NJSCPA Exam Cram Blog

Murphy's Law

The universe has this funny way of letting you know that you're really just a pion in the grand scheme of things. Dare to think that you know what's going on in your life or have it planned out in any way and some force somewhere will slap you in the face, laughing.

This happens to me a lot.

Usually it's for the worse but today (for once) it was for the better. Yes, that's right folks, I passed BEC. After my week-and-a-half of doubting myself and creating my Plan E, so to speak, I checked my score at 11-ish this morning to be greeted with a nice 76.

After getting over the initial shock (and verbal outburst that went something like "holy s**t"), I practically skipped over to my mentor's desk to announce the long awaited good news (...and to have her come over to my computer and check my score to make sure that I did, in fact, pass and wasn't delusional).

This experience confirms my belief that none of us really (especially NOT me) have any idea what is going on with this test. I think I pass...and I fail. I KNOW I fail...and I pass! If this were twitter, I would seriously hashtag #wtf (...followed by multiple smileys, of course).

So I am half-way to CPA, as they say. Two down (AUD and BEC), two to go (FAR and REG). For the first time in a long time (maybe even ever), I feel like I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Lauryn

 

Insanity

in·san·i·ty (n) \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\ -- Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

 

There are a lot of things I don’t understand about the CPA exam: why there is a time frame after which parts expire, why I can’t see my incorrect answers after my results are released, what the magical study method is that will allow me to pass this test…

I sat for BEC this past Friday. I do not have my results yet. I am both terrified and excited to get said results as, per usual, I have no idea if I passed or failed. My intuition track record is not so great, as I have taken this test more times than I care to admit and have always had the same general range of feelings about it. How many times can a person do something before going completely bonkers? Did I change my study method? Yes. Did I commit the time? Yes. Did I blah, blah, blah do every other single little thing that I could possibly think of? YES! Did I pass this test? I sure as hell hope so. (Can I say “hell” on here? I don’t know but I just did.)

I’m not sure why I have such a difficult time with this exam – more difficulty than most people, it seems. Honestly, I’ve never really had difficulty with anything in my short 23 (soon to be 24) years of living. Maybe that’s the answer in itself – the big man upstairs decided that I needed a good challenge (not sure if I can talk about that either). All I know is that all I do it work, eat, study, sleep and that there are not one but TWO empty Starbuck’s cups in my garbage can under my desk right now because I am so tired.

After having said all of that and feeling like my life is passing me by along with fun times and missed opportunities  (insert sad emoticon here), the fact remains that I am not a quitter and I’ll be damned if I don’t (eventually) pass this test. I say “eventually” because I am not going to beat myself up if I end up getting less than a 75 come Friday (or Monday or whenever these horror-provoking results are released). Maybe I will pass and this whole rant post will be for nothing. I guess I’ll have to let you know either way.

Lauryn

Cost Measurement

Two weeks of studying down and four to go until the big day. I don’t know how I feel about that. Before yesterday, I felt pretty good about the discovery of my new study method (see my last post), but yesterday I felt discouraged. I could not focus on anything. I got home from work, ate dinner and cracked open the review questions (per my normal routine) to discover that they were going in one ear and out the other. Today will be a lost cause as I have dinner plans directly after work (hey, a girl’s got to eat, right?). However, I have high hopes for Saturday morning. Saturday morning is probably my favorite time of the week. I am an early riser, you see. I tend to get a lot done while the rest of the world is still sleeping or brewing their morning cup of coffee. This includes studying for BEC. Here’s hoping.

The good news of the week is that I think I’ve found my problem area with this part of the exam. According to Wiley, it’s called “cost measurement”. After taking each 30 question quiz, Wiley gives me a report on my overall score and then my score by section. There are about 5 or 6 sections in each quiz (thanks to my method of mixing all of the chapters up), all of which I score decent on except for cost measurement. Must find a way to defeat this…will get back to you on that one.

I really think my new study method is going to work. Before this method, I would take a quiz on one chapter at a time. I think this is kind of a skewed method because you can cleverly get one answer correct because your last question was on the exact same topic. By mixing up the questions, this doesn’t happen. Also, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I keep scoring in the 70% range on my mixed chapter quizzes, which is exactly what I’ve been scoring on my exams. It’s that pesky cost measurement section that’s costing me the extra 5%!!

My game plan from here is to keep doing what I’m doing. I will probably devote a whole week solely to cost measurement. I may even take a few quizzes without including the cost measurement topic to gauge if that's really the hang up. If I score high on the quizzes with cost measurement removed, I can be sure it’s the problem. I will let you know how this goes once I get around to doing it.

In the meantime, if anyone has comments or tips on cost measurement equations, please share!

 

Lauryn

I'm Not Dead Yet

Tax season is officially over and I’m still alive – barely. While many of my colleagues will be happily getting their life back, I will be trading one kind of crazy for another. As of today at 4:30pm, I am officially back in the full-swing of studying for the CPA exam. I had already registered for the May 31^st BEC exam, as I knew that was going to be a highly-coveted day, and as of today I am signed up for the Wiley CPA Test Bank’s BEC section. Between my smorgasbord of Wiley multiple choice questions, Becker flash cards and texts, AICPA released questions, and Another 71 NINJA audio, my study arsenal it impressively stocked. With 7 weeks to go until the exam date, I will be trying a new study method called “mix all the multiple choice questions up and take them in random order.” Nicely named, right? Will the help of some friendly brainstorming, I realized that the exam is not in chapter order so why should I study in chapter order? The answer, I believe, is that I shouldn’t. I’ll let you know how that works out for me in the following 7 weeks. In the meantime, happy studies!

Lauryn

BEC: Round 4?

I have finally got up the courage to register to take BEC again. After almost 3 months of not even thinking about the exam, I've put it back on my radar. I've been SO close with my scores...I just can't let this section defeat me. On one hand, I hate to admit that I am taking BEC for the 4th time. On the other hand, I'm really glad that I haven't thrown in the towel yet. I'm hoping and praying that the 4th time's the charm.

I can't remember if I've mentioned this before, but I will be using the Wiley CPA Test Bank to study for BEC. I believe that I really do know the meat of the test...I just have to do more questions, questions, questions! I'm going to read a bit to refresh my memory, but I don't think that's what's going to be my saving grace. I'm going to focus my energy on multiple choice questions and flashcards and I'm going to mix them up. No more studying one chapter at a time. The test, after all, does not indicate which chapter you're answering questions from.

It is almost impossible for me to study during tax season, but I am going to make the effort. A friend of mine lent me his Another 71 BEC Ninja Audio...which I have been listening to in my car on the way to clients (like I don't have enough accounting in my life already!). I'm also going to do multiple choice questions here and there and carry my flashcards around in my bag.

I know I can kick BEC to the curb. I'm almost excited to take it in May (I know, I am crazy), so send your positive thoughts and/or suggestions my way!

Lauryn

(Hopefully) Happier New Year

It's no secret that I have been majorly slacking in the blog post department as of late. I believe, at the time of my last post, I was waiting for my BEC score. If you'll remember, I scored a 69 on BEC during summer of 2011 and a 70 on it during October 2012, so I thought I could bounce myself over the extra 5 points by studying for a few more weeks and re-taking BEC in November 2012. I received my score some time in December and was greeted by a big, fat 68.

I didn't really understand how that was possible. After basically not studying at all for the test in 2011 (you know, post-college graduation, pre-full-time job stupidity), and studying my a** off for the test in October, I couldn't really fathom how I could receive practically the same score. I was really angry, I think. "Why does it matter if I study or not, then?" I thought. So I decided to put BEC aside and continue on with my plan to take REG in late November.

I failed that one, too. And along with that attempt comes a similar story of how I "barely studied" during the 1st go-around and "studied so much I had no life" during the 2nd go-around and still got virtually the same score. After receiving this "F", I decided to abandon my plans of taking FAR in late January. I had no hope left inside of myself with which to conquer "the Beast".

I believe that leaves us to where I am now: slowly building my confidence back with plans to take my next exam after tax season and most likely some time in May. I am thinking BEC (I know, I'm a masochist -- but aren't we all? Taking this exam?). I figure I will only have a month and a half to study and BEC is the shortest exam, so it just makes sense.

My plan is to give myself a little bit of a breather (...during tax season...oxymoron...) and to read my BEC text whenever I have a spare minute. Nothing crazy, just as a refresher until I start seriously studying in late April.

I am very happy (albeit, rather jealous!) for all of my fellow-bloggers that have had recent success with this exam. I have faith that I, too, will pass this thing. With 3 parts left (BEC, REG and FAR) and 1 part expiring in exactly 1 year (AUD). I really have to get my head on straight and start kicking some exam butt!

Now that you are all caught up, this is where I tell you that suggestions are welcomed, even though I am pretty sure I've tried everything short of hypno-therapy (...although that doesn't sound like too bad of an idea right about now). I hope you will forgive me for my absence.

I'm back.

Lauryn

GOT IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I passed BEC.

Lauryn: GO FLASHCARDS! Never used them before, now for every exam.

Janice: it was nice to meet you the day before the test.

Now: let's celebrateeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Claudio B.

 

First Run at BEC

Well, after about a month of studying for BEC and taking the exam last week, I honestly don't have the slightest clue how I did.  There were some questions that I felt really good with, quite a few that I was a little hesitant with, and a few that I completely guessed on.  I definitely didn't put as much time per chapter as I did for FAR, which would explain my uncertainty.  I'll just have to be patient and wait for the scores to be released in mid-November to know how I did for sure.

This whole study while you work thing is tougher than I was hoping.  Coming home from work to a night full of studying is not the first thing I want to do.  Relaxing on the couch with a beer and maybe a few games of super smash bros. on Gamecube sounds a bit more enticing, but that's just me.  I might have to consider putting a bit more focus into it if I expect to pass the next 3 sections...

BEC done! Finito!

This morning I took the BEC test (first attempt!)

WOW! If you ask me how it went, I would answer……. NOT A CLUE!!!

Let me back up for a moment, because I would like to say something else before.

Last night, the night before the exam, instead of studying all night I went to the NJSCPA job fair. A 30 minute drive became 2 hours during 5pm rush-hour traffic and missing the exit, even with the GPS. Nevertheless, the occasion has been extremely pleasant.

First of all, I finally met Janice. Second, I was like a kid in a candy store, so many future colleagues. It really boosted my enthusiasm on becoming a CPA. Then, the icing on the cake, at the end of the night I met the NJSCPA director, Ralph Thomas. (I was sooo tempted to ask him to take a picture with me and to post it on the NJSCPA magazine – just kidding!)

All in all, it was a very special opportunity.

Many thanks to the society and its organizers.

Now back to my BEC.

Btw: I lost an hour in traffic before Hamilton for roadwork on I-95. I arrived at the center running, sweating, and late. But the attendant was nice; he understood and let me take the exam.

I am confident of my preparation. I studied all those equations, ratios, concepts, and graphs for many hours. However, seated at the testing booth, I was thinking how to come up with the right answer based on my gut feeling more than ever. I had so many difficult questions with calculations, finding the ratios missing data (e.g.: from the ROI result to find the total sale). I knew the material, but the time required for each question brought me overtime.

During the practice tests using the Wiley Test Bank, I was able to finish 72 questions in only 2 hours. This morning I finished the 3 testlets in 2 hrs and 40 min. with only 20 min. left for the 3 writing assignments. I picked 2 out of 3 and tried my best writing down the main ideas for the answers.  

Now let’s wait! Results will be out on Nov. 12^th, a week later being BEC. This weekend is for the deserved rest and then from Monday full speed tackling FAR (AGAIN! – Remember my previous 74?!?!)

Stay tuned for more. Ciao.

Claudio B.

 

 

 

BEC: Part Deux

After finding out I failed BEC with a 70 last month and adding three weeks of additional studying, I sat for the exam a second time yesterday. I took a new approach for studying the second time around.

I didn't want to keep doing the Becker questions from my software because I was afraid that I had memorized a lot of the answers…and that's not really studying. Instead, I did AICPA released questions for BEC for years 2010, 2011 and 2012. These are really great tools to use and, starting in 2011 I believe, Becker provides explanations to the answers FOR FREE! In my opinion, anyone would be a fool not to utilize these because you're pretty much getting study material for zero dollars. (Can't beat that.) Also, another great resource I found is the Wiley CPA Test Bank. If you go to this website, you can register for 24-hours of FREE test bank access to all parts of the exam. I registered the day before my test and used the questions as a final review. The best part is that you don't have to give them your credit card or any other payment method, just your email. I found the questions to be very helpful and I hadn't seen a good amount of them before. I like the setup of the questions because they are all online, so they can be accessed from any computer with a username and password (unlike other review providers for which you must purchase a CD and download onto your computer). I definitely plan on purchasing the Wiley Test Bank for REG. I believe the subscription is around $100 for a full year and access to thousand of questions.

I hope these tips help you all out and I hope they helped me out as much as I think they did! I felt good about my exam…I just hope it's 5 points good and not 3 or 4 points good. I do not need a 74, thank you very much.

In the mean time, I will resume studying for REG, which I plan on taking sometime in November. To my understanding, the release date for my BEC score is November 5th. On the advice of a friend, I will not be looking at my BEC score until after I sit for my REG section. I want to be as motivated as possible for REG and I don't need some score hanging over my head like the black cloud of the CPA exam. After I take REG, I will find out about BEC. If I pass -- that would be awesome and even more motivation for FAR. If I don't pass -- well, at least REG will already be taken care of and I can focus on a new game plan.

Happy Studies!

Lauryn