[needhelpnow]

I want to know what works best for everyone.

I study each chapter and just do the questions at the back of the book. Right after that, I move straight to the next. After all of them, I go back each chapter and do the extensive only questions. Share your method that is effective

[Anonymous]

For me, I read the book all the way through without doing any questions (only examples in the text), then did the test bank questions till I was solid with the topics. I didn't do the test bank chapter-by-chapter, though; I did sets of usually 20 questions selected randomly from all unseen questions. I would only do chapter or topic-specific questions when it got near the end of my studying if one topic was lagging far behind the others.

[Anonymous]

It's going to be very different for everyone.

For me, I've been using Becker and NINJA. I go through the lectures once and do my first set of MCQ / SIMs along with them. Once I finish all the lectures, I use NINJA extensively and just hammer away at questions.

I've also found that, for me, taking 1 exam per test window has worked. It's given me the time I needed to fully study the section and feel as prepared as possible for it. Now I'm done with 3 exams and only REG to go. Hoping for a 75+ next quarter 🙂

[Jenny]

I use Becker. I answer MCQ one time all the way through each chapter then move onto the next chapter. When I miss a question or guess at a question and get it right, I write down the explanations and try to understand why. After I complete all chapters, I read over my notes for each chapter and start from the beginning and go through the answers that I missed the first time. If I still have time after going through a second time, I play around with the SIMS a little bit. I don't watch videos or read/highlight book. I feel like those are a waste of my time. I tend to pull up the internet and surf FB & such instead.

Oh I also listen to Ninja Audio during my commutes like 2-3 times through.

AUD - 76
BEC - 86
FAR - 76
REG - 76

Oklahoma CPA

 

Oklahoma Candidate
AUD - Pass (8/14)
FAR - Pass (11/14)
REG - Pass (2/15)
BEC - Pass (11/15)
Ethics Exam - Pass (12/15)

[Anonymous]

For REG & BEC, I went through Becker and did about half the multiple choice questions. I slacked pretty hardcore. That method resulted in a fail the first time (73 on REG, 74 on BEC). For my retakes, I was tired of Becker, so I went through the MCQ's in CPA Excel as review. For FAR, I don't want to repeat a mistake for a third time. Plus, FAR sucks and I'm afraid if I fail it I'll give up. My plan is to go through Becker and do ALL of the MCQ's. Then, as my review, I'm going to go through CPA Excel MCQ's. We'll see how it goes.

[Vern -No what I mean]

I'm using Becker and supplementing with NINJA MCQ's.

I listen/watch the lectures and follow along in the ebook. I stopped highlighting and trying to following along becuase I spent too much time trying to keep up and couldnt process the information. Since the ebook is already highlighted and underlined, etc I use that for review. Then I do the MCQ's with a legal pad in front of me and write down the concepts of the questions I miss. This creates my notes for later review. Once done with a chapter, I'll spend time doing review MCQ's to keep the previous chapters fresh. Typically in 10 question bursts to not get burned out. I find that I get tired or distracted half way through a 30 question review session. 10 keeps my attention and gives my brain a reward signal and sense of accomplishment. I learn best when I miss the questions and have to understand why.

I use the NINJA MCQ's to hammer on the tough topics because I can drill down into the sections and select exactly what I want to study. To summarize: Learn, MCQ, review, MCQ, MCQ, MCQ, MCQ, MCQ, MCQ, MCQ. I then review SIMS during the review stage about 2 weeks before the exam when the concepts are solid and try to pick apart the SIMS to understand what is being tested.

Audio puts me to sleep.

AUD - 90
FAR - 71, 76
REG - 75
BEC - 76 (bubble sucks)

Becker + Ninja MCQ's

[Lindsey_p87]

To be honest I'm still trying to figure that out. I am studying for my 3rd test now, having passed FAR and failed AUD (will retake after BEC). I am using CPAexcel and supplementing with some NINJA materials.

For FAR I started off reading each chapter and meticulously taking notes. I had planned to do all the MQ during the review. I quickly figured out that doing this was going to take FOREVER and I wasn't really processing a lot of it anyway. So I started watching the lectures instead. This worked better in terms of getting through the material, but I found myself really turned off by a lot of the lecturers and how they presented the info. Ultimately, I didn't get through the material and did approximately 100 MQ, but I passed. I attribute it to previous college classes and luck. I would not recommend this method.

For AUD I started off going through the book again, but this time taking a lot less notes. This worked out pretty well, and I was also doing the MQ at the end of each section for the most part. This worked out better as well. I think the reason I failed AUD was b/c I did not get through all the material once again and I also got a little cocky b/c I had just come out of 2 back to back audit classes in college.

For BEC my plan of attack is to listen to each lecture (taking notes) and answer the MQ questions as I go, thoroughly understanding the ones I get wrong. I am also planning to listen to the NINJA audio at least 1x each week until the exam. I commute 2 hours a day so this should be easy. I really like the NINJA audio, I find it very useful for recalling info I learned several weeks ago. I am purposefully leaving 2 weeks before the test to do all the CPAexcel MQ again, as well as the NINJA MQ. I'll probably go over my notes again too. If I end up passing, I'll employ this method for REG and the AUD retake.

AUD - 79
BEC - 82
FAR - 79
REG - 86

DONE

FAR - PASSED 11/14
AUD - TBD
BEC - TBD
REG - First take 2/16

[Future Ninja]

depends on what section. generally I use NINJA method. Nail the concepts then non-stop mcq.

AUD - 79 (expired) retaking July 28,2016
FAR - 76 expiring July 31, 2016
BEC - 85
REG - 74,74,74,74,59,70,

[Anonymous]

I've experimented with my method as well. I felt horribly unprepared for FAR and AUD the first times I took those tests in the customary two month timeframe recommended. Plus, I was using Wiley MCQs.

For REG, I took four months to study instead of two. I wanted to have ample time to get through the book during my commute and take notes (1.5 notebooks filled) and do the Ninja MCQs for a solid month+ at home.

I'm not sure if taking the notes was time well spent, as I rarely even looked at them in the final month. I think I just flipped through to re-read certain topics. I read/listened to the Ninja Notes/Audio a couple times through in the last month as well.

I think the key was the Ninja MCQs. I didn't even do well on them, rarely getting over 70% correct in a session. I was sure of failure, but tried my best and gave myself 1.5 hours for the SIMS. Looking at my score, I think I did pretty well on the SIMS and credit the pass to the Ninja MCQs. I like how well written the answers were, how you could learn more by clicking the links below the answer, and being able to browse the glossary.

[Peterman25]

I like to give myself at a minimum 170 – 200 study hours per exam. That means about 10 weeks of study time.

Watch all video lectures and take intense notes. Sad part here is that I rarely go back and read notes. I just think that some things start to stick by taking notes.

After I am done with the videos it is NINJA audio to and from work. Approx 1.5 hours a day of audio all the way up until exam day.

I am currently studying for REG, so this time I plan to go back through my Roger book and type out notes on formulas and calculations and certain subjects that have a lot of memory aids or do this or do that type of characteristics. I'll do that during lunch time at work and read them over and over until test day. At night I'll do the homework problems from the book until I have completed them all at least one time. I typically don't go back to the homework probs.

With about 30 days to go I'll start NINJA MCQ to log about 80 hours and 2,500 – 3,000 question attempts. This will be my main study source for those 30 days. I'll mix in some SIMS too as my testing date gets closer. If necessary, I'll take notes on note cards doing the MCQ and periodically review those.

This system worked for FAR, but I probably put in closer to 250 hours for that one. All of the ‘beast' comments here made me want to only have to take that test once and it worked. This is my last test and I have the same feeling – I only want to have to take this test once.

BEC 7/14 - PASS
FAR 10/14 - PASS
AUD 1/15 - PASS
REG 4/15 - PASS

AZ license - Official 8/20/2015

[Author]

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