[CPA soon]

I started this journey in February 2013, and it took 7 attempts to receive my first pass..it feels so hard and impossible at times especially with work and life getting in the way but as long as you’re determined to become a CPA and get stubborn with this exam, you will make it. As time goes on, you develop the right study strategy and learn how to study for these exams.

Do not give up and say I’m not good enough, just say I need to put in more hours. Don’t be afraid to face your weak areas, get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Listen to motivational speeches non stop to get a boost, in the car, wherever..Eric Thomas on soundcloud is a great one.

And finally, a few tips I learned:

Do tons of multiple choice (at least 1000), Wiley or Ninja

Understand why every one of the choices is right or wrong

Tackle your weak subject in the early study stages rather than ignore and leave to last. Leave high probability subjects till last so you retain them better before the exam. For example I just into Financial derivatives this time around and did gov/nfp and financial statement concepts last.

Read Ninja notes a few times and space them out, once before starting studying, same day or day before the exam, and along the process. Becker final review chapters are great too.

Write notes only while doing multiple choice (don’t write notes while reading the book, it’s a waste of time) and write them over the ninja notes

Study with the mentality of passing, not trying

Don’t study for two long, you’ll forget the material all over. 6 weeks of FAR is ideal, I would say 4 for REG. But you need to put in alot of hours during those weeks, 2-3 hours+ aday

Don’t let failure shape you and become your destiny. Nothing is harder than a 74, keep your head up and Good Luck!

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[pia ach]

Tackle your weak subject in the early study stages rather than ignore and leave to last

Thats what i have not been doing, thanks and congrats on your first passing score..

Finally done!!! Experience-pending. Ethics- Pending.
Reg 78 / 73/82.
Aud 74/89.
BEC 72 /78.
FAR 74/ 73/ 82.

[CPA soon]

Thank you! Reason being is you have more time in the beginning, while you're cramming at the end to tie everything together. It doesn't take long to refresh understood concepts but it takes a while to understand new ones.

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[klmc]

damn those scores look rough, especially since you were so close. Thanks for the advice

|FAR| - 72, 83
|AUD| - 73, 76
|REG| - 76
|BEC| - 73, 82

ALL DONE!!

[CPA soon]

Trust me they feel as rough as they look haha..but when you prevail it's all history 😉

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[Anonymous]

@CPA Soon, thanks for the advice. I plan on retaking REG in Oct and will use this info!

[CPA soon]

lol what are the odds someone will get 3 consecutive identical scores loll..you are welcome and good luck 🙂 I will be tackling REG as well.

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[Anonymous]

@CPA soon…. I am being positive and keep telling myself that I am happy my score didn't decrease…. What material are you using?

[CPA soon]

I also noticed two things that play a big role in doing well on the exam. First is how you use the last day to tie up everything and put the puzzle together, basically an brief review of everything. Second is how physically well you feel while taking the exam as in concentration, awakness, hunger, jitters or whatever your feeling.

I have been using Becker, but this time since I had prior knowledge of the material from previous exam attempts, I just read the ninja notes, worked Wiley test bank questions and wrote notes on my ninja notes, reread my ninja notes half way, more multiple choice, then reread ninja notes. I used the Becker book and final review wherever I needed more detail to understand concepts but I didn't use them much. WTB gave plenty explanation within the reference button that it pretty much covered everything I need.

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[CPA soon]

I have a list of the Becker REG mnemonics that I think would help you but I don't know if Jeff would let me post it here.

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[Author]

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