My Regulation Study story & statistics with Ninja MCQ

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    Topic
  • #1394507
    Yolonge
    Participant

    NINJA Question –

    I figured I could share my story on what I did to pass regulation with Ninja materials.

    Since I work full time with long hours (busy time), there are many days I could not study physically and mentally, so I substituted many off days with Ninja Blitz. I strongly encourage people to use Ninja Blitz especially if you drive or feels exhausted after work!

    Study method: Listen Ninja blitz whenever I can, or do ninja MCQ.

    Materials: Ninja MCQ + Ninja Blitz + Ninja Audio (not much of a help) + Ninja Book (read only few pages. Did not have time to read book)

    This was retake (August, 68) but most of it was out of my head, so I constantly listened to Ninja Blitz to refresh my memory. On off days, I tried to listen to Ninja Blitz on the topics.

    I did not solve any simulation. I read over the answer with description.

    First week: (10/29-11/4)
    210 Question in Individual Tax @ 88%

    3 days of MCQ / 4 days off

    Second Week: (11/5-11/11)
    567 Questions in Individual Tax (complete), Ethics & Professional Responsibilities (complete), Property Taxation (complete), Federal Tax Process (complete) @ 86%

    5 days of MCQ / 2 days off

    Third Week: (11/12-11/18)
    142 Questions in Entity Taxation @ 82%

    2 days of MCQ / 5 days off

    Fourth Week: (11/19-11/25)
    440 Questions in Entity Taxation (complete) & Random @ 80%

    3 days of MCQ / 4 days off

    Fifth Week: (11/26-12/2)
    Power 3 Day Weekend with Business Law! Probably worst 3 days of my study time.
    1027 Questions in Business Law (complete) @ 74%
    10 simulations

    3 days of MCQ and 1 day for simulation / 3 days off

    D-3 Days to Test day: (12/3-12/5)

    12/3 – 10 Random MCQ (90%) + 57 Simulations
    12/4 – 312 Random MCQ (94%) + 8 sims
    12/5 Test day – write note and review

    Summary & Highlights

    Days spent = 38 days
    Days studied = 20 days

    Hours Spent on Ninja: 40 Hours MCQ + approximately 5-8 hours on simulations
    Many hours of Blitz for one month

    Average MCQ per day = 151 questions @ 18 days
    Average Simulations per day = 25 (one day @ 57 simulations)

    Days to Cover topics in Ninja:

    Individual Tax: 3 days
    Ethics & Professional Responsibilities: 1 day
    Property Taxation: 1 day
    Federal Tax Process: 1 day
    Entities Taxation: 5 days
    Business Law: 3 days

    Ethics & Professional Responsibilities = 261 questions @ 90%
    Business Law = 1071 questions @ 74%
    Tax Process = 231 questions @ 87%
    Property Taxation = 227 questions @ 88%
    Individual Tax = 356 questions @ 87%
    Entities Tax = 573 questions @ 83%

    Overall = 2719 questions @ 81%, Trending 98% at 40 hours

    Score Report: 83
    MCQ: Strong on everything, except Individual and Ethics (Comparable)
    Simulation: Comparable

    FAR - 83 (1/7/16)
    BEC - 87 (4/18/16)
    AUD - 92 (7/2/16)
    REG - 83 (12/5/16)
    Ethics - 100%!

    Licensed CPA in state of Maryland Feb 2017

    Materials: Wiley book + Ninja MCQ

    FAR - 83 (Jan 2016)
    Study time: 6 weeks
    BEC - 87 (April 2016)
    Study time: 2 weeks
    AUD - 92 (July 2016), (74 Feb 2016), (72 May 2016)
    Study time: 4 (Feb) + 2 (May) + 3 (July) = 9 weeks total
    REG - (70 April 2016)
    Study time: 3 weeks

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
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  • #1394541
    CPA788
    Participant

    Great outline @mhei8116. Was this your 2nd attempt? I and studying for AUD now but retaking REG for the 4th time in late Feb and was planning on ~5 weeks to prepare. I've used Becker coupled with NINJA MCQ but I just can't get over the hump. I feel great going in and just can't pull it off.

    BEC - 74, 77 (Becker only)

    FAR - 72, 71, 78 (Becker+NINJA)

    REG - 69, 59, 69, 72, 76 (Becker+a private tutor+NINJA+Gleim free trial+seriously anything else I could review)

    AUD - 77 (Becker only)

    CA candidate

    BEC - 74, 77
    FAR - 72, 71 (retake 7/29)
    REG - 69
    AUD - Q4 '16

    CA Candidate

    #1394559
    Yolonge
    Participant

    CPA788 – As much as I would like say so, but no. I had taken it 3 times (insert embarrassment here) but they were so apart restudying did not really help. Given that I had about the same time and many days that I did not do anything, I believe similar approach may work. Cramming is the best for CPA exam!

    April – had 3 weeks, ended up getting 70.
    August – Forced to take as window will be over; 68. Was not ready at all.

    Couple items I thought it was helpful/changed this time around:

    1. Some people say otherwise, but Make sure to actually finish all business laws and understand. As you already know, there are many business law questions on MCQ section of the exam and whenever I had review phase (1st and last attempt), I had received stronger on business law.

    You really need to understand all business law concepts, and I believe best way to do it is cram the business law the week before in just few days. I did over 1k business law questions over the weekend (3 days, Friday-Sunday) which made me puke, but it worked and I was able to confidently answer business law questions on the test. After one week of covering business law, I was beginning to forget so I suggest one week as your last week at minimum should be in review phase.

    2. Basis, Basis, Basis. You really need to know the basis, such as involuntary conversion, like-kind exchange, gift basis, estate basis, partnership basis, corporation basis, corporation/partnership basis for property going in/out. Regulation is only part that I prepared a single page note, for other parts I did not make any notes as I thought I did not need them so I just hammered MCQ. Since basis are so many, you have to master them and it is helpful write them when you enter Prometric so you can remember.

    I do not think there aren't that many questions cover those, which is really important. You actually have to fully understand in order to get them right. I suggest write the formula down on the note and actually apply real questions to see how they work.

    3. Make sure to do AICPA practice test, especially new DSR format if you are not familiar (not applicable to you I suppose).

    4. This is something that I did not do, but would have been very helpful. Actually read IRC for any section you want to know more https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26; Who knows, you may be quickly find your research question (I was lucky and able to find it in 2 minutes).

    I hope this helps. Wish the best luck on your test retake.

    I passed the Audit with similar method, Ninja Blitz + Ninja MCQ which worked well.

    FAR - 83 (1/7/16)
    BEC - 87 (4/18/16)
    AUD - 92 (7/2/16)
    REG - 83 (12/5/16)
    Ethics - 100%!

    Licensed CPA in state of Maryland Feb 2017

    Materials: Wiley book + Ninja MCQ

    FAR - 83 (Jan 2016)
    Study time: 6 weeks
    BEC - 87 (April 2016)
    Study time: 2 weeks
    AUD - 92 (July 2016), (74 Feb 2016), (72 May 2016)
    Study time: 4 (Feb) + 2 (May) + 3 (July) = 9 weeks total
    REG - (70 April 2016)
    Study time: 3 weeks

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