[Goldenbearcpa]

Hey all,

Testing tomorrow, 8/31 at 5:30pm. I feel pretty decent about most of the material but for some reason am bashing my head against a wall over the overhead variances. I don’t think Becker has done a very good job presenting them and was wondering if anyone had any quick and easy methods for solving those types of questions… A sample question that just destroyed me was CPA-03850 from the Becker software (It’s too long to type out). That question asked for the Fixed Overhead Volume Variance.

So yeah, any quick tips or online resources that you have found to be useful would be much appreciated at this stage in the game. Cheers!

REG: 84 on 4/18/14
AUD: 93 on 5/29/14
FAR: 90 on 8/8/14
BEC: 91 on 8/31/14

DONE!

[RandomAlt]

Skip it.

I'm serious.

Listen, you can't learn EVERYTHING on EVERY topic in this exam. You have to do a cost/benefit analysis.

I learned the basics about OH Variance. The names and types, what is controllable and not controllable..and left it at that. There isn't going to be one quick fix to help you memorize a complicated topic. That may not be the answer you are looking for, but it is the only answer I have.

For the record, my test is tomorrow at 12PM

Good luck!

FAR - [10/07/2013 --> 66] [07/07/2014 --> 86]
BEC - [08/31/2014 --> 86]
AUD - [11/24/2014 --> 88]
REG - [02/14/2015 --> 92]

[Goldenbearcpa]

@Random

I definitely hear you about the cost/benefit analysis… The way I see it, this is a topic with a potential for extensive testing on the actual thing, and if I get unlucky and have a test that is variance-heavy, not having spent this time studying it would be a huge mistake. My alternative to studying this would probably be memorizing some of the details of IT, which I don't think would be as difficult to navigate on the test.

I still need to take the second practice final, which will really give me a good sense of whether I'm prepared or not. I'll probably take that in about an hour or two and then spend the rest of the day hitting topics that I was weak on from the practice final.

Thanks for the input!

REG: 84 on 4/18/14
AUD: 93 on 5/29/14
FAR: 90 on 8/8/14
BEC: 91 on 8/31/14

DONE!

[RandomAlt]

@Goldenbearcpa

You might want to take at recent postings in the BEC study group, and BEC exam experience threads. You might be surprised in related to what you just wrote. If anything, I would say the opposite holds true.

And from everything I have read anecdotally, you maybe get 1 or 2 questions on OH variance. Out of those 2 questions, you have a 25% chance of guessing each one right.

I'm ok with those odds 😉

Edit: Also considering your scores on the previous 3 exams, I dont think you have much to worry about…

FAR - [10/07/2013 --> 66] [07/07/2014 --> 86]
BEC - [08/31/2014 --> 86]
AUD - [11/24/2014 --> 88]
REG - [02/14/2015 --> 92]

[Skynet]

To the OP. I would do the best that i can with Variances. I got my butt kicked the last time I took BEC and a lot of the questions were Variance questions. I was using WIley's and didn't focus too much on it. I didn't think there was going to be that many questions on Variances but sure enough there were plenty. By the time I got out of BEC I was like WTF! was that?!

AUD - 90
BEC - 78
FAR - 84
REG - 87

World Domination Plan

Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
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Phase V : TBD

BEC : 78
REG : 87
FAR : 84
AUD : 90

World Domination Plan

Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
Phase II : Megan Fox - Initiated
Phase III : Bring back 8-Tracks
Phase IV : Megan Fox & Scarlett Johansson Lingerie Pillow Fight
Phase V : TBA

[Tux]

I'm having trouble with variances too.

I can get the basic, straight-forward ones, but the more complicated ones – I'm lost.

I looked up the one you referenced. I got it wrong too.

Why does the solution show that 21,000 machine hours is “actual”, but in the MCQ it shows that 21,600 machine hours is “actual”?

I need a detailed lesson on these. Starting from scratch would help, but I'm testing tomorrow (Sunday) too.

No time.

FAR - 86 - 2/27/14
AUD - 75 - 5/29/14
BEC - 80 - 8/31/14
REG - 89 - 2/27/15
Praise Jesus! I'm done!!

Study resources:
Becker
Wiley test bank

[Goldenbearcpa]

@Random

Thanks for the heads up — When you put it that way, I think I feel a little more confident about it all. Just went through the optional MCQs for each of chapters 2-5 and I found 2 and 3 to have some major problem areas… So I'll work on that before taking the 2nd practice final. Some of those ratios/cost of discount/cost of credit problems can get intense! Thanks again for the advice.

REG: 84 on 4/18/14
AUD: 93 on 5/29/14
FAR: 90 on 8/8/14
BEC: 91 on 8/31/14

DONE!

[Anonymous]

Agreed, skip it. You don't need it to pass. Absorb whatever you can and move on.

[mystical guy]

Let it be the last thing you study when you've covered all the other topics that you feel fairly confident with. That is, after you review everything else, come back to the OH variances with a fresh and relaxed mind. Don't keep taking stabs at it when you're frustrated, and definitely do not spend your entire review on one topic.

The Uniform CPA exam will sample different areas, and that's especially true with BEC.

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[Anonymous]

Just took BEC. Let me say that I spent at least a day and a half, if not more on variance analysis (DM and DL) and OH. The time put in did not equal the amount that they actually test you on. I'm not saying there weren't variance questions, it's just that strategic planning (which includes Variance Analysis) is only 10-14% of the test and it's very unlikely that they will throw variance OH analysis at you for that full 10-14%. I would spend more time studying Corp governance (COSO), Financial management and IT as they're all more heavily weighted.

I would definitely recommend getting down DL and DM variances using the PURE and DADS mnemonic (per Becker) but if OH is giving you a hard time, I say skip it. If you're uncomfortable with that approach at least learn Spending variance, which is relatively straight forward: Actual Output x Actual Rate versus Actual Output x Budget Rate. (It's a favorable variance if the former is higher)

[rzrbkfaith]

I memorized the “ABBA BSA” and “SEV” mnemonic. It saved me over and over…

AUD - 99
BEC - 97
REG - 91
FAR - 1/8/16

[Tux]

I watched a good and short video on fixed overhead variance on youtube the day before my exam. It helped to clarify a few points.

The same youtube channel also has videos on variable overhead. I did not watch those because I ran out of time.

I'm posting both here –

Fixed Overhead video (less than 5 minutes) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM0IroanGYg

Variable Overhead videos (three videos – 5 min. each) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezmGaRfAEUI&list=PL42DBA1A72E06FB17

FAR - 86 - 2/27/14
AUD - 75 - 5/29/14
BEC - 80 - 8/31/14
REG - 89 - 2/27/15
Praise Jesus! I'm done!!

Study resources:
Becker
Wiley test bank

[Author]

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