[samchi008]

I’m looking for any suggestions, ideas, extra materials, etc that I can get. I have been out of college since 2001, thus no study habits left in my body at all. I started studying in Jan 2010, took REG, and passed on my first time with a 76. It was a great feeling. Next up, FAR…2 years later I have failed every single part at least once. I failed FAR 3 times. End result was I lost my REG score last year. I used Becker until my license ran out. I’ve purchased all the NINJA notes. I also use Wiley Test Bank now and CPA Excel. Just got my AUD score last night….52. Any suggestions on study habits? I haven’t been able to get 80s or above on my practice questions, EVER. But I take the exams hopeful I might get lucky. I try to put in 3-4 hours a night, but it’s tough during a tax accountant’s busy season. I write the NINJA notes at least once, and I use them as my “study bible”. Please any help or insight anyone can provide would be must appreciated.

[mikferr]

I'm right there with you! My AUD score dropped by 5 points. ;( I don't know if it will help, but I read the text then do the lecture then do the MCs. That worked really well for BEC, but has sucked monkey balls for AUD (I'm also using CPAExcel and WTB). I even suplemented with the NINJA notes and listened to the NINJA lectures right before bed so I would have it in my brian while sleeping. Ok… I listened to them at other times too, but I found that I could focus on the audio better right before bed.

Anyway…I think it's all about the timing and when you do the MCs. For instance, don't do the one's you get wrong back to back. Write them down and let it sink in. Use the NINJA notes like we have been. Try to get in study in the morning, afternoon, and night even if it is just for 30 minutes at a shot. Do the MC's in study mode until you get them all right in one sitting. (for the section that is). Other than this…I got nothing. On the other hand, what do I know? We're both in the same situation… 🙁 *Sad CPA Pandas*

[mikferr]

I'm right there with you! My AUD score dropped by 5 points. ;( I don't know if it will help, but I read the text then do the lecture then do the MCs. That worked really well for BEC, but has sucked monkey balls for AUD (I'm also using CPAExcel and WTB). I even suplemented with the NINJA notes and listened to the NINJA lectures right before bed so I would have it in my brian while sleeping. Ok… I listened to them at other times too, but I found that I could focus on the audio better right before bed.

Anyway…I think it's all about the timing and when you do the MCs. For instance, don't do the one's you get wrong back to back. Write them down and let it sink in. Use the NINJA notes like we have been. Try to get in study in the morning, afternoon, and night even if it is just for 30 minutes at a shot. Do the MC's in study mode until you get them all right in one sitting. (for the section that is). Other than this…I got nothing. On the other hand, what do I know? We're both in the same situation… 🙁 *Sad CPA Pandas*

[Julia_anika]

I think it's all about motivation. You have to find your own reasons why you must pass all 4 exams.

It took me 4 years to find motivation!! I'm too lazy to study hours and hours and hours.. I just couldn't do it until I found a purpose ))) and my purpose is totally artificial, but it helps me to make my studying possible.

I said to myself – If I pass all 4 exams before July 2014, I would go to Japan for a 2 day Mt. Fuji sunrise climb. Obviously I can do it without passing exams, but I've decided that this trip will be my reward for hard work.

NYC, NY
FAR - 82 Jan 2014
AUD - 86 Apr 2014
BEC - 77 Aug 2014
REG - 79 Nov 2014

[Julia_anika]

I think it's all about motivation. You have to find your own reasons why you must pass all 4 exams.

It took me 4 years to find motivation!! I'm too lazy to study hours and hours and hours.. I just couldn't do it until I found a purpose ))) and my purpose is totally artificial, but it helps me to make my studying possible.

I said to myself – If I pass all 4 exams before July 2014, I would go to Japan for a 2 day Mt. Fuji sunrise climb. Obviously I can do it without passing exams, but I've decided that this trip will be my reward for hard work.

NYC, NY
FAR - 82 Jan 2014
AUD - 86 Apr 2014
BEC - 77 Aug 2014
REG - 79 Nov 2014

[samchi008]

Thanks @mikferr! I appreciate your comments. I will take all the help I can get. If I find that I am getting the same type of question wrong multiple times, I will write down the correct answer. I have tons of questions like that…that I have written down. Then I find I never have time to go back through and read my notes! Sad CPA Pandas is right!

[samchi008]

Thanks @mikferr! I appreciate your comments. I will take all the help I can get. If I find that I am getting the same type of question wrong multiple times, I will write down the correct answer. I have tons of questions like that…that I have written down. Then I find I never have time to go back through and read my notes! Sad CPA Pandas is right!

[samchi008]

I agree, @Julia_anika. I find it hard for me to stay focused hour after hour after hour. My mind starts to wander and I find myself thinking about other things. I can't just focus on what I am doing. I am desperate!

[samchi008]

I agree, @Julia_anika. I find it hard for me to stay focused hour after hour after hour. My mind starts to wander and I find myself thinking about other things. I can't just focus on what I am doing. I am desperate!

[Anonymous]

You're putting yourself into a vicious cycle of failing, then getting depressed, which causes you to fail, which makes you more depressed, etc. I don't understand the “maybe I'll get lucky” mentality. The whole point of this test is that each candidate takes a different test, but all tests are comparable. There is no such thing as luck. You will never get lucky and pass. You have to study. If you can't do it during busy season due to taxes, then simply don't. Otherwise you're stressing yourself out for nothing. Identify your limitations, own them, and plan around them.

[Anonymous]

You're putting yourself into a vicious cycle of failing, then getting depressed, which causes you to fail, which makes you more depressed, etc. I don't understand the “maybe I'll get lucky” mentality. The whole point of this test is that each candidate takes a different test, but all tests are comparable. There is no such thing as luck. You will never get lucky and pass. You have to study. If you can't do it during busy season due to taxes, then simply don't. Otherwise you're stressing yourself out for nothing. Identify your limitations, own them, and plan around them.

[samchi008]

Thanks for the insight, @aedv. I didn't mean that I might get lucky in the literal sense. I know I am not going to pass without getting those averages up on my MCQs and putting in the time. I get that part. I put in the time, yet I'm still not getting the material. I am just asking for suggestions for someone like me, who's been out of school for a very long time, that is trying to find a study method that works. So far nothing has worked for me.

[samchi008]

Thanks for the insight, @aedv. I didn't mean that I might get lucky in the literal sense. I know I am not going to pass without getting those averages up on my MCQs and putting in the time. I get that part. I put in the time, yet I'm still not getting the material. I am just asking for suggestions for someone like me, who's been out of school for a very long time, that is trying to find a study method that works. So far nothing has worked for me.

[norwoodal]

I understand exactly where you are coming from. My situation is very similar. I spent a lot of time and money failing the exam. It has been a long 5 years for me.

This past year I purchased the 10 point combo. As of yesterday I have passed every part. I had to basically tell myself at the beginning of last year that nothing in the past mattered. I began to treat the test like I had never taken it before and that I needed to learn all the material. The only study materials I used were the Wiley test bank, the Ninja Notes, and the Audio.

My study habits were this. For MCQs. I divided them out by subject. For example, on audit, I would do ALL the questions on Audit Sampling. For every question I wrote down the reason it was right and why the other three were wrong. When I had finished with all the questions in that subject, I would write down my grade. Then I could see what I was weak in. I would redo all the questions several times.

Separating them into subjects really helped me. When I was done, I would rewrite the notes I had taken on the questions. This way, I had the notes in terms that made sense to me. I set a schedule of what area to focus on on a certain day and then worked only on that area all day. Then the week before the test, I went over the areas I was still concerned with. The one thing I never did was take a practice exam or quiz. There is no feedback for these questions and you will never know what you got wrong or why. Also, writing down the reasons behind correct and incorrect answers will keep you from “memorizing the test bank.” This really worked for me, but I learn better by doing instead of reading. It all really depends on you.

I also downloaded the flash cards to my phone and would use those if I ever had any free moment. I'm talking bathroom breaks, doctors offices, restaurants while waiting on food. Anywhere.

I would also use the audio while I exercised. Staying active really helped me focus. I started exercising at the beginning of last year when I got “serious” so to speak about the exam. I would play the audio and repeat parts that jumped out at me while walking, biking, or wherever. I am sure that there are people at my gym who call me “That crazy lady who talks to herself. 😉

But it was worth it. I did not make excessively high scores. But I passed. My first advice would be to find a way to start clean, set reasonable goals and go from there. I divided up the tests and said, I will pass BEC the 1st quarter, REG the 2nd quarter, FAR the 3rd quarter and AUD the 4th quarter. The only one I missed was AUD and I made a 74 in November. That was horrible. But I came back from that with an 82 in January.

You can do this, just find a way to sweep out the negatives and start with positives. Hope this helps and would be more than glad to talk with you some more if you would like.

Good Luck!

REG 75
BEC 81
FAR 75
AUD 82

I AM DONE!!!!!

[norwoodal]

I understand exactly where you are coming from. My situation is very similar. I spent a lot of time and money failing the exam. It has been a long 5 years for me.

This past year I purchased the 10 point combo. As of yesterday I have passed every part. I had to basically tell myself at the beginning of last year that nothing in the past mattered. I began to treat the test like I had never taken it before and that I needed to learn all the material. The only study materials I used were the Wiley test bank, the Ninja Notes, and the Audio.

My study habits were this. For MCQs. I divided them out by subject. For example, on audit, I would do ALL the questions on Audit Sampling. For every question I wrote down the reason it was right and why the other three were wrong. When I had finished with all the questions in that subject, I would write down my grade. Then I could see what I was weak in. I would redo all the questions several times.

Separating them into subjects really helped me. When I was done, I would rewrite the notes I had taken on the questions. This way, I had the notes in terms that made sense to me. I set a schedule of what area to focus on on a certain day and then worked only on that area all day. Then the week before the test, I went over the areas I was still concerned with. The one thing I never did was take a practice exam or quiz. There is no feedback for these questions and you will never know what you got wrong or why. Also, writing down the reasons behind correct and incorrect answers will keep you from “memorizing the test bank.” This really worked for me, but I learn better by doing instead of reading. It all really depends on you.

I also downloaded the flash cards to my phone and would use those if I ever had any free moment. I'm talking bathroom breaks, doctors offices, restaurants while waiting on food. Anywhere.

I would also use the audio while I exercised. Staying active really helped me focus. I started exercising at the beginning of last year when I got “serious” so to speak about the exam. I would play the audio and repeat parts that jumped out at me while walking, biking, or wherever. I am sure that there are people at my gym who call me “That crazy lady who talks to herself. 😉

But it was worth it. I did not make excessively high scores. But I passed. My first advice would be to find a way to start clean, set reasonable goals and go from there. I divided up the tests and said, I will pass BEC the 1st quarter, REG the 2nd quarter, FAR the 3rd quarter and AUD the 4th quarter. The only one I missed was AUD and I made a 74 in November. That was horrible. But I came back from that with an 82 in January.

You can do this, just find a way to sweep out the negatives and start with positives. Hope this helps and would be more than glad to talk with you some more if you would like.

Good Luck!

REG 75
BEC 81
FAR 75
AUD 82

I AM DONE!!!!!

[Topsya]

Have you actually read a book?

AUD - 90
FAR - 83
BEC - 81
REG - 80
ETHICS - 100

[Author]

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