NJSCPA Exam Cram Blog

How about this?

I received 74 in FAR in May and I shared some ‘rants’ with other colleagues with similar if not the same score (No problem. I went back to study the same day! Talk about determination.)

I am positive and trying to see the bright side of the matter in almost every circumstance. However, my last experience left me somehow feeling ‘blue’. It’s still bugging my heart.

I received an invitation for an interview in a prestigious CPA firm in Manhattan.

You can’t imagine the excitement. OVER THE ROOF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For the record: it is a couple of years that I am collecting:

• “Nice interview. - We will call you! (Never happened!)
• “Impressive resume! Let me see what I can do for you. (Nothing!)
• …And so on and so forth!

By the way: I had to take a day off (unpaid) from my current accounting-unrelated-but-so-much-needed-job and commute a couple of hours, from the Jersey Shore to Manhattan. Finally, the day arrived. WOW. I was among the gods of accounting (Expression borrowed from Edward Adiele – Thanks Ed). Here we go, this is the point. After a nice and polite introduction, the owner of the firm said: “WE ARE NOT HIRING!”

What would you have done?

Would you have stayed and continued for a hope in the near future? Would you have politely thanked them for the punch in the stomach and quietly left for the regular job so at least you can put food on the table for the family for the next day? Or what else?

I stayed. It was too late to go back to work. I thought that maybe… in the future… well, at least I was in. I mean, I was sitting inside a CPA firm. Guys, for me, it felt to be in heaven. I was taking it all in.

In the end, I can hang all the medals I want on my chest (Nice GPA, REG, FAR, …) but without a real accounting job they are just pieces of paper.

Now, BACK TO STUDY, FAR test (again!) is less than 2 weeks.

 

Stay tuned for more.

 

Claudio B.

No dice ... again?!#$%&*!!!

Hey everyone!  Let me start off by apologizing for not posting in over a month.  To be completely honest I have been dreading this post and you will soon know why.

So the last time I posted I had just sat for FAR and I felt pretty good about it, knew I wasn't going to get a 99 or anything, but wasn't stressing out over it.  So a few weeks later I'm at work on the score release date and I think, "Ah, what the heck why not just check it now?"  Big mistake!  I did not pass ... with a 74?!?!?!?!  Really people (aka CPA exam graders)?!  So now I have collectively not passed the entire CPA exam by 3 lousy points.  Here is a recap of my scores:

REG 91
BEC 85
AUD 73
FAR 74 

Obviously someone has been falling off the band wagon. LOL, but I actually did study about 60 hours for FAR.  Opinions vary, but most people say if you put in 100 hours you're golden.  It's just so hard to find the time.  This time around, however, I am not rushing myself.  Last time I signed up for all 4 exams and I've learned my lesson.  Now I'm registering one at a time and still sticking to my goal of finishing before the end of 2012.

I'm sure there are so many people out there in my same predicament, feeling stressed out and wishing this was all over already.  But, for those of you who are still in school or haven't sat for the exams yet there is a lot to be learned from a failure.  First, the test makers are at least nice (<<< I'm being nice by giving them this much credit) enough to give you a break down of where your strengths and weaknesses lie.  Both times my weakness was in multiple choice and my strength was in simulations.  Go figure since I always feel like I bomb the sims.  Secondly, now that I've sat for the exams I know what to expect and what areas and types of questions are heavily tested, although do keep in mind each test is different.  Finally, and this is the hardest one, JUST SAY NO.  Say no to that Friday night movie you want to see, say no to the beach on Saturday, say no to volleyball or knitting or happy hour or whatever else you get invited to after work.  It sucks, it really really does.  Buuut, if I would have started doing that in April and not the end of June, I'd be able to enjoy most of my summer weekends instead of stressing over this exam.  So do it now and think of all the fun stuff you can do once you're a CPA and buy your first SLK500 convertible or whatever the Becker guy says you should buy.

Well that is my rant for the week.  Anyone else have a CPA horror story?  Ohh, and I know I have said this before, but utilize mobile apps!!  CPAReviewForFree just came out with great apps for all 4 parts and they are only $10 a pop!  I believe most firms will pay for them, too! 600 questions with very thorough answers for ten bucks?  Luckily it's not too good to be true because it's still a nerdy study app.

Well kids, watch out for me at your local DQ this summer; I might have to get a weekend job scooping ice cream to help defray the $500 cost of retaking two exams.  Your parents will rightfully shake their heads and say, "See why you should study, you don't want to end up like her."

All in good fun,
Alyssa 

It's Crunch Time!

With just under two-and-a-half weeks left until my Audit exam and a half of a chapter left of Becker review material, I have officially entered crunch-time mode. I am feeling a little uneasy about this test, not because I think that I am unprepared, but because I thought I did so well on the exam the first time I took it. If I felt good about the first time and failed, how am I supposed to feel this time around? I'd decided that this was a terrible and pessimistic thought and that I was going to banish it from my brain and fill that available
space with more useful thoughts.

I asked one of my friends, and co-worker, who recently passed the last part of her CPA Exam (lucky duck!), if she had any tips on what to focus on during crunch-time. She gave me some share-worthy advice, which I definitely plan on using. Start, she says, with the sections you feel weakest in. Use the software-provided quizzes and keep taking them until you're scoring in the upper 80's-90's. If you're still feeling weak in a section, re-read the corresponding chapter and go over any notes you may have taken during the course of studying. Lastly, she concludes, flip through the note cards! (I must admit that those pesky Becker note card that I purchased for the outrageous price of around $300 sit seldom used in my coffee table drawer -- time to change that!)

So what have I learned from her wise words of wisdom? Be confident in the topics you think you know and focus on the ones you feel less than comfortable with. I'll be applying this final crunch-time strategy starting next week -- hopefully it helps me score at
least a 75!

Readers: please chime in if you have any particularly effective final review strategies, as I'm sure myself and many others could use them!

Happy Studying,

Lauryn

What is the best way to prepare for the FAR test?

This study routine works for me.  In the morning, really early in the morning , with a pot of fresh brewed coffee, is the perfect time to study.  I can put 2-3 hours in between 4am and 7am.

• First, read each chapter to have an overall understanding of the topic.
• Second, view the lectures on line, follow Roger carefully, his incredible enthusiasm is stimulating, jot down the main points.
• Third, review, correct, and rewrite the notes.
• I do all the MCQs manually from the textbook, adding to my notes hidden points. Then, I review the notes again.
• One more pot of coffee.
• Ultimately, I take the practice test (for FAR: 90 MCQs at time) as many times as possible.

I hope this can be helpful. What works for you?

Stay tuned for more.

Claudio B.

Atlantic City, a Kennedy, and CPA-Envy

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the 2012 NJSCPA Convention in Atlantic City.
Although my invite was slightly last minute, I didn't have a problem throwing half my closet into a suitcase and heading down to A.C. on Wednesday morning (a girl can never have to many options!). While at the convention, I attended a variety of seminars, some more riveting than others. Most memorable of the bunch being Edie Wiener and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. -- both of whom, I cannot decide, are either absolutely brilliant or completely off their rockers. Although, I think one has to be a little crazy in order to have big ideas like these two (Edie about the future and Mr. Kennedy about the environment).

Perhaps most important of the things I learned at the convention was about the honor that comes with having the designation "CPA." I know this because I do not yet have this designation, as you all know, and I couldn't help but think of how nice it would have been to not have had to explain, while networking, that I was not yet a CPA but studying. This feeling was definitely a kick in the pants for me as it forced me to come home Friday and diligently study for the entire weekend.

Over the past week, since I've last posted, the thought of being a CPA has definitely kept me going, study-wise, and I believe it will carry me through the summer. As more and more co-workers in my office pass, I find myself taking the exam more seriously than I probably ever had before. Who says a little competition isn't healthy? With that thought, I hope to begin chapter 5 this weekend, as my test is 23 short days away! Here's to keeping focused.

Happy studies!

Lauryn

Networking is key

Hey Jersey,

So I have always believed that networking is key to success and have attended many events, but after attending the NJSCPA Convention in Atlantic City last week it was clear. Being able to mingle and talk to others in your profession is an unbelievable way to gain ideas and share stories on your successes and more importantly your failures. Hearing and sharing these experiences were most definitely the best experiences I have been a part of. In short, get out there and network. You never know what you are going to learn.

@$%#!!! For 1 point!

How mad would you be if you received 74 on FAR?

Right! For only 1 stinking point I failed.

 

Claudio B.

…and now, let’s wait!

I took the FAR part the other day and now I am waiting for my score. Let’s review it together, shall we?!?!?!

As we all know the test is brutal and the feeling is overwhelming. When you come out from the testing center the normal reaction is: “WOW! Was that even English?”

You can make all the speculations you want about the possible outcomes, but you will never know what exactly went wrong, or right.

Let me give you just a few pearls of wisdom/advice:

• READ THE QUESTIONS VERY CAREFULLY!!!
• Most mistakes are done because we ASSUME the answer. For instance a simple ‘s’ for “products instead of product” can change the way we calculate the R&D.
• Do not eat carbs or sugars for breakfast. You don’t want to fall asleep or have a ‘foggy’ brain during the test.
• Drink as little as possible before the test. It is better to save every precious minute you have for the test. Believe me, for FAR 4 hours went so fast that I wished to have more time available.

At the end, if the result is positive: celebrate! It’s all deserved! If it is negative: well, it’s understandable to feel disappointed but, back to study! After all there are 18 months available for a reason, right?

Stay tuned for more.

Claudio B.

Needing a Vacation from Vacation

Do you ever feel like you need a vacation from your vacation? That's how I felt about this past Memorial Day Weekend. Studying went just as I had expected -- I was able to accomplish a good amount of questions but not nearly as much as I had hoped. I can't say that I'm surprised. With a cousin's confirmation, a golf lesson, a family BBQ and a night spent with friends from out of town, studying in itself was an accomplishment. However, I think I did a good job at getting my questions done at the most opportune times. For instance, I am a morning person so, if I know I have a busy day ahead of me, I like to wake up early enough to get in a few hours of studying before the day gets going. Another challenge I'm facing comes hand-in-hand with the summer season. It's hard to be inside studying while the sun taunts you from out the window. To remedy this, I've been studying while sitting on my deck, accompanied by a glass of iced tea and my dog, Henry. This way, I feel as though I'm outside and not missing out on a beautiful day. I don't mind studying if I'm doing it in a pleasant and comfortable environment. I plan on using the upcoming comparably empty weekend to finish off chapter three of my review questions. If I do well enough, maybe I'll even be able to sneak in a little Vitamin D time by the pool.