[krstnam]

Does anybody know of people who were able to pass two or three of the exams, but were unable to pass one section?

I’ve been studying for about 20 months, I passed two exams, lost one in November and now I’ve got 3 left AGAIN :'( That whole thing is irritating, I contacted NASBA when I took AUD/FAR in April/May 2017 and asked what would happen if I didn’t pass – NASBA told me since I don’t get my score until August I won’t be able to do any retakes in the 3rd window which turned out to be incorrect. I tried getting an extension and I tried explaining to my state board that I was misinformed, they wouldn’t even talk to me and said NASBA communicates everything to candidates and NASBA said they are only doing what my state told them…I waited a month and tried again and the guy at my state board was downright belligerent.

I’ve taken FAR 4x, haven’t passed. I’ve taken AUD 2x, haven’t passed. My first FAR score was in the low 50’s, the last three were in the low 70s. My first AUD score was in the 50s, my second was in the high 60s. I’m running out of gas here. I’ve been studying AUD and plan to retake in a few weeks, but if I get that score back and don’t pass, I don’t think I’ll be able to pass FAR, BEC and AUD before REG expires in May which means I’ll basically be back at square one again.

I’m sort of at the end of my rope here.

[Anonymous]

you need to reevaluate your study method if you still want to pass the exam. Frustration is normal. There are people who went through much worse pass/fail experiences and still got it done. It is all about how much you want to finish the exam and what changes you are willing to do to get it done. Exams are definitely doable. It has close to 50% pass rate so it is not that bad.

[jenpen]

Check out my signature. I've got plenty of failures/attempts, and I'm finally almost done. I lost REG last February, and took busy season and a couple more weeks completely off from studying, then started back at square one in mid May. I completely switched up my study methods and I was finally able to find what worked for me. I went 3/4 last year, and studied for another month for BEC and took it again in January. It can be done – just hang in there and find what works for you.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[jenpen]

BTW – love the quote in your signature. I just had “Dracula's Lament” play on my mix this morning…I need to re-watch that movie. It's been awhile.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[krstnam]

That movie is one of my favorites. I love Jason Segal, he's hilarious.

What major changes did you make to your studying that gave you a positive result?

[jenpen]

For me, I found that hammering MCQs worked best for me to learn the information. I pretty much stopped reading the book unless I needed further understanding or explanation on a topic. It didn't work for BEC, so for my retake last month I went back through the Wiley book and then hit more questions, and that was enough to give me the edge I needed. But what works for me might not work for you, so you really just need to figure out how to best utilize your time and learn the concepts.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[Anonymous]

Hello! So I have an approach that works for me (so far) and has worked for others that I know personally. This method isn't just for the CPA exam, its for EVERYTHING.

More important than anything else is physical activity. Make sure you are getting in at least 30 minutes of physical activity, everyday. This has helped me overcome a lot of mental exhaustion. When I go days just studying 8-10 hours a day without any physical activity, I have a problem where my brain just gets really foggy and lethargic if I try doing any reading/studying for more than an hour at a time during this period. Studying for 8 hours during this time just really becomes 2 hours of quality study and 6 hours of counter-productive staring at the book day dreaming. I have been making time 4-5 times a week to go to the gym, even if it is just for a 30 minute session, but intense enough so that my HR is high for most of the workout. I am not a scientist but I know that there is magic in all that blood and oxygen pumping throughout your body. Its like spring cleaning for your entire body and mind. I come home and I am able to study 4-5 hours with no problem, and I get through a whole lot more material than I normally would have in an 8 hour study day. But this is just my strategy.

Next thing I do is make the study program simple. I am not sure what program you are using, but stick to the basics. I prefer actually reading the text rather than listening to the lectures. Make notes as you read. I limit my notes to key points that I know I will forget by the next day. Don't make the notes extensive. Do the multiple choice after completing a major section. After I complete the reading and the multiple choice for ALL the sections, I go back and do all the simulations. I don't do the simulations until I finish the entire book. This method has helped me engrave the information into my brain much more effectively. Becker also provides lectures, skills practice, and flashcards. Again, I just prefer to stick to the basics (Text, MCQ, and Sims). Those extra features should really only be used if you have trouble understanding a particular concept.

Stay consistent. If you find a method that works for you, just stick to it. Don't get too fancy and don't keep changing up your study methods.

Good Luck!

[krstnam]

Exercise and diet has really got in my way. I've been hospitalized for pneumonia 2x in less than a year, I'm not asthmatic and I don't smoke either. I really think it's because I've let the more balanced lifestyle go by the wayside. I started spinning in December, but haven't been back since Christmas.

I've been studying doing MCQs and SIMS, but I probably need to do more follow-up with the questions I don't know/don't understand. Obviously the information isn't sinking in properly.

I think I'll try taking notes a little different too, sometimes they are a little too verbose and I don't end up reviewing them as thoroughly as I should.

[Author]

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