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CPA Exams Cover Everything!

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Started 1 year ago by 75 CPA
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75 CPA

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College was a piece of cake. I can teach anyone to be a 4.0 student. These CPA exams are something that I have never faced, however. I am teaching myself 50% of the material and with good review materials, learning the material is not a problem. The problem is the volume of material to learn. It just never ends.

Do not think for a moment that college prepared you for these CPA exams. The CPA exams cover twice the material that I had in college, but not in the same depth. I literally needed three cost accounting texts to cover all of the variance analysis questions on the business exam. Additionally, I have four intermediate accounting texts for the financial exam. If you just waltz into these professional exams like this was college, you will limp out of these exams with a failing grade.

All of the CPA candidates who took Becker with me have failed. They failed because they used the same study habits that they used in college. They crammed with Becker. That will not work. The CPA exams are not about short-term memory. These professional exams are about long-term memory on more subjects than Becker covers.

Short-term memory will not work with these exams. Only long-term memory will work. One of the major points of long-term memory is to study a little every day, even if it is only for 10 minutes. It is better to study 10 minutes for six days than it is to study once for 60 minutes. Additionally, I am using more than one review program. After I finish one program I go into another review program.

Pick your review materials carefully. You will not pass the CPA exams without good review materials! If I had to pick the best review course, I would pick Yaeger. No one matches his personal help. If it were not for Yeager, I would have failed the REG using Becker and Gleim. Yaeger is a teaching course. Becker is a fast paced review program for students who have a solid academic foundation. Gleim does not have a teacher; however, I use their multiple choice questions and simulations.

No review course can cover all of the subjects tested. Therefore, I am now using the strengths of each review program to help me pass. I would rather spend the money now then have to retake these CPA exams!

Those three initials, CPA, do not come cheaply! I have no friends, no family and no life. That is the price that I have to pay to pass each of these exams the first time. Each of these CPA exams is a monster. Studying for these exams is a full-time job. Good review materials and serious study equals success
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Posted 1 year ago #
connieCPAin2010

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When friends wonder why I have to study so much, I try to explain that EACH test covers more material than is covered during a whole semester of college. Of course they don't get it and say "you're so smart, you'll do fine..."

BEC 79 (1/05/10)
REG 80 (3/05/10)
AUD 82 (5/28/10)
FAR 79 (8/27/10) I'm DONE!

Posted 1 year ago #
Guccimane

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yeah total recall

I tell everyone college is cake and they do not believe it

well college is a joke after these exams; that's my only motivation to go back and get a degree in something that pays more money......but what everything is in the dumps and the dollar is weaker then that guy who runs Apple

83 Reg, 76 BEC, 94 Aud, 79 Far

Done ......!

Posted 1 year ago #
live42

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I think that everyone studies differently. If you are the type of person who can't cram for a test, thats fine, thats just the way that you study. I for one am the type of person that does best by cramming for a test. I studied almost every waking minute for FAR for about 3 weeks before the test (after months of starting to study and then getting too busy or lazy), and passed. Today, a month and a half later, there is no way I would score as highly as I did if I retook it.

Its also really strange what you say about the managerial accounting. I agree that there were a lot of variances in the review material (I only used becker). However, I saw the vast majority of these in college. I would say that BEC only covers about 25% of the managerial accounting, (and in much less depth) that I studied in college. Then again, my managerial class was one of the hardest classes I ever took.

I studied about 35 hours in 5 days, (3 work days and a weekend) for BEC, and I don't know my score yet, but I will report back when I find out on tuesday.

I however do agree with you about becker. I couldn't imagine using becker without recently graduating from school with a degree in accounting. I do however think it does a good job of covering the material.

FAR - 91 BEC - 83 REG - 83 AUD - 96

Posted 1 year ago #
75 CPA

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"The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital (Joe Paterno). "

"True success comes from what I call "channeled ambition." That is the deep desire that gives you the strength to get up and do the dull and boring stuff that you have to do in order to be successful. In other words, channeled ambition provides you with the energy needed to prepare yourself for success-not just occasionally but every day. And, that is very tough because preparation can be truly boring so that it can be easy to fall back on shortcuts. We are hyperactive people; we love shortcuts. I'm convinced that most people fool themselves into believing that shortcuts work as well as real preparation (and that just isn't the case). It takes incredible self-discipline to skip the shortcuts and do the preparatory work every day. Do you have channeled ambition (CPAreviewforFREE)?"

Posted 1 year ago #
live42

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Don't get me wrong, I put in the time for FAR, I just compressed a lot of studying into a short number of weeks. After all, I don't think anyone really cares how well they do on this test as long as its a 75 or better!

FAR - 91 BEC - 83 REG - 83 AUD - 96

Posted 1 year ago #
financeguy

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A major factor of the CPA exam, and all exams in general, is the general ability of figuring out how to take an exam, and the proper way to prepare you for it.

I like to work out, so I will use an exercise analogy. Just about anything that you do in the gym is going to help you and get you exercise. The important thing is to be as efficient as you can. One person can spend 6 hours a week in the gym and see much better results than another person who spends 12 hours a week.

Same can apply with study hours for the cpa exam. One person can be much more efficient and effective w/ their studying, than can another person.

AUD - 81, BEC - 74, 80, FAR - 82, REG - 81
Done!

Posted 1 year ago #
Soanxious

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75 CPA - Your first post is dead on. I started with Becker, I took the class on-line, I did everything they told me, and failed all four exams in six months. I thought you take the class, you take the test, boom your done. And I did study like I did in college, and my college didn't teach a percentage of what is on this exam. After failing all the exams I focused on audit. After two more attempts at AUD I finally figured out I was not studying right and the materials were lacking the content I needed (blew one more try (ran myself out of time) and I am still waiting for the score for the last try). I personally learn better in a more comprehensive environment so I have taken now other prep courses material and combined it to what I felt I needed to get it to stick. I have found each of them are good for something, but combined they are more powerful.

IL - 11/24 AUD

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Posted 1 year ago #
75 CPA

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Soanxious:

Thank you for your kind words. We have very similar stories. I think that we learn more than those who pass all four exams on the first try. Failure is a powerful teacher.

This is my experience: I bought the entire Becker program in their live mode five years ago. I had also recorded Becker's lectures for FAR. Additionally, I had the full current Gleim program. I was unaware that other review programs existed until I found another71.com. I called Dr. Yaeger a month before my FAR exam, and I realized that I would fail FAR, based upon studying out-of-date materials, etc. Additionally, I was really frustrated with Becker and Gleim. I had wasted a year of my life studying FAR with Gleim and an old version of Becker. I failed FAR in August, 2008 with a 68.

However,I was impressed with Dr. Yaeger's helpful attitude when I called him a month before my FAR exam. I bought his FAR review 30 days before my FAR exam in August, 2008. However, it was the proverbial too little and too late. I rushed through Yaeger's program for FAR in 30 days. I was learning something new every hour! That was not a good sign.

I learned a lot from my failure in FAR, my first exam. I learned that that I made just about every mistake a person could make studying for these CPA exams. Therefore, I threw all of my old books and study materials into the trash. Like you, I now use the best of each review course to form my own study plan.

Last year I took 3 exams and I passed 3 exams. All I want to do now is to put this baby to bed.

Posted 1 year ago #
Soanxious

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75 CPA - We do have very similar stories. I started with Becker for college credit in 2007. After I did the four exams and failed I focused on AUD. I am now at eight exam attempts total (all four the first time, and four AUD attempts). I am so hoping to see a passing score from AUD from 1/5. It is very encourging to see you started like I did and you passed three.

I was also like you not knowing there was anything else out there. I bought the Gleim books / lectures around the time I took Becker for credit and I used the lectures the most but not anything else. I have purchased I can't even tell you how many Becker books as time rolled on and I kept attempting. I wrote their books out, I underlined them, you name it, and still didn't pass. Then I started researching and finding things, and I found this site. I was so glad to find there were others out there that were like me. I would read posts (and still do) and found that almost word for word people were having the same problems, finding the same things, frustrated as I was. I now hopefully found what works for me the way I need to retain the material. I am at approx 14k into this test, and 3 years of my life. I understand the material. I was a great student in school I just have to find how to retain it when you don't know what is going to be tested, and that is the trick to it.

May your journey be done soon! :O)

IL - 11/24 AUD

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Posted 1 year ago #
75 CPA

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Soanxious

AUD is my last exam. I took the AUD exam 2 weeks ago. However, I went to bat with a short stick. I only studied for 8 weeks. I took the exam before I was ready. However, I only can lose $300. It was worth the gamble. My expiration date is July 10. I will nail AUD in May if I did not make it this time.

I am now doing some light studying with Bob Monette's Hot Spots and Intensive Review (Bisk). Bob Monette and Dr. Plil Yaeger make up for my deficient college education in accounting! I am paying for the lack of rigor and lack of accounting courses at my state college. My 4.0 GPA in both undergraduate and graduate courses mean nothing on these CPA exams!

We both got a slow start out of the gate. However, now that we know how to prepare for these exams, there is nothing that can stop us from crossing the finish line!

Posted 1 year ago #
plccasngl

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75 CPA, what school did you get your undergrad degree because the classes I took from my school are not as easy as you said. I had to put a lot of effort (meaning study everyday and consistently do homework) to earn an A?

Posted 1 year ago #
75 CPA

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plccasngl

I went to 3 universities. I have 250 credit hours and 3 degrees. All of that means absolutely nothing.

What does an "A" mean? I do not have any idea. Therefore, I always went for 100s in college. I always had the goal of having the top grades in each class. A 4.0 GPA does not mean that I am smart. It just means that I am very competitive, and a perfectionist. These CPA exams are a different ball game. I do not think that an "A" student has any advantage over a "C" student.

I have a new philosophy. A score of "75" means that you passed. "76" means that you studied too much. "75" does not mean that you barely passed. No one will ever know your grades, unlike college where your grades will stay with you for the rest of your life. Perfection is the enemy of good enough. A CPA is a CPA.

CPA exams cover everything. What percentage of the CPA exams did your college courses cover? My courses covered less than 50% of the material. Bottom line: My college courses did not prepare me for these CPA exams. These CPA exams are not a review of your college courses!

These CPA exams are all about endurance. If you refuse to quit, you will become a CPA! Where there is a will, there is a way.

Posted 1 year ago #
CPAWannaBe

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This thread is one of the best on this forum.

Two degrees later (magna cum-laude and suma cum-laude), I feel like the CPA exam is the hardest challenge yet. I have always put forth the effort to get successful results in my life, so failing FAR was quite a humbling experience for me. At first I was depressed but now I am determined to kick FAR's butt.

REG - 75 (expired, retake July 2011)
FAR - 69, 64, 67 <-Becker, 80 <-Yaeger
AUD - 82 ETHICS - 100
BEC - 72 (retake May 2011)

Posted 1 year ago #
wanttobeacpa

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Hello Guys,
I am new here. I graduate last year with Accounting. I am planning to take CPA.
I am not clear on the how to take exam. Let say if I take BEC in May2010. Do i need to finish all the 4 parts by May 2011?
Or Is it that I have to pass BEC by May 2011. I want to take my time on taking these part by part.
Please advise me which part should take first and which books are good. I have becker review but it is old from 2005.
So i am planing to buy 1 update version. any advise will be appreciated.

Posted 1 year ago #
LSU_BR

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Once you pay for your NTS, you have a certain number of months (varies by state, I believe) to sit for the sections you paid for. Once you pass a section, you have a certain number of months (varies by state, I believe) to pass the remaining sections before they start to expire.

AUD 95 (3/5/10); BEC 83 (5/28/10); FAR 71, 72, 74, 82 (10/16/10); REG 65,80(11/23/10)
ALL DONE :)

Posted 1 year ago #
75 CPA

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CPAWannaBe

Welcome to the FAR 68-69 club. School is just a game, and the CPA exams are a new and very important game. I passed FAR on my second try, and so will you!

I do not cry. I do not whine. I do not give up. Failure is just a learning experience. Making a 68 on FAR did not bother me one bit! I learned that I had to change my study methodology and review materials. Failure is a better teacher than success.

Accounting is a new career for me. Ten years ago I did not know a debit from a credit.

There is a down side to being 64 years old. No one will give me a job. Getting that one year experience for the CPA license may be more difficult than passing the CPA exams! I am praying for an employer (mentor) with a kind and generous heart. However, there is also an upside to being 64 years old. We old guys are very focused!

Posted 1 year ago #
Free0911

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75 CPA

I agree on all your post from this form. Like anyone out there, I didn't know there are other prep courses material out there and I only study the material from my review course. I quit my job just try to pass the CPA exams and study every day as a full time student. I took all 4 exams and failed all 4 within last year. Sometime, I will think why other people can pass this exam at first try and I cant even pass after many hours of study and many attempts of the exams. After I visit this website, I find out most of the CPA candidate are use more than 1 study materials. I borrow my friends study material MC as my supplemental study material. I passed 3 exams and waiting for FAR result which I will find out the result next week. I hope I got lucky 75 and put this exam behind my life.

Posted 1 year ago #
75 CPA

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Free0911

You sound just like me. I also quit my job to study for these exams. My sugar momma (my wife) is paying the bills. It's time for me to become a CPA in order to pay the bills and support our hobbies. I am now waiting for the results of my last exam, AUD.

Posted 1 year ago #
The GaJone

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This thread has been a very interesting read to say the least!

First of all 75 CPA, I totally agree with your post about how college does not prepare you for the CPA exam. That's why I disagree with the people who say you should sit for the CPA exam immediately after finishing college and before getting a job. My 3+ years of public accounting experience have helped prepare me for the exam a thousand times more than my 4 years of college did.

Also, I find it extremely interesting that people who graduated with cum-laude honors and 4.0 GPA's who have used multiple review programs and put in tons of hours studying have struggled with this exam. I graduated from a school with an average at best accounting program with a whopping 3.0 GPA, have only used Becker's review program and studied about 75 hours for FAR and passed with an 81 on my first try. And if I had to put money on it I'd say I passed AUD too while putting in about 60 study hours for that part. I'm not saying this to rub it in by any means (because the way my REG studying is going I'm not feeling good at all about that part, and God almighty I'm already dreading BEC); I just find it interesting how different the exam goes for different people.

FAR: 81 (1/20) AUD: 88 (2/27) REG: 91 (4/19) BEC: 75 (5/20)

Posted 1 year ago #
brla

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Amen to college & this exam having nothing to do with each other. Very glad to see I am not the only one who thought that. I was starting to feel like a fraud thinking that I am passing so far but I really don't know a thing. I read some questions people have & realize I either forgot it already or never knew it when I took that section. If I was a doctor & this was medical board exams, I wouldn't allow myself to touch a human - you shouldn't get a second chance & third chance to find an appendix if the first couple tries aren't in the multiple choice answers.

My tax classes in college were complete jokes not to mention over 10 years ago. I had to learn and re-learn everything. A good friend who made 3.8 in college & grad school can't get out the 60's on this exam on 6 sittings now. Other people I know were marginal at best & got all 80's & 90's. This test has nothing to do with your intelligence, that's an IQ test. This has to do with how do you understand concepts, how do you take tests, how well you do under pressure & how lucky are you to get questions & sims on topics you know. .

AUD:84, BEC:82, REG:85, FAR:91. Licensed CPA

Posted 1 year ago #
CPAWannaBe

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brla,
Amen! I am a terrible standardized test taker, but I am a good student. Some people are gifted when it comes to exams: breeze over the material and pass with flying colors. I really have to work at it.

The advantage of taking it right out of school isn't so much what you learned in school, but the other things you have going on later in life. Once you have a family, it's not always about the exam 24/7. Those with spouses that support you during this time are so fortunate. Count your blessings! My husband was laid off in Septmeber, so I am under double pressure to pass this exam.

75 CPA,
This is my second career too. You said, "Failure is a better teacher than success" and that is so true. I am focused on passing the exam now and the experience requirement can come later. I'm not sure about your state, but SC reduced the experience hours from 2000 to 1000 recently. I really hope you find someone lucky enough to get a seasoned and focused professional like yourself.

REG - 75 (expired, retake July 2011)
FAR - 69, 64, 67 <-Becker, 80 <-Yaeger
AUD - 82 ETHICS - 100
BEC - 72 (retake May 2011)

Posted 1 year ago #
75 CPA

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There is a learning curve for the average CPA candidate. I have a good attitude about the whole process. All of my failures are temporary and a learning experience. I just wish that I could have learned from the mistakes of others instead of my own mistakes! I am convinced that we will all become CPAs if we do not quit.

The will to prepare is vital. Studying for the CPA is my cross and my prayer.

Posted 1 year ago #
Soanxious

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I am really glad I found this forum and others that have struggled with this. I was never good at standardized tests, but I was always a good student. I have a bachelor's majoring in accounting, a master's in accounting and finance (both from private schools), made the dean's list numerous times, but I just can't get passed this exam.

It is heart wrenching to find out that you didn't pass, but it only made me more determined to do so. I have never failed at anything so doing so a number of times was horrible. I am not in the position to stay home from work so I spend 60 hours of my week working / traveling, and my spare time is studying (my second job as a CPA candidate). My poor husband is so sick of it, but still hanging in there with me.

I don't think any part of these exams are easy because of the volume of material that you need to know and you need to know it well. I know looking back I did not study enough in all my previuos attempts. I also learned that I needed the more comprehensive course to fill in some of the blanks for me. I like detail so an overview of the material just doesn't cut it in my case. So I think different programs work for different people based on the individual and their needs.

By us all being here and dedicating ourselves to this we have already made progress, and our way to passing. Let's all hope for score releases this week. I don't think I can take another two weeks of waiting.

AUD 1/5 - IL

IL - 11/24 AUD

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Posted 1 year ago #
fsucpa

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I don't mean to be harsh, but I have to wonder about the quality of your education if you don't think that college prepared you for the exam. I get that some people may not be fantastic test takers, but none of this material should be foreign to anyone. There's a lot of it, yes, but it's not new. I think maybe you need to reevaluate the way that you study.

BEC 89, REG 78, AUD 76, FAR 7/6

Posted 1 year ago #
financeguy

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I think a lot of people give too much credit to college. Basicaly, anyone can go to college...the only thing keeping anyone out is money. A majority of our population is barely intelligent at all...so they have to kind of curve the level of difficulty of college down some. I am definitely not trying to take anything away from anyone who got straight A's in college, but I just want to say this: I went to a pretty good school. I hate studying, and would just about rather do anything over studying, and therefore I was an extreme slacker in college as far as studying goes. Now I didn't get straight A's, but mostly B's and a couple of A's. The amount of effort that I put in was barely anything outside of attending class. Granted, I paid good attention in class, but I don't think I ever actually read the actual accounting text books, other than 2 or 3 classes. My point is, college is not at all hard. This test being hard is a good thing. It gives the CPA title much more value. A regular Bachelors degree hardly even has any value anymore because so many people have them.

AUD - 81, BEC - 74, 80, FAR - 82, REG - 81
Done!

Posted 1 year ago #
75 CPA

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fsucpa

It is called grade inflation. The rigor of the courses is not what it was 40 years ago when I got my first degree, or even what it was 10 years ago. My wife is a professor at a state college. Talk to some of the university professors All of the professors that I talk to say the same thing. They have reduced the rigor of their courses over the years.

Public education is a complete failure from grades k-12! SAT scores have been going down since 1963.

http://www.edchoice.org/schoolchoice/

Posted 1 year ago #
fsucpa

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That may be, but I was refering to what is presented in college, not the grades. I haven't encountered anything on the exams, BEC, REG or AUD that I haven't seen before. You said that the CPA exam covers twice the material you learned in college...even if you were exaggerating some, that's a problem. I don't think the exam is easy, but your study program of choice shouldn't be the first time you have seen any of the material. I didn't go to an Ivy League school, but I can't complain about being unprepared for the exam.

BEC 89
REG 78
AUD 3/8
FAR April/May

BEC 89, REG 78, AUD 76, FAR 7/6

Posted 1 year ago #
Soanxious

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I think the review classes touch on a lot more in depth information than what the college level did. It is not that we didn't learn any of this in college. Actually I have had CPA professors say that different subjects are taught different ways depending where you went and what book you used (such as business combos).

Plus the examiners expect a professional level, and we all are stronger in different areas. We all had to meet our hours to get to this point so we are all familiar with the content, but the trick is to get through the exam without the use of the book or the internet that we became reliant upon (although in a professional job you would use those things if need be and have a senior member most likely overlooking you work).

IL - 11/24 AUD

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Posted 1 year ago #
75 CPA

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Soanxious

Hang in there. Cut yourself some slack. You are doing more than one full time job. My wife compares the CPA exams to getting her doctorate. If you just keep putting one foot in front of another, you will become a CPA! Unfortunately, our spouses have to suffer along with us.

If I passed AUD, I am finished! If not, I am going to miss Spring, again.

Posted 1 year ago #