[nalratoss]

So I finished almost halfway through Gleim AUD (till chapter 9 for a total of 20 chapters). But today I started working and I felt a change is coming to my study plan. Today there isn’t much to do but I can’t say the same for next week. Besides the past week I’ve been moving in so a lot of my time and energy have been spared. I started chapter 9 a week ago and took 5 days to complete all subunits now I’ve started to forget some chapters so I may have to restart this chapter.

I’d like to ask what tips do you have for full time people studying CPA? I hate extending my CPA review from one month into couple months long (I also plan to study REG and BEC after AUD but I don’t want to forget AUD, I need to keep all 3 CPA exam materials fresh off my head so I can take all 3 some time in Spring—can’t explain here but due to some special circumstances I face). I work 8:30 to 5 everyday (2 hours of noon/nap time). Thanks.

[shawn in VA]

I am in the same boat as you. FT work. I also have spouse and kids. Ideally one should study 6-8 weeks MAX because you forget the early stuff. The AICPA recommends about 150 hrs study per part so that is like 20 hours a week of study.

Personally, I put in about 1 hour at work. I put in 2 hours after work. Weekends is about 10 hours of study total for both days. So that comes out to 25 hours a week. I have given up my social life though. I have to study a bit harder/longer than some people as I am 10 years out of school.

I am sure the youngsters will have a different strategy than mine and that is ok. End of day it matters what works for you.

[M123]

When I was in the thick of studying for FAR (2nd exam) – I was getting more depressed, sad, miserable, unhappy with everything, not finding joy in things that never previously failed to bring joy.

This video changed my life. Maybe it will help.

[Anonymous]

I basically budget to do one chapter in Becker a week. Which means I study every day. I don't have enough time to study more than 2-3 hours a day, including the weekends, as my kids have all kinds of activities. But I basically listen to Becker on the way to work, then read the book on the train, then take notes/do MCQ at night..I think it all adds up to about 3-4 hours a day max…Which is enough to get me my 20 hours a week… I also do MCQ at work if I have even 10 minutes to spare. So I feel like I am always studying, especially toward the end.

[Anonymous]

I basically study about as much as @shawn in VA. I study an hour at work, then usually about 2 hours in the evenings. Anymore than that after a full day of work and I'm toast. I'm lucky because we work 9 hour days and only half day Fridays, so I can get in a good 4-5 hours on Fridays and still relax that evening.

Weekends, I study a little bit on Saturday morning, then hustle to get all my errands done and eat lunch, study some more until dinner time and call it a day. Sunday I study a little before church, then go to church, out to lunch, to the grocery store, and study until dinner (and after if I'm behind schedule).

It sucks but it's the only way to get it done. I'm using Gleim too and have always been a slow, more detailed studier. If you are anything like me, you will have an extremely difficult time getting a section done in a month while working. I studied for FAR and BEC for three months, REG for six (with some work/personal stuff thrown in), and AUD in 2 months. If I had pushed myself I could've done it faster, but I don't think I could've fully prepared myself in a month on any of them. Everyone is different though!

[Finally_a_CPA]

I'm not really sure what your work schedule looks like but I'll tell you what my study schedule was like. I usually only work 5 8-hour days. I did study during one tax season working 9-10 hrs M-F and 6-8 hrs Sat. I would get up early everyday (and I'm not even a morning person) and head to the office and study two hours before work. During my lunch break, I would study for about 30 minutes. After work, depending on how late it was and how tired I felt, I would try to study for a couple of hours. I honestly think I actually did 90% of my studying in the 2 hrs before work. I don't think I ever actually studied productively after work but it made me feel guilty to not even try. I would also try to study a minimum of 10 hours on the weekends (both days).

[Anonymous]

@M123 – @1:10 “No, I don't need any chocolate chip cookies. Where's the beef jerky? ‘Cuz I'm gonna get it!”

[M123]

Haha @Drumstick – that part was awesome 😀 Maybe Jeff will start selling some Ninja jerky protein bars here as part of the packages!

[jtvande]

Positive attitude I think is most important. Manage your time really well during the week. Try and get in as much studying as possible. Give up every single weekend no exceptions. 8-10 hours of studying on Saturdays and Sundays. Cross your fingers, hold your breath, and pray that you pass… or at least that's what I am doing haha.

[shawn in VA]

It won't be easy but it is doable. You may have to give up some fun activities as sacrifice.

[Anonymous]

I do have to say, that I did not study for hours on the weekends (there were definitely several weekends especially for BEC and AUD where I did)….I just had to give myself enough time because my weekends are more jampacked than the weekdays!

[Radez]

I second the advice that M123 is providing. When I had a schedule where I studied after work, I never studied. I had to shift it into the morning. To accomodate a full-time work schedule + average 2 hour round-trip commute, I had to start getting up between 4-4:30am on most days. It meant I was trying to be asleep by 8pm-9pm. I would head into the office before 5am, and study from 5-7. Then work 7-4 before going home. I actually wound up saving a little time because that average commuting time shrank due to the early commute in.

It sucks, and it means you really only have 1-2 hours of “leisure” / personal time to do everything else required to manage a life, which means you don't have a life, but there it is.

[HoosierCPA]

I followed similar schedule as the above through all 4 exams:

Becker Schedule:
-1 Chapter per week.
-Lecture Monday-Tuesday (Partial)
-MCQ's (~60-100 mcqs/weeknight) (150-200 mcqs/weekend)
-Sunday Review all the chapters with 100-200 progress test questions (I typically always did 100 and started getting ahead for the next weeks chapter)

-2 weeks of review time after all chapters have been gone over
-during 2 weeks, I knocked out all the sims, and did a practice exam each Saturday.

I found saving the sims for the review worked best for me because it tied a lot of material into one simulation. I always put together a schedule before I started my studying, if I fell behind I made sure I found time to catch back up before the end of the week.

FAR - 78
REG - 72,74,71...please just go away REG nobody likes you!
BEC - 82
AUD - Aug 16

[CPYay]

Work FT (with about 10-15 hours of OT per week). I have a family with young children.

Roger schedule:
Each night I'd watch as many videos as I could. Usually 2 hours. Weekends would be triple to quadruple this.
After I finished all of the videos for the exam, I'd start MCQs (try to hit 80-100 per day). This usually took a few hours. Take notes while doing MCQs
While at work, I'd read the textbook at lunch time on areas I struggled with.
Rinse, repeat.

Bought audio for my last exam to listen to on the way to work.

[Trele6]

I did 7-10pm every night after work, trying to get a becker chapter per week, and then study more on weekends when I had more time. I used this strategy for FAR and REG and crammed 2 chapters per week with AUD and BEC.

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[Anonymous]

I also followed the Becker schedule with one chapter per week. I'd watch the lectures Monday / Tuesday and do the homework MCQs and SIMs Wednesday through Saturday. The rest of Saturday and Sunday was for reviewing what I've studied up to that point. I usually tried to do a few progress tests (made up of 20-30 questions each) during the weekend so I could keep everything fresh.

[Author]

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