4 days to cram for BEC. What do you study?

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  • #198591
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi All,

    Long time reader, first time poster. I find myself in a unique situation: BEC is on the 30th and I’m only half way through B2 (I have Becker). I initially thought I had plenty of time to study + review, but I got killed with work which resulted in me cancelling planned PTO that I was using to cram. A lot of people would say to postpone the exam and take it another time, but I’m of the mind that I already have the exam booked and its the last day of the testing window, it would be silly for me not to throw a dart at the board and hope for a passing score, and just re-purchase the NTS for the first week of January if I fail. This would be my last test to pass by the way – not in risk of losing an exam until June.

    What are some “must know” areas for BEC? I’m super weak in Cost, so my plan is to know B1-B3 extensively. IT and economics I can BS my way through the questions. After a quick 30 questions in Becker, I got a 70 (weaker on cost and formulas), so I feel like If I applied myself to those chapters I could make magic happen. I know this is long winded but any advice or support would be greatly appreciated!

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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  • #745188
    ohiostategirlcpa
    Participant

    As you may know by reading here, each test is different, focuses on different areas. So one's person suggested focus will be different than others.

    But I would say:
    Cost accounting
    Variable costing
    Formulas
    Basic finance
    COSO

    F91 A95 R90 B94
    CMA since 2015
    (Gleim books/PDFs, MCQs, SIMS)

    #745189
    hasy
    Participant

    I recently took it. I'd say I would know your variances, I believe I got 2 questions. Financial Management and Capital Budgeting were heavily tested, I thought. Surprisingly, I did not see as much cost accounting as I thought. But know Weighted average and FIFO for equivalent units. But otherwise, if you're planning to BS your way through IT and Econ, go ahead but I felt IT was a good part of the exam as well as COSO. So…. I'd spent some hours reviewing those areas too.

    AUD - 83
    BEC - 80
    FAR - 83
    REG - 78
    BEC - 80 (Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB)

    FAR - 72; 83 (Roger + NINJA MCQ)

    AUD - 83 (Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB)

    REG - 52; 78 (Roger + NINJA MCQ)

    Ethics - 68, 96 (how I dislike you)
    -
    This forum is more addictive than drugs. Still returning after licensure.

    Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved - Helen Keller

    -

    BEC 80 (10/23/15)
    FAR 72 (4/2/15); 83 (7/11/16)
    REG 52 (4/28/15)
    AUD (9/9/16)

    Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB

    #745190
    jcbcpa
    Participant

    OP, I was in a similar situation as you with BEC when I took it earlier this month (and found out a couple days ago that I passed with an 83!). I had very limited time to study as well, and I exclusively used Becker. I took FAR on Oct 13th and then took BEC on Nov. 4. That's a little less than 3 weeks; however, by the time I actually started studying for BEC, it was only a little more than 2 weeks total study time.

    I also work full time and the week before my exam (from October 25th through October 30th) , I had to go out of town for a week-long annual conference with my job. Needless to say, when I returned home on October 30th, I was only half way finished with Chapter 3, and I had 4 days left. I studied as hard as I possibly could those 4 days (except Monday, when I worked half a day and used PTO the remainder of the day and all day on Tuesday; sat on Wednesday, with PTO).

    So it sounds like you may be a little bit behind my pace, but if you focus really hard until test time (not sure if you are celebrating Thanksgiving with family or not), I think you can have a chance. I would definitely focus on Chapters 1-3 and ensuring you understand them: Cost Accounting, Financial Management, Variable Costing, etc.

    COSO on Chapter 1 is important. Be sure to know COSO well; internal control, enterprise risk management. I didn't get particularly difficult questions on these, all conceptual-type questions, but you need to know them.

    The good news is once you get past Chapter 3, the rest of the chapters go a lot faster. If you are strong in IT, you may can go through that chapter pretty quickly. As for me, I am NOT strong in IT at all (I work in governmental accounting, and it seems our department is way behind the times in regards to technology), so I had to focus a little harder. I missed A LOT of questions on the multiple choice, and honestly, I still could not grasp all the different terminology in the end. I did get several IT questions on the exam that I had to pretty much flat out guess on. I did my best on them and hoped for the best. But if you are strong in that area, I would say don't spend a lot of time on it. I didn't have a ton of questions on the topic, but it was definitely tested (of course, your exam may have more or less IT questions).

    Economics in Chapter 5 is another area that was pretty heavily tested for me. Surprisingly, I seemed to grasp Economics pretty well and flew through Chapter 5 (which surprised me because in the past, I have hated economics. I HATE graphs, but there weren't any graphs on the exam. Very basic, generalized questions on economic concepts. If you are strong in that area, you may can breeze through it like me.

    Chapter 6 seems to be a bunch of miscellaneous topics thrown together. Personally, I don't think this chapter is all that important, or at least I don't think it was to me. I went through the lecture and managed to rush through the multiple choice at the last minute, but I don't feel I got a whole lot out of that last chapter.

    I would say if you have time, try to at least go through the Chapter 6 lecture. But if you feel you need to focus on other weaker areas, then that may be a better idea.

    There's my 2 cents. Unfortunately, every exam is different, and yours could be completely different than mine. I am just glad to have BEC out of the way. It is one of the shortest sections, but it is full of miscellaneous, off-the-wall business stuff (and I absolutely hated IT). I am so happy to have that section over with.

    Focus hard, and give it your best shot! I am taking REG on November 30th (currently working through Chapter 6 of 8, so I've got a lot to do over these next several days as well!).

    AUD - 85 (8/30/2015)
    FAR - 73 (10/13/2015), 85 (2/29/2016) (AND DONE!)
    BEC - 83 (11/04/2015)
    REG - 81 (11/30/2015)

    #745191
    MaLoTu
    Participant

    My theory is that B1 is a given, you are going to be tested on the COSO framework. Then B2-B3 will be tested with especially heavy emphasis on one or the other (i.e., managerial or financial). So, my suggestion know B1-3 inside and out. Go through B4-6 for exposure. Not ideal to take the exam being so under prepared,. As someone else mentioned, they can test anything and all the subjects are completely different from one another.

    Almost always from my phone... please excuse my typos!

    All 4 passed - 2016

    CA CPA

    #745192
    Moeshow
    Participant

    Yup! I just recently took the exam two days back and was strong and on every subject besides one and that one subject was heavily tested. Econ was my strongest point and unfortunately the test was not structured towards that section whatsoever. If you are on a tight schedule I'd recommend focusing on the MCQs because trying to retain that much information before the test I feel would be too difficult and you're bound to confuse yourself. Do MCQs then read up on what you don't understand and get an understanding of it. Trying to go through the lectures and retain all that information was too difficult for me. I felt the MCQs put everything in perspective for me.

    BEC - PASSED 2016
    FAR - PASSED 2016
    AUD - PASSED 2016
    REG - PASSED 2017

    Roger CPA review

    BEC 2/26/2016 81
    FAR 05/2016

    Purely Roger CPA Review, for now!

    #745193
    jcf175
    Participant

    Honestly, my BEC exam was the most diverse exam I took, nothing was really heavily tested. Just give yourself a basic overview of the concepts.. I agree with you not wasting your money though, go in and take a stab at it.

    NYSCPA

    Passed all sections between 5/15 - 10/15 order AUD REG BEC FAR (used Becker only)

    #745194
    TheHoundThatRides
    Participant

    My score breakdown said I got advanced in Information Systems and I only went through the material once. And I'm no Information Systems expert. Go through that material once but don't dwell on it. Focus on memorizing the formulas/COSO stuff and practicing your cost accounting. I have definitely heard of people cramming for this exam in your time frame. Keep at it.

    BEC - 78 (August 2015)
    FAR - 80 (November 2015)
    AUD - 73, 67. (Ok I gotta confess I was even more lazy this time around)
    REG - August 27th, 2016

    #745195
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Just wanted to bump this and say that I passed with a 85. What I ended up doing was watching B1-B3, re-wrote the textbook for B-1 and most of B-2, and drilled MCQs like a madman in Becker. Long + late nights, but it was worth it and I'm glad I pushed myself to pass.

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