[kaleidascope28]

Hi,

I am studying for the FAR, but I am not able to retain a lot of the information. Can someone provide me with memorization techniques (based on their experience with FAR), I would appreciate it a lot!

Thanks.

[M.O.D.]

I make a T account transaction flow for each concept and memorize those.

Hand-write typical transactions several times until I know them well.

For lists of items and topics I make handwritten diagrams and I rewrite them until memorized.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Martin]

You have to find the logic to a lot of the concepts if you want to pass FAR. I think you can memorize a lot of concepts in Audit and reason the rest,but FAR has just too much info to memorize. I took Audit once just by memorizing 80% of the material and I ended up with a 74,so that means that you also have to understand Audit to pass.

Through God all things can happen!

“You never fail until you stop trying.”
― Albert Einstein
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

FAR= 72-84
Audit= 73-82
BEC= 74-75
Reg=77

[Dantrick]

MOD would you have those t accounts and/or diagrams you used for sale?

[Anonymous]

https://www.principlesofaccounting.com/illustrative%20entries/entrieslist.htm

[M.O.D.]

@ Dantrick

I've been seriously thinking about being a coach/tutor/teacher for the CPA/CMA exams, because I think I have a foolproof method, but it likely only works for me. I have over 100 T account transactions memorized, which took me weeks to develop and practice. For me to explain 100 transactions would take just as long as it would take you to develop them.

I took the Gleim book and for every sample journal entry in the book I made a T account. Gleim often includes diagrams and flow-charts and I just used those, sometimes simplifying them.

Ask yourself, if you could memorize something important (about the exam), what do you think is the most essential, and what is the simplest way to understand it, in your own words, then write it down on a sheet of its own. As you study accumulate sheets in a folder. When reviewing, go back and redo all those pages until you have them down pat.

@ Amor

Nice examples. Now make them all into T-accounts.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Dantrick]

@MOD Oh you have them just memorized, I was thinking you had them written down. That is super cool if you have a plan to help pass. What doesn't work for me is someone basically just reading the book, like the Becker material I have. I like examples and explaining things in real life scenarios that helps me remember things. Thanks for your help.

[M.O.D.]

@ Dantrick

I wrote them down first and then again 3-4 times or 20-30 times depending on how hard it was for me to get it. So in that sense, just seeing them would make less sense to you than reading a book. It is the writing of them that “records” it.

And yes, real life examples is how I go about it. I imagine a company in a scenario having to issue stock, say. What would be the typical transaction, if I were controller. Or to issue debt, etc.

I guess I do look at it from the point of view being in charge of the entity and making the accounting entries.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Zuly]

@Dantrick you might want to check out Roger for FAR. You mention you don't like how Beck instructors read out of the book and prefer real-world explanations well that's what Roger does. He teaches you the concepts on a white board and does the journal entries and t-accounts so the concepts really make more sense, especially if you haven't seen them in a while or ever like governmental accounting. I also agree with M.O.D. that writing the concepts down tons of times helps with memorization. I tried that with the Bond amortization table and other topics and it really worked to nail the information down.

FAR - (11/01/14) 71 (02/07/15) 79
AUD - (04/30/15) 86
BEC - (07/21/15) 73 (10/01/15) 75
REG - (11/30/15) 55 (05/19/16) 74

[Gabe]

Journal entries. I used the site @amor posted

CPA, CFE
CISA- Experience will be completed by August 2016

[jinjuujii]

MOD: thank you for your suggestion. I also identify with the original poster's dilemma 🙁 … I will try to draw T accounts for every concepts I come upon. I think doing so will reinforce my study as well as making me become a better accountant.

Amor D – THANK YOU for the link.

Journal Entries / T accounts are my weakest points….

FAR: 2-27-2015

[Author]

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