[Anonymous]

I have to take BEC on August 12th, just over 2 months away, and I work so don’t have a lot of time to study. I’m using Gleim. I have Roger too but not using the book or vids for this section. I’m about 20% of the way thru the Gleim book. Here are the topics…if anyone could tell me which of these is the most heavily tested nowadays so I know what to focus on? I’m doing like 2 chapters (study units) a week. Thanks.

1. Corporate Governance
2. Microeconomics
3. Macroeconomics
4. Globalization (foreign currency issues mostly)
5. Financial Risk Management
6. Forecasting analysis
7. Corporate Capital Structure
8. Working Capital
9. Short-term financing and capital budgeting
10. Capital budgeting (concluded) and Corporate performance
11. IT Systems and processing
12. IT Software, Data, and contingency planning
13. IT Networks and e commerce
14. IT Security and controls
15. Strategic planning/budgeting
16. Budget components
17. Performance measurement and process management
18. Costing Fundamentals
19. Costing Techniques
20. Costing systems/variance analysis

[Anonymous]

thrust!

[Anonymous]

Cost accounting and IT – without a doubt. However, that was for Q1. Also, u should never neglect any chapter. Goodluck.

[Anonymous]

I didn't realize some topics were important for certain quarters. That's weird. Anyone else know, definitively, which sections are tested the most heavily or likely to be?

[Anonymous]

Starting in Q2 the weights of certain subjects will be adjusted compared to the prior quarters. You should look at the AICPA website for BEC's new weighting of subjects. Goodluck.

[bhunt815]

Don't underestimate IT. I actually had more questions about Corporate Governance on my Audit exam than my BEC exam.

AUD - 79
BEC - 81
FAR - 84
REG - 78

Becker Self Study supplemented with Ninja MCQ's for BEC and REG.

Licensed CPA in Louisiana.

FAR 04/11/2016 - 84
AUD 05/12/2016 - 79
BEC 07/06/2016 - 81
REG 08/29/2016

[Anonymous]

I say all of them. That's how I have approached both BEC and AUD I have taken so far-you just never know what % of what chapter they are going to ask, so try to know everything well enough…. Sorry, probably not what you wanted to hear… 🙂

[Trele6]

COSO, COSO, COSO…. oh and I hate COSO by the way, maybe that is why it was all over my test.

B - 80 Jun16
A - 74 Aug16, 77 Oct16
R - 87 Nov15
F - 79 Apr16
Ethics - 98 Nov16
Licensed in New Mexico Dec16

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[HoldMyBeerCPA]

COSO and IT are what you should focus on understanding VERY well. The other areas you should have a general understanding.

"FACT": The odds of consecutively passing all four sections of the CPA exam on the first try: 7%.

Me: Hold my beer...

FAR (April 2017): 75+

BEC (May 2017): 75+

AUD (July 2017): 75+

REG (September 2017): 75+

Roger + Ninja Audio/MCQ/Notes (BEC & REG)

[Anonymous]

IT/Cost Accounting/Budgeting/Managing Capital

I wouldn't focus too much on Econ/Globalization

[Anonymous]

@cjhim – FINALLY! I got the answer I was looking for! Thank you. I was hoping Econ/Globalization wouldn't be covered much. I don't know why they even put econ on the test. No CFOs use supply and demand curves in their job.

@trele6 – yeah, that ****ing COSO cube – and there is a modified cube for ERM. Crazy.

[M123]

Be careful of getting the answers you want to this question. As I scan the list I can assure you they are all important or the exceptions are immaterial.

The examiners will peer inside your very soul for your darkest fears and pummel you on those questions. It's no joke.

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

[Anonymous]

I agree with M123…I felt like I had every kind of question on my test… No exceptions…

[Anonymous]

Hahaha ok! I guess I haven't taken enough of these exams yet (FAR and AUD only) and the questions didn't feel all that hard but I think it was because I got easy testlets both times.
I didn't pass FAR and am waiting for AUD score but don't feel real great about it. I wasn't very prepared for either one due to work and other stuff, trying to focus more now but it's not easy.
I have heard of others though who have said the same things you did, that these exams unearth all kinds of weaknesses that a candidate might have. Maybe that only applies to those who get a really hard batch of questions though?? Who knows, it's pointless to try to guess as to the mentality of the AICPA when they construct these exams!! The reason I asked this at all was because for AUD, I studied some things really hard that were not tested at all.

[Trele6]

“The reason I asked this at all was because for AUD, I studied some things really hard that were not tested at all.” That is how I felt about variances for BEC. Seemed like Becker dedicated hours hammering variance formulas to me, then it was basically non-existent on my exam.. I left thinking WTF??

B - 80 Jun16
A - 74 Aug16, 77 Oct16
R - 87 Nov15
F - 79 Apr16
Ethics - 98 Nov16
Licensed in New Mexico Dec16

First go at the CPA! Only using Becker
Reg / Nov 2015 - 87
Far / Apr 2016 - 79
Bec / May 2016 - 80
Aud / Aug 2016

[Anonymous]

@trele6 yes, I felt like my exam was concentrated on reporting (“is this in the audit report or is it not?”) and some other topics that were easier. Because they were easier, I did not study them much…then got an onslaught of questions covering every single fine detail about them. Zero questions on a few topics – I won't mention them because I don't want to get slapped – but I also walked out of Prometric thinking “I studied the hard stuff way too much.” Nearly a month ago that I took it now, and I'm working on BEC obviously. Praying for a pass on AUD so I don't have to go back and do it again. I wish I'd gotten to do BEC in the last window but there wasn't time. I paid for all 4 exams and won't even have time to do REG before the NTS expires. Variances, huh? I'm not even that far into BEC to know what kinds of variances you're even referring to…good times lay ahead.

[Author]

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