[Omni]

Hello everyone,

I just started studying for the CPA and I’m starting with FAR. I just finished F1 in about six days and I looked at the simulation for F1 and had no idea what was going on. It’s like I had completely forgotten the material.. I’m panicking!

I understand people have studied while working full time with kids, yet still study F1-F3 in less than two weeks. I have no reason to complain.

I am studying full time and don’t start my full time job until the summer or fall of this year.

I am using becker, listening to the lectures while taking notes, doing the skills practice and then MCQ. I do at least two rounds of MCQ until I get them all right and then go on.

I would like to do two modules a day, and a whole day for simulation problems from each chapter. Is this too slow of a pace for a full time studier?

PLEASE, any advice as to how someone with a free schedule should study?

[cometssaywhoosh]

Haha, I'm in the same boat here. Pretty much forgot what I studied for last week (started last week for FAR). Today I was reviewing it and I was like “I barely even remember this stuff.” FAR is pretty overwhelming, there's so much information to know and many minute details. I guess looking back at the old stuff every weekend is how I would do it so I don't completely forget it.

AUD: 71, 77

BEC: 81

FAR: 55, 80

REG: 77

1/2018-9/2018

"Free at last, Free at last, thank God Almighty I'm free at last!"

[Anonymous]

I felt that way when I first started too, and I was in even worse shape because I work full time. But, the more multiple choice questions and SIMs you do will really help cement the ideas and conceptualize what's going on in a much better way. The more you see the more you will start to understand exactly what the questions are asking for and the more you will remember the content. We've all been there, trust me. Hang in there, be diligent in studying and reviewing your notes, and you will give yourself a great shot at passing the exam.

[aaronmo]

I went through this and I'm going to tell you what someone was kind enough to tell me…

Relax. Keep plugging away. Do the sims and MQ until they start to make sense. I had never seen a lot of the material in FAR before, especially early on…some of it wasn't at all what I learned a few years before. Financial statements were different.

The first couple of weeks of prep scared the living hell out of me…everyone else seemed to have a better background and to have been more recently in school. I couldn't remember things. I studied 60 hours/week those first few weeks. By about week 4 it started falling into place and getting easier.

I was getting 50% in MCQ. Sometimes lower. Repetition. Read the same passage 10 times if needed. I promised myself that if it didn't start coming together within a month, I'd get a tutor. It didn't end up necessary, but I was glad I had that resolve/safety net. This isn't abnormal…and it's not time to panic yet, even though it's sort of an involuntary response.

I'm telling you the Gods honest truth…I was scraping by 50s. Keep doing the work. Do the SIMs over until you understand them front to back. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

I'll tell you this too…when I left FAR, I was CERTAIN I'd failed. I had ENDLESS questions about IFRS, and I deliberately went light on IFRS study. When I described my experience to a friend, and said I did well on the SIMs, they said you;re fine. Relax. How you do on sims are the true test of where you are.

I was sure I'd failed. When I saw my score, I didn't believe it. Just try and relax…do the work. Trust the process.

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

Aaron and always remember, YMMV

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

[aaronmo]

One thing to keep in mind about sims/MCQ…regardless of which prep you're using…

It's not a quiz. It isn't telling you how well you're doing. The MCQ isn't feedback. That's the work part. THAT'S THE STUDY. You do them until you master the work. The first score DOES NOT MATTER. AT ALL. Neither does the second. It doesn't matter until the day of the test. I would not get hung up on those scores.

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

Aaron and always remember, YMMV

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

[Recked]

Agree with the above.
FAR made me feel like an idiot. I had many 10 question quizes where I was sub 50% and cursing at my laptop.
Keep at it, it will all come together and click.
You don't need perfection on this exam, you just need to do better than 60% of the other people taking it, statistically speaking.
As soon as I got approval from my state board I hit the books hard, pulling 8 hour days over labor day weekend.
That pace is not healthy and not sustainable. Remember its a marathon not a sprint.
Recognize when your mind is spent and take a break. No sense in beating a dead horse if nothing is sinking into your brain.
If you have been out of school for a while it will take time to adjust to studying and learning again.
Find a good balance, keep plugging away. Do tons of questions and take notes on why you got something wrong, of why you didn't know the answer but guessed correctly.
You'll get there.

Starting on FAR is a great decision, but it will demoralize the hell out of you for sure.
I swore I failed FAR as well. Thats normal.

Memento Mori - Kingston NY CPA & EA (SUNY Albany 2002)

FAR-93 11/9/17 (10wks, 250 hrs, Roger 1800+ MCQs, Gleim TB 600+MCQs, SIMs)
AUD-88 12/7/17 (3 wks, 85 hrs, Roger 1000 MCQs no SIMs hail mary)
REG-96 1/18/18 (6 wks, 110 hrs, 1400 MCQs, no SIMs)
BEC-91 2/16/18 (4wks, 90 hrs, 1240 MCQs)

[MSC626]

You can do this!! The exams in general are A LOT and extremely overwhelming, but you can do it.

I was not studying full time, but 1-2 modules a day seems fair. Certainly take breaks to rest you mind…you'll need it.
FAR really is a BEAST and I cried just about every other day.

Becker Progress tests – VERY IMPORTANT AND ABSOLUTE MUST!!! Do these cumulatively after each chapter F1, 1-2, 1-3… More often, the better. There is so much material in FAR to go through, this will help you keep concepts fresh (even just a little).
My biggest regret was not making time for this…MAKE TIME. Regardless if your not quite satisfied with the chapter. JUST DO IT!!!! it will be much harder during review if you don't.

other than that your workflow rotation seems fine.

Best of luck

"Study as much as you hate it...so you never have to see it again"

BECKER REVIEW MATERIALS

BEC - 76  1/09/17

REG - 73  3/06/17,   79  5/01/17

FAR - 78   9/06/17

AUD - 78  12/04/17

[Anonymous]

I'm on the same boat with you. Given the fact that I have previously studied the materials presented in the Becker review course in undergrad and graduate level courses, I feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of materials covered in a short amount of time.

I'm scheduled to take FAR on 3/2, and I started studying for it since 1/8. With that being said, I need to complete 2 chapters every week, and I'm going through F3 after completing F1/F2 last week.

What I do to retain information I learned is to do cumulative progress tests as well as do MCQs until I can't anymore on weekends. Going over MCQs is a great way to learn and review materials. I also write the questions I got wrong more than two times on a sheet of paper, and also write down the explanations for the correct answer, then I read them before I do the cumulative progress tests.

[Omni]

Thank you for the support everyone!! I find that I'm ready to break into tears everyday I wake up knowing I have to do what I did yesterday all over again haha.

@Big4BeanCounter, how are you going through two chapters a week?! I can barely get through one and retain it, what's your schedule like?

[LawGuy]

I remember I was silently freaking out when I took my first exam (FAR), and there was a girl at the testing center who was on her last exam (AUD) and was totally calm. I remember wondering how she did it, but after you pass one exam you realize that they're not as difficult as they may initially seem. If you diligently work your way through the material and focus on each concept, you will pass.

AUD - 86
BEC - 85
FAR - 81
REG - 92

Excelsior!

[Tim]

At the start a lot of it is figuring out what your own study habits are and tailoring them to the material you have. For instance I really don't learn well from watching videos or listening to people. I learn far better reading it from a book so I don't bother watching any videos or listening to audio lectures. Your studying should become more and more efficient as you figure out your own personal style. Just keep working at it, if you have to move on and then later revisit material you already covered that's perfectly normal. By the time you get through all the material the stuff you studied first is usually very hazy anyway. Leave yourself like 2 weeks for final review and that's when you bring it all back to the forefront and wrap it all together.

FAR - 97 (10/12/17)
BEC - 95 (01/15/18)
AUD - 88 (04/06/18)
REG - 89 (11/16/18)

[Anonymous]

don't overthink.. just do one topic at a time and do the questions.. rest well after a good study session. You will remember even though you may think you won't remember. If you do not understand any topics on your study material, use the internet. I did not understand several topics and had to look elsewhere to find a better explanation. You are lucky to have all day to study. I worked and studied like most people. Its doable

[Anonymous]

@Omni – I go through 4 modules each day, so I can complete a chapter within 2 days, thus completing 2 chapters (16 modules) in 4 days, and the rest of the week, I just work on MCQs through Progress Test and simulations if I can. I spend more time on MCQs than simulations.

[Reverie]

Dont waste your time on exams, mcqs and chit. FAR is about understanding what you're learning. So learn from the lectures AND examples. UNderstand them. Take notes then go back to those examples and re-do 'em.

[mccpa]

I am using Roger and I feel the same, the volume is overwhelming. Do you do mcq and sim after each sections until it makes sense? I try to save the DRS and sim questions after I finish reading the textbook.

[Josh]

@Omni you using flashcards? Or progress tests?

AUD - 75
BEC - 78
FAR - 76
REG - 80

Josh
“Focus on the future for 50%, on the present for 40%, and on the past for 10%." - Maasaki Hatsumi

[Author]

Replies