3rd Fail, ready for a win…hardest thing I've ever done

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #198943
    cbecken
    Participant

    I just got my score for REG, 61. I studied with Becker and got the Becker Promise. I studied for 30 hrs for 7 weeks. I also listened to the Ninja Audio and made notes. I felt confident but failed. I am going to move onto Audit because I have more work experience in the area. My Becker license is expiring in June 2016 along with my CPA Exam Candidate Approval and I need a win.

    FAR: 5/16 – 52, 8/16 – 53

    REG: 11/16 – 61

    AUD: 2/16

    BEC:4/16

    FAR 51, 53
    REG 61
    AUD 58
    BEC 62

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 16 total)
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  • #751535
    Claudia408
    Participant

    Studied 30 hours a week for 7 weeks, or 30 hours total?

    BEC 65, 71, 75
    AUD 62, 70, 78
    REG 67, 66, 65, 66, 64
    FAR 68, 64, 73

    BEC - 75 (3x)
    AUD - 78 (3x)
    REG - 67, 66, Aug 1
    FAR - 54, Sept 8

    #751536
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    How are you studying? I went through the books in the beginning, but mostly worked questions and took notes from missed ones. I worked 7,000 multiple choice the time I passed FAR.

    #751537
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    You studied 30 hours for 7 weeks … That's like 4 minutes a day…. lol

    #751538
    1dayatatime
    Participant

    @Another85 I'm assuming she meant 30 hours x 7 weeks haha

    AUD - Pass
    REG - Pass
    BEC - Pass
    FAR - Pass

    #751539
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I also failed my first three tests. Whatever you do, do not give up.

    It sounds like you need to change up your approach. How many test bank questions did you do for your last test prep? I found that I needed to do at least 2,000 questions to pass. For my Audit retake I did over 3,000 questions, and still only got a 75.

    #751540
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I did thousands and thousands of questions and still barely passed. I did the becker questions 2x and always did approximately 60% of the ninja questions. I think my weakness was SIMS (notes bec score).

    #751541
    EuroAddict
    Participant

    What's your approach to studying? Doing 7,000 Q's like the one person here might be slightly overkill. But everyone studies differently.

    -----------------------------
    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.

    #751542
    monikernc
    Participant

    i did 5800+ for audit. just kept reviewing and maintaining 100% trending in review phase. 101 hours on the dashboard.

    AUD - 93
    BEC - 82
    FAR - 76
    REG - 88
    How have you been?
    Ninja book and MCQs and the forum, all first try! 2016
    Licensed State of Montana April Fool’s Day 2020
    State of Colorado June 2020 - AICPA Ethics 93
    Experience was the worst part of the journey for me. You?
    If you want things to change you have to do something different.

    FAR 7/25/15 76!
    AUD 10/30/15 93
    BEC 2/27/16 82
    REG 5/23/16 88!
    Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
    and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
    if you want things to change, you have to do something different

    #751543
    cbecken
    Participant

    Just realized that I should check this thread.

    Yes, 30 hrs for 7 wks, meaning 30 hrs each of the 7 wks. Haha!

    I was watching each Becker lecture and then doing the coinciding MCQs in Becker. I would listen to Ninja Audio throughout each week. I also took notes on the Audio.

    I have now failed AUD too with a 58 so I am going to try the NINJA method.

    Nail the concept (the lectures)
    Intense Notes (over the lectures)
    Non-Stop Multiple Choice (Do all the Becker MCQ and Ninja MCQ)
    Just Rewrite (Ninja Notes and Becker Outlines)
    All Comes Together

    I think I have been failing because I am not optimizing the Becker materials. I watched the lectures not quite understanding or absorbing all the concepts and then completed the MCQ to grasp the concepts through trial and error. Not the best way to study. Mixing it up with Jeff's latest Podcast advice in mind and hoping for a win! I don't want to have to reapply to sit for the exams.

    FAR 51, 53
    REG 61
    AUD 58
    BEC 62

    #751544
    Stilgoin
    Participant

    I have Becker- it just was not enough for me. I have friends who passed with it, but I needed different MCQs. Buy the NINJA MCQs. It will put you over the edge. Lol I sound like a billboard- I say this like 4 times a day on this forum, but I have done it both ways, and with NINJA MCQ worked. Good luck!

    Stilgoin, CPA

    There are enough critics. Be an encourager

    B | 62, 78
    A | 73, 67, 79
    R | 82
    F | 59, 59, Waiting

    Ethics | 93

    "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
    ~Winston Churchill

    “In a world full of critics, be an encourager."

    #751545

    I never used Becker, and my buddy who went through the CPA process with me, only used it because it was free from his company; he had a terrible time with it. In my opinion, Becker expiring is probably the best thing for you. Look for different materials, as a supplement if you want while Becker is still rolling, but look for a replacement if possible. I found that large packages aren't always the best (no comment from Skynet please) , and I did best tailoring each exam based upon my strengths and weaknesses. Good luck, we have all seen success stories from people who have had trouble and I know you can be another one; perhaps it's just time to mix it up a bit…

    MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

    #751546
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hopefully you don't need to fail every exam twice before passing the third time. I like Jeff's idea that studying more than 6-7 weeks can get people to the point where they're forgetting as quickly as they're learning. For me, 4 weeks of learning the material, followed by a week or two of intense review (copying notes, etc.) seems to be my sweet spot. Hopefully it will work for AUD next month too.

    #751547
    Thrawn
    Participant

    Its possible you overdid it. I didn't study nearly that much, I focused on truly understanding the material and the logic behind things, that way when I saw a question I could think it out, use t accounts etc. as needed. If all you are doing is memorizing flashcards and questions and drilling the same information for 30 hours a week you aren't necessarily retaining info.

    BEC 87 Feb 14
    REG 84 Apr 14
    FAR 82 Nov 14
    AUD 86 Feb 15

    #751548
    njvath
    Participant

    @Mom2Five – I have heard that Becker isn't great for the REG section from a few different people at work. A few of my co-workers had to supplement with Wiley for REG (and REG only). I am doing Becker too but haven't gotten to REG yet…I am absolutely dreading it because out of all the sections, this will be the one that I have the least experience in and the material that I dislike the most. Good Luck, you can do it!

    Becker

    FAR - 76
    AUD - 74, 74
    BEC - 83
    REG - TBD

    #751549
    cbecken
    Participant

    Thanks everyone for the positive feedback. It's great to not be alone in this process.

    @ stilgoin I think you're right, I bought Ninja MCQ and Notes this Go, may even do the Audio again too.

    @4WG2WB During your 4 weeks of learning, do you just do MCQ's? What is your method for the “4 weeks of learning”?

    This time I am trying to skip the Becker videos and just write notes on the chapters (using Becker Outlines and Ninja Notes) for these 1st 2 weeks.
    Then I am planning to start knocking out Becker MCQ and then Ninja MCQ for the next 3 weeks.
    I'll do the final review of rewriting notes with my final week.

    Ready to pass BEC May 13! If I don't pass I will have to resubmit my Application of Intent with TX and hopefully not have additional requirements to sit.

    FAR 51, 53
    REG 61
    AUD 58
    BEC 62

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