[reallytired]

I just need to vent to people who understand my woes. I listen to classical music while studying, as the singing in normal songs distracts me from reading/thinking about a question. I have been studying since May, meaning that I have been listening to boring music for 4.5 months. The past few weeks (especially since I started studying AUD), I have been in a weird funk where I have a hard time focusing and concentrating on the material. I also have lost a ton of motivation that I had studying REG and FAR.

This morning I was getting ready to sit down to study when I watched a video on people’s reactions to hearing My Chemical Romance songs (on Facebook of course) and had the strongest yearning to listen to their music instead of the classical music. So, as a way to make myself happier, I put it on and started an AUD homework. At first, I was doing pretty well and figured that maybe the music wasn’t interfering as much as I had expected… Then it all went downhill and I got halfway through the homework and had scored a 53% (the lowest score I have ever had in any topic on any exam thus far). I literally just started crying because I was so upset that I couldn’t enjoy something as simple as listening to some good music while studying.

I hate this exam process so much, it has turned me from a once cheery person to an emotional wreck. I pray this is all over in November.

Thanks for always being here, fellow future CPAs. I appreciate the support you all show one another!

B- Pass
A- Pass
R- Pass
F- Pass

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[Jakecpa]

Cheer up bud, you are way ahead of the game, I assume you are not working since you passed FAR and REG within few months. If I could begin this again, I would pass this damn exam before starting at any job, getting it done while working sucks, it robs your personal life, it hinders you from giving your best at work, and all that eventually can cause emotional downs. But hey you are doing the right thing and you have passed the longer heavier sections, you're probably going to laugh when taking BEC, I don't care about what anyone says: BEC is a piece of cake compared to FAR and REG.

[jdhcoca]

I learned really quickly that I can't listen to any music while I'm reading and studying. I'm fine listening to music when I'm practicing multiple choice questions or sims. This actually makes me excited when I get to multiple choice questions or sims because I get music.

@reallytired, I've listened to The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance constantly over the past 3 weeks of studying FAR. It's like the studying is driving me towards it.

AUD - 94
BEC - 90
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - 81

I hate FAR.

BEC - 90
REG - July 24th
AUD - Sept 5th
FAR - ???

[ixlr82day]

I understand how this exam just sucks the life from you. I am studying for REG now and I am losing motivation quickly. The thing that I think helps me is to make a list of the things you want to do when you have “time” or when the exam is over. So far…I have dinner with the gf, watching some scifi tv series, and getting ready for the marathon in December.

When I took my first part BEC I stopped everything and just focused on studying. I neglected exercising and picked up weight…I used to hit the gym everyday but since my study period for BEC seemed short and I was going thru busy season I stopped everything else. I am trying to make sure I hit the gym a few times a week and during those times I can exercise and listen to music or watch a show on the tablet or something for the 1-2 hours I am there. Anyway good luck to us all!

AUD - 76
BEC - 75
FAR - 79
REG - 84

 

 

[jad11]

If you can listen to music while studying, you should do it. I started off by studying without music, then moved on to classical music, but that didn't last too long. Now I use ear plugs, but I feel like it was a trap. If I ever forget my ear plugs, even the sound of the air conditioner bothers me. After I finish this exam, I want to condition myself to be able to work with a bit more noise, I don't want to be all miserable lol.

[.]

Speaking of noise ruining your concentration. I live on a busy street. My apartment doesn't face the street but you can always hear the car noise, sort of like the ocean. When I was trying to do difficult questions or having trouble understanding something in the textbook, I'd get so annoyed when an ambulance/cop car would go by. Totally destroyed my concentration. I'd swear and get all pissed off and wish bad things on the ambulance driver/patient.

Anyways, not a good idea to get used to silence and stillness. Prometric is anything but silent. Well, the little one I went to for FAR and REG wasn't so bad except for the very end of FAR. I took the exam on a Friday afternoon, so I guess the Prometric proctor wanted to get her weekend started as soon as possible, so she started cleaning all the empty cubicles, while I was in the middle of those hellish simulations and running out of time. This one had no windows.

The huge Prometric I went to for AUD and BEC sucked ass. So many people coming and going, street noise (windows) even from the 25th floor, some sort of construction noise, and all the f'in typing. Luckily I wasn't near the entrance, I was next to the window. That would have been even worse.

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

[confusedcandidate]

I listen to a lot of electronic music while I work and study. Few lyrics if any, rythmic, upbeat, energetic, helps me focus; definitely recommend.

Weekends are meaningless to a CPA candidate

[Anonymous]

– I religiously avoid noise when I study. I am a classical musician, but I do not listen to it while studying. If I did, I would be more focused on the music and less on CPA material! I use Bose Noise-cancelling headphones too, when necessary.

– Passing and getting licensed is very easy for some people. They can do it with minimal effort and expense and prepare for all four tests in 4-6 weeks, pass all 4, and are done. For most, the opposite is true. I never compare myself to anyone who passed all 4 on 1st try. If I did, I'd probably have killed myself long ago.

– I have found, during these 2 months of reviewing for FAR (I'm almost done, and will take FAR soon) that it does no good to get pissed off at myself or even consider giving up, despite how really turbulent it can get. There is nothing worse than working an MCQ/TBS, being 99.x% sure you have it right, and then the f**king YOUR ANSWER IS INCORRECT error message comes up. F**KKKKK!!!!!! BREATHE DEEPLY. It's not the end of the world. LEARN FROM IT, that's all I can do. I have to tell myself this probably every other day.

– Life is too short to let the CPA Exam eat me alive. I may fail over and over again, I may not. But, my goal isn't gonna change. I'll get my CPA license or die, whichever comes first. The nice thing is that, whatever happens, I'm learning this stuff on a much deeper level than I did in school, and hopefully that alone will get me a better job in the meantime.

– You can't do more than you can do. None of us can. Just…keep…going.

[LonelyRonPaul]

I began my studying process listening to classical music mostly. However, I enjoy listening to that type of music and as a result, I actually was more distracted listening to the music (NERD ALERT!) and didn't put my full focus into homework. So now I have locked myself down in true accountant fashion by listening to white noise on Youtube and this has worked quite well. It definitely helps me focus much more when all I have to focus on is the screen in front of me.

I also had a tough time studying for AUD and found it very hard to concentrate on the material because it is soooo damn dry. Don't feel bad. Just keep putting the time in and it will click. I have taken and passed every part except for REG so far and I thought AUD would be the exam I'd definitely fail on the first try. Complete opposite, it was my highest score out of the 3. Ended up with an 87.

AUD - 87
BEC - 80
FAR - 78
REG - 78

DONE!!!

FAR: 5/7/16

AUD: 7/16/16

BEC: 8/27/16

REG: 12/3/16, 2/11/17

FAR - 78, 5/7/16
AUD - 87, 7/16/16
BEC - 8/27/16
REG - 12/3/16

[bhunt815]

I couldn't concentrate while`listening to any music, so I went music-less for much of the 10 months I was studying. But, I can tell you that it is all worth it when you pass that last test. I wake up on Saturdays and decide what I am going to do that day, instead of having the next 45 Saturdays spoken for. I drive to work and listen to a book on CD or a good song rather than listening to Peter Olinto for the millionth time. I mean, Peter seems like a cool guy and I admit to developing a bit of a man crush on him over the past 10 months, but I'm glad we won't be spending as much time together going forward.

It's all worth it. Just hang in there.

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 am one of those people that “white noise” is the most distracting thing in the world. Seriously. I don't know how people can listen to it. I even grew up around some of the things that “white noise” is supposed to replicate (like oceans), and “white noise” still is super distracting. Complete silence is also distracting, but I blame that on having 7 siblings, so rarely ever hearing complete quiet growing up. 😛

[.]

Some of the material was so dry, I really had trouble staying focused while I was reading the textbook. Business law in REG was pretty bad, AUD sometimes too. To keep me from falling asleep or going back to more exciting wikipedia reading, I started reading aloud. It really helped. Highly recommended. I think I read all of AUD, BEC, and most of REG out loud.

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

[reallytired]

Wow thank you all so much for the encouraging responses and the music tips! I just went and pulled all of the recommended Pandora stations up so I will check them out today as I study!

This right here is the exact reason I think I have been able to stay somewhat sane the past few months: a forum filled with amazing people who are so supportive and caring of one another, this has easily become one of my biggest support systems throughout this evil process. So truly, thank you guys so much for the responses!

PS, I don't know if I passed REG yet, I find out Tuesday.

Good luck to everyone, we will all definitely kick some a**!

B- Pass
A- Pass
R- Pass
F- Pass

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[Anonymous]

If you subscribe to Spotify they have a really good channell called “Focus”. There is a playlist called brainfood which I really like to listen to while studying.

Keep at it you will accomplish your CPA goals. Best of luck to you. 🙂

[Trees202]

I have such a ridiculously hard time staying focused. It's horrible b/c when I was younger I could study for hours and retain everything. I guess my brain is getting old! (30). The only way I can study is if everything is totally silent and I'm sitting at a table staring down at my book. Even then I have to get up every 5 pages and do the dishes or laundry or something. My brain wanders like nothing else and when I yell at it and tell it to stay focused…I usually end up falling asleep on my textbook!!!

I've been having a lot of neck/back pain lately too–which I'm assuming is from sitting hunched over my book at the dining room table for hours and hours (in addition to having no time to exercise).

I wish I would have done this when I was in my early 20s!

[taayllorr]

Tycho Radio on Pandora got me an 87 on FAR.

AUD - 82
BEC - 82
FAR - 87
REG - 90

boobs.

[Author]

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