[jolenec]

My sister gave me her 2014 Becker, should I use it for the uniformed exam? I really don’t want to purchase new version if hers is ok to use. Thank you!!

[Andyred04]

Definitely not recommended

FAR: 80 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
REG: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
BEC: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
AUD: 8/27/16

PA Candidate

[MidwestCPA]

No. Only use old materials for additional references/examples.

[kayfcpa16]

Definitely No for REG, FAR & BEC…

FAR - 2/16 - 78
BEC - 2/16 - 78
AUD - 8/16
REG - 8/16

[jolenec]

Ok, thank you guys!!

[jolenec]

What should I use for the uniformed exam? Nothing on the market yet, so just wait?

[nolan7120]

I'm inclined to disagree with others. I just used 2014 material and there was nothing covered on the exams that wasn't in 2014 Wiley books or Becker, besides the obvious biggie of no more extraordinary items.

ETA: This was for FAR btw.

FAR (6/9/16) - 81

[Anonymous]

The exams are going through bigger changes than normal in 2017, so I think that's why people are so strongly opposed to the idea of using 2014 materials in 2017, as the exam will be changing more between 2016 and 2017 than it did between 2013 and 2016.

If you're concerned about cost, I would suggest getting a curriculum that you can buy each part separately, and buying the books and the MCQs. Wiley and NINJA are examples of such curriculums. Books and MCQs are the cheapest study materials.

As far as what materials to purchase due to the 2017 exam materials not being available yet, most people suggest studying for shorter periods of time rather than longer for each exam. So, do you plan to take your first exam(s) in 2016? If so, buy 2016 materials for just those exams. If not, I would question whether you need to start studying yet, or whether you need CPA-exam-specific materials at all. You may be able to study using your old college textbooks for the next few months if you're wanting to just refresh your memory, then start using CPA exam materials when you're within at most 3-4 months of your exam. Only reason I would say anything different than that is if you're trying to do all 4 exams at once (for example, if you're flying in to the country to take the exams and have to do them all at once – not advisable if it can be avoided, but understandable in cases of significant travel)…but even then, I don't think studying over more than 6 months would work well, but I haven't done 4 at once so I don't know for sure.

All that being said, some materials offer free updates till you pass. The NINJA materials sold by the owner of this site is one such set of materials. Wiley, which I also mentioned above, would update the MCQs in their online test bank, but the books wouldn't be updated for free – you'd have to buy new books in a few months if you bought books now.

So, if you want CPA exam materials that you can buy now to use for tests in 7-8 months, you'll want one with free updates, and NINJA is the only one I can think of offhand that offers that. However, NINJA's MCQs are on a 3-month subscription, so you'd have to renew it a few times before your test (Wiley's are a 1 year subscription last I knew).

[Birdman]

@nolan7120 2017 is an entire new exam format..studying with 2014 materials seems like a good waste of time and money to me.

FAR- 74, 78 (10/15)
BEC- 73
REG- 65, 88 (05/16)
AUD- 7/16

[golfball7773]

I don't think IFRS was on the 2014 exam yet???

FAR: 63, 55, 62
REG: 65, 77*
AUD: Fail, 64, 71
BEC: 72, 74, 81

*expired

[golfball7773]

and no – don't do it

FAR: 63, 55, 62
REG: 65, 77*
AUD: Fail, 64, 71
BEC: 72, 74, 81

*expired

[Anonymous]

IFRS was on 2014 – I took mine in 2013 and it had IFRS. I think the amount of IFRS may have increased as the years have gone on, but there was already at least some IFRS in 2013. My Wiley books would have a chapter about a topic, then 1-3 pages at the back with the IFRS modifications to what you'd just read, so it wasn't a huge part of the material but still well represented.

[nolan7120]

I'm just going by what I saw on the exam. If she were to take it during this year I think she'd be totally fine. But yes, next April with the new format, one might want to take heed. I think they're just changing the presentation though and not the actual content besides the possible incremental changes (easily found through a google search) they put forth here and there.

FAR (6/9/16) - 81

[nolan7120]

IFRS is covered in the 2014 material.

FAR (6/9/16) - 81

[Anonymous]

jolenec,

I'm still using 2012 & 2013 Wiley (only). And yes, I passed my first section in May on first try. YMMV.

[jolenec]

@Lilla Thank you for your reply and suggestions!

@calvinus Congratulations!! Good luck on the rest 3 🙂

And thank you everyone else for your kind responses! I will be qualified to sit for the exam after next semester, from what I learned, if I take, say FAR in Jan/Feb 2017, I should be ok with 2014 material, but prp not after Apr. 2017.

[Author]

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