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Karen is a NINJA CPA Blogger.

Hey fellow NINJAs!!

It’s been quite a while since my last blog but things have been kind of crazy to say the least. I took my FAR exam on Monday, November 5th. I put in an incredible amount of study time for this exam.

I have no clue as to the number of hours but I do know that the four days prior to the exam I put in four, twelve hour study days. This was my second time to sit for FAR and by the time Monday came, I was fried and really ready to get it over with.

I know at a minimum that I completed over 3000 MCQs and over 100 SIMS this time alone. I constantly listened to Jeff’s FAR NINJA Audio at work also. And I mean constantly.

I arrived at the Prometric Center two hours early. It’s a really small center (seven seats), they have always been great about letting me start early and this time was no exception.

I sat in my truck for an hour just reading over some last minute things and drinking my Mocha Frappe. I did get to start an hour early.

I have never been able to tell if the MCQs were easy, medium or hard but I do have to admit that there were very few surprises. I hope and pray that is not the kiss of death.

The SIMS were manageable. I started the SIMS with about one hour and forty-five minutes left. The first time I took FAR, I only had about and hour and fifteen minutes so I made sure to allow myself the extra time.

And now the wait begins. The next score release is November 26th and my birthday is November 30. This is my last exam to pass. I sure hope that Santa Claus brings me an early birthday present!

It’s Friday evening as I write this, and this is my first weekend free of studying in a long time. So this Georgia peach is kicking back with a glass or two of peach wine and doing nothing.

Congratulations to all of those who have received passing scores in the past couple of days, good luck to those who are waiting on scores, and to those who haven’t received good news, don’t give up!! This FAR exam was my twelfth exam since staring this process two years ago.

Again, best wishes!!

Karen

P.S. How bout them DAWGS and FALCONS!!!

Bridget is a weekly Club 75 Blogger as she documents her journey through the CPA Exam. She has been a member of  Club 75 since December 2010.

While I worked on my blog last week at lunch, my boss informed me that this week would be my last week of full time work. Work has dried up. Needless to say, my blog remained incomplete. I will have part-time work during February, and then I’ll be solely at the mercy of the unemployment department.

I hope to temp in order to freshen up my knowledge of some of the larger ERP systems, such as SAP and Oracle. At my current, soon to be long gone job, I worked with Quickbooks. My employer owns a construction company, is an entrepreneurial sort, and does not need that heavy of a program. I think I need to cut my teeth again on the larger more powerful software packages.

Common sense tells me I need to use the extra time to study for FAR, as I set the test day for February 29. Considering the fact I am working the Roger CPA Review assigned problems slowly, I need to step up the studying. My pending unemployment magnifies the need to pass the last three exams quickly, but my mind is stuck in worry mode, and that does nothing to accelerate either the quality or quantity of study.

Now is time for me to get out of my head and back into the books. But how?

I thought exercise might help and began to hit the gym. My workouts have suffered because of study time demands. Eventually, I realize that working out will help, but right now my arms are so sore it feels like my Roger CPA FAR text weighs fifty pounds.

I do like the fact that most of Roger’s lectures are short, so I can review material that I find difficult. Lately, I struggle with every concept. I need to find something that works, as very soon, I won’t be seeing any monetary fruit from my labors and cannot afford retakes, either financially, or in lost time. One day at a time, I guess.

Megan is a weekly Another71 Facebook blogger as she documents her journey through the CPA Exam.

This week has been incredibly productive. I moved to a new apartment and still managed to fit in some time to study. It helped that I planned ahead and took a half day off of work to visit a university nearby and study in their library for an uninterrupted four hour study session! I’m also excited because the new apartment complex has a gym, so I’ll save a bit of time in my day by not having the extra miles between me and that treadmill!

Back to studying…I still feel like I’m behind. To be honest, I haven’t even scheduled my REG exam yet, because I’m not sure when I will finish covering the material. The last month has been very difficult at work, and I refuse to schedule the exam until I have covered my entire Roger CPA Review course.

The good news is, I’ve heard that once you are beyond the initial application process, it should only take about a week to receive a Notice to Schedule for the next exam(s). That allows me flexibility when it comes to my exam date indecision.

I keep reminding myself of the benefits of getting these exams behind me as soon as possible. Besides the obvious benefits, no one wants to drag this process out and spend more money purchasing new review materials or rescheduling the exams.

I realized this is the first time I’m experiencing a bit of an inconvenience from the blackout month policy. I’m pretty sure I’ll feel comfortable with the material and want to take REG in mid March. Unfortunately, I would either have to push myself to fit the exam in before the end of February, or drag out my studying and hope I remember everything long enough to pass if I take it in April. I also had hoped to take it in February, because I could use March to begin studying for BEC. Decisions.

I’m going to give it one more week before I make my decision on which date to schedule the exam. No part of me wants to postpone this chapter of my life any more than it has to be. Conquer and move on!

Related to this discussion, I received a very exciting email tonight from Roger CPA Review. They have changed their policy regarding the online version of the review course. Instead of being allowed only 9 months of access, I will have a full 12 months to cover the lectures!! That’s super exciting to me, because I’ve been worried about running out of time when I finally get to BEC! Consider it an early Groundhog’s Day present: 3 more months of studying!

Sherri is a weekly Another71 Facebook blogger as she documents her journey through the CPA Exam.

Well, I guess that the best thing that I can say about the Audit Section is that at least it’s not FARE!

I’ve been really working to try to get all of the Sections in my Roger CPA Review book completed by February 15 so that I can focus on working the Wiley software until test day. I’m hoping to test at the end of the month.

It is a relief not to have to work so many computational problems for this test. The Roger book covers the material in a logical order that makes it easy to understand, rather than just memorize. The stories that he tells about his days as an auditor are hilarious!

I’ve covered the General Audit Standards (Training, Independence and Professional Due Care) and am busy studying the Standards of Fieldwork (Planning, Internal Control and Corroborative Evidence).

I’m just about done with Audit Section Three. Only two more sections to go!

I am trying, though probably not too successfully, to maintain a tiny bit of balance with all of the work and study going on in my world at the moment. I want to be able to achieve my goals and still maintain my sanity. I’ve got a few strategies for success….

1. I have been working out with a trainer twice a week. The workouts help keep me accountable for my maintaining my physical health and make me feel successful at something that doesn’t involve the CPA exam.

2. This blog helps keep me accountable for my CPA studies. Blogging is a bit therapeutic because it allows me to be able to write about my experiences with CPA test and read about those of others.

3. I am making sure to find time for a night out with my husband once a week to see a movie, have dinner or watch TV. I try not to dread my study time or think about all of the things that I could be doing instead.

I hope that all of you are doing well with your studies and still finding some small amount of time to enjoy daily life, family and friends.

Until next week!

Sherri