Discussion:FLUNKED AGAIN!~
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Discussion Forum Index --> Tax Questions --> FLUNKED AGAIN!~
Donniecastleman (talk|edits) said: | 15 November 2007 |
| Life just isn't fair sometimes, I flunked BEC again, making a lower score from studying for 2 months straight than when I just blew through the material in a week and a half back a few months ago. I think I got all of the theory questions right but blew the math when it comes to overhead over and underapplied, any suggestions besides give up and go to flight school? | |
| 15 November 2007 | |
| Convisor Duffy's CPA exam review pulled me through. Others have taken the Becker review and liked that, too. | |
Death&Taxes (talk|edits) said: | 15 November 2007 |
| Sisyphus. | |
Donniecastleman (talk|edits) said: | 15 November 2007 |
| I've taken the Becker review since Newt Becker himself taught the course, not to mention of course that I passed everything already, just not in the same window. | |
TheTinCook (talk|edits) said: | 15 November 2007 |
| Gleim did a good job for me on the EA. Since the CPA exam is their bread and butter, I think it would be good prep. It'd be worth it to buy all the bells and whistles that come with the book for the extra advantage. | |
| 15 November 2007 | |
| If you take another review course, find a buddy to take it with you. If possible, ride to and from it together. While going to and from, joke around, talk about whatever you want, laugh at Newt, etc., but you'll fund you always end up discussing some course materials. Things will be clearer for both of you. On the way home, stop for a beer and go over things either of you may not fully understand. You can also call each other occasionally concerning some issues. Two heads are better than one. Follow this advice without getting drunk too often, and you'll pass. Don't give up and GOOD LUCK!! | |
Donniecastleman (talk|edits) said: | 15 November 2007 |
| Did them all including Bisk, Becker, AIS, and Lambers, Ken Smith was great back in 2001 when I was trying to pass Financial, I think I need to get out of the Multimedia crap and just hole up and do some good ol' hard studying of the textbooks. | |
Donniecastleman (talk|edits) said: | 15 November 2007 |
| Definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and getting the same results. | |
Death&Taxes (talk|edits) said: | 15 November 2007 |
| That is Sisyphus, pushing the stone up the hill. | |
Ksnoopytax (talk|edits) said: | 15 November 2007 |
| I just took the Becker BEC portion. It does an ok review of the material but I have found it isn't near a substitute for just sitting down and learning the material by going through the book and working through questions multiple times. I've heard some people say BEC was easiest section. Not in my opinion. There are way too many topics they can test you on.
My best advice is to take one issue, like variance analysis for example, and just beat it to death, and then move on when you truely understand the concept back and forth. I think many students get caught up in the multitudes of concepts in the BEC section so they review all of them, never really learning any of them well. Then on the exam if you get asked a curveball question about a concept you choke. It takes alot of time but at least you will pass the exam. | |
Taxguy1024 (talk|edits) said: | 15 November 2007 |
| Well....actually........the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again....and expecting different results.....I did Total Tape WAY back when I took the exam..although I've heard good things about the other courses such as Becker and Gleim. I think the buddy idea is a good one...just don't give up on it...you'll get there. | |
| 15 November 2007 | |
| I would strongly suggest Marx CPA review course. I took it and passed all parts at the same time in 1999. | |
TheTinCook (talk|edits) said: | 16 November 2007 |
| Business Enviroment and Concepts | |
| 16 November 2007 | |
| Donnie: It's an 80% mind game at this point. It's time for the hypnotist, mind guru,or the like to get you in the Zone for the next at bat. Like a sports therapist, you know. I'm serious. A highschool buddy of mine is a certified hypnotist, life coach, and is married to a great lady, a psychologist (can you imagine)... I'm pretty skeptical, but my friend has helped me with some techniques that do seem to work. | |
| 16 November 2007 | |
| It's tough when you're working b/c you can't focus all your energy into passing...too bad you can't go on a "sabbatical" for a few months and do nothing but study.
I personally don't know if there's much difference between all the various study guides. I used those Wiley books from Barnes & Nobles and it seemed to work okay. Of course I had all summer long to do nothing else, and read the books for at least 3 hours a day on my own. But I fully agree w/ Crow, much of this is in your mind. Don't go back into that computer room again until you know you can pass. | |
| November 16, 2007 | |
| Oh, it's part of the CPA exam! This section wasn't on the exam when I took the test, but it was longer then.
I took Becker's and did everything they suggested doing -- flash cards, the Saturday classes, reading and lots and lots of questions. Studying for the exam was like having a part-time job, and I think the variety of methods of study really helped. I worked at a local CPA firm at the time, and I think that also helped. I know you said you took Becker's, but did you do as they suggested? I think that's the key. | |
Donniecastleman (talk|edits) said: | 16 November 2007 |
| I'm doing everything, and got a lower score when I combined study courses, but I'm studying right now for audit again, surely I can pass it from passing before, but there's this dark cloud, oh never mind, back to studying! | |
| 16 November 2007 | |
| I agree with CrowJD. Something's up, and if it were me I would shake things up so that I could approach the work with a fresh attitude, do something different, allow me to believe that something changed so that I wasn't living the defn of insanity. | |
| 16 November 2007 | |
| This is a good discussion for all of us that are beyond our college years ... and for me ... well beyond! Towards the end of my working career, I found it was necessary to get several certifications (Six Sigma DMAIC DMEDI and EA). I found my learning style had changed! I could no longer sit and read a couple hundred pages of dry material and retain it. I had become an audio visual learner because of all the meetings in my life … needed a lecturer (live or video) and Powerpoint presentation with handouts! Much of the material that I saw for EA was oriented towards the learning style of recent college graduates ... much reading and much repeated testing.
Snowbird 13:27, 16 November 2007 (CST) | |
| 16 November 2007 | |
| I used Gleim, especially the software and the book. Just keep doing the problems until they are ingrained in your mind. Try and memorize the few formula's that are the most important and take your time with each question. And don't give up. I missed Audit the second time by one point. Waiting 3 months to find out that 6 weeks of study was shot down in flames by one point was hard to take but next time I just have to be one point better than the last time. Good luck. | |
| 16 November 2007 | |
| Interesting point about learning methods Snowbird. I've found that I cannot learn from the on-line sources, or the cd-roms. When I learn it the first time, I still need a book, or paper. Once I know it, the disk or database is wonderful, and I'm comfortable navigating around. I think that means I'm in trouble, because the law (and the tax law) change so often, that they are perfect for the digital method. No one is going to print books, or I'll pay a fortune for them. | |
Vermontcpa (talk|edits) said: | 17 November 2007 |
| I studied for exam using Becker back in 2003 when it was not computerized.. passed all 4 parts first time using becker system. | |
| 17 November 2007 | |
| I used gleim for all four parts (old paper & pencil test). I did not study hard the first time around. Scores for law, audit, lpr, and far were 77, 82, 68, 49. For those who took the old exam you know my pain for getting the 49. It meant I lost the partial credits in audit and in law. The second time I actually studied pretty hard for three months and my scores were 82, 85, 77, 69. I then got a 79 on the third try. So I believe in Gleim, it was the only study aid I used and I only bought the books. So stick with it. | |
| 18 November 2007 | |
| Interesting - I took both the CFP and EA exams in my 50's and was able to pass by some stroke of luck. I found for myself that a live course gave me the best results, which is a change. Earlier in my life it was just as effective to sit and just go over the material repeatedly. Do brain cells change as you grow older or are they just lost? | |
| 18 November 2007 | |
| I took the EA exam in my 40s, took the Tax Court and CPA exams in my 50s. Used the same method for all - books. However, I also used computer and on-line materials for the CPA exam. Brain cells haven't seemed to change - yet :) | |
TheTinCook (talk|edits) said: | 18 November 2007 |
| How hard was the tax court exam?
I think I may want to do that at the next cycle. Do they still only offer it every two years? | |
| 18 November 2007 | |
| The TC exam was the most difficult of the three. Avg pass rate is approx. 7-10%. It is still given every two years. Next exam will be Oct/Nov 2008. | |
| 18 November 2007 | |
| ThinkTax
Brain cells haven't seemed to change - yet :) I think my brain cells rolled over around the thousandth PowerPoint presentation! We use to call "death by PowerPoint." | |
| 18 November 2007 | |
| Snowbird - I think my brain cells rolled over around the thousandth PowerPoint presentation! We use to call "death by PowerPoint."
Mine would have rolled over a lot sooner than that with PP! | |
