Older CPA candidate and my experience

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  • #198649
    sohappy
    Member

    First of all, thank you to all of the CPA candidates that came before me and shared their experiences. Your posts were extremely encouraging and really helped me through this process. To pass this forward I am listing my Becker scores and then actual scores below.

    However, if there is anyone reading this that is wondering if you should attempt this because you have been out of school for a long time, I am here to tell you that it is POSSIBLE!! I graduated with my B.B.A. (major in Accounting) in 2002 and an MBA in 2009. It had always been a goal of mine to be a CPA, but life seemed to get in the way. We are a military family so moving a lot is always a challenge and I also have 5 children. I finally decided that I needed to accomplish this and set my 2015 New Year’s Resolution to become a CPA. I am happy to announce that I took and passed my final exam on 11/14/15. WHOOO HOOOO!!!!

    Now, if I can share some things with you that I think would have helped me. First of all, I purchased the Becker Program mainly because I wanted to get this done as quickly as possible and didn’t want to waste any time. I had always heard that this is a great program so I decided to go for it. What you may not know is that they have a 0% interest loan so you can pay the fees off over a period of 18 months. That was good news to me and I took advantage of the offer.

    Also, if you do decide to purchase Becker….I found that watching the videos on my own first and doing the homework prior to the live class was helpful. I was better able to figure out what I didn’t understand and then I had the opportunity to ask the instructor specific questions to help me better understand the material. Remember, I had been out of school for quite some time and had to relearn some of the material.

    Next, if I could have done it over….I would have taken the exams in this order…1) FAR, 2) AUD, 3) REG and 4) BEC. Unfortunately I took REG, then BEC, then AUD (twice) and then FAR. I say this because the items covered in FAR will help some with AUD and REG.

    Another thing I would have done differently is to give myself more time for each exam. Since I was working full time and had a family to take care of I did REG in 8 weeks and BEC in 8 weeks. This seems to be sufficient, but an extra week or two would have been helpful in managing my stress. I tried to do AUD in 6 weeks, but cramming in 10 days at Disney World and a week visiting my family and then moving 3 children to college during that time didn’t help. I thought AUD was going to be easier, but I was proved wrong with a score of 74!! I then took about 10 days off and when I got that lovely score back, I started to study again. An additional 3 weeks of AUD and I passed. I did FAR in 6 weeks and passed but I was pretty stressed and it would have been better to stretch things out a bit.

    I also read a lot of posts that people were scoring much higher than the Becker Final Exams. I found that I was right in the same range, although I do have a lot of anxiety prior to an exam so I am sure that played a part in my score.

    Here is how I did on the actual exams compared to Becker:

    REG

    4/20/15 – 83

    Becker #1 85

    Becker #2 75

    BEC

    7/3/15 – 81

    Becker #1 75

    Becker #2 57

    AUD

    8/31/15 – 74 SO CLOSE!!!

    10/3/15 – 81

    Becker #1 80

    Becker #2 68

    FAR

    11/14/15 – 77 It’s a miracle…..I am done!!

    Oh, by the way….I also ran out of time on the SIMS and didn’t get to finish!! This was the only exam that I didn’t manage my time as well and the exam shut off on me. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path” Proverbs 3:5,6

    Becker #1 81

    Becker #2 83

    Good luck to all of you! Keep at it and you can do this!!

    REG 4/20/15 83
    BEC 7/3/15 81
    AUD 8/31/15 74 :((((, 10/3/15 81 :))
    FAR 11/14/15 77 Miracle...YEAH!!!!!

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 19 total)
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  • #745543
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hey there, sohappy!

    I too am very happy for you! 🙂

    Also, I too am older in this field, so way to go. I actually graduated around the same time as you did, although I had already had my BA, and just did a post-bac certificate to fulfill the testing requirements.

    Have been doing Becker too (on and off over the years), while gaining my PWE at a tax firm.

    And, yes, I too pray a lot along the way. At this point in life, this whole journey seems like not just a job pursuit for me, but more of an intellectual and spiritual one. I am finding brains I never knew I had and doing it with soul, too. 🙂

    Now, I am glad we met, and I hope we can be friends. So may I ask – what's next on the list? The exams are one thing. You have surmounted them valiantly! But,now, life is another.

    “Where your heart is, there your treasure will be”. – Matt 6:21

    And so where do you wish to go now?

    Godspeed and Bless you!

    #745544
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    BTW, am not surprised the majority of your Becker scores were lower than your actual test scores. One Becker Prof told me Becker makes their review materials harder than the actual test. There's definitely more questions than on the actual test, and the Prof said they try to use the MCQs to address the same problem from many different angles.

    #745545
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    GOOD FOR YOU!!

    I'm another old timer (graduated back in 1990!) and have been out of the industry for over 15 years, run my own business and have a family so it was definitely a challenge! I also used Becker but never bothered with their final exams. You can do it!

    #745546
    leglock
    Participant

    oldie here too, graduate college in late 90's, operated own business, did Becker in 2013 and done in 2014

    #745547
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I graduated in 2001 and had no problem passing with Roger and Ninja. However the headhunter I spoke with recently basically told me I was 15 years too late to look for a job in public firm as most of them do on-campus recruiting

    #745548

    Hi, sohappy and congratulations! What an accomplishment.

    I lurked here for about four months before I got up the courage to begin posting more than once a month because I am definitely – DEFINITELY – an atypical candidate. My firstborn is probably older than some of the regulars here!

    BEC: Fall 2016
    AUD: Spring 2016
    REG: Summer 2016
    FAR: RETAKE

    #745549
    Zolushka
    Participant

    sohappy! thanks for sharing! 5 kids !!!! its really amazing how you managed everything!!! Now I can say I have just 3 kids:) how many hours per day did you studied? Did you sleep? how did you cook? I am getting home around 9 pm every day after all kids practices and I have to cook a lot, so don't have a lot of time at night, 1-2 hrs only ? Can you share how did you organize your schedule?

    ____________________
    FAR 11/28/2015
    AUD ???
    REG ???
    BEC ???

    FAR - 11/28/2015 (fail)
    AUD - ???
    REG - ???
    BEC - ???

    #745550
    sohappy
    Member

    WOW! I am so happy to hear from so many people in my position (not being right out of college)!!

    Since I am not really looking to work for a Big 4 company I have thrown around the idea of purchasing a smaller firm and being my own boss. I worked as a property accountant for the better part of 15 years and most of that I worked from home. I learned how to be VERY disciplined and became exceptionally proficient at juggling work, family and studying.

    I too have children that are about the same age as some of the typical candidates. My oldest is almost 25, the next is almost 24. I have a son that will soon be 21 and he is doing the 5 year program for a Bachelors and Masters in Accounting. My only daughter is almost 20 and then we have an 11 year old.

    My husband has almost 25 years in the military and we are hoping his next assignment will be in FL as that is where my license will be from and we are hoping to retire there. It seems like a good time to really dig my heals in and make being a business owner a reality. I am also one of those people that likes to be “on the go” and I really can't see myself ever totally retiring. I actually LOVE accounting!!!! I knew it when I was 16 years old and took my first accounting class in high school.

    As far as my study schedule: I am a morning person, so getting up early in the morning before everyone else was up was the best time for me. My brain was fresh and the house was quiet. Also, going to the library was a big help because there were no other distractions to pull me away. In addition, I had to learn that this was MY priority and some other things would have to fall by the wayside (temporarily). I am a meticulous housekeeper and I am embarrassed to say that I hardly cleaned anything while studying. I just couldn't do everything. My husband was a big help and helped keep things moving, but he doesn't do things the way I like them. I was appreciative for the help and didn't complain because I didn't want him to stop. Also, if you have people that can help you….ASK for help with the day to day things. Asking for help is hard for me, but it makes this journey a lot easier.

    If you are using Becker, the App was very helpful and I also got the flashcards. I didn't use them as much as I should have, but if you have just a few minutes in between meetings, picking up kids etc… you can get through some information and the more you see the info the better you will do.

    If the rest of you would share your study secrets, I think this would be helpful for those that are just getting started!

    Thank you and God Bless all of you in your endeavor:)
    Colleen

    REG 4/20/15 83
    BEC 7/3/15 81
    AUD 8/31/15 74 :((((, 10/3/15 81 :))
    FAR 11/14/15 77 Miracle...YEAH!!!!!

    #745551
    sohappy
    Member

    Zolushka, how do you feel after taking your first exam?

    REG 4/20/15 83
    BEC 7/3/15 81
    AUD 8/31/15 74 :((((, 10/3/15 81 :))
    FAR 11/14/15 77 Miracle...YEAH!!!!!

    #745552
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    heheh good luck cinderella(zolyshka)!

    #745553
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    heheh good luck cinderella(zolyshka)!

    #745554
    SienaCPA
    Member

    Long time stalker and first time poster on this forum. I find this thread to be very encouraging seeing that others are in the same position. I graduated with a BBA in Accounting in 2001, and procrastinated about the exam for years. Unfortunately, life can interfere with one’s original plans. After losing AUD and BEC more times than I care to admit, I often became discouraged and would not even sit for years at a clip. This year I decided to buckle down and end this once and for all.

    I passed REG, BEC and AUD in a relatively short period of time using the Becker review course, Final Review, as well as the NINJA Audio and MCQ's. Studying before work, during lunch, in the evenings and Saturdays and Sundays in the office seemed to do the trick. Posting mnemonics around my cubicle also helped me to memorize them easier. Especially for governmental accounting. It's miserable knowing there is a whole world going on outside, but the rewards of passing will make up for the short term suffering.

    I just sat for FAR this past weekend. The SIMS were difficult, but fortunately I had enough time to finish them all. I am confident that a strong support system, rigorous study schedule and faith that anybody can pass. If I failed, I am prepared to spend the next month studying to retake in January. Although, passing now would be the greatest Christmas gift of my life. Only 8 more days of agony!

    My advice to others is to knock the exam out as soon after graduating as possible. Between the Becker and NINJA products, there are excellent tools out there to pass. Learning and reviewing material after a decade of not studying or testing is not an easy task.

    I wish everyone the best of luck in conquering this monster. A tremendous weight will be lifted off of our shoulders and the sky’s the limit going forward!

    BEC - 73, 73, 77
    REG - 70, 79
    AUD - 88 (exp), 78
    FAR - 79 Done!!!

    #745555
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    So glad I found the “older” candidate thread. The first time I took the exam, it was back in the paper/pencil blue booklet 2 day nightmare. Passed 2 and couldn't get finished with the other two before life got in the way. After kids, moving, blah blah, I started the process again, thinking “Hey- it's computerized! This should be far easier!” It's not lol. If anything, they make it trickier with their wordiness.
    Passed 3 sections that time around, but lost credit before I could get audit done. That seemed to be the thorn in my side at the time. I was disgusted and took yet another break, but always felt incomplete-I had to get this done. So far I've passed Reg (I'm a tax person so that was no big deal) and finally Audit! The kicker is, I've now passed them all-just not within the ticking clock time.
    I suppose I'd just like to share my thoughts, hoping it will help someone since I have so much experience in this, unfortunately lol. So my suggestions to anyone who may benefit are as follows (remember, just my opinion):

    I started with my easiest, Reg (I'm a tax person so it wasn't too big of a deal). That way, if I lost credit I should be able to pick it up again fairly easily. Plus it's a quick win-helps you get and stay motivated.

    Then I tackled Audit, (thanks Garland Grainger, Lambers). He explains it in a way you can understand, with some mild humor thrown in, so it wasn't mind-numbingly boring.

    Try to really understand the material-memorization will only get you so far, such as in theory questions-mnemonics are great for list type questions. But calculations-good lord, memorizing really isn't the way to go. The first time I took Far, I did over a thousand MC questions and memorized journal entries, memorized all I could. Spent hours and hours on this-granted I scraped by with a 77, but I really didn't understand what I doing. Fast forward several years later taking it again, thinking hey, I've passed this before, no big deal. Failed it.

    It may add to your study time, but make a point to ask why? Gain & losses on trading securities go to I/S, available for sale go to OCI on the balance sheet. Yep, got it. But why do they? Understand the concepts behind everything. Stated rate lower than market on a bond-sell at a discount. Stated rate higher-sell at a premium. Got that too. But why? When you get to the point you understand the concept, working a thousand MC questions isn't necessary. Work enough to where you feel confident in your answer without second guessing yourself, which brings me to this:

    You better be able to work fast on the exam and be confident enough in your answer. This last time I took Far and passed, I studied & worked through maybe 20-30 questions on each subject, if that. But I understand the material. They may word it a thousand different ways, but if you take your time and figure out exactly what they want, you can do it. Also know they will give you way more info than you actually need sometimes, just to make sure you know what you are doing, that you have a basic understanding.

    I'm almost finished, BEC is my new thorn. The first time I passed it, it was only multiple choice, no sims. Wish I hadn't lost that one! I find it difficult to study BEC. The finance and econ are ok, but cost actg and information technology, I give zero ***** about. I don't know about you other “old timers” haha, but as long as my tax program and quickbooks is working, I'm gold.

    My study materials of choice (and I've tried A LOT) were Lambers for Auditing & Reg. I'd really just recommend Lambers for Auditing only. The Reg instructor was a little boring, but like I said, that's what I do for a living and understood most of it anyway. And Rogers for everything else. He explains the concepts and repeats himself a lot-which is a good thing because it seems to sink in for me better. Plus, I think the guy's a hoot. He definitely keeps it interesting. However, he does move fast, some may not like the speed of the lectures but I did. BUT, you can adjust the video speed. Slow him down if you need to, or speed him up. I watched a few of the lectures twice, the second time 1 3/4 faster-sounded like a chipmunk but worked as a quick (and kinda funny) review. And, of course, I have the NINJA notes- reading through those at night before bed on my phone. It helps solidify all you learned. Good luck everyone!

    #745556

    I can't tell you how encouraged I am to see there are so many of us. I think we need our own thread!

    Hi, Siena! I'll bet you passed. Zolushka, how did it go for you?

    sohappy, you are my new hero, and not just because you're a military spouse (which is a job in itself.)

    This “ASK for help with the day to day things” is the hardest thing for me. So hard. That, and letting go of my housekeeping duties. My MIL lives with us (since September) with 24/7 aides, and I hate asking them to do things even though they are always offering. I really need to get over myself with that one. That, and the continual guilt over not cooking all the time. It doesn't bother anyone but me.

    My husband is very supportive. Even though we homeschool, my younger daughter (14) is pretty much self-sufficient, plus he does the biology labs with her.

    So really, I have no excuse not to study, and less of an excuse to fail.

    BEC: Fall 2016
    AUD: Spring 2016
    REG: Summer 2016
    FAR: RETAKE

    #745557
    Zolushka
    Participant

    Sohappy, thanks a lot!!! My kids a little younger, so they need a lot of ,my attention (15, 13,8)My husband forced me to quite my job, so i can focus more on studying! I am 1000% sure I fail on Saturday FAR exam, but i have already went back to studying and just start over. Will try again in February!!! trying to figured out how to change my routine. But at the same time I feel its really doable if I will put more time and effort!!!!!!

    eesti, privet! Thanks for support!

    536FrenchmenStreet, it went well, but it could be excellent if I studied more!!!! I was able to finish everything, but I am sure I miss a lot on sims!!!!! and very sure I miss a lot MCQ just because I was unprepared!!! While waiting my score I am trying to find the most effective way to study for me. I am using GLEIM and I like it, but it looks like a spent too much time on video and did not finish all MCQ and SIMS, so this time I will focus more on memorizing as much as possible.

    Will appreciate any input on how to studying after you fail!

    FAR - 11/28/2015 (fail)
    AUD - ???
    REG - ???
    BEC - ???

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