[Twenty17]

It would be motivating to hear other’s stories and what their day is like? Could you share what you typically do in a day, how you get motivation, how much you get done, what’s your studying strategy/plan, and why you are studying full time, etc. Thanks 🙂

[cmcook]

I'm *pretty much* studying full time this summer. I say pretty much because I am taking one online college course and I have a family (which eats up evening/nights/weekends).

Staying motivated is my #1 challenge and right now I'm NOT doing that great at it. I get up about 6am – surf the net, then get my kid ready for daycare, drive him there, come home, and study about 45 mins out of every hour. Lately I find myself having to re-read things over and over since I'm not as focused… which is terrible. Then I tell myself if I can get through 45 mins distraction-free, I'll give myself a reward. That would normally be something like a piece of candy or cheese. It's bleak!! Then, about 30 mins before my husband/kid gets home, I catch up on dishes and quickly vacuum, etc. Then cook dinner, yadda yadda.

I know that working and doing this would be waaaay worse, but I will say that the daily isolation booth of my home office has taken a toll on me that was completely unexpected. Hopefully Monday's exam is my last one, but as you can see, I'm finding things to do besides study… so there's that…

Death before surrender

[cpApex Predator]

Sure. First, are you studying full time? I graduated in June and plan on studying full time until I pass all four, hopefully on the first try. Many people have given the advice to knock them out before starting work as it is difficult to juggle both. I took a CPA review prep course my final quarter in school where I put in a hundred hours studying for FAR before graduation. I have studied full time since June 20th and take the first exam in less than a week. I typically aim for 300-400 multiple choice questions per day and then when my mind gets fried I watch videos on weak areas. Exercise is a necessity in order to clear the mind. I try to do the MCQ in either 50 or 100 question increments to keep myself from getting up in between and getting distracted. I plan on taking a month of prep each for the other three sections taking REG end of August, AUD beginning of Oct. and BEC end of October. I hope to at least get in 40 hour weeks, which would be about 160 hours per section. I have way over studied for FAR since it is the first section and really don't want to fail the first one. Put in over 300 hours for this one, which will be cut in half for the next three. Hoping to become more efficient going forward and looking for suggestions on this board on how to do that. This time I waited until the last couple weeks to do SIMS, but am thinking of starting those earlier in the process as they can be really challenging. I guess the motivation stems from wanting to have a career and become desirable to hire. After about 15 years of working low paying jobs I want to make good money and passing these exams will enable me to do that.

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - 86
REG - 89

Why do you lag?  What is it to you that idle tongues will wag?  Follow my steps through all such whisper of you.  Be as a tower of stone, unswayed by whatever the winds may do.  For when a man lets his attention stray, it saps his mind's force with continual change.  -Dante

[CoachEmUp]

Been studying for FAR for almost 2 months before I take this thing on Tuesday. I'm a routine type of person, and have really enjoyed falling into a routine that looks like this Mon-Fri: Go to bed each night by 9:30, wake up around 6. Mess around on the internet for 30 min, then start studying for 1-2 hours in the morning. At about 8:30-9:30 depending on the day and how the lessons are going, stop and go to the gym/grocery store. Come home shower, eat, and start studying again around 10:30-11:30 to lunch at 1. After lunch study from 1:30-5 or 6 until the wife comes home.

Rinse and repeat. I find that I feel very prepared for the test. Of course I wish I was acing every pre-test I'm taking, but I realize that with this much of material to cover for FAR that it's fools gold to try and get 90+% on these assessments.

Heard a great quote recently: “If you're not winning, you're learning. Cause if you're not learning when you're not winning, then you're a loser.”

Licensed CPA in Michigan

Used Wiley CPA Excel Throughtout
FAR- 90 (7/17)
AUD- 89 (8/17)
REG- 92 (10/17)
BEC- 94 (11/17)

[cpApex Predator]

Liking it, CoachEmUp, Good luck on Tuesday! I will be following on Wednesday! And you will be taking AUD the day after I will be taking REG, interesting.

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - 86
REG - 89

Why do you lag?  What is it to you that idle tongues will wag?  Follow my steps through all such whisper of you.  Be as a tower of stone, unswayed by whatever the winds may do.  For when a man lets his attention stray, it saps his mind's force with continual change.  -Dante

[Author]

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