[Rski]

I’m using Becker study materials and I’m planning on starting FAR this weekend. I plan on taking the exam about mid Feb. I was thinking of listening to all of the lectures first and then going back, reviewing each chapter and doing passmaster. Then after going through everything once, going back and doing the MC again. Then brushing up on anything I need a little extra work on and doing practice exams.

Does this seem reasonable, or do you guys think it would be more beneficial to listen to lecture, do MC for each chapter before moving on to the next chapter? How did you guys study?

[RookieCPA2b]

I suggest you don't listen to the lectures at all. “Go for the jugular” Start with the questions and answers at the same time and get on with your life. If you don't understand something, then read the book. You could cut your study time by at least 60%.

[Anonymous]

watching the lectures for FAR helps a lot. I would watch one lecture, then read each sub section of that chapter and do the MCQ that relate to each subsection. As olinto put it, you want to do this piece meal…watching all the lectures at once will probably lead to lots of day dreaming…best of luck to you young skywalker.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PackerBecker. There is a LOT of information here. Unless you just graduated, you will need time to relearn or in some cases, learn from scratch, some topics. I listen to the lecture and do the homework. After 3 chapters, I do a review and go over the chapters and homework again. I also have the Becker Final Review I plan to use the last week before my test.

[Anonymous]

I have tried it several ways. For AUD I watched all the lectures then went back through the questions but I had forgotten alot from the first couple sections. For REG I watched all the tax lectures then worked those questions, then watched the law lectures then worked those questions. For BEC I watched a lecture, worked the questions, then the next lecture & questions, etc. That one lecture at a time then questions seemed to work best which follows a little better with Beckers suggested method & schedule. For me personally FAR has too many sections that I would never retain the first few by the time I was on the last few. CPAWannaBe's method of re-reviewing after a few chapters is a great idea I will try this time.

[Anonymous]

Four all four exams I watched each lecture, went back and reviewed the material so I would solidly know it, and then went back and did all of the questions, including the supplemental questions, without looking at the book. I felt that this was the best way to ingrain the information in my head. After I did that for all the chapters, I would dedicate one day for each chapter to review and rework all of the questions. This helped to tie all of the information together and reinforce what I had already taught myself.

I don't think there would have been any point for me personally, except to waste time, to watch all the lectures and then work all of the questions. I do agree that you should be doing a review of each set of three chapters. When you finish Ch 3, review 1 -3, then move on to 4.

[Rski]

Just looking at the size of the book I'm worried I'm going to forget the first few chapters by the time I'm working on the last few chapters. I was thinking that if i do all the lectures, then go through the MC twice that I'd be hitting each section at least 3 times and maybe I'd remember a bit more.

I think I'm gonna try your method CPAWannaBe and see how that goes. I hope my poor little brain can retain so much info!

[yankees27]

rski, i initially did what rookiecpa2b recommended and it was a very bad idea. i was basically guessing every question, didnt learn much and it was a waste of time. then i did what packerbacker recommended and it worked much better. also, to help retain all the information by time you finish, i took notes and would just reread my notebook during any spare time, even watching tv. by time i got to the later chapters i probably read my notebook about 20 times so everything i first learned was still fresh. and to cut down on time i would put a bullet next to areas in my notebook that i knew i had memorized so i could skip them and just focus on the areas i still felt i needed to review.

[Author]

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