Best Study Approach?

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    Topic
  • #175707
    jckund
    Member

    Hi guys, new here. Starting to study for FAR and am signed up for the entire Becker review course. So I’ve been following their outlines in terms of review, including the books, lectures, homework and sims. However, I’m finding myself still getting a ton (~65-70% accuracy) of these multiple choice wrong, even after reading through the book/reviewing it before. Just missing some of the conceptual stuff/getting tricked up in the wording of questions.

    Is there a better approach to this? What has worked for other people, especially for FAR?

    Thanks

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
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  • #392772
    bmc1
    Participant

    I was having a lot of difficulty with FAR, feeling like at certain points the concepts just weren't sounding down. For instance, I allowed myself to get stuck on F-2 for over a week because my MCQ performance wasn't cutting it. I became something of a drone.

    You may just need to force yourself to move on. You will be surprised at what you remember! When you do see that you keep getting a type of question wrong, make up a flashcard or write down notes/mnemonics to help you understand in a way that makes sense to you. Read over them after a study session or during down time. Also, if a question is taking you too long to answer (set a time limit like 2 minutes), just look at the correct answer. The key to this is understanding the concept from the solution – not just memorizing it. This approach has really helped me and is boosting my confidence as the number of topics I am weak in starts to dwindle.

    #392773
    jckund
    Member

    That's actually exactly where I am… F2. F1 wasn't bad at all but this section is just killing me, the questions are really unclear. I may just turn to the notecards, then come back in a few weeks and see what happens. I'm like answering these MCs now expecting to get them wrong which isn't helping things.

    #392774
    Keely
    Member

    Please, PLEASE just push through. I feel for you. I was so discouraged by FAR (I also use Becker) and my MCQ performance first, second time around. Especially because with the other sections, I had never scored below a 65% on the first go around of MCQs. The first time I did F2 MCQs (I think there are 90 or so in the first F2 section) it took me over three hours. Then I read, took notes, studied, and did the Optional MCQs and still got a 50%. Talk about frustrating. Some sections of F3, I scored in the low 40s. It makes you feel like you know nothing. But there's hope!

    The key is to allow time to review sections while you're studying for new sections. I studied the new section during the week, then allotted the weekend to wrap that section up and review anything I felt uncomfortable about from the previous ones. By the time you get to F6, F7, you'll feel like you know F2 like the back of your hand. Make use of your progress tests (although they are not as efficient as redoing all the MCQs from a section, with FAR you'll probably find you just don't have time to do that). Always review when you can, don't wait until the very end. You forget things really quickly when you're trying to learn something new.

    Good luck, and try to remember that it seems insurmountable in the beginning (especially with FAR), but if you just try to toss that thought aside and tell yourself that you have to get through it no matter what, things should start to get easier soon.

    BEC: (4/2012) 88
    AUD: (5/2012) 91
    REG: (8/2012) 82
    FAR: (1/2013) 78 🙂

    VA CPA #42010

    #392775
    WICPA06
    Member

    F2 in Becker is definitely one of the more challenging areas as far as multiple choice questions go. Keeping moving on and the confidence will come. The more times you look at it, the more things start to click.

    Don't get too concerned with your percentage on multiple choice questions, especially the first time through, on any section. You are learning more and more every time you get things wrong. Read through all the responses on why one answer is right and another is wrong. This will help in your learning process. With repitition and practice, the knowledge base will only continue to increase.

    BEC - 77 (lost credit), 4/5/13
    AUD - 83
    REG - 77
    FAR - 73, 74, 80! One more to go!!

    #392776
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Keep pressing through. I averaged around 65% in most of the sections in FAR on my first time through. Then once i reviewed everything and continued to do MCQs everything seemed to fall into place. I will say that I never once scored higher than a 68% on a final exam and never got higher than a 72-76% on MCQ questions. I passed FAR with an 86. FAR MCQs are definitely harder on Becker than the actual exam and ensure you are thoroughly prepared. The sims are a bit easier though, so use caution. Just because you dont hit 75 or more on the Becker exams does not mean you aren't going to pass. Even if you dont do as well as expected on you Becker material, you can still comprehend and understand the material and why you are getting questions right or wrong.

    #392777
    bmc1
    Participant

    @jckund Yes that is exactly what will happen, you aren't really actively involved in answering the questions anymore the “drone” effect, you just want to get that huge number of 90 questions down to 0. You can't, or I will say, I advise against studying that way, it is disheartening and will waste time. My study approach has evolved a lot during this process – but I think I have finally found two alternatives (one when I have ample study time, another when I am crunched for time before an exam part) that work for me, this is a case of too little too late unfortunately lol. Right now since I am taking FAR on Sunday I am doing the study by subject, not by chapter method. I am watching the lectures and doing MCQ for topics that were emphasized by the Becker instructors or that have a higher likelihood of being on the exam.

    I feel like I am moving through the material much quicker in the last week than I have been for the last month. I also just purchased the NINJA notes – wish I had done that sooner. This will be my first exam, and as of Monday I had only reviewed F1 – F-3… I know I wasn't taking this exam seriously. There is literally no way I am going to pass this time 🙂 But I have accepted this fact and will let you know how things go the first lol and SECOND times around.

    #392778
    jckund
    Member

    Are the Ninja notes really worth it? What sort of benefit do they have in addition to the becker course?

    #392779
    m1kal
    Participant

    im using becker and watching the videos for reg and sometimes i feel like im just high lighting and not remembering everything. is that normal? i probably will re read the chapter.

    REG - 76
    BEC - 76
    AUD - 93
    FAR - 71, 68,69, 70, retake 7/19/16

    #392780
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @jckund, see this link to sign up for a free sample of some of the FAR ninja notes

    Free FAR Study Guide & Audios

    They are definitely worth getting. They basically sum up the most important info in a concise format that is quick and easy to study with.

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