@AMGCPA I have no idea how I passed when I was in the testing center I felt like I didn't know any of the questions. Some were confusing I didn't even know what the questions meant!
I followed the NINJA method, so I first read the NINJA book. Then I copied NINJA notes (10 pages a day) and did NINJA MCQ by section until I had seen each question once. Then I went back through NINJA MCQ by question and selecting “missed last time seen” only. Then I went back and did that a third time while still copying 10 pages of NINJA notes a day. After that I had about 2 weeks left and I went back through NINJA MCQ alternating between “trouble questions”, “random” and “missed last time seen”. I was still copying 10 pages of NINJA notes a day and now I added an hour of flashcard practice a day. Flashcards help me a lot. I bought the CPA Excel when I first started my CPA journey in January of 2015 and if I know 90% of the flashcards by heart I pass the exam.
The last two days before my exam, I stopped doing MCQs and focused on getting the last of the flashcards down, rewriting NINJA notes (a modified version of things I still didn't know), memorizing the formulas, and reading examples for the WC section. The day before the exam, I took off and stopped studying at 5pm.
I really don't know how I passed because the day of the exam, I woke up stressed at 7am (my test was 1pm). I tried to study, but I felt so tired so I ended up falling back asleep at 9 to about 10. Then I ate breakfast and decided I wasn't to learn anything anymore anyway so I went to Starbucks and got to the testing center at 1130 (they said I could go earlier if I wanted to). I took the entire 3 hours and finished with three minutes to spare.
It took me 45 minutes to do the first testlet – I was given a tip from my former manager to take my time and do my best on the first testlet to get a hard second testlet. I think that's what it was. Then my second testlet seemed hard and I think I bombed because my third testlet was medium again. So, I again took my time on this one so if there were a fourth testlet I would get hard again. That is what she told me to do and I think it works haha.
Hope this helps!