[Fr0nt0ffice]

What’s up guys, I’m new to this forum, and I’m hoping to make best friends with it over the next several months (and even better friends with my books and review materials of course). I’m kinda confused on the whole process and how I should approach it. I need to buy a review course, but I don’t know which one (leaning towards Wiley), I have no job offers so a firm paying for it isn’t happening. Should I buy the course now and start studying, should I apply to take the test, etc. I have a few questions hopefully some of you seasoned NINJAs can help me with. Thanks for the help everyone.

1. What is a general list of things that I need to do before starting to study (applying, buying review course, etc. I’m totally lost and I wanna get started, not waste time)
2. What is the best way to approach studying? (Read text, practice MC, practice TBS, in that order? Or another order?)
3. How do I know that I am ready to take the exam? How many hours of study, how many MC questions, how many TBSs, etc. before can feel reasonably prepared?
4. Am I a sucker if I pay full price for a review course (are there ways to get it cheaper, promo codes, eBay, etc.)?
5. If you went to a rigorous undergraduate accounting program as opposed to a easy one, would it make it easier to pass the exam?
6. I see all 4 textbooks for review course like Wiley for under $400 on ebay. If I have an updated textbook, with several MC and TBS in them, do the books have everything I need to pass the exam, given that I go over everything with a fine toothed comb?
7. Is it useful to study the MCQs in a memorization manner (will there be exact copies of the review questions on the exam?) or in a deeper, more understanding, but more time consuming manner(better overall, but won’t get as many problems done)?
8. I read some posts about the CPA exam grading you against other test takers, and the second testlet being harder than the first would indicate a high score on the first one (good sign). Are these aspects of the exam still in effect in 2017?
9. Do I have to pay for a section of the exam upon applying? (I’m paying the $150 application fee right now, do I also have to pay an additional 193.45 right now for one of the parts or can I do that once the application goes through?)

[M123]

1. What is a general list of things that I need to do before starting to study (applying, buying review course, etc. I'm totally lost and I wanna get started, not waste time)

I would make sure to get qualified by your state to sit for the exam. I made sure there were no snags for that before beginning in earnest. You might also want to test several review courses with their free materials to see which one is most compatible for you. I got one of the most expensive (Becker) and couldn't pass FAR without getting one of the most affordable (Ninja). It's like wine – price is not necessarily linear with performance!

2. What is the best way to approach studying? (Read text, practice MC, practice TBS, in that order? Or another order?)

You will have to decide that yourself. I like to go through the core content first, with a little bit of MCQ practice thrown in – but once I get that out of the way – focus almost entirely on Notes review, MCQ and sims. You'll find your stride but I did not do “mock exams” and other time wasters but I barely squeaked by so ymmv 🙂

3. How do I know that I am ready to take the exam? How many hours of study, how many MC questions, how many TBSs, etc. before can feel reasonably prepared?

With Ninja – you can see the results of each session and you will see a hockey stick or at least a bump in your performance on the MCQs. That is when you know you're in the vicinity of being ready. No need to go into the exam blind. The courses that have mock exams at the end leave you with little recourse!

4. Am I a sucker if I pay full price for a review course (are there ways to get it cheaper, promo codes, eBay, etc.)?

If you go for Becker and pay full pop – I don't recommend it. I think the Big 4 who are the main consumers of Becker pay 60% of retail. Others are more affordable but you have to figure out which style. Don't try to cheap out and get last year's book, etc. Not worth it considering the time you put in and the cost of a failed exam.

5. If you went to a rigorous undergraduate accounting program as opposed to a easy one, would it make it easier to pass the exam?

You get out of it what you put into it – so if you invested heavily in learning undergrad you will have an advantage but expect the whole exam process to be very challenging. Some people skate through but I would be those numbers are in the 2% of population. The rest sweat and pray.

6. I see all 4 textbooks for review course like Wiley for under $400 on ebay. If I have an updated textbook, with several MC and TBS in them, do the books have everything I need to pass the exam, given that I go over everything with a fine toothed comb?

No. The exams are a Broadway production. You don't get ready for a Broadway production by reading the history of acting and Shakespeare – you get ready by repeatedly doing what's in the actual exam until you can do it backwards and forwards – that is MCQ and sims.

7. Is it useful to study the MCQs in a memorization manner (will there be exact copies of the review questions on the exam?) or in a deeper, more understanding, but more time consuming manner(better overall, but won’t get as many problems done)?

Memorization is not the strategy – learning the underlying principles is what is key. You will not get MCQ that are like what are in the study material. If you don't understand the concepts – you will fail.

8. I read some posts about the CPA exam grading you against other test takers, and the second testlet being harder than the first would indicate a high score on the first one (good sign). Are these aspects of the exam still in effect in 2017?

I can't comment much but I think the very exam was adaptive in the past so if one did well on medium questions they'd get a hard testlet and then another hard testlet. If they didn't do so well, they'd get a medium/hard/medium, or whatever. I wouldn't rely on any conjecture on the topic – expect hard/hard/hard and study that way 🙂 Don't know what's published on the topic.

9. Do I have to pay for a section of the exam upon applying? (I’m paying the $150 application fee right now, do I also have to pay an additional 193.45 right now for one of the parts or can I do that once the application goes through?)

You can pay for each section individually to pace your financial investment. Pay for the application, then pay for one exam. In California you can anyway. I would think other states are similar? Your state will have info on that. I did make the mistake of buying my NTS for all parts and thus had to have all exams passed in a short window. Fortunately I was able to pull it off. Stretch it to 18 months if needed!

[Fr0nt0ffice]

Wow man, thanks for the reply! Greatly appreciated.

You will have to decide that yourself. I like to go through the core content first, with a little bit of MCQ practice thrown in – but once I get that out of the way – focus almost entirely on Notes review, MCQ and sims. You'll find your stride but I did not do “mock exams” and other time wasters but I barely squeaked by so ymmv

You did not do any mock exams of any kind and you were still able to pass? I hear they are one of the final steps to assessing your readiness for the exam. Do any of the NINJA products have an option to generate random practice tests?

No. The exams are a Broadway production. You don't get ready for a Broadway production by reading the history of acting and Shakespeare – you get ready by repeatedly doing what's in the actual exam until you can do it backwards and forwards – that is MCQ and sims.

The Wiley books actually have about 500 questions per part in each of the books, according to the eBay posting, and some TBS's as well, but I see what you mean, that it isn't enough, especially compared to the thousands that you get if you buy a full course/full test bank. I do plan to do mostly MCQs over and over and over. I hear this is key for passing the exam (although TBS plays alot more or a role than it used to).

I also just realized that I have to pay for at least one section when I initally apply. So I can't pay $150 now and $193.95 in a month once I'm approved, I gotta pay the full 343.45$ right away :/

Other questions:

1. Is it worth buying more than one test bank? Ar am I going to be repeating alot of the same material?

2. I was thinking about buying 2017 Wiley books ($360 w/student discount), Wiley Test Bank access ($460 w/student discount), and NINJA 3 tactics ($127) for my first section (and then buy additional NINJA products for additional sections if I feel it was worth it) for a grand total of $947. I figure an upfront investment in Wiley Books is good since they have a pretty good reputation, and while I hear great things about NINJA as well, I may not need it if I have Wiley Material. The only thing I would be missing would be “bite-size lessons” (people love these, but idk even what they are) and practice tests, which I would like to have. Is this a good approach, Wiley Books, Wiley Test Bank, supplemented with NINJA notes (don't know what this is either lol) and NINJA MCQs?

I wanna add that I am not working, and I am going to approach studying for this exam like a full time job. I am going to wake up early, hit the gym at 6am, shower, eat, pack some sandwiches, and go to the library or a Starbucks from 9-5, 7-8 hours a day (little 15 minutes breaks in between to eat and chit), 5 days a week, and try to hit 40 hours each week. Hopefully take each exam with a months preparation (hopefully reach 160 hours for FAR and REG, and at least 100 for BEC and AUD). This seems like an intense approach, but I do not want to risk having to take this test again. My motivation to pass this exam and have CPA at the end of my name professionally, is through the roof right now, and I seriously cannot wait to get started. And I've read that pretty much any of the review courses will suffice if you put the time and effort in. The time and effort will absolutely be there. I just want to make sure I don't break the bank (no job = limited funds) and I have sufficient material to pass.

[jereumie]

Answer to your “other questions”

1.It really depends on your study approach. Many people here usually buy one review course and an extra test bank for each exam. I personally used one review course (Roger) without supplement.

2. As mentioned in #1, I only used one review course, so I am not sure how Wiley and Ninja goes. However, I hear good reviews about both that Wiley book covers materials in depth and Ninja MCQs are very similar to the actual exam questions.

I am one of the very few that barely worked on practice questions. I just watched the lectures and probably did about 10 mcqs per chapter for all sections (I just hated working on mcq.) Everybody studies and learns differently. One of the keys is that you find your study approach that fits you the most. Earlier the better. Plus, switching one review course to another is not a good idea, unless you failed and you want to start all over and ditch what you learned so far. All review courses use different mnemonics and teachs differently. You could get confused and lost. Therefore, just stick with one review course and supplement with test bank.

You mentioned that you are not working. If you can put in hours like you described, you can knock down each exam in one month the most. I personally passed 3 in one window (FAR, BEC and AUD) and passed my last section the next window while working fulltime (50+ hours). I studied for 1 month for FAR, 3 weeks for BEC, 12 days for AUD and 2 months for REG (because I studied for one month then failed, then studied one more month, then passed). I probably spent 3-5 hours each weekday and 8-10 hours Sat and Sun. If you aren't working and can afford to put in more than 40 hours per week (given that you are putting in 80% focus and 20% daydreaming,) I really think you can knock down each exam in 3 weeks to 1 month.

Just keep studying and stay focused. You get thrown down, feel defeated and depressed. It just takes time and consistency. You will never feel ready, but this is very natural. Everyone here has all been through it.

[baileyshea]

I'm full time studying on Wiley CPAExcel right now and I will sit for #4 of 4 this quarter, so like Jereumie said, it is possible to get a lot knocked out if you are really focused. I only bought Wiley so that's the only review course I can speak for, and all four of my scores won't be released until later this month so I don't have any scores to prove anything, but of the three I have sat for, I feel that Wiley had me prepared for everything I saw on exam day. Also, due to time constraints, I was not able to even utilize their practice tests or test banks completely, so I can only imagine how much more prepared I would be if I had done those. They do a have a student discount that I used. Not sure what your budget is, but if you can afford the CPAExcel I think that's a great option! I also bought the physical books, which includes text books, focus notes and flash cards and I haven't used them more than a few times so if you are looking to save money, that would be a good place to make cuts. I really like that the lessons are short and sweet on Wiley compared to what I've heard about others. Also, regarding your questions about hours of study, Wiley will make a “syllabus” for you that splits up the assignments evenly throughout the days you have available to study. Maybe you could try the free trial to see some of this for yourself because it is kind of hard to explain, but right now I'm studying Audit and I think their estimation was 105 total hours. However, for all 4 parts, I have never studied as much as it estimates because I get through the lessons quicker than it estimates so it will probably come down to study habits and how many notes you want to take.
I would apply to take the exams as soon as possible because it took me about 5 weeks to get approved in NE. I just graduated so I knew that I had met all the requirements, so I bought my review course before I was approved. This was really helpful when I did finally get approved and I could set my schedule on Wiley and with the testing center at the same time.
I probably only answered a few questions in there but hopefully some of that helped!

[Anonymous]

Having sat for 3 and failed 3, I can tell you that timing is of the essence. I spent too much time on both FAR and AUD, and by the time I got to BEC, I was completely burned out and my NTS was expiring and I just had to study as much as I could and take it even though I only worked like 600 MCQ instead of the 1,800'ish I worked for both FAR and AUD. I work full time too. I finished school in 2014 and thus, the stuff was not at the front of my brain anymore and I didn't/don't use any of it at work. Everyone I know who has passed these exams, including my boss, former accounting profs, and CPA friends, has said that doing it in a short amount of time is the way to do it. Easier said than done if you work full time and have other obligations. Having had these failures, and despite my limitations, I am now coming up with a plan to pass them all within the next year. Make a schedule for yourself and stick to it. Knocking them all out in one window is pretty difficult for most people, so I wouldn't make that your goal. Some people on here can do it, you may be one of them, but it's not probably the best approach unless you have a very high IQ and/or know all the stuff well already.

[ryan.andrew6]

Before you start the process some states have a service which will evaluate your transcripts and other pre-reqs to determine if you are eligible to sit, however applying will tell you the same thing!

#2&3 like others have said, we can’t really help you. It will depend on your learning style sand how you study etc. I will say that I don’t like the heavy MCQ approach preached on this site. I really don’t think it prepares you for the exam – that’s not to say you shouldn’t practice them, you should, but there are many on this forum who will tell you the MCQs are all you need and that couldn’t be further from the truth.

For the review course it would probably depend on the course I was looking at. I use roger and would not pay full since he tends to have massive sales frequently. Like right now he has 25% off and 30% for existing students.

While a good undergrad program may help with the fundamentals it really won’t help with the exam in general. I went to what is considered a very good school and one of our professors told us that the program might touch 30-40% of the topics that are covered on the exam.

Don’t buy old books, the exam topics are always changing. Even last years would be outdated and could cost you an exam.

No one really knows how the heck they grade the exam, I’m convinced they tape our names to the wall and throw darts at them to determine who passes. I mean seriously, their own material says that two people can have the exact same questions and answer each one the same, but one can pass and the other fail – it doesn’t make any sense. However the harder testlet does mean you did well on the first. However I would bet that many people think their testlets were harder but in all reality they were still “medium” as the AICPA puts it.

Good Luck!

[Fr0nt0ffice]

jereumie:

Thank you for your input and motivational words. Yes I do plan on putting in crazy hours to pass this exam, I'm gonna do whatever it takes. I seriously can't believe you were able to pass without doing many multiple choice questions, thats insane, but I guess its good to know that there are multiple ways to go about understanding the material and passing.

Idk if I will be able to study for 8 hours a day like I'm planning, but it is my goal as of right now. I plan to start tomorrow morning.

[Fr0nt0ffice]

baileyshea:

You convinced me haha, I just bought full Wiley course using the discount. I wanted to go cheap, but I decided I didn't want to take a chance and I bought everything. I'm really glad I chose it, I hear so many great things about it. And congratulations on taking all four exams in a quarter, my mind is blown that you were able to cram it all into such a short period. I plan on doing 2 this quarter and 2 the next. It's good to hear that you felt 100% prepared with the materials they provided. I'm looking through the material right now, just exploring the software, seems like there is alot to look at. But thank you for your post, I'm gonna start full time tomorrow!

[Fr0nt0ffice]

crazyleon:

I'm glad you said that, because I'm not working at the moment, and I plan on finishing all of these exams in as short of a time period as possible. I am going to study for this 24/7. So what you're saying, is not doing enough MCQs held you back? I've heard this from some people, but I figured 600 was plenty, I guess I gotta practice every question I can get my hands on. Thank you for your post!

ryan.andrews6:

I've sent in my three transcripts from various schools I attended and got credits from, so I just gotta wait on verification on that. I decided to buy the full Wiley course, I figured if I can afford it, it's worth having as much help that I can possibly get for the biggest academic challenge of my life.

So if not practicing several MCQs for the exam, what do you suggest I should do to prepare? Read the book, watch the videos, focus notes, bite sized lessons, etc.?

[Author]

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