[M_Knight]

I have my test on 4/3 and I am getting very nervous on how to best utilize the last two weeks. I have the WTB and usually get around 70-80% on questions (cumulative 74%). However, I still feel like I am not where I should be to take the test. For example, once in a while I will get a 60% or so on a set of 20 questions. I want to rewrite my notes and leave a little less than a week to knock out SIMS, but I find myself still getting questions wrong that I feel I should know. I would love some advice on what people who have passed this test did in the last two weeks, what my mindset should be, and if I should keep drilling as many MCQ as possible or what. Need some confidence!

Thanks again!

[PocketsWithCash]

I didn't use WTB so I'm not sure if everything is applicable. Also, I went through SIMs in my normal course of studying so I barely touched them during my final review week. As I mentioned in the FAR Study Group thread, being familiar with the codification can be really helpful for SIMs – look at page 7 for my breakdown of this strategy.

Week 1:

Reviewed all MCQ's from each chapter (divided chapters evenly over 6 days). At the end of each section, I marked and reviewed the questions I got wrong. If it was for math or a careless error I removed the mark and considered the question correct. Then I wrote down all the topics of the questions I marked and evaluated their importance. If it was something important and I got multiple questions wrong, I went back in the book and reread the section. If it was something rarely tested, like retail inventory method, then I just read the answer explanation and moved on. Day 7 I took a practice test and added wrong topics to my review list from the MCQ's.

Week 2:

Reviewed all MCQ's that were marked from week 1 (less questions, divided chapters over around 3 days). Did the same thing as before. Mid week took practice test 2, made some more notes on areas to review. The last 3 days I reviewed some of the topics I had marked, but predominately focused on taking timed comprehensive 30 question “practice testlets.” I did sets of 3 to simulate the actual exam and reviewed topics after a full set of 3.

While you certainly want to spend time learning things you don't know, doing something like a 30 question test is important to keep you familiar with your strong topics and lower your time spent on easy questions. Remember it's a numbers game so it's OK if you don't know 100% of the material. Good Luck!

FAR 97
REG 91
AUD 5/30/14
BEC 7/11/14

[PocketsWithCash]

I didn't use WTB so I'm not sure if everything is applicable. Also, I went through SIMs in my normal course of studying so I barely touched them during my final review week. As I mentioned in the FAR Study Group thread, being familiar with the codification can be really helpful for SIMs – look at page 7 for my breakdown of this strategy.

Week 1:

Reviewed all MCQ's from each chapter (divided chapters evenly over 6 days). At the end of each section, I marked and reviewed the questions I got wrong. If it was for math or a careless error I removed the mark and considered the question correct. Then I wrote down all the topics of the questions I marked and evaluated their importance. If it was something important and I got multiple questions wrong, I went back in the book and reread the section. If it was something rarely tested, like retail inventory method, then I just read the answer explanation and moved on. Day 7 I took a practice test and added wrong topics to my review list from the MCQ's.

Week 2:

Reviewed all MCQ's that were marked from week 1 (less questions, divided chapters over around 3 days). Did the same thing as before. Mid week took practice test 2, made some more notes on areas to review. The last 3 days I reviewed some of the topics I had marked, but predominately focused on taking timed comprehensive 30 question “practice testlets.” I did sets of 3 to simulate the actual exam and reviewed topics after a full set of 3.

While you certainly want to spend time learning things you don't know, doing something like a 30 question test is important to keep you familiar with your strong topics and lower your time spent on easy questions. Remember it's a numbers game so it's OK if you don't know 100% of the material. Good Luck!

FAR 97
REG 91
AUD 5/30/14
BEC 7/11/14

[Anonymous]

I would recommend doing as many MCQ's as you can. Do 20-30 questions at a time with your notes open so you can more actively learn while you work on the questions.

Also, identify your weakest areas for additional content review- Governmental, Not For Profit, Consolidations, etc.

[Anonymous]

I would recommend doing as many MCQ's as you can. Do 20-30 questions at a time with your notes open so you can more actively learn while you work on the questions.

Also, identify your weakest areas for additional content review- Governmental, Not For Profit, Consolidations, etc.

[samdiegoCPA]

@M_Knight My most useful advice is READ THE MF QUESTION. You clearly are rushing and getting ahead of yourself if you are getting things wrong that you know. You are reading what you think you want to read instead of what is presented!

My last two weeks are MCQ over and over and confirming the answer within my notes before I look at the answer/explanation. Very thorough studying and not rushing. I do try and get in as many as possible but quality > quantity for my review.

AUD: 84
REG: 84
BEC: 79
FAR: 83

[samdiegoCPA]

@M_Knight My most useful advice is READ THE MF QUESTION. You clearly are rushing and getting ahead of yourself if you are getting things wrong that you know. You are reading what you think you want to read instead of what is presented!

My last two weeks are MCQ over and over and confirming the answer within my notes before I look at the answer/explanation. Very thorough studying and not rushing. I do try and get in as many as possible but quality > quantity for my review.

AUD: 84
REG: 84
BEC: 79
FAR: 83

[M_Knight]

Thanks for the help, I agree I am rushing a little. I see everyone always say “nonstop MCQ” so I try to get done as many as I can. I am going to slow down a bit, develop a good understanding, and not worry about going through all the WTB questions twice.

[M_Knight]

Thanks for the help, I agree I am rushing a little. I see everyone always say “nonstop MCQ” so I try to get done as many as I can. I am going to slow down a bit, develop a good understanding, and not worry about going through all the WTB questions twice.

[Anonymous]

@M_Knight – I am also sitting on 4/3 and as the date's approaching, the nerves are kicking in. I have gone through all the material and am using the last two weeks for doing MCQ's (I focus on a handful of topics a day and work on those areas) and re-writing notes. My biggest worry is SIMS. I'll however try and set aside around 8 hrs working on SIMS, especially for topics heavily tested.

[Anonymous]

@M_Knight – I am also sitting on 4/3 and as the date's approaching, the nerves are kicking in. I have gone through all the material and am using the last two weeks for doing MCQ's (I focus on a handful of topics a day and work on those areas) and re-writing notes. My biggest worry is SIMS. I'll however try and set aside around 8 hrs working on SIMS, especially for topics heavily tested.

[Kimboroni]

Rushing was definitely my problem in some of my test prep, and my practice scores were killing my confidence. Take it slow, read carefully, but also try not to pay too much attention to your percentages, and just focus on learning the material and making sure you really know what the question is before choosing an answer. That's what will count on exam day.

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. 🙂

[Kimboroni]

Rushing was definitely my problem in some of my test prep, and my practice scores were killing my confidence. Take it slow, read carefully, but also try not to pay too much attention to your percentages, and just focus on learning the material and making sure you really know what the question is before choosing an answer. That's what will count on exam day.

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. 🙂

[StudyforCPA2014]

@OP I felt the same way you are feeling right now before I took FAR. I studied FAR for a week before i left for vacation in Hawaii for 2 weeks with minimal study time then came back to study for 3 weeks. I felt like I was not as prepared as other tests I took. In my last week before exam, I did a lot of MCQ and wrote down all journal entries. You will be surprised how much information you can retain from MCQ when you take the test. I thought my score would be in the 50 when I walked out but I ended up getting 83. My advise is to trust your gut. Go with your first instinct. You can on this 🙂

BEC - 10/1/13 PASS
REG - 12/6/13 PASS
FAR - 1/21/14 PASS
AUD - 2/27/14 PASS

[StudyforCPA2014]

@OP I felt the same way you are feeling right now before I took FAR. I studied FAR for a week before i left for vacation in Hawaii for 2 weeks with minimal study time then came back to study for 3 weeks. I felt like I was not as prepared as other tests I took. In my last week before exam, I did a lot of MCQ and wrote down all journal entries. You will be surprised how much information you can retain from MCQ when you take the test. I thought my score would be in the 50 when I walked out but I ended up getting 83. My advise is to trust your gut. Go with your first instinct. You can on this 🙂

BEC - 10/1/13 PASS
REG - 12/6/13 PASS
FAR - 1/21/14 PASS
AUD - 2/27/14 PASS

[Author]

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