NJSCPA Exam Cram Blog

The waiting begins...

Hi All,

First I'd like to congratulate fellow bloggers Megan, Jerry, and Patrick.

It's been a while since my last post, but to recap:

I'm a senior at Deloitte, and I passed my final part of the CPA exam last March.  Since passing, I've been moving from one client to the next between busy seasons.  I finally was able to find time to go over my experience and fill out the form for Licensure.  The state of NJ requires a year of experience (which fortunately includes Tax work).  The other major requirement is the 150 credits.  I graduated Rutgers University with 151, so no need to take additional courses. 

With everything submitted, I'm now going to await some good news.

Congrats to those that passed, and for those that didn't, keep your head up and keep at it.  I had the same struggles, and in the end, it pays off.

Kunal

Tips For Passing AUD

Good afternoon friends,

It’s been about four days since I received word that I passed AUD and I’ve already moved forward hoping that my success will not impede my studying for REG. I took Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off and just enjoyed some time with friends and family to help reenergize me.

As promised, here are some tips on how to study and prepare for Audit…

1. Memorize – So far, from studying for AUD, REG, and FAR, AUD has definitely stood out as being the section for memorization and textbook knowledge. There isn’t much (if any) “math” on this exam, so all of your knowledge is going to need to come from your review book and notecards! The key is to keep on top of your textbook studying. Go to review class (or complete a lecture online/self-study) and then the day following, get back into your textbook to review and make your notecards!

TRICK: If you haven’t read my tips and tricks for studying FAR, take a look at tip #2 “Study from notecards!” (http://njscpa.typepad.com/examcram/2010/08/some-tips-and-tricks-for-studying-far.html) This is will definitely help in your notecard preparation!

2. Organize your studying – Organize and plan your final review over 16 days, studying approximately 2 hours (one hour to study notecards and another for doing homework problems). If you put in between 28-32 honest and committed hours of studying just before your exam, you will pass. Turn off your internet and television and just focus for 2 short hours a day.

3. Work multiple choice questions as least twice – The amount of knowledge included in the AUD section is probably the least of the 4 exams, so the examiners can really only ask certain questions in X-number of ways. By taking full advantage of homework and sample final exam questions, you will be able to see just how examiners can ask particular questions.


I truly believe that the key to Audit is memorization so to say work the homework problems three or more times would, in my opinion, be a waste of your time. If you know your notecards and feel confident in the material, you WILL PASS! Remember, this is coming from a “tax” guy. I only had one audit class in college and no experience in the field, so passing this exam is attainable.

TRICK: If you remember to “MOW” – memorize, organize, and work - you will pass the Audit section of the CPA exam!

Good luck everyone. Let me know if you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer!

Warmest,
Jerry

Congrats to Patrick, Megan, Jerry

Hello Everyone,

This post is dedicated to my fellow bloggers, for passing their exams. It is a passing season. I just want to encourage everyone that did not make it. I have been there and know how it feels. Just keep on trying, and one day you would pass.

I am currently, out of the country in Africa [Nigeria] attending my sisters wedding, and it feels good blogging away from home. I have been having a lot of fun out here, and going back to the states next week and back to work.

I am studying for my exam in the next two months, but going back to work would be very hectic for me. I have 2 quarterly reviews for 2 clients, and interim work in November [fun stuff], but in all I am studying hard, and learning from my mistakes everyday.

Finally to my good friend Missy, Keep taking it, I feel your pain, you can do it...the dividends would soon start paying off, keep your head up, and congrats for putting in a great effort on your first attempt. Your very close and would be fine on your next attempt

Cheers everyone, and you all are on your way to passing your CPA, "believe it"

Ed.

Procrastinating...

Hi Everyone - I hope all is well!

I don't know about everyone else, but it's been really difficult for me to focus on studying.  Just the other day, I finally finished the R7 lecture and finished all the MC.  Now I'm on my second round of reading, reviewing, and reworking the MC, but find it very difficult to focus!  If you're like me, then you know how it feels.  You tell yourself "I have to study," but then you wind up running errands, watching TV, surfing the web, exercising, and just about anything else to avoid studying.  I'm even writing this blog right now to avoid studying (I have the book opened up to R2 page 3 right now - haha).

I feel like it helps when you make reasonable goals for yourself.  I tell myself each day what I need to get done, what I'd like to get done, and schedule each day accordingly.  For example, my goal for today is to review R2 and rework all the MC for R2.  In my head, that's what I need to get done.  What I'd like to get done is R2 and R3, but I know that I have my little cousin's birthday party at 5pm.  I plan on reading one topic, working that topic's MC, take a 20-30 minute break, and then move on to the next topic.

I know this was a random rant, but I would like to hear how you guys are studying for the exam and if you guys have any pointers for me.  Until next time, good luck studying and I hope to hear more success stories!

-Patrick

Change of Plans

Hey everyone.  So unfortunately, I found out this morning that I failed AUD with a 74 (and for those of you keeping track I failed FAR with a 73).  It's really disappointing to know that I was only 1 point away from passing the exam, especially since I felt pretty good about this one.  But after my hour of depression, I decided to drastically change my exam plans to cater to what I think is the best option for me.  The original plan: Took FAR and AUD, REG was scheduled for 10/14 and BEC for 11/16.  As we all know, the exam is changing effective 2011 and the advice from all of our instructors is "if you have to push an exam into 2011, it should be REG because it's really not changing."  So I did just that and canceled my REG exam.  I am now switching my focus back to AUD for the next 2 1/2 weeks in hopes to take it on 10/14 instead.  Immediately after, I will use the becker online lectures to self-study for BEC instead of going to the classes like I have been.  BEC is now re-scheduled for 11/5.  And that will then give me 3 full weeks to review FAR in order to retake that on 11/29.  As you can see, it is a pretty insane schedule (especially when you factor in grad classes and full-time work starting Nov 1st).  But seeing as I'm not really working right now, I am going to utilize my days to get some serious studying in.  In my eyes, I at least want to give FAR and AUD another shot before 2011 and I mine as well give BEC a go as well before that changes.  We will see if having taken the exams already once maybe makes a difference.  I'm not far off with my 73 and 74 so hopefully these next tries will put me over that little hump I can't seem to conquer.  Congrats to all that have passed, it is a wonderful accomplishment and keep up the hard work.  Now I have to go study for my midterm tomorrow :/  Have a good weekend everyone!

Missy

Passed Audit! What a way to start my weekend!

Hello everyone!

I am overjoyed to report that I successfully passed my Audit exam!

This week has been a bit stressful. I had a lot going on and I was very anxious to receive my score. The first batch of AUD scores was released on Monday and mine was not part of that release so I started to get very concerned. I didn’t know any past exam-takers that received scores in a later release that passed, so these past 3 days were very stressful, to say the least.

I was checking out www.another71.com for updates…

[As a side note, if you haven’t checked out the site, do it. It’s fantastic! Jeff Elliott, CPA is a blogger that posts terrific and valuable information about the exam and score releases on a very constant basis. Find another71.com’s page on Facebook and “Like” it; then you can get the updates right there on your feed. Believe me, if news is out about the exam, he knows and posts it on Facebook immediately!]

…so anyway. I was checking the another71’s page for other comments about score releases and when I heard that tonight was the big night, I braced myself for the worst. Thankfully, tonight ended on a high note and I can enjoy my weekend!

I’ll be posting some different tips & tricks that I used for studying Audit in the next couple days – so be on the look out!

Have a terrific Friday everyone!

-Jerry

p.s. Congratulations to my fellow bloggers, Megan & Patrick! Another step closer, my friends…

2 down 2 more to go!

Hi everyone! Just watned to give an update on how everything in the CPA Exam world is going... I passed AUD!! I am so very relieved! But it doesn't stop there, moving on to REG. I feel like REG is going to be a struggle for me because I have not really been exposed to taxes except 2 classes in college.  It is getting hard to find time to study because I am also in my last semester of grad school as well as working a few days a week.  There is no time for relaxation or well... a life! Well good luck studying everyone! If you have any tips for Reg please let me know :)

Megan

Bring It On

Hello everyone.  A little update on how things are going: last week started my last graduate semester at Fairleigh Dickinson University.  So on top of studying for REG, I have some added homework, reading, and studying to do.  So far it's not completely nuts, but I still have to focus on passing the exam as well as passing my classes.  We also had our R4 class for becker last week and it was a long one.  Almost every class we've had so far has run over by 30 minutes.  After a long day of working or studying, all the info. from my 4.5 hour class doesn't exactly stick into my brain.  I'm usually a big advocate of just doing question after question but I am finding now that I need to review the material again to get a better understanding before I tackle the questions.  Also, my two of my good friends got married this past weekend so I was in Staten Island celebrating Friday to Saturday.  So today will consist of me finishing my homework for my International Business class this evening, as well as finishing the questions from R3 and starting the questions from R4.  At this point, I'm so use to having 7 things on my plate at once that I just push through and get ready for the next.  Everyone keep their studying on track.  Also, look for some scores to come out this week so keep us updated with any news!

Missy

I PASSED BEC!!

I am so ecstatic right now! I just checked NASBA and finally received my score back and I passed BEC!!  I can finally relax and put the Becker BEC book on a shelf and let it gather dust and turn yellow - haha.  These past three weeks have been weeks of me completely worrying about how I did.  On the other hand, due to my anxieties, I have been studying about 8 hours a day and it has kicked my butt into gear.

Okay, enough of me ranting.  I hope that your studies have been going well and hope to hear good news from everyone as well.  It is time for me to put my head back into REG 5.

Best wishes,

Patrick

 

Study study study

Hi everyone!  Just wanted to update you guys about what's been going on.  As of right now, I have been self-studying for REG and taking Live classes for FAR.  I must say, I am having a lot of difficulties with some of the REG MC questions.  I think I am doing relatively well with some lectures, but then there are also other lectures such as R1 (Individual Taxation) where I am doing very poorly.  I find myself rushing through problems and getting more and more discouraged as I see an incorrect answer and forgetting about an exception or a rule.

Ultimately, if I take my time and continue to drill in all the information, I will be ready for my REG exam.  I also find it helpful to re-watch lectures and doing MC questions shortly after watching them.  In the end, it's only 7 lectures and I have about 3 1/2 weeks left.  I'll keep you guys updated!

Good luck studying and cheers!

-Patrick