[Anonymous]

I’m taking FAR tomorrow and looking at all the things I could spend the day covering and there’s so much that it’s tough to choose…. Just curious how most people spend the day before an exam? Study all day? MCQ’s? SIMS? Read notes? Or just take a break?

[Anonymous]

I personally study all day during daylight hours (Becker Final Exam, and flashcard/formula drill) and then try to go to sleep at a normal time (as opposed to the time I've been going to bed during the rest of my studying) to get a full night's sleep. I am honestly a huge procrastinator AND a fan of all nighters, as far as college and papers went, but if you're deliriously tired during your exam you're not going to remember anything or you're going to make careless mistakes and all your hard work studying is going to be out the window for no good reason.

Also you get to that point in the last 24 hours where you're like “Face it, if I don't know it now, I'm not GOING to know it”. Take what you HAVE learned, and sleep on it so it sinks into your brain. Good luck on FAR! I have it on Thursday 🙂

[Anonymous]

@CPA drive I took FAR last Monday and spent twelve hours on Sunday going over the computational MC's that seemed to give me problems. You may or not have time to do this but I actually went through each chapter a few days before the exam and looked at the computational problems presented in the material(not the MC's) and wrote these problems out on a separate legal pad. And write them out, don't type them. Just something about putting the pencil to paper. You never know if this exam is going to ask you a question and you have to “squeeze” a number. I am a very visual person and writing the problems out in this manner help me to see what if they ask this I can get the answer this way or if the beginning number is missing I can get the answer that way.

If you don't have time to go through all the chapters, adapt it to those problems that are giving you the most trouble.

Good luck with your exam tomorrow!

[Anonymous]

I spend most of my time before an exam trying to keep myself calm so the last couple of days are never that productive for me. The night before FAR I drank wine and watched a bunch of lectures. I do not think I actually could have done anything else because I was panicking that night.

[Da Bears]

The week leading up to my exam I do all mcqs and keep track of topics I struggled on. The day before I review those areas and do mcqs. Also, I'll do some problems that have tricky calculations to keep them fresh. I go to bed at a normal hour and make sure to have a good night sleep, usually pop a melatonin if I have altered my regular sleep schedule. I think sleep is an over looked prep step for test day. Good luck, you got it!

FAR- 8/14/12 91
AUD- 10/16/12 88
BEC- 11/07/12 92
REG- 01/05/13 86
NIU CPA Review

[Whatdidyou]

In the day or two leading up to the exam I try to do all the end of chapter problems at the back of every chapter in Becker & make sure I understand why I got some wrong. Usually, they've chosen a nice mix of questions for those so it is a good review.

I also try to flip through the book and find some good review charts to look through.

REG - Passed!!
BEC - Passed
FAR - Passed
AUD - Passed

Study Materials: Becker basic course

[momto5]

@CPA_Driven – I have my test tomorrow as well, except it is REG. I have been going through all the Becker MCQ's again this past week and printed some of the trickier ones, so I want to try to read through those again. Did my Final Exam #2 this morning and need to review those SIMS! Hope to also read through the NINJA notes one more time or at least scan them. Definitely need to get a good night's sleep tonight as I tried the “study 'til you drop” method last time on BEC and regretted it! (Yes, I still passed, but I felt absolutely lousy right up until exam time). Hope to spend tomorrow morning reviewing mnemonics/flashcards and SIMS – test is in the afternoon.

I know how you feel about so many things that could be done. With every test I have taken, I get to the day before wishing that I had one more week to study, that there's just too many things I would still like to review. I have to remember that I never feel solid on everything and it's just not the same as taking an exam in college was. Hopefully we retain enough to pass. Good luck!

FAR - 92 (4/27/12)
AUD - 96 (7/17/12)
BEC - 92 (8/30/12)
REG - 91 (11/12/12)

[acamp]

Read read read–in my opinion MCQs are a good tool to learn and discover areas of weakness, but during the last day reviewing notes always served me well

Self proclaimed: Highest ratio of Replies to Others v. Posts Created on A71

California CPA - Big4 Aud Manager Alum - Private Accounting at Startups

FAR, REG and BEC with Ninja Notes + WTB Only

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[vanadium3]

day before the test = sleep your head off or relax till you melt =) if you don't know it by now, no point to stress yourself out. the exam day is the time for that. cheers!

CPA

[Anonymous]

I usually take one or two review tests to wrap up any loose ends, and re-read areas of the book (Becker) I've been struggling with. Also, as I'm doing my final review 2-3 weeks before the exam, I grab my phone and take pictures of the pass keys, important formulas, and stuff I know I haven't mastered yet. I travel a lot for work, so its great to have pictures of all that key material loaded up in my phone, ready for me to review anytime- especially the day before, and even the morning of the test. Then I just have a lot of pictures to delete after the test!

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. I feel like I've been in pretty decent shape – not great – but enough to pass. I've studied hard but I had a horrible review day yesterday. My mind went blank on so many questions. The words were just swimming around on my computer screen and I couldn't remember 3/4 of what I knew two weeks ago. I guess I would've been better off relaxing and I wish I'd spent the day with my kids instead. I'm now going into this thing feeling discouraged and stupid. (I hate that word). At least maybe I can help someone else out and will post exam experience this afternoon.

[William_777]

WARNING: My answer's not going to be like the others, I can tell you that…

I take my first ever exam section on Wednesday. It will be Regs.

To me, it's just another day…

But “what is a day?”, you ask.

I got into accounting because I wanted a career where I could learn and grow. Sure, I've been frustrated at times, and, yes, I have a lot to learn. But, then, THAT'S WHY I GOT INTO ACCOUNTING!!! I WANT TO LEARN!!! I WANT THE TEST!!! THIS IS ECSTACY FOR ME!!! THIS IS A TOTAL PARTY!!! THIS IS MY DAY!!!

If you know anything about the 16th century Danish astronomer, Tycho Brahe, who was a genius and total party animal, then you can begin to get an idea of what I am like… It's like a sort of intellectual orgy… I put in 8 to 12 hour days studying sometimes, and I bust my ass, but I do it because I LOVE LEARNING!!!

I am well aware that I may not pass on Wednesday. I have studied about as much as I can for the test, but I don't let that stop me from studying more for the next one. I'm not worried about the test – I actually want the challenge… but it's really not like I am going to toss my enjoyment of learning out the window because of some state board… That's a pretty honest approach, and they should respect that… After all, one has to learn what's on the test to make it through, and one has to demonstrate one's knowledge of what one's learned to do as such. So the state shouldn't disagree. My love of learning is what will carry me through this process. And, that said, I cant wait for CPE….

But for now I recall the words of Christ – “Give unto Ceasar what is due Ceasar”, so I'm told to uphold my responsibilities to the state… and then I recall the words “Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant”, which means “”Hail, Emperor (Caesar), those who are about to die salute you”. And, then, I am ready to do battle. If I lose, then I lose. And, if I win, I win. But it is only one battle, not the entire war. I will grow stronger by it.

So it is just another day to enjoy learning… to enjoy doing what I have to do…

Rock on…

[spongfunk]

Honestly the day beofore a test I do anything but study. My opinion is that if I have not put in enough time and effort to pass in the past 4 or 5 weeks of studying then one extra night of cramming is not going to make the difference. I feel it's more important to keep yourself calm and take your mind off the test. I took BEC last weekend and the day/night before the test I went on a hike, skyped with a friend I hadn't talked to in a while then watched a movie. I didn't open a book, work a question, or review a single flash card, and because I didn't I was calm, my mind was clear, and everything made sense to me on the test.

FAR: 85
AUD: 80
REG: 78
BEC: 82

[Nilpat30]

I complete MCQs the final day before the exam and get to bed early for a full night's rest.

BECKER
2/25/12 FAR 77
5/5/12 AUD 88
10/1/12 BEC 77
REG - sometime in January

[Anonymous]

@spongfunk – after my experience yesterday I will definitely be copying your method for my next exam. Reviewing the day before just made me realize that I could study for another year and still not have mastered it all. All I did was stress myself out. The day before my next exam I will be doing something to relax and have a positive day.

[Author]

Replies