NJSCPA Exam Cram Blog

Happy New Year!!!

Hello Everyone,

I wish you all a happy new year; may all your dreams come true as you wish this year. I wrote Regulation this morning, and getting ready to re-do Audit on the 24th of this month. I also have busy season ahead of me.

I am jam packed this month, but I promise to keep posting, and keeping you all up to date with my progress.

For all those writing the CPA this window, I wish all the best. I also want to congratulate my fellow blogger Ryan for a great job of crushing Regulation, Congrats and good luck with Audit.

Cheers!!

Ed. Adiele

A BIG sigh of relief, but more challenges await

Happy holidays to all!!!!

I hope that you are all enjoying the holiday season while finding some quality time to study as well.  I received some awesome news last week.....I passed REG!!!!!!  Wooo-hooo!  That was the best Christmas present I could have asked for.

Don't get too excited, though.  Although I have been trying to study as much as possible the past several weeks, I have been falling way behind in preparing for AUD.  Between work, holiday parties, last minute Christmas shopping, and spending time with family and friends, I have managed to dig myself into a deep hole.  I am way off my studying goals for this section (AUD), but I will keep working hard. 

I have been reading through the lectures and practicing the multiple choice.  I decided to not work through the simulations since I felt that they provided me with little benefit for my previous two exams.  These next 12 days will be hectic, but I have no choice.  My goal is to wrap things up by next Thursday and then do an intensive mini-review.  My exam is scheduled for January 11th.  Wish me luck!!!

I hope everyone is working hard, receiving good news, and feeling comfortable about upcoming exams.  Don't lose your motivation!

Best wishes for happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!

Ryan

"Patiently" waiting

Hi everyone,

I hope you have been doing well and studying hard.  I am still waiting for my score on REG; I took it on November 30.  Has anyone else received wave 2 scores from the last test window????

I am still going through AUD and trying to get through as much as I can before the fast-approaching Christmas weekend.

As soon as I get my score back, I will let you know!

Have a nice weekend!

Ryan

Post-REG....On to AUD

Hi everyone,

I hope you had a nice holiday.  I spent my Thanksgiving weekend studying and then I took my exam on Monday, November 30th.

REG was tough; especially the simulations, in my opinion.  Memorization was key and reviewing the multiple choice over and over again proved to be more than worthwhile.  I felt that the exam was definitely possible and maybe a little bit easier than FAR, but still, I did not leave with a good feeling.  There is nothing I can do to boost my score at this point, though, so now it's on to AUD.

I did not start AUD yet because I was at a Governmental Accounting Conference at Rutgers yesterday.  The rest of this week I will devote to wrapping things up for my last masters course (Forensic Accounting); I will take my final exam on Friday or Saturday. 

Once my masters course is completed, I will attack AUD with vigor. Progress updates to come...

Keep working  hard.  This is an "off" month, which means we should all be studying our tails off.  Forget about the holidays, they'll be back next year.  Let's do it.

Cheers!

Ryan

74....Really hurts

First of all, a big congrats to our fellow blogger Ryan for sending FARE to its grave...My story is a case where one point can send you back to the drawing board. I can now feel Kunal's pain when he scored a 74, but its all good. I am back to working at it again and that's the spirit.

So, I am super busy with work now, and would update you all very soon

Cheers!

Ed.

I Passed!

Hi everyone,

I got my score back for FAR, which I took on October 9th, yesterday--I passed!  I got an 81.

No time to celebrate, though.  I still am going through REG which I will take in about a week and a half (November 30th).  Receiving a passing score was good to keep me motivated, though.  At least I now know that my study strategy is working.  Again, I read all the lectures and complete the multiple choice and simulations as I go.  Then I go through the multiple choice again while I skim the chapters.  Finally, I take the practice Final Exams.

I'll let you know how REG goes.  Keep working hard and good luck to all.  Have a happy Thanksgiving! :-)

Best wishes,
Ryan

Wrapping things up for the final review

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all studying hard and staying positive--there is a light at the end of the tunnel! 

Jen  - welcome to the blog and good luck with your career at PwC.

Ed - congrats on your first two weeks with Deloitte; keep us updated on how you are handling the work/life/study balance.

Kunal - good luck and keep working hard!  I am taking REG on the 30th.

This weekend and next week I am planning on getting through the rest of the REG material.  It may be tough, but I have to do it.  I have Board Meetings next week at work, which does not make studying any easier.  At least there will not be any papers due, though.

I am hoping that next Saturday I can begin my nine day CPA Exam Cram Review.  I will take the exam on the 30th of November.  The upcoming holiday just days before my exam could be a good thing or a bad thing....

My strategy is to read the chapters thoroughly and then take my time with the multiple choice.  For review, I think I will just skim the chapters and devote most of my time to reviewing multiple choice.

Keep working hard.  Scores should be coming out soon, so let us keep our fingers crossed!  Good luck to anyone taking a part in the coming weeks!

Best wishes,

Ryan

Half way there...

Hi everyone,

I hope all is well and that your studies are moving along nicely.  Work has been hectic as of late with important projects facing tight deadlines.  As such, it has been increasingly challenging to get my studying in, but I have been fighting to stay focused to do so. I now am working through the third of seven lectures for Regulation.  Although I thought REG would be challenging for me since I am not particularly interested or experienced in tax, I am finding the Becker material to be sufficient.  I actually am moving through the material fairly well....that is, when I have time to study.

I also have been trying to squeeze in time to complete my Masters coursework.  I have found that the only way I can do this is to dedicate time, in advance, for studying and school work.  During this time I close all programs on my computer except Becker and I ignore my phone (which is not easy!). 

With Regulation I have found the multiple choice questions to be the most useful in learning the material.  My plan is to move more quickly through the remaining lectures and then spend a great deal of time going through the multiple choice until my eyes fall out of my head, haha.

I'll keep you updated on my progress.  Good luck to all of you with exams approaching (I have until November 30th).  And keep working hard, but don't forget to have some fun too!  Admittedly, I am guilty of losing focus when it comes to friends.

Ed, I hope your first week at Deloitte exceeds your expectations!

Until next time....

Best,

Ryan 

Quick Update....(BEC- rescheduled, Deloitte start date)

Hello Everyone,

I rescheduled BEC at the last minute, I did not feel too comfortable from the practice questions I took. I really want to maximize this window, and do my best. I could have done it with the attitude of "well I can always retake the exam" but I looked at "cost and time" it would cost me $59+ to reschedule and more to re-take the exam. I would loose out on this window, and have to wait for next year, and all who are in public accounting know that the beginning of the year is hectic.

For those who have used Becker to take BEC, I need your advice my weak areas are chapters 3 and 5, I average 60-65% when I take them, it has a lot of cramming involved so I need your advice???

Yea....Work officially starts on Monday, I would be an official employee of Deloitte....some would say "what's wrong with this guy, he does not know what he is getting into???" well, for one I am excited to have a job in this tough times, and two, I am going in there with a great attitude that I would succeed. Nothing in life comes easy, you just have to work hard and sacrifice. The CPA exams is one great example. My philosophy is simple, "some people have worked in public accounting and are successful" how did they do it?????? and all I get is sacrifice and endurance and hard work which is fair game....

I took two exams this month (REG & AUDIT) and have scheduled BEC for November 17th at 7pm. FARE is my last part, and I would do it in early January before things start getting hot at work.

Okayyyyy, I wish everyone the best, and please practice questions as much as you can it pays off.

cheers!!!

Ed. Adiele (CPA-Unearned yet)

Worky work, busy bee!

Hi everyone,

I hope your studies are going well.  I've been working hard--starting to feel bogged down with work, CPA studying, and my masters course.  Thankfully, I've been moving through the REG material at an acceptable speed.  I just hope I'm retaining it well.  Hopefully this weekend I can put in some solid hours of studying.

I've been staying at the office late the past couple of weeks because of some deadlines I have approaching on my projects.  I found that the best way to get my studying in is to just get to the office early before everyone else.  This way, I can study REG while I'm "fresh" and before I have to even think about work.

Good luck and keep working hard! 

Best wishes,

Ryan