[spatel15]

Becker Question –

Is it better to do HW sets with constant feedback on or should I leave grading to be done after the set is complete? I’ve been doing them with constant feedback, but I am wondering if I’m really testing my knowledge that way, or if I’m just relearning it on the spot(reading the explanations), and not really taking advantage of the questions.

Thoughts?

I’m taking the exam on Aug. 4th, and I’m still in the process of reading, so I want to make sure I’m doing this the best way possible. I do intend to take full progress tests afterwards along with the practice exams, which both entail completing the assignment before receiving the explanations, but clearly I won’t be doing as many MCQs as I am via the HW assignments. Plus I sometimes feel like I’ve memorized the HW answers by that point, so the progress tests end up being a bit of regurgitation more than application.

I don’t want to buy any new materials until I get some feedback on my current performance(I get my AUD grade back the same day, Aug 4th) but obviously that won’t help until my BEC/TAX exams. If I were to fail AUD, I’d consider purchasing the Ninja MCQ for those my upcoming BEC/REG exams, as well as for my AUD retake of course(and FAR if I fail that too lol)

Any advice is much appreciated! Thank you!

[tuanxn]

Hey Spatel, usually if I'm still in the learning phase I'll do MCQ with instant feedback so I know what I did wrong. It's kind of hard to go back and think about how you went through each question (and what led to getting them wrong or right) if you're only seeing the answers after a long set. I would definitely recommend it for the review phase though.

August 4th seems pretty soon if you're still doing homework and reading. How far are you through the material and how many hours are you studying daily?

[spatel15]

About to finish F4; doing 1 section a day, should be done reading/lectures by Wednesday at the latest. Then hammering out 300-500 MCQ's a day from Thursday – Monday with the test on Tuesday early morning. Mind you, I just graduated(fresh mind) and not working(60+ hours a week studying). Also when I read I make sure I don't just read it, I fact-check it(since Becker leaves a lot of stuff out) to make sure I actually get what I'm reading.

In terms of AUD(which I had 7 days from start to finish) I ended up reading most of the book(ended up resorting to lectures due to time constraints for the final sections, and pounded out 500 ish MCQs + 200 in Progress Tests, and one of the Practice Exams(82%). Hopefully it was enough…definitely wasn't as much as I had intended to complete when I decided to sign up lol. But again, Becker's reading was supplemented by my googling of everything to make sure I actually understood it. But I think my comfortability with Becker's questions made me doubt how well I was learning the stuff so that I could apply it on the actual exam. <–Hence the feedback question.

[jbarwick]

I found instant feedback worked because they ask the questions a few different ways and it helps learning. I got my 86 with Becker so doing FAR then hammering MCQs is the best method. Also the practice tests allow you to see new questions mixed with old in practice #1 then all new questions in practice #2. At least go over those questions in 30 MCQ sets to allow yourself more questions.

Journey Started - January 2015
FAR - 4/2015 - Passed
AUD - 7/2015 - Passed
BEC - 8/2015 - Passed
REG - 11/12/2015 - Passed

[spatel15]

Thanks for the input! I hope to complete to both practice exams this time around because youre right those questions are a bit more unique in form.

Side/Extra Question:

For premium/discount bond liabilities/reporting, are we expected to report/calculate “stuff” when payment dates are DRASTICALLY different than year-end dates? Like, payment due dates are…October 1st and March 1st with Year-End(YE) being Dec. 31st?

In the Becker readings, when they mention this offset of dates(“Year-End Bond Interest Accruals” section” they literally just have a difference of one day(payment is due Jan 1st), so you're only adjusting for payables (in place of credits to cash) rather than adjusting expenses and amortization as well. If you were to change the due dates to the ones above, your amortization/interest expense schedule would be parsed(part of the calcs before, part of the calcs after YE) and much more complex if you were applying the effective interest method(since amortization changes every six months).

In this manner, you'd be dealing with 3 “layers” of calculations for each year rather than the simple two: part of the first payment period(overlapping from PY; i.e. Dec. to March), a full 6-month period(March to Oct), and the final partial period(which will overlap into the next year; Oct to December).

It's probably more than they'll ask right lol?

[Fat Bunny]

I use constant feedback for things I am still learning and wait for group grading for my review/progress

REG - 77, 10/18/2014
BEC- 84, 2/26/2015
FAR - 78, 7/16/2015
AUD - 86, 8/27/2015 (Yes!!! I am officially done )

[spatel15]

Onto F6! 10 days left! Hoping to finish both F6 and F7 today, but we'll see.

[spatel15]

Anyone have any last tips? Exam is Tuesday morning!

I've officially gone through the book, all but two lecture topics(F10: Fin. Instruments and F10:IFRS v GAAP) with plans to sort of blend them into my MCQ's sessions when I need a break.

Done about 1,100 MCQ's(77%'s my lowest so far; F6) still totally unsure if I'm misusing them/wasting their “novelty.”

I've taken a new approach of doing 20+(if available), then stopping once I hit an average of 80% or so. After that I'll hop to a totally random topic and repeat Granted it sometimes takes me 40-60 MCQ's to attain 80%(sign of misuse), I have been able to point out some weaknesses and strengths.

Plan for the next few days: (Looking for tips/adjustments!)

Tomorrow: Still, have some untouched topics, including all of F-5, and much of F9/F10(comfortable, but also recently read) planned, paired with some course-wide progress tests, and my first Practice Exam tomorrow night(technically tn).

Sunday: I hope to just pump out a random assortment of 30-sets, perhaps conclude with those last lectures.

Monday: I take the Second Practice exam. Maybe look at some sims, and AICPA questions.

Tuesday morning: I do it up and move to BEC.

Any advice, as always, would be really awesome!

[Author]

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