[Ag12thman]

I’m having a hard time deciding if I should purchase all 4 Becker study courses up front or if I should just purchase them 1-at-a-time. I have signed up for Becker a few years back and let life get in the way and never truly studied like I should have and the courses all expired, obviously. This go-around I am determined to get this done. So, I get half-off since I am a repeat Becker user.

The savings turn out to be 4 study courses for the price of 3, but the thing that I’m worried about is the 18 month license expiration. I will essentially have to be completely done with the CPA Exam by 18 months from the date of purchase. With going the 4-part route, that would mean I would need to have very few, if any, exam retakes.

Does anyone have any advice concerning this dilemma?

 

 

FAR: July 2016

[Anonymous]

This exam is completely doable in 18 months if you put your nose to grindstone and get it done. I would not hold off on purchasing the individual courses out of fear that there is some great likelihood that you won't finish within 18 months. Aside from having some kind of life emergency that takes away significant study time, the only thing that makes this a likely scenario is you not trying hard enough. That is my honest opinion.

Having said that, I think some people get distracted and/or overwhelmed when they purchase all 4 parts at once. They may not have a clear plan of which order to take the exams in, or they get started on one section and get bored and switch to another, etc. You are not going to be able to do that if you purchase one part at a time, so that might keep you focused on that task at hand a little better.

[Ag12thman]

CaseyTX, great points and I agree that it is definitely doable in 18 months. I let life get in the way last go-around and this time that won't be happening. I have to finish this now and the drive is there this time. The only thing that troubles me is if I struggle with one or more sections and wind up having to retake one or more exams that might take me a month or two past 18 months from the date of purchase. And I know other software companies (i.e. CPA Excel, Gleim, etc.) do not have this license expiration, but with getting half off of Becker, I think it's really a no-brainer that I stay with using them.

FAR: July 2016

[Ag12thman]

Anyone else have any thoughts and/or suggestions?

FAR: July 2016

[Quinacridone]

I purchased them all at once – mainly because I'm the type of person who sets a goal and (come hell or high water) WILL complete it. By getting all the sections, I gave myself no excuse and no way out. The only thing I would have done differently was that I would have ordered the current year (2013) for the first section (Reg) and then the next year (2014) for the last three sections. It was a July timeframe when I ordered the books and I wasn't thinking about the split so I ordered all 2013 books and then had to buy the 2014 books for two sections (not a big deal – $15 a piece). Also, I probably should have waited until right before I started studying to order the books, just in case but I jumped the gun and ordered them early (I started studying Reg at the beg of Oct due to some work schedule conflicts).

The Hell or High Water Approach: My study habits were brutal. I worked full time (usually about 50 hours a week). Every night after work, I ate dinner quickly and then studied for 4 to 8 hours. I had one day off a week from study. I did all videos, all highlighting, and MCQs until I was doing MCQs and videos in my sleep. There was no room for failure. I carried my notes with me everywhere and even studied at stoplights. I also made audio recordings of the videos and then listened to those day even at work. Even though I wasn't able to completely focus on the audio, I was getting enough of it to help. Seven months from when I started I signed off Becker for the last time. It can be done – but you cannot give yourself any excuse. I will admit that one section (audit), I kinda strayed because I work as an auditor and didn't want to study that section.

You can do it!! But make sure you are able to go in with the right mindset.

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[Kimboroni]

I'm not a Becker user, but reading here I thought they had some kind of pass guarantee as well as an extension program, both that could help you out if you need a month or 2 more past the 18 months.

AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

[Skynet]

Gleim is 18 months when you buy the Full Premium Version which gives you access until you pass. It's also one third the cost of Becker. Just another choice to consider.

AUD - 90
BEC - 78
FAR - 84
REG - 87

World Domination Plan

Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
Phase II : Megan Fox - In Progress
Phase III : Megan Fox & Scarlett Johansson Lingerie Pillow Fight
Phase IV : Form the new Charlie's Angels with Megan Fox, Scarlett Johansson, & Gal Gadot
Phase V : TBD

BEC : 78
REG : 87
FAR : 84
AUD : 90

World Domination Plan

Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
Phase II : Megan Fox - Initiated
Phase III : Bring back 8-Tracks
Phase IV : Megan Fox & Scarlett Johansson Lingerie Pillow Fight
Phase V : TBA

[Anonymous]

Becker will let you repeat the course if you fail, BUT there are a lot of hoops to jump through. You have to prove, through your software stats, that you watched 100% of the lectures and answered 90% of the homework questions CORRECTLY. Even if you can prove that, you still have to pay a $200 “materials and license fee” per section that you wish to repeat. That's a lot less than full price, but it's hardly the “100% tuition-free” retake they claim it to be.

I would guess there are very few people who watch every lecture, work MCQs until they get 90% of them correct, and end up failing. Obviously you could just turn on the videos and let them play without actually watching, and you could answer every MCQ, write down the answers to the ones you got wrong, and go back and answer them correctly to get your 90% and the right to pay $200 to retake the course, but that seems absurdly pointless.

[Kettlepot]

I bought them one at a time, and it allowed me to use the excuse that “It's okay to take my time and faff around because I'm not on a strict timeline!” and that's pretty bad. My study habits are awful and this is one more excuse that I pull out when I'm just not feelin' it.

I actually made every requirement for the Becker Promise (watch every lecture, do every MCQ until you get them all right, take two practice exams) in a four-week period and still walked out of AUD with a 67. It was a valiant attempt, but still…sometimes you just get some unlucky questions, I guess 🙁

Far: 49
BEC: 79 (Expired)
AUD: 51, 67, 64
REG: 59, 64, 59, 69

[Anonymous]

I purchased BEC and AUD. After I passed both sections, I went ahead and purchased FAR and REG.

[Author]

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