel study guide and ninja mcq only approximately at around 30-35 hours. This is a study combination for poor and stingy people like myself who does not want to buy a review course.

To begin with, BEC is made up of 6 topics and has no simulation.

Corporate governance

IT

Economics

Finance

Strategic planning

Operations

I only had 2 weeks to prepare, because I wanted to take the test before the testing period so I can get the score for both REG/BEC on a same day (which is kind of dumb, but I hate waiting). Given that BEC has no simulation, I used similar approach as in FAR; that is I do not really need to understand to pass so hammering mcq will be fine as I am not targeting high score (FAR research is pretty helpful).

With 14 days available and 2 Saturdays off, I only had 12 days to study. I needed to take Saturdays off to keep my sanity. So I planned 8 days to study and 4 days to review.

I started with Wiley CPAExcel. The way I used it is instead of reading/solving MCQ, I went to problem straight but marked the answer prior from the answer sheet. I went over the questions with answers simultaneously to cover bigger topics (Corporate governance, IT, Econ, Finance) and skipped smaller two to save time (planning/operation). Covering one topic per day, It took 4 days to study with Wiley.

I used ninja MCQ to study and review. I was able to do all questions for 4 topics, but had to skip finance and half of operations management.

Ninja MCQ stat – https://tinypic.com/r/rw57xy/9

As for written part, I have read couple written portion on Ninja MCQ but did not spend time on it.

I have seen people studying BEC for 1-3 days, but this will work on people with normal intelligence like myself.

Score report – https://tinypic.com/r/2igp004/9

I am not surprised to do bad on finance, but this was expected.

I do not recommend this method, as this was really about passing but not to gain knowledge but you can certain pass BEC half-assed with just doing mcq without studying. But if you are like me just trying to pass, why not?

Good luck with studying and pass BEC while it is easy with no sim. Next year, it will be a 4 hour test with sim AND essay.

Materials: Wiley book + Ninja MCQ

FAR - 83 (Jan 2016)
Study time: 6 weeks
BEC - 87 (April 2016)
Study time: 2 weeks
AUD - 92 (July 2016), (74 Feb 2016), (72 May 2016)
Study time: 4 (Feb) + 2 (May) + 3 (July) = 9 weeks total
REG - (70 April 2016)
Study time: 3 weeks

[Nessie]

Hound,

I totally agree with you. I think rugger was wondering why some people are put off when people pass a part in a week or two. I think it has to do with how they say it, not so much what they say. Bragging? Or humbly explaining.

I think the CPA exam is messed up in a way. You have FAR that takes months to study, then BEC that some claim they can pass in a week or two.

REG Aug 20/15: 88
AUD: Feb 29/16: 80
FAR: Jun 10/16: 80
BEC?

Becker self-study, Becker Final Review & NINJA MCQS

[Spartans92]

I seriously question how y'all finished this section in 2 weeks or less. I just got through B2 and it took me 3 days. Average 2 chapters a week.

BEC- PASS

[Anonymous]

You know when I originally read this, I was ready to call BS on your post, but You sound fairly sincere. So lets consider some other possibilities: the most likely of which is your an extremely good test taker with a near photographic memory.

Great test takers who study are those posts you see with all the scores above 90 and their posts indicate they're plugged in – they work and they have respect for the body of professional knowledge. Enough to put the effort in to get great scores even though they could probably pass with very minimal effort (your two week solution).

Jeff's 20 day post is not the same tone and, again it requires a certain level of test taking ability, familiarity with the material before starting and (yes) IQ level to work.

Perhaps you were simply trying to be helpful, but here's the downside. If someone without your innate abilities doesn't get lucky on test day, or skips studying because they get lulled into a false sense of security about what necessary to pass, that – well it certainly isn't your fault – everyone here is responsible for their study habits – but it certainly doesn't help.

I know I've enjoyed being able to tell people I passed and trading war stories. Frankly I don't have much to say to the guy who gleefully tells me he skipped half the material on his “CPA crapshoot journey.”

[Anonymous]

Double Post sorry

[Ib]

Some people might get away with this short cut method but it will for sure not work for everyone. We need to see our strengths and weaknesses and adjust the plan accordingly.

FAR 79
AUD 87
BEC 78
REG 08/31/2016

[Ib]

Some people might get away with this short cut method but it will for sure not work for everyone. We need to see our strengths and weaknesses and adjust the plan accordingly.

FAR 79
AUD 87
BEC 78
REG 08/31/2016

[Vanessachy]

We should just learn from the experience. Everyone is different, some like myself might take longer, as long as we can pass, it wouldn't matter. I wish I can be so fast like mhei, but I think I am ok with being slower.

Far 10/26/2015, 64, 1/4/2016, 82
Reg 7/10/2015, 60, 2/27/2016, 86
Aud, 5/9/2016, 74 (ouch), 7/26/2016, I cannot wait to take this test again
Bec, 6/10/2016, 70,9/8 retake

[pickanicken]

There have been a few people who are questioning if it is possible to actually study and pass in 2 weeks. I posted earlier stating that I passed in 9 days. To clarify… before taking the CPA, I took the CIA. The 3rd part of the CIA is basically a mini version of BEC. All the information was fresh in my memory so it definitely helped. Having X number of days to study is also relative to how many hours you are available to study on each of those days and your ability to focus during said hours.

REG - 81
BEC - 83
AUD - 86
FAR - 78 (Done!)

[Anonymous]

@ OP , this is exactly why they are changing the test format.

[Yolonge]

I did not expect such negativity and it does not look like you can delete it, so I would not like to see this post coming up; please do not post below.

My background: ordinary student with BS in accounting last May, so fairy new graduate. I had GPA of 3.3 although I was working so I would say I am pretty average among my peers.

I was rushing through the exams because I really wanted to take them before summer, hoping that I can pass it with some retake in summer and enjoy my vacation without worry about studying.

I was scheduling the exams so I was not going to have enough time to fully prepare for any exam, so I had to make some sacrifices to compensate for lack of time. So I try to study efficiently as it is challenging to study after work to begin with. Waning to get score at the same time as mentioned in OP, I had no choice to take BEC before testing period closes on April 20 so that only gave me 2 weeks for BEC.

I figured I cannot spend too much time on it, because I pretty much sleep in on Saturday from week’s work and study and cannot perform well. So I have decided to completely cut lecture and reading to save some time. It worked out okay for me so I wanted to share it with people, not because BEC is easy but no simulation structure different method can work for BEC.
I did not skip any part so I was not slacking or hoping for complete luck. I covered any part from at least one source (Wiley or Ninja, although I only cover half of operations I think) so I did study all components without relying on memorizing. Maybe not as much I should have.
I mentioned it is not an ideal method, and you will always benefit from spending time on lecture and reading. But some people have no/limited time to study, and many people do not learn well from boring lectures so just wanted to say just doing mcq can actually work. It does not mean it will work for everybody, but it did for me with limited time.

I already failed half of exams I took, which was expected so do not have wrong ideas about the intent of the post. CPA exam has been/is very challenging and frustrating for me. I posted it to show people that a very ordinary person was able to pull through the test with little different study method and some luck. Have a good weekend everybody.

Materials: Wiley book + Ninja MCQ

FAR - 83 (Jan 2016)
Study time: 6 weeks
BEC - 87 (April 2016)
Study time: 2 weeks
AUD - 92 (July 2016), (74 Feb 2016), (72 May 2016)
Study time: 4 (Feb) + 2 (May) + 3 (July) = 9 weeks total
REG - (70 April 2016)
Study time: 3 weeks

[Yolonge]

sorry. double post.

Materials: Wiley book + Ninja MCQ

FAR - 83 (Jan 2016)
Study time: 6 weeks
BEC - 87 (April 2016)
Study time: 2 weeks
AUD - 92 (July 2016), (74 Feb 2016), (72 May 2016)
Study time: 4 (Feb) + 2 (May) + 3 (July) = 9 weeks total
REG - (70 April 2016)
Study time: 3 weeks

[Sang]

Thank you for your post.
I find it very informative, and it gives me hope that I can pass BEC in 4 weeks by doing a lot of MCQs.

I think with the internet, sometimes it can be hard for people to see what your attitude or intention was when you made this post.

I think the other person commenting made a mistake and thought that you were bragging.
I think it was just a mistake, and I don't think you should take the comments seriously.

Misinterpretations on the internet happen very often.

FAR: (05/24/16) | (07/15/16) | (10/22/16)
AUD: (09/07/16) | (11/29/16) |
BEC: TBD
REG: TBD
Using Roger CPA Review + Ninja (MCQs, Notes, Audio)

[yy612]

i've been studying for AUD about for 2 weeks, and the test is scheduled on 6/10. While I was studying for AUD, I realised that I was able to do MCQ much quicker than previous subjects that i passed(REG&FAR). So i decided to study for BEC as well, and take it in this testing window. i quit my work to study fultime. so i have all day to study. hearing you passed BEC in two weeks is very encouraging. well we have different background probably, but still. thanks for the post. i hope i can pass too!

REG - PASSED(75)
FAR - PASSED(85)
AUD - PASSED(83)
BEC - PASSED(82)

[Ib]

@mhei8116 Thanks for your post. I also find it very useful. Please ignore some stupid comments made earlier

FAR 79
AUD 87
BEC 78
REG 08/31/2016

[PNS2CLT]

The responses in this thread exemplify the problem most people in the forum have — they believe that everybody's at the same level & intellect and will have the same experience as them taking the exam. Of course, common sense should tell you that's far from the truth.

A co-worker and I are about to begin our CPA journey and we had this very same conversation earlier in the week. Last fall, we both took our auditing class (at different schools). I had a rigorous, intensive course that was designed to prepare us for the CPA test, and included weekly assignments that featured simulations. I took the class very seriously — I estimate that I put in at least 250 hours (including class time) over 16 weeks. My co-worker, OTOH, put forth the minimum effort to achieve a passing grade in his class (and may not have accomplished that had he not given his professor a fabricated sob story).

My co-worker asked me when I planned on sitting for my first section. I told him I had taken an audit practice test and trended in the high-70 and planned to schedule my first exam for a few weeks from now. Remember, I put the time in last fall and now I'm reviewing. My co-worker is a rock star at work, mostly because he has incredibly strong soft skills. Therefore, he immediately assumes that if I can do it in few weeks, he can do it in less time. Yet he can't tell you the difference between an unqualified and qualified opinion — he's not reviewing, he's learning the material from scratch.

There are no magic pills to help you pass. All of us come from different backgrounds — some people are more academically gifted, just like others are more athletically gifted. Some people were fortunate to have the opportunity to go off to college & study while others attended college while working, raising families, etc. Some people took their studies very seriously, spending hours studying the material, attending accounting labs, etc. while others put forth the minimum effort to get a passing grade. And I could go on…

[Author]

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