[Tonya]

WARNING – Long post – can just skip to lesson if you don’t feel like reading.

I finally passed all 4 Exams. Started studying in July 2015 and failed FAR with a 74 and passed Audit with a 76 which I took while waiting on FAR score. After the 74 on FAR, I tried to retake it and got a lower score. I was done. I never learned to study through school and wasn’t motivated to learn now. Throughout school, I could go to class and that was well enough for me (finished undergrad around 3.4 and grad with 3.75) but I only opened or even purchased a book if I needed it for graded assignments. I didn’t read, I didn’t do practice homework, no group study, pretty much just lectures. First time around I tried Ninja only and I only did the MCQ’s and wrote a few pages of the notes. I just COULD NOT make myself study. I spent maybe 10 hours if that on FAR and AUD. Fast forward to last October and a new job and I felt refreshed and I decided to TRY and give it an honest shot. I bought Roger because I heard his lectures were good. Made it through maybe 2 and just wasn’t motivated. Decided to do as many MCQ’s as I could. And that is all I did for about 3-4 weeks before each test. I took FAR in November and passed with a 76 took off over the holidays and took REG at the end of Jan- another 76. I finally felt motivated. Retook Audit in March since I lost credit and got a 77. Took a 2-month break from study since Q2 results were delayed and I HATE waiting and took BEC at the end of May and got a 76. I am done!

Lesson: If you have been able to do well in school without a lot of effort don’t let the CPA exam scare you like it did me. I did Roger MCQ’s ONLY for about 3-4 weeks and passed all exams. Granted I was in the 305 club, I will still have the same license. Don’t OVER STRESS it. You can get there – a lot of this exam is mental, it’s not impossible.

FAR -- 11/9/15 74 OUCH --Retake Jan 9,2016
AUD - 11/30/15 75
REG - Jan 2016
BEC - Feb 2016

[Becca]

First of all: Congrats to you!!!!

I am curious: did you feel like you were memorizing MCQs, or were you able to understand the concepts this way? I’m a wife, mother, and work full-time. I’m working on my Masters of Accountancy, and this program revolves around studying and taking the CPA exams which is the only reason I’m working towards the CPA now. I was able to pass REG in February with an 81, and just failed FAR with a 63. Not sure what happened there – I loathe tax, and like financial accounting… My class at the time was pretty demanding, though, so I focused on it, and I was barely able to cover all the MCQs in Becker right before my exam. I felt rushed.

I know everyone’s learning style is different. I do feel like I learn more from MCQ’s because I zone out during lectures and even zone out while reading. I’m not a note-taker, either. I’m afraid to cut any corners, though, because I really hope to pass FAR in Q3 or 4 (not sure when I want to take it again). I’ve started reading my FAR book this time around to see if it helps, but due to my busy schedule, I’m not sure if that will be beneficial for me. Sorry for writing so much – I just need to vent. I’m sure my husband is tired of hearing me talk about the CPA exams, and nobody else truly understands. I just want your opinion on how you grasped the material. You and I sound similar on our lack of study skills 😊

[Tonya]

Yes, we sound A LOT alike. I would really try and grasp the concept on each question. I would take the time to think about it and try to commit it to memory. Also, due to the limited time I spent studying I wouldn't even see the same question twice so I couldn't remember them. I would always select questions not seen and only do 5-10 at a time. I couldn't do much for longer than that. I was able to get in some time at work so that helped. I would try to make myself log on and do 5 MCQ's every hour. My goal was to try and get through 90% of the MCQ's for each section. I think I only hit that goal on one test either Audit or Reg. I felt like I knew I wouldn't read or watch lectures so I was wasting my time stressing about that, I could, however, do MCQ's in small chunks so that's what I focused on. I figured I didn't need to waste time on something that I really didn't want to do, I spent more time dreading it than studying. I finished my Masters in the Spring of 2015. It was HARD to study at that time. I was SOO burnt out on school, studying, etc. I think the break from mid-2016 to the end of 2017 really helped. I know that's not possible for everyone though. I was also in tax from 2011-2017 but HATED it, I finally got a chance to move into an audit role last summer and that is what helped to re-motivate me.

FAR -- 11/9/15 74 OUCH --Retake Jan 9,2016
AUD - 11/30/15 75
REG - Jan 2016
BEC - Feb 2016

[CPAchiever]

I'm going to use your approach for BEC. I failed it again. I planned to hammered Ninja MCQs for 3 weeks! I'm ready to get this done. I already passed AUD and REG. I can do it!!

[Nate]

I am the same way- I didn't take any notes at all while studying, just focused on the lectures and picked up what i could. Then I practiced mcs and focused on the ones i got wrong. Passed em all except far on first try. I passed far once i got better at understanding the theory through practicing questions.

[Tonya]

Yes – I realized I had read so many horror stories about the exam and how hard it is I had already convinced myself I was doomed and there was probably no way I could pass because I always read about people who spent 3 months studying 8 hours a day and there was no way on Earth I could do that even if I wanted to. When I let go of that attitude and started looking at it like just any other assignment I was able to slowly get there. And I also told myself I was studying to pass, I wasn't trying to be an EWS recipient. Maybe in my younger years 🙂

FAR -- 11/9/15 74 OUCH --Retake Jan 9,2016
AUD - 11/30/15 75
REG - Jan 2016
BEC - Feb 2016

[Becca]

Thank you for your response! I think I’m going to try your method. Due to feeling rushed, I had zero confidence going into the FAR exam. I second-guessed myself a lot during FAR, when I previously made a point to not do that on REG. I looked up some questions from FAR that I could remember as soon as I got home, only to discover my first answers were correct, but I had changed them. I was so mad at myself. I feel like I have the concepts down, I just need to cement them.

It’s comforting to know someone with the same “limitations” (for lack of a better term right now) was able to get through this. I’m surrounded by early-twenty year old’s who have more time to study and less day-to-day responsibilities, and I find myself questioning whether I’m cut out for this. I know it’s ridiculous to compare, and I know I’m at a different stage of life, but it gets discouraging.

[Tonya]

Becca I understand completely. I felt the same way. But then I reminded myself I had “life” experience that counted for something. I would also always eliminate the answer/answers I knew were wrong and go from there. On FAR, if I knew something wasn't in the calculation but I wasn't sure beyond that I would take out the answer I could tell used that number or pick the answer that was another answer minus that number. I got creative at times but it worked. I also didn't stress myself out over HARD calculations. If I knew when I read the question that I had no clue what to do I would pick my first gut answer and move on. If I spent time on it then it was wasted since it was still just a guess but more so I stressed myself out which affected the rest of the test/MCQ session. Oh, and when doing MCQ's I always did the score as you go so I could see the answer and process it right then.

FAR -- 11/9/15 74 OUCH --Retake Jan 9,2016
AUD - 11/30/15 75
REG - Jan 2016
BEC - Feb 2016

[Author]

Replies