[Char143]

If I had a dollar for every time someone gave me bad advice during this CPA process, I wouldn’t need to be a CPA…

“Don’t study/review the day before the exam it won’t do anything for you” UMMMMM it does everything for me. I go over topics I am still a little confused on, I do MCQ, and I have “OH YEAH moments that seem to stick with me on exam day”

“Don’t review the day of the exam” ARE U KIDDING MEEEE do u know how much I go over a specific topic on the day of the exam that I just can’t seem to memorize. Like governmental for FAR, or a certain audit topic, or ratio’s.. and how much it has helped me on the exam.

“Just don’t get your CPA, you already have a degree and can work, right?” oh, okay. Wow.. I never knew that was an option.

“You are only 3 points away from passing, study what confused you and take it again in a week” …No comment

“It’s just a test, stop getting so nervous” not advice but this is possibly the worst of it all

… :/

AUD - 84
BEC - 79
FAR - 78
REG - 79

I'm done! 🙏🏼

 

Licensed CPA

AUD (2/16)-84
REG (05/16)-69 Retake (7/16)-79 (ty ninja MCQ)
BEC-TBD
FAR-9/8/16

[jeff]

The 3 (or 2 … or 1) point(s) from passing thing is fools gold wastes a lot of time and money.

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 76
REG - 92

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS)
NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE | Another71

[aaronmo]

Not disagreeing…just curious…why is that fool's gold? I'd think that if you're a few points away, a little push can put you over.

AUD - 96
BEC - 84
FAR - 89
REG - 86

Aaron and always remember, YMMV

I profit from your CPE frustration. You're welcome.

[jeff]

You're not 3 “points” from passing by the time you get your score. If you walked back in and took it the same day you received your score – you wouldn't score a 72…you'd probably score a 62 or worse. You were “exam ready” several weeks ago and it takes build up to getting there. You have to re-study everything the same as before – with an extra push on weak areas. Taking the “just a few points” approach usually leads to score worse than before.

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 76
REG - 92

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS)
NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE | Another71

[aaronmo]

Got it…I assumed we were talking about an overall review with a little extra effort.

AUD - 96
BEC - 84
FAR - 89
REG - 86

Aaron and always remember, YMMV

I profit from your CPE frustration. You're welcome.

[TX LECPA]

Yes you are not 3 points away from passing, you are still the same 75 points away. It's not like you “know” everything and are only studying what you think you don't know. I agree that the score will help gauge your understanding, however.

AUD - 82
BEC - 76
FAR - 75
REG - 80

 

Licensed in TX

FAR - 64,71,64,71,75!!!!
REG - 64,63,65,68, July
BEC - 69,74, July
AUD - 53, June 8th

[Goingallin]

I think people are giving you advice based on their own experience and what works for them, however you need to evaluate what works for you. When you say “bad advice”, I guess the question should be for who? Personally, I found the suggestions on this forum and from any other sources to be helpful regardless if its something I would incorporate in my own studies. I'm very analytical person so what I do is gather all data and modify it to my advantage.

You don't have to be a genius to pass the exam, you just have to put in the proper amount of time (whatever that may be for you). I'm sure you have figured that out by now.

Good luck!

AUD - 87
BEC - 77
FAR - 75
REG - 82

donotgiveup!!

[Anonymous]

I just don't talk about taking the exam anymore, I got tired of hearing the fake encouragement. Only people who have actually gone through this process know how grueling it can be, others have no true comprehension so please take their comments with a grain of salt. I came in to work Monday morning to a message from my boss asking me if I had a good weekend to which I replied what weekend? If anyone understands my stress level right now it should be a CPA. At least he puts up with my snarky attitude.

[S6]

haha
the “dont study/review the day of your exam” i hear a lot..

and this is advice from older CPAs at my firm. I've been struggling with the exams but i just can't imagine not reviewing the morning of

Repetition is the father of learning...

AUD:  62, 72, 75

REG: 57, 71, 79

BEC: 63, 74, 65, 74, 86

FAR: 64, 67, 76

Ethics: 92

[aaronmo]

I never reviewed day/morning of…and generally took a very light day the day before. Just a small refresher, maybe an hour.

The only one I studied full throttle day before was BEC…and it likely hurt me. When I do it that way, I end up getting a lot of “wait, was it this circumstance or this one!” in my head…and it makes me more panic prone. A nice couple of easier days and stress reduction works better for me.

AUD - 96
BEC - 84
FAR - 89
REG - 86

Aaron and always remember, YMMV

I profit from your CPE frustration. You're welcome.

[TX LECPA]

Wow! Yes on that one I did my best cramming the 2-3 hours before my exam. I can't imagine not looking at that before I walked in. I would get in there and be like don't talk to me so much or else all this stuff I just crammed in will be lost! lol!

AUD - 82
BEC - 76
FAR - 75
REG - 80

 

Licensed in TX

FAR - 64,71,64,71,75!!!!
REG - 64,63,65,68, July
BEC - 69,74, July
AUD - 53, June 8th

[Tncincy]

What! WE DON'T HAVE TO BE A GENIUS! well good Lord, because I'm not. Really though most people mean well when giving advice, it's up to you to take it or not. As far as the point system goes, it's 75 or nothing..so study, study, study. I personally have stopped talking about the exam and the study process, I feel so less stressed. Everyone will know when its absolutely over and licensed. I can't imagine doing all of this and can't get the actual license.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader.....time to pass

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[tcheney3]

If you need to study the day of the exam or even the day before the exam for that matter then you don't really understand the material. The CPA exam isn't about memorizing formulas, it's about understanding concepts. Going into the exam fresh is much more valuable to your overall performance than getting one small piece of information memorized before the exam. My lowest score was my first one where I studied the night before. After that I never scored below an 85, mental awareness is a deal breaker.

BEC - 82
REG - 86
FAR - 85
AUD - 84 and I'm out!!!!!
Ethics - 95
In Skynet's Honor:
Act I: Shutdown Skynet and prevent Judgment Day.
Act II: Add a comma and three letters to my title.
Act III: Time Travel and marry a young Denise Richards (and prevent subsequent plastic surgery),return to present.
Act IV: Serve as Successor to Elon Musk as CEO of Tesla.
Act V: Ensure Judgment Day has been stopped. Utopia achieved.

[TX LECPA]

Everyone is different and whatever works for you I say. I guess I'm not very smart then as I did study the day of my exams. Oh but I passed them all, so maybe I did really understand the materials, even after looking at them again before the exam (strange to say). Again…all this to say that everyone goes about it their own way. I agree sometimes the advice given should be taken with a grain of salt, especially from those that have never taken the CPA exam.

AUD - 82
BEC - 76
FAR - 75
REG - 80

 

Licensed in TX

FAR - 64,71,64,71,75!!!!
REG - 64,63,65,68, July
BEC - 69,74, July
AUD - 53, June 8th

[krstnam]

I hear you, I think it is probably the feeling new parents get – everybody wants to give advice on how to handle the newborn but half the time I think the parents don't want to hear it. I don't have any kids but I tell my friends, I know you're sick of the advice, but people are giving their (probably unwanted) opinions because they care about you and are trying to help. Maybe if you try and think about it like, wow these people actually care and take what they have to say with a grain of salt, it won't be so obnoxious?

While this isn't advice, the most annoying thing I heard from a non-accountant was “well, did you pass with a 75 or did you actually do good?” WTF dude – what a comment coming from somebody who knows very little about the exam.

With the study of the day of/before – I have tried both methods and had a mixed bag of success and failure. Now, I do what feels right. The last exam I took, I didn't feel nearly comfortable with one area so I took the day and half before the exam and tried to get it hammered out. I passed. I try to take any advice with a grain of salt knowing that everybody is different (learning styles, ability to memorize, coping with stress) and there isn't one specific fail-safe formula to get a passing score.

I really like this forum though 🙂

It's loaded with people going through it with you.

I'm going to be the person who says "I finished even though..." not the person who says "I didn't finish because..."

B - 77, 76

A - 57, 64, 72, 76!

R - 78, 72, 78!!! DONE

F - 54, 73, 71, 64, 69, 76!

[aaronmo]

^^^ This.

Do what works for you, learn how you best learn. I did better relaxing those last 48 hours.

AUD - 96
BEC - 84
FAR - 89
REG - 86

Aaron and always remember, YMMV

I profit from your CPE frustration. You're welcome.

[Author]

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