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Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 46 total)
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  • Mercenary
    Participant

    I spent 4 weeks on FAR. Longest I spent on any section. But my job, despite being considered full time was more like part time in hours so I could practically study full time.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: CMA Score Release 3/12 #2980070
    Mercenary
    Participant

    Passed Part 1 with a 420.
    Going to begin Part 2 study now. Have a couple more months before my job starts so hopefully can take it before then.

    Used Gleim.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: Coronavirus Prometric Closings #2955437
    Mercenary
    Participant

    Regarding South Korea, I took an exam here just last week. Everyone at the prometric center was wearing masks of course, but no closing down yet. I could see it happening in the near future though. Although I'd think it'd be less likely in the US since its not as near severe there as in SK.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: CMA or CPA or Both? #2955431
    Mercenary
    Participant

    I passed my CPA exams last year and took part on of the CMA exam the end of last month.

    I'd definitely recommend CPA first and then CMA second. And yes, as others have said CMA exam is like super BEC. I felt it was more challenging than the BEC exam. There were a few FAR/AUD topics but it was mostly things you'd see on BEC but then more in depth and more similar topics. Lots of IT/Data Analysis stuff.

    I think it depends what you want to do. In my case I took a long break from accounting and so I felt I needed every bit of help I could to break back into the field. The CPA helped more with that but I think the CMA will give me a bit of an edge when I want to go into industry later.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: CMA Difficulty??? #2947515
    Mercenary
    Participant

    Okay, I just finished taking part 1 so I can better answer this now. I felt the difficulty was pretty much in line with the Gleim content I studied.

    Super BEC though really is a good way of looking at it. Similar difficulty but more overall content covered.

    Just make sure you study IT/Data analysis type stuff a lot. And Variance Analysis.

    Essays were okay. Didnt take too long to do them. I ran out of time on my last MCQ though, like right when I knew the answer, before I could click it pushed me forward to the essay section. They werent too bad though, just took time for a few. And like CPA I had times where I could narrow it to two but then just hwd to guess. Now there is a 6 week wait until the results

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: Where do you study? #2940924
    Mercenary
    Participant

    Either home or at a coffee shop.
    Coffee shops can help slightly just by offering a change of scenery. But concentration for me is about the same no matter where I go, either I can concentrate or I can't. I do find “study with me” youtube videos that have fireplace or pencil sounds tend to help me, kind of like creating more of a study atmosphere, although lately I find I like quiet jazz background music. I only do that for reading though. MCQs I generally keep it quiet.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: CMA Difficulty??? #2939949
    Mercenary
    Participant

    I'm scheduled to take Part 1 this week. I originally thought I could take part 1 in Jan and 2 this month, but there was more content than I expected and I didn't feel like studying as much as I did for the CPA. For part 1 I'd say there is more content than for any single CPA exam. For both, maybe similar to the four CPA exams. I'm not sure that it is harder or not. It may depend on the person. The application process is easier though, faster and you can take the exam in more locations.

    For me personally, I see the essays as harder than sims were. The sims I could even guess or do some guess and check work. Now the essays may have some questions like that with calculations but its still all just written out as opposed to ever having any selections or forms. And when you have to just write a response to something I feel its much harder than multiple choices. Thats a reason that I was concerned about the BEC exam with its WCs, but I lucked out on getting easy ones there. So here is hoping I get essays I know the answers to.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: CPA Exam Easier than it was 15 Years Ago? #2930697
    Mercenary
    Participant

    Nonsense. More is covered now, in exchange there is perhaps less depth on each area but it still requires a lot of studying due to the extent covered. 15 years ago, for example had no IFRS.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: BEC ROGER CPA REVIEW #2926518
    Mercenary
    Participant

    I used Roger for BEC and I felt the sims done in the class questions lectures were sufficient for me. I'd always do them before actually watching the lecture though to make sure I could.
    And you'll hear this a lot, but you'll most likely be fine as long as you practice enough MCQs. A few sims to know what they are like and to know you can do them, which I think Roger or probably any review program, provides enough of, then just drill MCQs forever. I didn't really do that many MCQs for BEC though since I had very little time to study for. Ninja is good for those MCQs, drill them and you'll be set. I used Ninja a lot for FAR. And yes, as the above poster mentioned, time management is very important. I finished BEC with just 1 minute left on the clock when I hit submit on the last testlet, compare that to AUD and REG where I had over an hour left.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: How did you do final review for AUD? #2908323
    Mercenary
    Participant

    I had almost no time so nothing special. I finished my audit study course, used Roger, like 3 or so days before my exam. In addition, I had FAR the day before AUD, so I had to spend a day reviewing that. In the end I had literally a day to review AUD. In that time I just reread my notes and tried to memorize the mnemonics I had written down. I also drilled MCQs, doing one set the night before and one the morning of the exam using the same number that appeared on the exam. Those two things helped of course. By this point you should know the content so the review is just refreshing it so whether its your own notes or Ninja notes, its good to go through it once or twice.

    My notes were extremely detailed, before this exam I never did note taking so I am not exactly good at it. So even reviewing my notes took quite a while and I really didn't properly have really get all the information fully memorized so I was a bit less than confident going in. However, it was the one exam I felt fully confident I passed coming out of, not that that means squat.

    I don't believe I rewatched videos for AUD, I think I only did that for FAR, but it doesn't hurt to do that on areas you don't remember well, just do it at 2x speed if possible.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: Finding Motivation #2907474
    Mercenary
    Participant

    Motivation can be gained in many ways. The content can be presented in an interesting way with the right course to help increase it. Setting deadlines by scheduling the exam and any travel requirements certainly helped keep me motivated.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: WA state hours question #2890449
    Mercenary
    Participant

    By hours do you mean total work experience required to obtain the license?
    I just passed the exam recently and am now looking for work in WA. I also happened to apply for a position at the auditor's office. What position do you have that the work hours, 2000 or whatever, wouldn't apply? Even if there isn't a CPA you work under, you could just do the verification thing to get it.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: Proposed CPA licensure changes #2851788
    Mercenary
    Participant

    I tend to agree that the exam should be entirely sims or at least a bigger part than now.

    I think specializing is what should come after licensure. The CPA exam should indicate you have the minimum knowledge necessary. So I disagree that AUD should be optional.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: Can’t Get Work Experiance #2848992
    Mercenary
    Participant

    My situation is a bit different than most.
    I've been working in a totally unrelated field for several years now. After graduating I worked in a government position for a little over three years and then went abroad to study for a couple years. Well that couple years turned into 8.5 years now, and the work I've done has nothing to do with business or accounting. I wanted to get back into accounting though and that's why I decided to finally pursue the CPA. I wanted it done before I return to the states. I'm quite concerned about getting a job at all. So now I'm studying for the CMA as well. Beyond that, I'm not sure what to do.

    I originally was completely opposed to the idea of working for larger firms as I hated the idea of those ridiculously inhuman hours they require. But at least for that first year back I'll go with anything I can get. Although oddly, those same large firms seem to be insanely competitive. People dying to work 100 hr weeks for 50k/yr seems odd though. Its like minimum wage at that level.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

    in reply to: Anyone waiting on the CMA 12/10/19 Score Release? #2844096
    Mercenary
    Participant

    How are the essays on the actual exam? I am using Gleim and the essays when I self grade I always miss this or that and so my score is awful. I do fine on the Gleim MCQs so far but I am concerned about the essay question. Seems like you have to know the stuff inside and out. I remember being concerned about BEC WCs but they were simple enough, these practice essays are far more difficult than any WC or Sim from the CPA.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 86
    FAR - 91
    REG - 84
    CMA Part 1 - 420

    CMA Part 2 - June 2020

     

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 46 total)