Took FAR for the first time, how do you guys manage this wait???? …… every second is pain.

I can’t study for the next section in case I fail….. but I can’t review much more before going postal

These are just my thoughts on how similar the Becker MCQs and TBS are in comparison to the actual exam:

1) MCQs - The MCQs in the exam were mostly similar to Becker, sometimes even easier. I would say that the Becker MCQs are great as the only study material for FAR.

2) TBS - The exam TBS were 10,000 times harder than the Becker TBS. They are extremely lengthy, 5 of the 7 TBS I got in the exams had more than 5 attachments to go through. I felt like I was drowning in the TBS. The Becker TBS are extremely easy when compared to the exam TBS. I don't think that the Becker TBS provides the required complexity that appears in the exam TBS.

Needless to say, I came out of the exam defeated and felt like I was on verge of tears. My results come out on 10 November and I hope I pass based on the MCQs🥲

Coming from someone who passed all four sections in 9 months:

1. FAR - AUD - REG - TCP

2. REG - TCP - FAR - AUD

3. FAR - AUD - ISC - REG

4. REG - FAR - AUD - ISC

Quick shortcuts:

1. I would HIGHLY recommend to take AUD right after FAR. FAR deals with understanding the financial statements, AUD deals with ways to fix them. You can’t fix errors without understanding what the errors are in the first place.

   1. Taking REG after FAR isn’t as important as AUD because tax accounting is so different from GAAP accounting. The only way I could see this order helping is with book/tax differences and M-1/M-3 reconciliations but that’s about it.
   2. Your discipline section and order matters heavily. Make your life easy. Take either ISC or TCP. Take ISC after AUD, take TCP after REG. This should be self-explanatory. Nobody cares if you took BAR and unnecessarily subjected yourself to a 40% pass rate. Of course however, if you love a challenge and more complex calculations then go for it!
   3. Do you suffer from test anxiety? If you do, knock out the ones you know you can pass easier first and leave the harder ones for the end. As a tax guy and someone who isn’t a naturally gifted test taker, I took REG and TCP first and I’m very glad I did. It gave me the confidence to do FAR and AUD at the end and pass on my first try. If you have no problems with confidence, then I would say starting with FAR is the clearest choice here.

Best of luck to everyone studying!

Dont know why but I find women who have CPAs so much more attractive. Im assuming it's because I know they went through the same process and the title shows that they are a resilient character. Who else can relate? Sorry I know this post isnt about the CPA exams

I decided to study for the CPA after a year of graduating. I started 1.5 months ago. I was so stoked in the beginning. Left my ft job to part time so I can focus on studying for the CPA full time, literally 40+ hours a week. I’ve learned all about REG and I’m ready to test next month but now I have no energy and motivation. I literally feel like I have not had any fun or know how to have fun anymore. Some days I don’t leave my house at all just to study or even a few days. I feel so out of it and want to throw away my study materials. Some days I refuse to open my computer or my study materials. It’s super depressing.

For those who are doing it full time, I don’t know how yahll are doing it! Props to you!

Please send over good vibes, energy and advice so I can get through this depressing hurdle. 😆

Did anyone feel the MCQs were absolutely brutal? I took the exam on 19th and I just felt devastated coming out of it.

I took my first exam yesterday (FAR). While I think Becker prepared me pretty well for the format and types of questions I was completely unprepared for my computer to crash 3 times during Sims. In all my SE I had at least an hour to spare but for the actual test I was right up against the clock. I know that technically I didn’t lose time as a result of the crashes it was still very disruptive to the flow and I had to recenter and reorient myself each time which cost me valuable minutes on the clock. It crashed twice in testlet 4. I eventually just gave up and moved on since I was falling behind schedule. Then a third time in testlet 5.

Is this sort of technology failure normal? Should I try to build in similar limitations as I practice? Should I be limiting the number of exhibits I have open at once?

I think I will view time differently after I’m finally finished with this thing. Studying for the CPA is definitely a test of discipline that’s for sure. But until then.. I’ll be in my study dungeon 😭😭

Wanted to let everyone know what worked for me hoping it’ll give people some motivation to conquer this beast of an exam.

I originally started roughly 3 or 4 years ago right after college only having my eyes set out on the CPA exams. I even purchased a NTS but never scheduled an exam because I was so afraid of failing. The material as well just wasn’t clicking for me so it just made me feel worse about studying. I ended up just giving up and letting the NTS expire. I attempted studying for a few weeks every now and then since then but always gave up or made excuses to myself like “oh it’s a busy period right now with work”.

About a year and a half ago I left my job in public accounting for a corporate job. The first few months were just so easy compared to public accounting that I thought to myself that now would be the best time to start studying again. Things did end up getting a lot busier in the later parts of my study journey as I established myself at the company.

I originally started with surgent cpa (my college gave it to us for free). This time I studied exclusively using Becker. I felt like some of the things that surgent focused on just weren’t that important now that I look back at some of the topics that scared me to take the exam when I let the NTS expire.

I always studied after work after hitting the gym, it gave me a boost in energy after work. I studied roughly 1-2 hours max a day. I would also schedule my exam the day I first started studying, typically 5-6 weeks of studying for each exam.

I took the exams in the following order:
AUD- Studied roughly 98 hours
REG- Studied roughly 116 hours
ISC- Studied roughly 42 hours
FAR- Studied roughly 113 hours
Passed each exam on the first try and all less than a year. I also took a few months/weeks off in between each exam to recuperate.

I started off with Audit first because I was most familiar with that subject having worked in public accounting for almost 3 years prior to the switch to corporate accounting. I would recommend everyone to honestly study whatever they’re most familiar with first only because starting the process with a win was more important to me than tackling the hardest exam first.

For the first exam I started studying by watching every video, all the sims, and mcq’s (and obviously the simulated exams and mini exams).

Halfway through the second exam I stopped doing the sims immediately until during my review and I stopped watching the videos completely. Additionally, I made sure that after every day I would do a 25 random mcq of everything that I have already previously learned. My goal was to essentially do all the mcq’s for a new section everyday. By the time I finished all the sections I would have roughly 10-14 days remaining for my review. During this period I would increase my study time to 2-3 hours a day depending on how busy I was with work. I would do roughly 100 or more mcq’s a day and really only do tb’s for the simulated exams unless there was a topic I knew was heavily tested then I would do a few practice ones if I could.

I will also note I studied practically everyday during my 4-6 week study windows. For each exam I would only take one day off and it was purely due to exhaustion and I knew that studying that day wouldn’t benefit me at all.

I personally think the exams in terms of material aren’t difficult but it’s purely a test of perseverance and being determined.

Also, something that I changed later in my process as well was actually instead of buying groceries and cooking but doing a meal prep service. Honestly such a time saver and after completing the exams I don’t think I’ll go back to cooking food for a while lol.

Please let me know if you guys have any questions because I feel like I didn’t really hear stories about the cpa exam besides “oh yeah I’m a cpa”. No one really talks about the anxiety/fear one had to get over to even get over to start lol.

TCP tomorrow 10/20, bump needs to come through otherwise I’m toast :/

Is the CPA still worth it if you already make 85-90k annually and have no desire to become partner or an executive? Between working full time and all 4 parts it seems like it would take an insane amount of studying

I already have a Masters in Accounting btw..

I plan on taking AUD the day or two before the 11/15 cutoff date. This will be my 4th time taking. Last time I sat for this was back in June or July so I am a little fuzzy on the info and will be doing a big review the next few weeks.

Any advice/tips would be greatly appreciated! I just started as a tax staff in August, so audit is NOT my strength. I have passed FAR, REG, and TCP already, all on the first attempt too. AUD is the last!

I use Becker and from what I remember, how the questions are asked in the exam are worded differently than Becker, so if you know of another resource that asks the questions in a similar manner to the exam would be appreciated.

Sat for the ISC test today. I arrived 10 minutes late but thankfully the Prometric staff was kind.

I studied for 60 hours but I have a pretty good prior knowledge about IT and SOC reports, and only used Becker. I was ready for the exam since Sunday and thought I’d breeze through the test just like when I did for FAR. TBs were manageable but there was one TB that i had to use logic/common sense as I really had no idea about those… or Becker didn’t teach me those.

MCQs were very challenging. Most questions seem like there are two correct answers. I flagged more than 20 questions but some were just items I wasn’t 100% sure.

I finished the exam with 1 hour left but left the testing center feeling defeated. Praying to get a passing score by December 15. I don’t want to study ISC again plus the agony of waiting is unbearable.

FAR would be my first exam ever. My SE scores are 48% for SE1 and 78% for SE2. I have not yet scheduled my exam. Should I go ahead and schedule my exam? Or should I hammer more questions? I am using becker is it enough?? Please helppp

I’m so nervous. I am lacking confidence but I am scoring well.

Not sure how I feel about this section. I felt more confident with AUD and scored 75.

I feel like ISC is a bunch of random topics. Not sure if I have that depth of knowledge but maybe I’m more ready than I’m giving myself credit for.

SE1 was 81% but bombed TBS. Trying to improve those TBS scores but they’re so weird.

I just need a hug.

Thinking about rescheduling tcp, and this is the first time I’ve seen this error.

Anyway, I don’t know if I’m going to reschedule or not.

Long time lurker. Previous Big4 Senior with industry experience. Recently married 30M living life with unmedicated ADHD. I have seen more success stories here than anywhere else so here's my request. I am planning to sit for FAR in late December or early January. I haven't started studying yet.

My whys, my wife and I want to start a family one day and with this kind of job market, we both are less than optimistic about stability. I am actively applying for jobs and want to study at the same time. My wife has told me to think about just taking the next few months and use our emergency fund to pass the CPA, it's something I am thinking about but am really scared of since

1. It creates a gap in my resume.

2. money going out and not coming in is something I have never dealt it, I grew up with nothing so money going out always had to be less than money coming in.

What are your best tips and tricks for FAR. I am not the type of student who wants to get a 90, I just want that golden 75 like most people.

Would consider myself of average intelligence and not IN LOVE with accounting. I am aiming for a CPA just so I can have it behind my name. I am in no way passionate about audit or tax but this is what the industry is demanding.

What I really struggle with is retaining information and writing notes that will help me. What not taking and study skills have helped you with FAR and the CPA exams in general, this question is more targeted to my fellow unmedicated ADHD people out there.

Took FAR for the first time today and I honestly have no idea how I did- I found myself guessing on some MCQs and ran out of time in the last tb. Is it possible that I still passed even with not being too confident in all the sims and needing to guess on some mcqs? Do they scale scores at all based on difficulty?

Also if I’m unsure on how I did should I continue to study for it as if I failed so I can reschedule asap? Any advice is helpful, thank you!!

I take TCP on Thursday. I scored a 56% on SE1 and a 64% on SE2. No matter how many notes I write about calculations for the basis, nothing is sticking. What should I do? Am I cooked? REG was far easier than this.

Wrote FAR FINAL REVIEW TODAY AND SCORED 73%. HOW WELL PREPPED AM I?

I am currently studying for my TCP exam coming up on October 31st and recently passed REG a month and half ago.

But some of these TCP questions are brutal. There are long TBSs and the MCQ questions also take way longer to get through because of how wordy they are.

Maybe some of the topics just aren't clicking for me? I'm grinding through the MCQ and still feel way less comfortable than the REG portion on Becker.

Sure, TCP may attract more tax specialized people, but shouldn't the high pass rate go down at this point when everyone believes it is supposedly an "easy" exam?

Just got let go. Was not warned or mentioned about any poor performance or work ethic. Offered to work overtime and take a cut in pay. Nothing. Offered any other positions available. Didn’t specify why just said performance wasn’t good enough. Was there nearly a full year for work experience.

Updated the resume. Had already been looking for a while and I just talked to a recruiter who I had talked to recently and she said she had someone interested in meeting with me but wouldn’t be for as much.

Just feeling down about it. Need someone to give me a word of encouragement. I only have REG to pass and have 60 hours for it, but I feel so pissed and hard done by considering what some others were like in that firm. Don’t get it.

They were kind enough to be professional and not nasty and even sent me a signed certification of the hours I worked there towards applying for the cpa which is over the 1600 hours and literally three weeks from a full year in case I needed to get 150 credits.

I’m just so pissed at the whole situation. Tried to log back in and they had already deleted my email account. Don’t get it.

What the fuck should I do.

How similar are isc questions on the exam to the ones in Becker? I’m going through Becker and am scheduled to take isc at the end of the month, and the questions have been pretty straightforward. I’m just wondering if the questions are like that on the actual exam or if these are just simpler. Or maybe I know the information better than I have for previous exams.

I’m transferring from community college to a four year university and am debating between majoring in Accounting and becoming a CPA or completing the prerequisites for pharmacy school and pursuing a PharmD.

My biggest priority is work life balance. I want a career that pays well, has a good job market, and allows me to travel, relocate to different states, and find jobs easily.

For those working in accounting or pharmacy, how is the work life balance really? Which career offers better job security, income, and flexibility? Is pharmacy school worth the extra time and cost compared to accounting?