So close, yet so FAR away

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #200766
    pickanicken
    Participant

    I just got news this week that I passed my 3rd exam, audit. Before taking audit, I started to prepare to take FAR, but ended up deciding I didn’t have the amount of motivation needed at the time to do it. I actually had made it all the way through the Gleim study materials and was averaging around a 50% overall when I decided to switch to audit instead. I think I was intimidated and I didn’t want to fail. Now, I have the other 3 exams under my belt and am forced to face the beast. The subject matter is by far the most difficult for me because frankly I don’t have much interest, it is dry, and I am terrible at calculations. I need some advice on how to push through and get my practice scores up so I can pass this last exam. Anyone have any tips on how to get motivated, how to get interested in the material, and how to increase my scores? So far I have been following the Gleim approach – which has worked wonders on the other exams – and I do not plan on putting out any more money for additional study materials.

    REG - 81
    BEC - 83
    AUD - 86
    FAR - 78 (Done!)

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 20 total)
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    Replies
  • #762373
    Excel14
    Participant

    @pickanicken,

    I am not able to offer anything in terms of motivation, but I will tell you I'm right there with you, in terms of finding this stuff dry and uninteresting. I don't have the luxury like you, of having three out of the way, but I'm still struggling to keep moving.

    What do they call an accounting person, who only managed a 75 on all four parts of the CPA exam....you got it, CPA!!!

    BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
    FAR (09/10/16)-----
    AUD
    REG

    CIA, CGAP, CFE

    #762374
    Stilgoin
    Participant

    I’m there. I’m having a hard time focusing on FAR. It sure has been a tough year since I started this journey last May. I have really never failed anything until these exams, and I’ve had more than my fair dose of humility since I started, but I am not giving up. I have 3 testing windows until REG expires. My plan is to study, take FAR in April, and keep studying until I get my score so that I won’t lose the information in case I need to take it again. We got this!!

    Stilgoin, CPA

    There are enough critics. Be an encourager

    B | 62, 78
    A | 73, 67, 79
    R | 82
    F | 59, 59, Waiting

    Ethics | 93

    "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
    ~Winston Churchill

    “In a world full of critics, be an encourager."

    #762375
    ecg19
    Participant

    No words of wisdom here, but I'm sitting here at 9.30pm trying to figure out how I'm going to do this one, after just staring blankly at F2's SIMS on becker. I get so overwhelmed with FAR that I almost get heart palpitations! I just don't know how it's possible to retain all of this information.

    So, no advice but I'm guessing unless you're a math genius, everyone struggles with it. I for one, am terrible at calculations, I see a question involving a lot of numbers and go into a slight panic. Probably should have done FAR first!

    Military spouse living in Germany

    REG 1/13/2016 - 82
    AUD 1/15/2016 - 82
    FAR 5/24/2016 - 80
    BEC 5/27/2016 - 85

    CA PETH 6/19/2016- 86 BOO
    CA PETH 6/21/2016- 90 AND NOW I AM DONE!

    #762376
    DTBird
    Participant

    AUD - 78
    BEC - 77
    FAR - 76
    REG - 80
    Texas CPA

    BEC - 77 (5/16)
    AUD - TBD (8/16)
    REG - 80 (1/16)
    FAR - 76 (8/15)

    #762377
    CPA_Chik
    Participant

    I'm just overwhelmed with the amount of information. And I'm using CPAexcel, so I have 2 books for FAR to cover. And I'm afraid to skip any sections since you never know what they'll hit you with. My test is May 23rd and I'm freaking out already.

    I got my life back and it's beautiful!!!
    Licensed May 2017

    REG - 75
    FAR - 66; 73; 75
    AUD - 68; 76
    BEC - 79

    REG - 75!!!
    FAR - 66; 73 (FML!!!)
    AUD - 09/16
    BEC - TBD

    #762378
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I wonder what United Armour has to say about it….

    #762379
    Pony Boy
    Participant

    For me, having only 1 exam left to be completely finished with all this would be enough motivation in itself. I cannot wait to be at your point. Goodluck!

    REG (02/2016)- PASS
    BEC (04/2016)- PASS
    FAR (06/2016)- PASS
    AUD (08/2016)-

    "Stay Gold, PonyBoy, Stay Gold"

    #762380
    Snickets
    Participant

    Awesome job on your 3 passes! I am in exactly the same boat in passing FAR since it has expired. FAR is problably the most dry sure, but mental exhaustion is problably a factor as well.

    I'll tell you what I tell anybody who lacks motivation, its like the gym. Just put on your shoes and go, don't think about it, don't spend too much time on here looking for answers. When you start to get the MCQ repetition down and things start to click in your head, you will get a little motivation even if it is a sort of false/temporary motivation to just push a little further. You are literally at the mountain top, don't start heading back now that's just insane.

    AUD - 84
    BEC - 75
    FAR - 76
    REG - 77
    "Don't worry, you got this! One time I took this really hard sociology exam and...."
    -Every family memember and friend that I want to slap in the face during my exams.

    AUD 84
    FAR. 78(expired/retake 5/9/16)
    BEC 77
    REG 76

    #762381
    EuroAddict
    Participant

    Schedule your exam. If that doesn't do it then nothing will.

    -----------------------------
    BEC - 77, 03/2015 (first try)
    FAR - 79, 05/2015 (second try)
    REG - 83, 12/2015 (first try)
    AUD - 84, 03/2015 (first try)

    I got 99 problems but the CPA ain't one.

    #762382
    JT
    Participant

    @euroaddict

    What did you do to prepare you for your retake of FAR?

    (Sorry, I don't mean to hijack the thread)

    Formerly-DAB

    Reg 80

    Bec 80

    Far 73   75

    Aud 69  89

    Done! Time to live life again!

    REG-80-1X
    BEC-80-1X
    FAR-73-1X
    FAR-75-2X
    AUD-September 2016

    #762383
    EuroAddict
    Participant

    @DAB

    Pretty much went through it all again. Some parts I barely glanced at b/c I felt comfortable with them. Did a lot more Q's (added in Ninja MCQ) and also rewrote a lot of JE's to try and learn/understand them.

    Would also rewrite notes to help it sink in.

    -----------------------------
    BEC - 77, 03/2015 (first try)
    FAR - 79, 05/2015 (second try)
    REG - 83, 12/2015 (first try)
    AUD - 84, 03/2015 (first try)

    I got 99 problems but the CPA ain't one.

    #762384
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    It's good to see so many others who are feeling exactly the same way as I am! I am beyond overwhelmed with FAR. I'm so lost on many of the sections I have gone through already, and even the stuff I understand I feel like I don't remember a lot of it a day or two later. Everyday I say to myself, “how does anyone pass this thing??” Ha! I wouldn't say that any of the sections are easy…but this will, by FAR, be the most difficult for me to get through!! Hoping we all can somehow pull this thing off!

    #762385
    sva_123
    Participant

    So glad I saw this post, I feel the exact same way. F2 in Becker was so overwhelming, I just decided to skip it and come back to it in a week or so. I have no great advice…Good luck to us all!

    AUD: Pass (July 2015)
    BEC: Pass (Nov 2015)
    REG: Pass (Feb 2016)
    FAR: Pass (June 2016)
    Ethics: 100%

    Becker self study and Ninja 10 pt combo

    #762386
    pickanicken
    Participant

    Looks like there are a lot of people out there having the same struggles. Keep chugging everyone!

    REG - 81
    BEC - 83
    AUD - 86
    FAR - 78 (Done!)

    #762387
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Yup, the material is dry and boring, but guess what? You HAVE to pass it. You're 3/4ths of the way there, no one should be motivating you except yourself. But if you DO need motivation how about this:

    You passed 3 of the 4 tests required to be licensed CPA. You are the closest that any one can get to getting licensed. Do you want the previous hours of studying, note taking and question cramming to go to waste? If not, GET TO STUDYING!

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 20 total)
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