Passed all 4 with only Ninja!!!

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    Topic
  • #2840157
    a_baker7
    Participant

    I graduated in May 2016 with my Masters/Bachelors in Accountancy with a 3.8 and then took a job in asset management. Took a year off and then decided I had to pass. Did some googling and found you lovely people plus the Lazy Man Guide. Since my current job made fun of my CPA ambitions(no I’m not joking); I was on the hook for paying. I knew I was going to become a NINJA. Fast forward another 6 months and I finally got serious and made a Ninja account. I also had a Gleim access till you pass for AUD from my grad Audit class. (FYI – I was the ringleader of the class cheating circle for that. Complete with a Google Sheet sign up for who was going to take and fail the SIMs and post the answers to the group)

    I started with BEC to get my feet wet. Kind of a test run to see what I was working with for the MC/Sims and I knew I’d be strong with WC. I only used Ninja MC and Audio and passed with an 80. Boom!

    AUD was next because I had Gleim access. I repeatedly tried to login to Gleim and focus. I couldn’t do it and kept coming back to Ninja. I used the MCQ and Audio from Ninja. Did one practice test with Gleim about two days before the exam. The morning of that exam I walked around a park and listened to the full Ninja Audio.

    Right after the exam, my sister called. Our mother was dying and if I wanted to see her; come now. She knew the CPA was important to me and wanted to make sure I focused. I flew out two days later and I spent the next two weeks in the hospital. Found out I passed with a 77. 9 days after I got a passing score my mother passed. CPA went to the back burner.

    REG had big changes so I made that my next priority. However studying I did little of. I tried to study for a week and Hail Mary that thing on Dec 10, 2018. I did 726 MCQ on Dec 8th. My personal MCQ record. I failed with a 70.

    Next testing quarter – completely forgot about till 10 days before the quarter ended. I also dealt with personal demons of depression, alcohol and drug abuse.

    Then I got annoyed. This was honestly the key to passing REG. I got pissed. I Hail Mary’d it and I missed by 5 points? What if I actually studied? Grr! I was mad! After work I spent 1-2 hours on the treadmill watching Blitz videos. Then I studied MCQs. I gave myself about 6 weeks and even studied on my sisters graduation day. I was pissed and with this came determination. About two weeks out I created a study schedule that literally booked every waking moment. I reset my Ninja MCQ score and was trending 85%, two weeks before. Then I did another 3k MCQ. I booked a vacay to Yellowstone in June back in February. I ended up taking REG and flying to Yellowstone on the same day. I got back from Yellowstone and found I got an 81.

    Now I had two quarters to pass FAR, before I lost BEC. Honestly, my angry at the world phase was over. FAR was much more difficult then I imagined. I didn’t study enough and got a 67.

    I planned to retake at the beginning of this testing quarter, but my trending score wasn’t there. So I kept internally rescheduling. I rewrote the Ninja Notes one time. I watched Blitz videos after work on the treadmill. (Jeff, my mantra was George Saint Pierre Canada). I also grounded myself on weekends to not driving. I started each morning doing 3 miles at sunrise listening to Ninja Audio. Then I walked to Starbucks and studied. Grocery shopping I walked almost two miles to Safeway all while listening to Ninja Audio. I watched a couple Roger videos on YouTube. I created a study schedule of the audio lectures that I would complete daily. I did 6K+ MCQs. (2k week of the exam). I was trending 86% on the MCQs. I was ready. I got an 83 on FAR two days before BEC expired.

    My biggest tips: The Ninja Audio is amazing. Creating a study schedule and sticking to it is key. Get mad! I had unusual circumstances, but that anger towards the exam was honestly my best fuel.

    I would have never been able to do it without the forum and Jeff. Huge shoutout to Jeff! Thank you all again!

    B: 80 (May 2018)

    A: 77 (Sep 2018)

    R: 70 (Dec 2018), 81 (Jun 2019)

    F: 67 (Sep 2019), 83 (Nov 2019)

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  • #2840235

    I'm an old-timer (Grandfathered in the State of Washington since 1998). Lately, like yourself, I did some inventory of what I have accomplished and made the best out of them. So, I went back to school and decided not to take any more US CPA exam sections until I have taken the required newer courses; I should have realized this 10 years ago, it could have been different and save a lot of US CPA exam fees and travel expenses (I am a Canadian US CPA candidate).

    I might use Ninja again in the future; I am an ex-Ninja/ex-Becker/ex-Wiley US CPA exam review user for a few years.

    AUD - 49
    BEC - NINJA in Training
    FAR - NINJA in Training
    REG - 55
    Passed: AUD (75%'08/77%'17), REG (76%'09) & BLaw(77%'99); highest on FAR (63%'11/'15) & BEC (63%'11). Credit Hours: USA(PH)-BCom'85(4yr-grandfathered); UBC-(DAP'02/'19); DC-(BBA-Acctg.'22-4th yr)=over 150 hrs credits
    #2840361
    thunderlips
    Participant

    Good for you, I hope to have the same feeling you got upon completion some day

    #2840430
    jeff
    Keymaster

    Awesome post! 🙂 Thank you.

    Congrats to you on being DONE!

    AUD - 79
    BEC - 80
    FAR - 76
    REG - 92
    Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS)
    NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE | Another71
    #2840889
    OnmywaytoCPA
    Participant

    Congratulations!!!

    AUD - 83
    BEC - 79
    FAR - 77
    REG - 90
    CMA Part 1 - 360 (Barely made it but I made it)
    CMA Part 2 - 360 (Made it by the skin of my teeth)

    REG - 74, Retook 6/10/16, scored a 72 (Hate this exam)
    BEC - 69, 79, 8/1/15
    AUD - 83, 4/4/15
    FAR - 77, 2/27/16

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