I usually did most of my studying on the weekends. I probably did none on weekdays except about 4 hours on Wednesdays and then long weekend hours. As I reached the last 2 weeks or so before the exam I spent 1-4 hours on most weekdays studying. If you are not a procrastinator, then maybe balance it out and do about 2 hours on weekdays and 4-6 each weekend day.
Florida CPA!
Took final exam 2/25/15.
Sent in Application 3/12/15.
Issued License 3/20/15.
Used CPA Excel solely for all exams.
For FAR, I wasn't working yet and it was my first one. I was overly afraid so I studied for 30 hours a week for 8 weeks doing about 4 hours a day.
For the other 3, I had started working and wasn't as freaked out. I averaged 15-20 hours a week for 6 weeks (2 hours a day during the week and then 5 hours each weekend day) for AUD and BEC, but I was the TA for the undergrad Audit class at my University so I had a pretty decent command of the basics. For REG, it was closer to 25 hours a week for 8 weeks, but I also spent the last weekend before my Monday test cramming like a madman, and probably put in at least 30 hours between that last Friday – Sunday (I took Friday off). I just wanted to make absolutely sure that was my last one and was not going to have to take it again…
I like to do 8pm to 10pm on Weekdays. That's usually enough to handle half a chapter or so, then on the weekends it's a little more rigorous,more like 4 to 5 hours for Sat and Sun, usually devoted to MCQs over the sections I covered during the week. Towards the end of my study time I'll do some mock tests, but not practice tests: I do at least 90 MCQs and 10 Sims on NINJA's every day. I don't like the Becker Practice Tests because you only find out which questions and Sims you missed when it's all over, which is ooooooookay, but I need to know immediately if something is wrong or else it doesn't really sink in.
Oh also, if you have Becker then you can do MCQs on their mobile app which is AMAZING, because I'll be in my son's room or whatever just answering questions while he's having fun being a baby!
@kettle – that is why I never do practice exams as then the material won't sink. Also I go right after work at 3:30 to study for a few hours. I am usually in bed before 9
AUD - NINJA in Training BEC - 86 FAR - NINJA in Training REG - NINJA in Training
AUD - 71, 73
BEC - 74, 86
REG - 77*
FAR - 57
*expired
(I have been trying to become a CPA since 2013). only one test down.......
Oh yeah, and always prioritize quality over quantity. If you're on hour 5 and you have just HAD IT, then stop! Not only are you just glossing over info, then when you come back you'll be like “oh, i covered this yesterday already, let's move on!” then you have this gap that you “covered” but didn't retain anything!
For reference though, I probably spent 80 hours on BEC and passed. 100 hours for REG and AUD each time and still haven't passed either of those. I took AUD on Monday though and I'm preeeeeeetty sure I nailed it. If I didn't pass then I am gonna flip my biz!!! so I'd say I've spent a combined total of about 250 hours for AUD alone :-|.
I didn't do much in the way of annihilation, but I did do about 2 hours/day, and 2-4 on Saturday, and I would bump it up to 3/day and 4+ on Saturday the 2 weeks prior to the test.
I studied about 4-5 hours per day I was off, which was weekends and every-other Wednesday. Sometimes I studied a bit more one weekend day and took the other weekend day off. I didn't study at all on days I worked till the last week or so before the exam.
If you're studying full time, 20-40 hours is probably a reasonable range (closer to 20 for the bulk of the time and you can ramp up near your exam to review more heavily).
If you're working full time and also doing the exams, it's likely you'll be in the 10-30 hour range (same with being closer to 10 during most weeks and closer to 30 during final review time).
This also varies a bit depending on your own habits and what works best for you, but these ranges are likely appropriate for someone planning to go for 3-6 months or longer. You can go nuts for a few weeks, but you will quickly burn out.
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