[GregRandom]

Hello everyone, I’m planing on taking FAR in April (most likely close to end of month) and I’m currently finishing chapter 1 with Becker (9 more to go). I also plan on using ninja MCQ for the last 2 weeks before my exam. My study sessions depend every week. However, I will be going on a trip for 2 weeks in March and I feel like there will be no way for me to study there, just being realistic. So I will miss 14 days of studying and than coming back to the states I have to adjust to everything, jet lag and all that other bs. Any tips or recommendations on what I should do?? I will have 5 weeks to study before my trip and about 3-4 weeks after my trip to take FAR end of April.

This is my first time ever taking FAR, so any tips on how I should do this would be greatly appreciated.

Good Luck to everyone taking there CPA, we can do this!!!

FAR - TBD
AUD - TBD
REG - TBD
BEC - TBD

[EuroAddict]

You will forget a lot by taking 14 days off. I'm a firm believer that you have to keep seeing material daily to retain any of it.

-----------------------------
BEC - 77, 03/2015 (first try)
FAR - 79, 05/2015 (second try)
REG - 83, 12/2015 (first try)
AUD - 84, 03/2015 (first try)

I got 99 problems but the CPA ain't one.

[Yaz88]

It will depend on a lot of things!! are you familiar with what you are going to go through? is accounting your field of study at college? (recently of course) because if its purely new info I wouldn't recommend a break…

However, if you're recently in school and seen majority of topics, then I do believe that 3 weeks is enough for any exam if you do only MCQs and take notes on it to reinforce everything (given that you have seen the topics and you're familiar with it)!!.. it might not work for some people but i am sure IT CAN work…

if you think by the time you will get back you going to have a lot of study time (meaning you're not very busy with anything else) I say go for it..

[GorJess]

Interesting story because I also plan on taking FAR in April and I also have a trip in March (not for 2 weeks but for only 4 days). I'm worried about this trip taking away from my time with the study but I'm going to make an effort to study anyway.

I suggest you find some study time during the trip, even if it's just 1-2 hours each day to stay fresh. I plan on studying during my trip as well.

Began my CPA journey in 2012 using Gleim and mistakenly paid to take all 4 parts within 6 months:
AUD - 51, 47 (did not study properly)
REG - 39 (did not study at all, just took it on a whim)
Did not sit for FAR or BEC
I gave up in 2013... 🙁

Resumed my CPA journey in 2016 using Gleim again with the following plan:
FAR - study Feb thru Jun, take exam 6/5/16
AUD - study Jun thru Aug, take exam 8/28/16
REG - study Sep thru Dec, take exam 12/4/16
BEC - study Dec thru Feb, take exam 2/26/17

[debitcash]

Flashcards while on your trip — definitely do not leave the material alone for that two weeks, it will greatly impact you in a negative way.

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

BECKER + NINJA PRODUCTS

keep your cool

[RE2PECT]

I'm taking FAR on 2/29 and was in a similar situation when my son was born a couple weeks ago. During our stay at the hospital I didn't study at all and it was hard the first few days we were home since we had so many people coming over to see the baby. What I found most difficult was trying to get back into a routine when I started studying again. Obviously my mind was in another place and I was doing more around the house so whatever study time I did have wasn't as effective as it was before. It's been getting better little by little and I'm hoping to put a lot of hours in these next 2 weekends.

If you're going to be away for 2 weeks at the very least I suggest purchasing the Ninja notes and/or flashcards. Download them on your phone and read them whenever you can. It's going to be much harder to get back into it after taking such a long break.

FAR: 75 Roger & Ninja (notes/flashcards/audio/MCQ)
AUD: 73, 81
BEC: 71, retake 8/29
REG:

[Tncincy]

It's really easy to lose focus when taking trips, but all is not lost. There will be some down time, so take the materials with you, do flash cards, notes, mcq's and by all means audio. You'd be surprised how much down time you will have just sitting around, even during vacation. Utilize EVERYTHING…. at the pool, in the restaurant, in the bathroom, in the middle of the night when you can't sleep. You know the old saying “where there's a will, there's a way. Don't give up studying, just get good at it. Something is better than nothing.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[Jdn9201]

Ditto what others have said – have some fun, but study when you can. Just think of it this way – much of the time you spend before the trip will be wasted if you forget half of what you studied. Do the flash cards. Do you have a Kindle? I bought one so I could use it at the gym while watching and listening to lectures. It's been a God-send.

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

[Missy]

I think 2 weeks is too long a gap in studying. If passing is a priority to you, you'll find a way to get some studying in on that trip. Maybe not as much as you otherwise would but even an hour a day is better than nothing.

If you can't squeeze it in at all for 2 weeks, I'd wait for this until you're ready to be committed to it.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Author]

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