Cassandra is a new NINJA CPA Blogger.

Early in the year, I deemed 2013 to be “The Year of the CPA.” However, I was wrong (for me, at least). So here’s to 2014! Anyone else with me?

BEC – check.
FAR – check.

So now I’m currently studying to (re)take AUD on January 8th. AUD is actually the first exam that I took, and also the first exam I failed. So AUD and I have a special bond. However, in the past 10+ months, I’ve developed a study plan that seems to work well for me. Here’s a brief overview:

1. I go through the videos and lectures of my review course, then basically make a Reader’s Digest version of my textbook by taking detailed notes on each chapter. (Who has time to go through that whole book more than once?)

2. After I reread those notes several times, I go through and make “Cliffs Notes.” I condense my notes even further, usually to about one page of notes per chapter.

3. I make a study guide for myself. (Remember in school, there was always that one guy who asked the teacher, “Are you gonna give us a study guide for this test?”) In a Word Doc, I basically make a blank short answer test. Then I can print it out and test myself as many times as I need to until I have the mnemonics, formulas, etc. memorized.

Of course, we can’t forget the endless Wiley MCQs. I do MCQs through every step of the process. This study plan worked great for me for both BEC and FAR. The first time I studied for AUD, I didn’t know what I was doing. We never really quite know what we’ve gotten ourselves into on that first exam, right?

Good luck to everyone else on your exams (especially those of you currently studying for AUD; I’m right in there with you).