If you had 3 days to review for FAR…

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    Topic
  • #1474002
    LD
    Participant

    I only have 3 days to review before my exam and I’m wondering what you would focus on for the review? If you only had a chance to review the top topics over a long weekend, what do you wish you had looked over?

    AUD - 83
    BEC - 85
    FAR - 80
    REG - 75
    Done!! Woohoo!
Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 25 total)
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  • #1474078
    Eaglebig4
    Participant

    focus on Goodwill/amortization and Not-for-profit organizations
    They are heavily tested during my exam.

    AUD - 77
    BEC - 90
    FAR - 88
    REG - 86
    Please let me pass...
    #1474080
    Eaglebig4
    Participant

    and IFRS/GAAP difference by the way

    AUD - 77
    BEC - 90
    FAR - 88
    REG - 86
    Please let me pass...
    #1474086
    LD
    Participant

    thank you! IFRS in all topics/areas?

    AUD - 83
    BEC - 85
    FAR - 80
    REG - 75
    Done!! Woohoo!
    #1474089
    Eaglebig4
    Participant

    I think at the very end of Becker FAR, you will see a table showing all differences between IFRS and GAAP that you might see during the exam…understand (even memorize) them definitely would increase your chance of passing

    AUD - 77
    BEC - 90
    FAR - 88
    REG - 86
    Please let me pass...
    #1474098
    LD
    Participant

    @eaglebig4 very cool! thanks for the tip!

    AUD - 83
    BEC - 85
    FAR - 80
    REG - 75
    Done!! Woohoo!
    #1474110
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Government and Nonprofit. Know those two areas cold. I got about 15 MCQs on those topics and after the 15th one I was like “Stop it already, enough!” haha
    They'll be on your score report too, as to how well you handled them.
    I flunked FAR this past time, but I did well on the Govt/NPO questions because I did study them a lot. The other areas to study, no clue. Some people get a bunch
    of questions on pensions and stock options, some don't. Some people get a bunch on assets and depreciation, some don't. If I had to answer the question in a single
    sentence – or two words (like I just did right here), it would be, “Know everything, but especially government and nonprofit.”

    #1474122
    rb2017
    Participant

    Governmental stuff
    Funds are easy points if you get down the Graspp Se Papi and whether they use modified/full accrual accounting basis.
    Also the journal entries and names of financials. At least just read through once how funds move around once so you have a general understanding. Same for NFP – the questions are very basic but if you don't review them you'll lose out on easy points!

    Also the types of contract revenues – I forgot to review that right before the test and totally blanked.

    Good luck!

    AUD - 77
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 75
    REG - 77
    No need to worry, my accountant handles that.
    #1474125
    LD
    Participant

    thanks @crazyleon what do you think about construction accounting? % completion, etc? i already forgot that entire chapter.

    AUD - 83
    BEC - 85
    FAR - 80
    REG - 75
    Done!! Woohoo!
    #1474131
    LD
    Participant

    thanks @toni!

    AUD - 83
    BEC - 85
    FAR - 80
    REG - 75
    Done!! Woohoo!
    #1474135
    LD
    Participant

    how about pensions and/or leases and bonds payable – did anyone feel like pensions were heavily tested? or if i have a basic understanding is that enough? the JEs are killing me, there's so many to remember

    AUD - 83
    BEC - 85
    FAR - 80
    REG - 75
    Done!! Woohoo!
    #1474140
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Toni and OP –

    You can also use the mnemonic PDCSG, IPIPEA for remembering the governmental funds… Translation: (The) Police Department Consents to Smoking Grass. (I smoke my) PIPE Alot

    Also, know that the fund financials and the government wide financials go right after the MDA (Management discussion and analysis) section and the notes and budgetary stuff go
    after the financials. You can remember this by
    Many Green (marijuana) Fields, Never Brown…. Management Discussion/Analysis, Fund Financials, Government-wide financials, Notes to financials, Budgetary schedule.

    Oops Toni nevermind, you already passed FAR, good job!

    #1474143
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @lczar Yes pensions can get heavy testing. They are a royal pain in the ass, I hate them with a ****ing passion, I will never use them in a job, but yes. I need to go back and thoroughly review pensions before my retake, thanks for the reminder.

    Yes, bonds payable also can get heavy testing. Those JE's are simpler. My strategy for that was to know my amortization table (learned in intermediate acctg) very well too. I remember doing a practice question or two or three (conceptual and numerical) about straight-line amortization of discount/premium and how that affects retained earnings and bond carrying value. Straight-line, as opposed to effective-interest (usual one.)

    #1474144
    Eaglebig4
    Participant

    Pensions/bonds are not heavily tested in my exam–just know the basic formulas and concepts.
    Also don't forget Franchise accounting and know the JEs–they are easily neglected.

    AUD - 77
    BEC - 90
    FAR - 88
    REG - 86
    Please let me pass...
    #1474149
    rb2017
    Participant

    Yes definitely construction revenues! You might not get a lot of mcq on it but that can easily be a sim. Also I didn't see any crazy pension questions, maybe just figure out how to get to the pension cost.

    AUD - 77
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 75
    REG - 77
    No need to worry, my accountant handles that.
    #1474158
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Some of us got more heavily tested than others in certain areas. Sorry if my answers conflict with those of other people. Bottom line is what I said earlier “Know it all, but esp. govt and nonprofit”

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