[jhawkins1010]

So, I’m sure this question had been answered in some way or another, but I was just curious and wanted to survey the cried, anyway. I applied the Ninja method to the Gleim materials. Watched all the videos straight through, did the true/false questions straight through and now I and doing the same with the multiple choice questions.

My question you all is: Do you tackle a subject, nail it, then move on or do you go through everything and zero in on problem areas later? Right now, I’m kind of just going through everything. I’m still using the text and notes as a reference while going through the multiple choice questions. My theory is, I want to make sure that, in some shape, form or fashion, I have touched all of the material. Going through it all, at least I have seen all there is to see and can gauge where my weaknesses are and zero in on those later.

I’m not currently having any issues with my method, I was just curious as to how everyone else moves through the material.

[Study Monk]

I don't move to far forward without doing the earlier chapters multiple choice questions at least twice. I will redo them again for final review.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Study Monk]

I don't move to far forward without doing the earlier chapters multiple choice questions at least twice. I will redo them again for final review.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Anonymous]

I go through everything, then do MCQs from everything, and then zero in on weak areas if I feel the need. 🙂 I used Wiley, so read the book cover to cover, then used Wiley Test Bank and tried to get through all the MCQs doing random question sets from all topics. I kept an eye on progress reports and if a topic was consistently scoring lower than others, I'd sometimes go back and re-study it. Also, if there was an MCQ that I really didn't understand, I'd pause and Google the topic to try to learn more about it. But I'm a firm believer that seeing the big picture helps the details make sense, so I really think that going through everything once first helps a lot.

[Anonymous]

I go through everything, then do MCQs from everything, and then zero in on weak areas if I feel the need. 🙂 I used Wiley, so read the book cover to cover, then used Wiley Test Bank and tried to get through all the MCQs doing random question sets from all topics. I kept an eye on progress reports and if a topic was consistently scoring lower than others, I'd sometimes go back and re-study it. Also, if there was an MCQ that I really didn't understand, I'd pause and Google the topic to try to learn more about it. But I'm a firm believer that seeing the big picture helps the details make sense, so I really think that going through everything once first helps a lot.

[Kimboroni]

I'm reading through the FAR chapters (Wiley), and as I go I'm doing just a few MCQs for each concept just to make sure I'm processing what I'm reading. I'm not trying to memorize more complex formulas yet– just refamiliarizing myself with the concepts, since I took intermediate accounting 2 years ago. I know that if I nail those details now, I will forget them again.

As I get closer to test day, then I'll really start drilling MCQs and memorizing formulas, so I can take full advantage of my good short term memory.

AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

[Kimboroni]

I'm reading through the FAR chapters (Wiley), and as I go I'm doing just a few MCQs for each concept just to make sure I'm processing what I'm reading. I'm not trying to memorize more complex formulas yet– just refamiliarizing myself with the concepts, since I took intermediate accounting 2 years ago. I know that if I nail those details now, I will forget them again.

As I get closer to test day, then I'll really start drilling MCQs and memorizing formulas, so I can take full advantage of my good short term memory.

AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

[Anonymous]

@Kimboroni You're the same as me with the short-term memory. 🙂 I swear that the last week of my studying – if not less than that – counted for more than the rest combined because short-term memory has always been my key ingredient in anything academic!

[Anonymous]

@Kimboroni You're the same as me with the short-term memory. 🙂 I swear that the last week of my studying – if not less than that – counted for more than the rest combined because short-term memory has always been my key ingredient in anything academic!

[jhawkins1010]

Sounds like a lot of us are in the same position. I'm afraid that if I start memorizing too much too soon, that I'll forget it when it matters. At the same time, I don't want to try to cram too much in at the last minute. So, I want to use the initial run through to try to reinforce concepts that I may be familiar with. I will try to preserve the short term memory for new stuff that will be based on pure memorization.

[jhawkins1010]

Sounds like a lot of us are in the same position. I'm afraid that if I start memorizing too much too soon, that I'll forget it when it matters. At the same time, I don't want to try to cram too much in at the last minute. So, I want to use the initial run through to try to reinforce concepts that I may be familiar with. I will try to preserve the short term memory for new stuff that will be based on pure memorization.

[Anonymous]

@jhawkins Yep, the initial run-through is for the concepts and theories and such – in my mind, it's for understanding what's going on, and then it's just the details that you have to drill at the last minute. Even though I'm such a big last-minute studier, I'm considering ordering CMA study materials even though I don't expect to take the exams till Summer 2015, because I think that concepts are reinforced with more study time…even if details often make the difference in the final grade.

[Anonymous]

@jhawkins Yep, the initial run-through is for the concepts and theories and such – in my mind, it's for understanding what's going on, and then it's just the details that you have to drill at the last minute. Even though I'm such a big last-minute studier, I'm considering ordering CMA study materials even though I don't expect to take the exams till Summer 2015, because I think that concepts are reinforced with more study time…even if details often make the difference in the final grade.

[Kimboroni]

Yes, Lilla, this totally describes me as well! “…because short-term memory has always been my key ingredient in anything academic!” I have never started studying for a school exam more than a day (rarely two) ahead of time. Maybe I drilled a few concepts earlier than that if I didn't understand them yet, but not true studying.

If only FAR could all be done in a cram, but there is just too much material for that. 🙁

AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

[Kimboroni]

Yes, Lilla, this totally describes me as well! “…because short-term memory has always been my key ingredient in anything academic!” I have never started studying for a school exam more than a day (rarely two) ahead of time. Maybe I drilled a few concepts earlier than that if I didn't understand them yet, but not true studying.

If only FAR could all be done in a cram, but there is just too much material for that. 🙁

AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

[MustPass1988]

I go through the lecture, then read through it all and take notes and make notecards. Sometimes I even make “homework” if it's a tough chapter so that I can memorize things. Then I do all the MCQs and even redo the MCQs if I feel like I need to. I also go through all my notecards at least once every night. I do progress tests each Sunday covering all the topics I've gone through so far. I'm definitely an overstudier…I either score in the 80s or I fail because I'm not prepared 🙂

AUD: PASSED [81]; Expired, retaking August 23rd
BEC: PASSED [83]; Expired, retaking July 11th
REG: PASSED [83]
FAR: FAILED [64]; Retaking May 23rd

[Author]

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