Is it just me or…

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  • #180115
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Started studying BEC this week. Watching the Becker lecture and going through MCQs. I have been out of school for close to 4 years now and some of these are sounding like foreign language to me. While listening to Peter Olinto’s lectures I literally question myself why do I put myself through this crap when my friends are out drinking having a good time and living a normal life.

    On Part 1 of the lecture regarding management/cost accounting I thought I understand everything while going through the lecture. But when I do the MCQs some of the extremely long and convoluted questions have me feeling like I got hit with a brick cause i’m just lost and don’t even know where to begin.

    On Part 2 starting the lecture i’m just like tuning out now. And I flipped through the book to see what’s the rest of the book like and how much formulas and calculations I will potentially have to learn, it’s literally whole book filled. Made me starting to question am I able to do this.

    Anyone else experience the same thing?

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  • #435301
    Wolfchicken
    Member

    I felt that same way when I started studying BEC and also heard from others that felt that way too so I guess it's pretty normal. I thought B2 and the second part of B3 were the worst parts to do the MCQs. Some of the questions would take me longer than 5 mins. Of coarse the real exam doesn't have questions that long. I had more theory questions. I don't think you should give up while your friends are out having fun. Hang in there. It is not permanent

    BEC - PASS
    FAR - PASS
    Audit - PASS
    REG - PASS

    #435302
    nc32
    Member

    I felt the exact same way when I started BEC but it gets better. Once you power through B1 and B2 you leave all of the cost accounting behind and move to easier topics (that you're likely more familiar with) like finance (B3) or economics (B5).

    #435303
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I had been out of college for 25 years when I started studying for the CPA exam. BEC was the first one I tackled. Everything was foreign. Work ALL of the questions until you understand them. Who knows, on your exam you may get a question that is a shorter version of one of those longer one's.

    Good Luck!

    #435304
    nbad311
    Member

    Last night after taking FAR in the afternoon and having a few beers last night, I made the big decision that BEC is the hardest of the exams. It's just so much stuff that I didnt even learn in school (along with some I did that I havent seen since 2008 when I graduated). FAR is a lot but if you study, I'd say its fairly simple stuff. The garbage in BEC is just very in depth and was confusing for me. And like wolfchicken said, its frustrating when one little math problem takes you 5+ minutes to do!

    Go slow on BEC and be patient with your learning, and you'll get it! Best wishes in your studies!

    Also, get a calculator you like! I learned in about 5 minutes into BEC that my cellphone calculator was NOT going to suffice!

    REG - 65, 70, 80!
    BEC - 35, 62, 79!
    AUD - 73, 75!
    FAR - 65, 73, 70, 75! DONE.

    #435305
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Thanks everyone. I have heard FAR is a beast comparing to the other exams and one of the hardest one to study for, is that true? For those of you who took both would you say BEC is more in depth as far as calculations or is FAR?

    #435306
    Jferjamey
    Participant

    FAR is definitely more work, but the concepts on BEC are so random and they weren't covered as much in school. I spent four classes covering Financial Accounting (Intermediate 1-3 and Advanced Financial) and only one covering Cost Accounting. I was never exposed to many of the I.T. concepts in school and Becker does a whole section on it! BEC is hard.

    B - 81 (8/31/13) first attempt!
    A - 80 (2/3/14) first attempt!
    R - 89 (7/31/13) first attempt!
    F - 86 (7/2/13) first attempt!
    Licensed CPA: 12/31/14

    Becker rocks!

    "Discipline is choosing between what you want now, and what you want most." -Abraham Lincoln

    #435307
    KelzMS
    Member

    I found BEC to be pretty hard. I think FAR is harder (in my case) but BEC was by far the second hardest for me. There are more formulas on the BEC exam but it wasn't too bad. Just hang in there. It will start to make sense after a little while. BEC was all the classes I either didn't take or hated in college all mixed in one. But I still stand by my opinion that FAR is harder. But of course everyone is different. Good luck. Don't give up. 🙂

    B-Passed
    A-Passed
    R-Passed
    F-Passed

    #435308
    sarita
    Member

    BEC definitely gets easier as you go through the Becker book. Keep pushing.

    FAR 7/3/13 - 82
    BEC 8/21/13 - 82
    AUD 10/2/13 - 92
    REG 12/3/13 - 88

    DONE!!!! CA Candidate
    Beat the 12/31/13 clock!

    #435309
    nataliamw
    Participant

    What's more, BEC gets easier when you go through the same chapter again. Don't expect to read the chapter and understand or remember everything right away. And I hated Becker because I am used to a chapter-by-chapter approach and the Becker ones are huge! I preferred my $30 Wiley book or any other book with numerous, but slim chapters. I think you are experiencing a CPA exam “mid-life crisis”. You passed one section, the second one seems tough and there will be two more to take even if you get this one done.

    You know, I never thought I could do this, with little kids, being pregnant, having a house and so on. But I met someone who just never struck me as smart above average, not overly professionally motivated (became a stay at home mom by choice) but she said she had taken and passed all 4 sections at the first take and I was just so surprised and taken by it that suddenly the exam felt within reach!

    #435310
    Kenada
    Member

    I personally didn't find BEC overwhelming and perhaps the reason is I have two other Licenses – one from the UK and one from Canada.

    When I did the BEC equivalent in the UK exams I can tell you that it was super hard, there were way more formulas to remember. So I would say I had the pleasure of sitting the this exam for a third time but in a different country.

    I think REG for far has been hard for me. I think its because of all the little rules you need to remember and the different exceptions depending on the situation.

    I have not taken FAR as yet but I am hoping that sense I did the UK and Canada exams that FAR would be similar in nature. I would still need to work my ass off 🙂

    FAR 05/27/14; 786/110 - Done !

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