My no-nonsense strategy for passing the exam

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  • #3167391
    SaltyCaptain
    Participant

    TL;DW:
    -pick a good review course that’s works for you
    -quickly read the chapters/sub chapters and watch corresponding lectures
    -do the mcqs for each sub chapter until u feel comfortable and then move
    -do this for the whole course and review prior chapters on weekends by doing mcqs
    -at the end allocate 3 weeks to do nonstop mcqs. Do like 200 to 300 a day until ur trending 85% overall.
    -get exammatric mcqs, the more mcqs the better
    -don’t waste time on sims or practice test
    -get nts once u finished the initial review of the test section and ur just doing mcqs to polish ur knowledge. Only one nts per test. Do not sign up for all 4 tests at once.
    -go through the aicpa sample test and get familiar with the software and and also get comfortable with the authoritative literature.

    AUD - 77
    BEC - 85
    FAR - 78
    REG - 85
    California Licensed CPA
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  • #3169509

    Awesome tips! Currently doing FAR and using Roger, I assume it still applies here. With Roger its super easy, I watch the lectures, doing the practice questions and MCQs. Roger has a feature called Smartpath, which basically compare your progress with other students that already passed that exam. So for example I know that for one chapter people who passed the exam scored 78% then that is my goal. Really neat feature and like you said I make sure I'm always about 85%.

    #3170847
    Sam
    Participant

    Strongly disagree about no sims or practice tests – the Sims are half of each exam, they're overwhelming as it is but that's multiplied if you don't practice them at all. And the four hour exam is a beast as it is, but if you don't put yourself in that environment as much as you can before hand (staying focused for four hours, wearing a mask the whole time, no phone, etc.), it's gonna hit you like a freight train the first time.

    I'd do most everything that your chosen review material offers; it's offered for a reason. Different strategies work for different people; try things out, be creative, and find what works.

    BEC - 90 (7/19, 8 weeks)
    FAR - 78 (10/19, 10 weeks)
    AUD - 75 (12/19, 8 weeks)
    REG - 90 (7/20, ~12 weeks, split up)

    Ethics - 97 (~6 hours to go through the material & take the quiz)
    Licensed in Virginia (10/20, ~1.5 weeks to process after submitting everything)

    #3173727
    ApeStang
    Participant

    I agree with no SIMS or practice tests. All I did was get a feel for how SIMS are format wise but I did not try to work a lot of them because from my experience the SIMS on the exams are vastly different than from the study materials so what helped me was making sure I fully understood concepts that I could apply to any question (MC or SIM). I also did not work all the MC. Again, I was a big believer in understanding the material and then I felt I could apply it to any format of any question.

    Keep in mind that way worked for me, but that does not mean it will work for everyone. Some people need the repetition of working tons of problems because that builds their confidence. For me, my confidence came from full understanding of the underlying concepts.

    AUD - 78
    BEC - 91
    FAR - 80
    REG - 78
    "Today I will do what others won't, so that tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't."
    #3176982
    jeff
    Keymaster

    I'm #TeamPracticeTestsAreWastesOfTime

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