Cannot pass BEC, Need advice

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    Topic
  • #200289
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I just found out today that I failed BEC again so I need a plan to get it passed next quarter before FAR expires. I purchased the 10 point combo when I started and have been using only Ninja products to study for my other tests. I feel like I am struggling with BEC because almost all the questions are conceptual word problems and not a formula or calculation that I can memorize. I have scored weaker on the written portion every time and do not have much hope of improving that. Writing has never been my favorite thing to do which is why I pursued accounting.

    With the other sections I watched all the videos. I read through the ninja notes but did not copy them. I did the Ninja MCQs and took notes but only completed about 1/3 to ½ of the total available. The majority of my studying was with the audio since I listened to it to and from work every day. I never used the books. I do not really like the Ninja MCQ for BEC, with the other sections I always felt that the MCQs were harder than the exam questions but for BEC I feel like the exam questions are worded completely different then questions that I have practiced.

    After failing 3 times with BEC I feel like a change. I am interested in Roger’s full course since I am more of an audio/video learner. I have watched all of his videos I could find on YouTube when I was taking other sections and liked his style but wonder if I should just get the lectures only for $150 instead of the full course since I already have the Ninja material and I have heard his MCQs are not good. I also feel like I need more structure to my studying then I have had. A full course of read this section, then watch this video, then answer these questions sounds appealing. The ninja material is separated by subcategories which do not match up to the categories in the MCQ. Starting out it is difficult to know what sections to study before doing a section of MCQ. For example I can watch the cost accounting videos and listen to the cost accounting audio but none of the MCQ sections list cost accounting.

    So my question is should I get a full Roger, Yaeger, Gleim or CPAExcel course? Roger videos with Gleim questions or some other combination of supplements?

Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
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  • #759206
    Biff-1955-Tannen
    Participant

    I would suggest going through the ninja MCQ completely. I basically only used ninja MCQ for BEC. Ran through them all about 3 times, and went through the questions in the Wiley book once or twice. Other than the occasional IT term I never saw before, I thought it was a good representation of the exam.

    AUD - 93
    BEC - 83
    FAR - 83
    REG - 84
    Nobody calls me chicken

    AUD 93 Jan 16
    BEC 83 Feb 16
    FAR 83 Apr 16
    REG 84 May 16

    99% Ninja MCQ only

    #759207
    Jdn9201
    Participant

    Buying Roger's full program is a big investment – especially when you have other study materials. I'm using only Roger and I love his program. He's very engaging which helps me to remember the material the first time. I've heard from some that he skims over details – I like it because I don't want to waste my time, but I've also been working for 10 years so don't need as much detail as someone fresh out of school. Maybe you could look into getting Roger CRAM since this is your last test? And don't waste your time on the WC's – you get so many of your points just by repeating what's being asked in the intro and conclusion. Good luck – try to treat your retake like a new exam and like you are studying the first time.

    BEC - 88 8/29/15
    REG - 82 11/14/15
    AUD - 83 1/8/16
    FAR - 80 2/29/16

    #759208
    Claudia408
    Participant

    you gotta go hard with a FULL new review course for a fresh look. money is a factor but you can't think about that. you will hate yourself for not just sucking it up w a new full review course if you lose FAR and that's such a beast to study. took me 3x to pass BEC and i used Wiley, 10pt combo, google, youtube – EVERYTHING to try to understand my weak areas (financial mgmt and cost accounting). I suggest Roger (he got me over the Audit hump), he's the most engaging and his style is more like a conversation not a lecture.

    BEC 65, 71, 75
    AUD 62, 70, 78
    REG 67, 66, 65, 66, 64
    FAR 68, 64, 73

    BEC - 75 (3x)
    AUD - 78 (3x)
    REG - 67, 66, Aug 1
    FAR - 54, Sept 8

    #759209
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I will probably renew my Ninja MCQ no mater what I chose since it is so cheap. I know I have not gotten close to finishing all the questions available. I have not opened the Ninja book either so I can utilize that as well. I just feel like I need to try a different approach since it hasn't worked so far and I only have one more shot before loosing FAR.

    I thought about a cram course but it looks like it is less detailed and I feel like I need more detail. I did not thoroughly study for any of the test which is why even my passing scores are low. I am definitely committed to putting in the time this go around to avoid retaking FAR so that is why I feel like another full course is the way to go.

    #759210
    user2701
    Participant

    Hey CPA4baby,

    Do not invest much more since this is the only one left for you. Go with Wiley.. i would suggest. It may be there on Amazon.

    I wanted to purchase NINJA MCQ. Looking at your views, I am skeptical.. whether to buy or not…

    Do they have answers to each questions?

    BEC- 43(Feb'16), Retake-June 10, (Wiley text book/WQB/NINJA MCQ)
    REG- TBD
    FAR- TBD
    AUD- TBD

    #759211
    user2701
    Participant

    Friends plz help me with this too..

    18 mnths schedule starts when? I dint clear BEC in this testing window. This was my first paper.

    18 months started from Feb 23, 2016 ? Or it will start only after results of retake comes in April 2016 ?

    BEC- 43(Feb'16), Retake-June 10, (Wiley text book/WQB/NINJA MCQ)
    REG- TBD
    FAR- TBD
    AUD- TBD

    #759212
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I am not discouraging the use of Ninja products. They have gotten me through 3 of the tests and I have not used everything available to me with the 10 point combo. They do list detailed answers. I thought that I learned the main BEC concepts but the wording of the questions were way different on the test. With other exams I would always have a few questions on the exams that were very similar to the Ninja questions and the wording of the questions at least was familiar to what I had been practicing. BEC just feels different. Probably because most are conceptual and not calculation. I feel like if I had straightforward questions I would pass but the exam asks them backwards and sideways from how I learned the concepts. Being exposed to more questions I am sure would help and Ninja has the most questions for the money, which is why I am renewing.

    My understanding is that it is from the day the test was taken. On my state's CPA website I can login and see when they expire.

    I feel like I am in the “spend what it takes to pass to avoid retaking FAR” party instead of the “don't spend anymore since you are so close”. I was ready to be done with this process several quarters ago so I do not want to chance falling back to only halfway complete.

    #759213
    Jdn9201
    Participant

    User2701, from what I gather, your 18 month clock starts the day your score is released that indicates you passed your first exam. For example – I took BEC on August 29th, 2015. My passing score was released on September 10th, and my BEC credit expires 3/9/2017.

    BEC - 88 8/29/15
    REG - 82 11/14/15
    AUD - 83 1/8/16
    FAR - 80 2/29/16

    #759214
    user2701
    Participant

    Ok. How is ninja mcq? ur reviews ?

    BEC- 43(Feb'16), Retake-June 10, (Wiley text book/WQB/NINJA MCQ)
    REG- TBD
    FAR- TBD
    AUD- TBD

    #759215
    Kel Kel Kel
    Participant

    BEC was my hurdle too. I heard it was the easiest of the exams- I had passed the others on the first try- but it took me three times to pass BEC! For me to pass BEC- I improved on the written part of the exam. Even though I may have not known the subject matter well- I tried to write as professionally as possible with an intro, body and conclusion. Doing this bumped BEC to a passing score. Make sure you do some practice writing sims. The difficulty with BEC for me is there are so many unrelated subjects covered. You might want to try another review course for BEC- I used Yeager, but I have also heard Roger is good too. Good luck!

    F- 84
    A- 81
    R- 86
    B- 74, 71, 83
    Licensed in CA

Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
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