Success Stories

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #827101
    Needs Advice
    Participant

    I know this forum is primarily used for discussion involving Ninja Notes & Ninja MCQs, but I was wondering if anyone has used Wiley with the CPAExcel test banks and had success in passing the exams? I purchased $3,000 worth of materials already and feel like with my first attempt(s) I need to try with what I have before coughing up more money for Ninja. I took BEC and barely missed passing at 72. Now I have AUD on the 9th and so far have tripled my study workload this time around. Am I wasting my time with Wiley materials?

    I HAVE a life now.

    AUD - Passed

    BEC - Passed

    FAR - Passed

    REG - Passed

    BEC: 7/31/16 (Awaiting Results)
    AUD: 9/8/16
    REG: 10/22/16
    FAR: 12/3/16

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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    Replies
  • #827119
    Missy
    Participant

    For FAR I used nothing but cpareviewforfree.com

    For BEC and REG I passed using just Wiley.

    For AUD (wayyyy outside my wheelhouse) I failed twice with just wiley and added Ninja to get up to an 84.

    Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

    Finance manager/HR manager

     

     

    Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
    Finance/Admin/HR Manager

    #827269
    Bear-Bear
    Participant

    I use CPAExcel as my primary study course, but supplement with Ninja MCQ and notes, as well as the Wiley Test Bank.

    I don't think I would have passed the three sections I've passed without the Ninja materials. :-/

    FAR - PASS
    BEC - PASS
    REG - PASS
    AUD - PASS

    Done and licensed!

    #827284
    Zaky
    Participant

    I think Ninja MC is enough to pass any part of the CPA exam assuming you also have a strong review course.

    #827518
    Needs Advice
    Participant

    Thank you all for the feedback.



    @mla11692
    , when you say you only used cpareviewforfree.com was this supplementary with another course study or text book or just reviewing their MCQs? Did you pass FAR on your first attempt as well? Thank you for the insight.

    I HAVE a life now.

    AUD - Passed

    BEC - Passed

    FAR - Passed

    REG - Passed

    BEC: 7/31/16 (Awaiting Results)
    AUD: 9/8/16
    REG: 10/22/16
    FAR: 12/3/16

    #827524
    .
    Participant

    I used CPAExcel mainly and used Ninja MCQs for review after I was all done with CPAExcel. I did a few REG and AUD simulations in Wiley Test Bank but that's it. I've passed FAR and REG so far and am waiting on my AUD score.

    FAR- 88- 6/16- (Ninja Avg. 74%)
    REG- 89- 7/16- (Ninja Avg. 77%)
    AUD- 95- 8/16- (Ninja Avg. 81%)
    BEC- 82- 9/16- (Ninja Avg. 75%)
    [Wiley CPAExcel + Ninja MCQ]

    Finally licensed.

    FAR - June 2016 - 88
    REG - July 2016 - 89
    AUD - Aug 2016 - review phase currently
    BEC - Sep 2016 -

    Wiley CPA Excel & Ninja MCQ

    #827527
    Kettlepot
    Participant

    I passed BEC with a 79 with just the Wiley book their MCQ Bank. I think the Wiley book is SUPER dry though so it's hard for me to sit still and read it for extended periods of time. It definitely works though.

    Far: 49
    BEC: 79 (Expired)
    AUD: 51, 67, 64
    REG: 59, 64, 59, 69

    #827530
    Missy
    Participant

    for FAR no other materials except cpareviewforfree. However I had just finished my bachelors in accounting, was halfway through my masters in accounting and had been a staff accountant for 18 years. Journal entries were basically my full time job lol so I was in a much different position than a lot of others taking far as in most of the questions were things I did all day long. FAR was my first exam and I did pass on my first attempt with a 77.

    Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

    Finance manager/HR manager

     

     

    Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
    Finance/Admin/HR Manager

    #827557
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I passed all 4 exams using Wiley materials. Wiley and CPAExcel have now merged; my understanding is that the textbooks now are basically the Wiley books, the lectures are basically the CPAExcel lectures, and the test banks were merged.

    However, all 4 exams, I read the Wiley textbook, and used the Wiley test bank. I did own NINJA Audio, notes, and a precursor to the MCQs (at the time, I could buy Wiley test bank with these NINJA materials for about the same price as buying Wiley test bank by itself elsewhere, so I thought I might as well get the combo). The MCQs precursor I had I used for about 5 minutes total – it wouldn't run right on my computer (wasn't browser-based at the time) and I didn't like it. The notes I tried to use with one exam, did about 1 chapter of them, and that was it. The NINJA Audio I listened to the full time for one exam, and part of it for another, but that listening was while working and/or while driving in a car too loud to hear it, which is why I gave up on it after that for the rest of the exams, and I didn't hear much while also driving or working at the same time.

    So, I'd say my study was 94% Wiley, 4.5% NINJA, and 1.5% Google. Wiley was definitely the driving force in my studies. I passed all 4 exams on the first try over a span of 5 months while working full-time (or close to it – my office was closed Wednesdays through the summer, but I worked every-other Wednesday to get more hours in and worked longer M, T, T, F on the weeks I took Wednesday off, so worked 35-40 hours a week through the summer). My scores were in the 79-83 range, with AUD a 91 or 92.

    Passing with Wiley alone (the bits of Google and NINJA are optional) is definitely something that's been done – by me and many others – and that can be done many times over.

    Now that being said, I have heard really good things about NINJA MCQs, and I've recommended them to people in person sometimes. Always with the caveat that I've never used them, but they sound like a good resource. So, if you're feeling a little unsure, maybe it's worth risking $47 to get them for your next exam, make you less likely to loss a couple hundred dollars on a re-take, and allow you to see what you think about them. One of the things that makes me comfortable recommending NINJA MCQs is that they are per-exam, so someone can get them, try them out, and if they don't feel like they helped, then they can skip them for the next exam.

    I'm a success story with Wiley. It was dry, dull, and boring, but it covered everything, so on exam day, I didn't encounter anything that I felt like I'd never seen before. But…Wiley isn't right for everyone. If you're seriously doubting it, look into some free or cheap alternatives to supplement with. It's better to supplement for free (cpareviewforfree.com) or cheap (NINJA MCQs etc.) than to re-take. Or, if you think you're doing well and BEC was just an unfortunate close but not close enough situation, then move forward with Wiley. Wiley's good, as long as it's good for you, too.

    P. S. It won't let me post cause it says it's a duplicate but it doesn't show my post, so if this ends up being a duplicate later, sorry!

    #827581
    Needs Advice
    Participant

    @mla11692

    That's amazing! Thank you for all the great information. I appreciate you taking time out of your day.

    I HAVE a life now.

    AUD - Passed

    BEC - Passed

    FAR - Passed

    REG - Passed

    BEC: 7/31/16 (Awaiting Results)
    AUD: 9/8/16
    REG: 10/22/16
    FAR: 12/3/16

    #827587
    H.Bonaventure
    Participant

    I only used Ninja MCQ and free online resources to clear up any confusing topics for all of the exams. My FAR retake was the only exception where I purchased a used Becker book which helped me go from a 74 to an 80. You need to do what is best for your learning style. Good luck!

    #827722
    Accountant183748
    Participant

    So, I also spent the 3k (I think it was 2k for me) on WILEY and I didn't end up using it as much as I should have for that amount of money. I used it to study for FAR, AUD, BEC the first time through and I failed each of those on my first attempt unfortunately. I think WILEY is helpful although the lectures are kind of boring, but my mistake for my first attempts was that I just used WILEY and didn't do enough review. I think you need at least 2 weeks of review with nonstop MCQs/rewriting notes to pass the exams – that is worked for me.

    I much preferred the NINJA method of reading first, then doing non-stop MCQs, rewriting NINJA notes, non-stop MCQs. I used only the NINJA method for REG and passed on my first try.

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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