[JustKeepStudying]

I am coming down to a time crunch with FAR expiring in mid-april. I have used both Becker and NINJA in the past and I usually get good responses on here so I thought I’d pose the question.

I am worried I do not have enough time to properly use Becker. Becker is very time consuming, with the 4 hour lectures per chapter and you can’t choose how many MCQ to do at a time… I am through the first chapter, but still have 5 to go, with the test set for 2/21… Becker expires 2/22 after a courtesy extension… I am also in public accounting, with tax season starting to get busy…

I have used NINJA in the past to try and tackle BEC, but I will be honest that I did not put in the proper amount of time for those 2 attempts – they were both throw away schedules that I had NTS for and no time to actually study and just took the test because I had already paid for it. In hindsight, I would’ve planned it out a lot better, but I cant change the past and only have so much time to finish this beast!

Thoughts, comments, experiences?? … thanks guys!!

FAR - 84.
AUD - X,X,76.
REG - X,X,75.
BEC - X,X,74*, 81 AND IM DONE!!!!!!

*if i dont pass, i lose FAR.

Study materials: Becker videos/MCQ/Books, NINJA Blitz helped to finally pass AUD and REG.

First exam was in May 2013, seems like so long ago - FINALLY DONE!!!

[Anonymous]

I am using both.

Interesting you post this just now: I only bought Ninja MCQ the other day and while I love it, I was thinking just now on the bike ride home that I also appreciate what I get from my Becker MCQ's and that I feel with Becker I can master one topic whereas Ninja is a mix bag. There are clear benefits to both.

The thing that has always helped me the most is the Becker final review. My test is on Monday and I have taken the rest of the week off work. Tomorrow I will start the final review. That will take me 2-3 days and then I will spend the last few days doing Ninja MCQ's again.

It's tough for sure that you're in public right now. If you're finding that the lectures are taking up too much of your time because you have limited time to study then maybe just work Becker questions by topic and then do Ninja MCQ sessions in between? Sorry I don't have insight here…I have always listened to the lecture. Not sure if it always helped me but it's just the process my brain has to go through.

If by chance you do have the Becker final review then I would do that (lectures and all) and then just bang out as many MCQ's as you can between both resources.

You've got this…good luck!

[s2sylvir]

“you can't choose how many MCQ to do at a time”

You can. My Becker has since expired, but I believe it's under the Final Review. You pick exactly how many questions, how long you want to take for each question, and what topics you want the test bank to choose from. It's exactly like ninja's MCQ (even more user friendly since Becker's got that “smooth” interface).

BEC - PASS (79)
AUD - PASS (63, 71, 74, 74, 83)
REG - PASS (88)
FAR - PASS (58, 89)

Becker for all + FAR 10 Point Combo

[Justdoit2014]

I used Gleim for BEC and gave my exam yesterday. I believe Gleim prepares you extremely well and their test bank is awesome. Its quite detailed, but it worked for me in AUD, REG and BEC (hopefully).

FAR - 80 (Roger + Wiley TB) May 2014
AUD - 82 (Roger + Gleim TB + Wiley TB) August 2014
REG - 79 (Gleim + Gleim TB) November 2014
BEC - 85 (Gleim + Gleim TB) January 2015

[JustKeepStudying]

@brooks – You actually can go into the MCQ and tell it which areas to focus on … unfortunately where I work, i dont have the time to take days off to catch up…

@s2sylvir – i mean in the homework… i know you can select however many you want in the progress tests and the final review stages, but in the homework sometimes theres 100 questions and i get distracted by #75… i would prefer to go topic by topic, like NINJA does in MCQ…

@justdoit – idk how i'd feel about introducing a completely new study material when this could be my last exam and i dont have any time to spare – if i was still in the middle, i might consider it… and honestly i think my number one piece of advice to most people that ask be about the exam is that they should research prep materials BEFORE starting… my firm pushes Becker, so i bought it – assuming it was the only thing out there… i dont think its the best and i dont think its worth the money and i learned the hard way unfortunately

i am really more referring to the other study material for NINJA – ie: videos, notes and especially the book that just recently came out – i am very familiar with the MCQ and have used the 10 point combo, but i've never used these items without first using Becker, which is my concern….

thanks for the input!

FAR - 84.
AUD - X,X,76.
REG - X,X,75.
BEC - X,X,74*, 81 AND IM DONE!!!!!!

*if i dont pass, i lose FAR.

Study materials: Becker videos/MCQ/Books, NINJA Blitz helped to finally pass AUD and REG.

First exam was in May 2013, seems like so long ago - FINALLY DONE!!!

[Determined CPA]

Regardless, ninja is better anyway. I just know having 2 study materials is helpful.

A - 75
B - 78 God is good.
F - 77 Answered prayers.
R - 84! Done!!

Paperwork sent - waiting for license!!
Still on a cloud and in shock. Through God, all things will happen.

[s2sylvir]

@Determined CPA

Becker definitely has it's good points. I hate to admit it, but the Becker mnemonics work very well for me (something Ninja doesn't seem to heavily focus on).

I did start studying for FAR with Becker before it expired…

As for trying to log in… I'll do it when I get home.

-Edit- But as for learning the “meat” of the material, I can count on ninja to do that.

BEC - PASS (79)
AUD - PASS (63, 71, 74, 74, 83)
REG - PASS (88)
FAR - PASS (58, 89)

Becker for all + FAR 10 Point Combo

[Determined CPA]

s2sylvir – I agree with you. Becker explains things in a way that stick. But ninja is what pulls it together

A - 75
B - 78 God is good.
F - 77 Answered prayers.
R - 84! Done!!

Paperwork sent - waiting for license!!
Still on a cloud and in shock. Through God, all things will happen.

[Anonymous]

You've got a very aggressive timeline.

I used Becker to review the material and went through 99% of the MCQ (some of the optional Finance questions are so out there I never got around to them). After that I've been hitting NINJA MCQ to give myself an overall review while going back to Becker to review concepts I want to really hit hard (IT, COSO and Cost).

[Author]

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