[JCVFUTURECPA]

I’m studying for Audit now with an October 30 exam date.

If you had to buy only one item to supplement your Becker CPA Review course for Audit would you get the Becker Final Review or the Ninja MCQ audit? Whats going to really help me get to the 75?

[Anonymous]

I've heard great things about both products, but my advice is not to buy either. Save your money, you've spent enough on Becker. If you made it through the whole Becker course and scored at least in the 60s on the mock exams you're fine. Make some flashcards and review the material you're weak on. Do short 20 question progress tests to identify your weak areas.

[M123]

Audit disclaimer (har har): never used Becker Final Review – just Becker with Ninja.

Ninja would be the answer for me.

Audit was much more enjoyable for me to study but extremely hard exams like FAR, I found that two separate perspectives such as having Becker and Ninja made the diff with getting through tough sections.

AUD - 77
BEC - 81
FAR - 77
REG - 81

REG - 1. Becker only - fail (forgot to study depr - oops); 2. Becker only - Pass
FAR - 1. Becker only - fail; 2. added Ninja Notes and MCQ - Pass
AUD - 1. Becker videos; Ninja Notes, Audio, MCQ, Becker Notes - Pass
BEC - 1. Ninja Notes, Audio, MCQ, Becker Notes - Pass

[titoav15]

MCQ and ninja notes was my success in passing audit 🙂

AUD - PASS

FAR - PASS

REG - PASS

BEC - PASS

BEC: 5/21/14 82! PASSED HALF WAY THERE!
FAR: 4/2/15 80! Almost there!
AUD: 69, 74, 4/3/14 81! PASSED
REG: TBD

[jtvande]

I have Becker final review. I used it for 2 hours and stopped. I failed with a 71. I realized that it wasn't going to give me enough information to get those 4 extra points. I am taking my exam on October 23. My plan is to go through all of the Becker lectures at a pretty fast pace. Really focus hard on the parts I know I struggle with. And do all of the Becker questions.

I also have NINJA which I know is the reason why I passed REG. I am going start hitting the NINJA MCQ pretty hard after I get through all of the becker material.

I work fulltime. My gameplan for weekdays is 2 sections a day on Becker after work until I am finished with all of the lectures. Then I will do one section a day focusing on only problem areas. Then do NINJA questions until bedtime. The weekend plan is to study as much as humanly possible and hopefully that is enough!

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

Intelligence is the result of focus and effort.

[Earla Riopel (NYCARE)]

I always find AUD easier out of the four sections, even during my undergrad (UBC). Lost AUD credit in 2010.

I still need to review though. Make sure you are comfortable with:
– Audit planning
– Audit objectives
– Audit procedures
– Assertions
– Internal control
– Segregation of duties
– Evidence gathering
– Risk assessment – Audit Risk, Control Risk, Detection & Inherent Risk (esp between detection risk and substantive testing)
– Misstatement/Fraud/Illegal activities
– Analytical procedures
– Ratio Analysis (number crunching)
– Substantive Testings (number crunching)
– Vouching / Tracing
– Types of reports (esp. when to add paragraph)
– Reports format and opinion, when to use Disclaimer and Adverse
– Know some IT related to Audit.
– Briefly read Sampling topic.
– Be comfortable with F/S analysis (using vouching/tracing accounts), matching source documents, FS & related schedules.
– Be comfortable of doing adjustments – JEs, and using of worksheets.
– Know the laws and procedures that relates to professional responsibilities
– Basically read you notes and textbook, first to last page and pay attention to illustrations.

As to your question, Becker vs. Ninja, they are both fine. Becker textbooks, MCQs/SIMs are thorough, and takes time.

Whereas, if you're crunched of time, the Ninja notes, book, flashcards, videos (Bisk), and MCQs/SIMS app – will likely cover your AUD section, saving 50% of your time studying.

Also this forum is a good source of motivation and indirect info needed to keep going.

Good luck.

AUD - 49
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - 55

Passed: AUD (75%'08/77%'17), REG (76%'09) & BLaw(77%'99); highest on FAR (63%'11/'15) & BEC (63%'11). Credit Hours: USA(PH)-BCom'85(4yr-grandfathered); UBC-(DAP'02/'19); DC-(BBA-Acctg.'22-4th yr)=over 150 hrs credits

[Anonymous]

@Earla

Whoo, thanks for the list. I think it will be helpful for me to get start. I have no audit experience though I took all auditing courses at undergrad level. I am not auditor but being audited every year.

[Anonymous]

I have used Ninja MCQ as a supplement to Becker during my final review and believe that is why I am now 3 for 3…Ninja SIMS for Audit were pretty good as well!

[Anonymous]

@anyatver I am considering to purchase Ninja, I am currently using Becker but I just think it's too lengthy to review the whole book. I am currently in F5 and I have my first exam for FAR on 12/9. This is my first ever CPA exam. Any tips on how you used Becker and Ninja? should I purchase both Ninja and the Becker final Review?

[M123]

I've posted lengthy theorems of my best way to get through Becker but everyone is different.

Long story short – get through the “low retention” activities FAST and focus on the high retention activities.

Low retention = videos and book. I didn't say don't do them – just don't dwell on them. The high retention activities – MCQ – focus on that and that is where the magic happens (reinforcement). You have plenty of time for FAR on 12/9 if that's your focus from now to then!

”
Tell me, I’ll forget
Show me, I’ll remember
Involve me, I’ll understand
“

AUD - 77
BEC - 81
FAR - 77
REG - 81

REG - 1. Becker only - fail (forgot to study depr - oops); 2. Becker only - Pass
FAR - 1. Becker only - fail; 2. added Ninja Notes and MCQ - Pass
AUD - 1. Becker videos; Ninja Notes, Audio, MCQ, Becker Notes - Pass
BEC - 1. Ninja Notes, Audio, MCQ, Becker Notes - Pass

[Grinny86]

I used Becker on all four sections. I used Becker and Ninja MCQs for audit and was a great supplement. And by the way AUD is the only test I passed on the first time. I would highly suggest Ninja MCQs. I worked all of Becker first and then hammered out Ninja MCQs and Sims. I took Becker final exams a week out to give me a feel of where I was at and then continued to hammer out the sims and MCQs.

AUD - 76
BEC - 77
FAR - 77
REG - 77

Grinny86

[Earla Riopel (NYCARE)]

You're welcome @ckcpa18. Undergrad textbooks/notes are helpful. I still got UBC textbooks and notes, specifically, my former Audit professor's handouts (1995 ICABC) about Internal Control, Test of Detailed Transactions, Transactions Cycles, and the required audit objectives, audit procedures, assertions, type of opinions and reports. It's almost over 2 decades but they still work.

But you can make your own, using flowcharts, narratives, tables, diagrams, what-ifs scenario, connect them, make sense about the possible answer to the ‘asked' questions.

Being audited is a good thing. I was on both sides at one time. It was more like a investigative reviews for NPO. I learned something from it.

As to CPA exams, passed AUD (again) recently 2017 Q3, racing for another 18 months threshold.

AUD exam can be tricky sometimes. For example, words such as: must; always; never; except, and other single words can change your answer.

I have taken a lot of AUD exams in the past. If you like reading your textbooks/notes/flashcards that would be at least 50% of your score. The ones that can really get you that extra 25%+ to passing is doing a lot of MCQs/Simulations. Even if your answer is correct, make sure to check why the other choices are incorrect.

By the way, I made a comment there with your recent Q4 FAR exam experience. Your FAR Q4 testlet break-down per testlet was excellent. I am not near there yet.

I haven't passed FAR, since I started taking this CPA exam. The highest FAR score I had was 63%. Too slow with the MCQs calculation.

For 2017 Q4, I added mock exams every weekend until exam days, They are mostly number problems, open book/study mode for the 1st month, and closed book/timed tests in the last month. This is a new strategy for me to improve my MCQs speed calculation. See what happens.

I added Ninja Sniper packages for my coming FAR/REG/BEC exam. So far, just finishing taking FAR video notes, worth 27hrs.
After writing last Q3 FAR, I know these notes can definitely help me with SIMS.

In closing, as to AUD exam topics, it seems that every exam has different topics added to it. So the best way is to read your whole textbook, front-to-back cover, especially for SIMs. Do a lot of MCQs, and read those SIMs solutions, you'll be surprised it can also help you even for MCQs.

Good luck.

AUD - 49
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - 55

Passed: AUD (75%'08/77%'17), REG (76%'09) & BLaw(77%'99); highest on FAR (63%'11/'15) & BEC (63%'11). Credit Hours: USA(PH)-BCom'85(4yr-grandfathered); UBC-(DAP'02/'19); DC-(BBA-Acctg.'22-4th yr)=over 150 hrs credits

[Author]

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