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re: Anyone taken the CPA exam recently? (BEC)
Posted on 7/7/14 at 9:10 am to PurpleAndGold86
Posted on 7/7/14 at 9:10 am to PurpleAndGold86
I took BEC first because I heard it was the easiest. I wanted to build up some momentum because I know of a lot of people that take FAR first and don't pass it on the first go and then put it off or give up. It worked out well for me.
0
Posted on 7/7/14 at 9:16 am to PurpleAndGold86
quote:
I took FAR first because most people I have talked to said it was the most difficult part for them. It was for me as well. So, I went with the mindset that I want to get the hard one out of the way first since you start losing parts after 18 months after you pass the first one. Figured I could get thru the other 3 in 18 months easier than I could get thru 3 parts that included FAR in 18 months
I chose to take FAR first for the same reason. FAR, AUD, BEC, REG.
Posted on 7/7/14 at 10:13 am to BAMAisDIESEL09
quote:
I chose to take FAR first for the same reason. FAR, AUD, BEC, REG.
That's exactly how I am doing it.
Posted on 7/7/14 at 10:14 am to Boomshockalocka
quote:
So the non-accounting parts are right up your alley? Sure you want to be a CPA?
I'm getting my CPA so I can audit, eff taxes
Posted on 7/7/14 at 10:35 am to Jcorye1
quote:
I'm getting my CPA so I can audit, eff taxes
Hey now!
I love corporate tax, but would have no desire to audit or do public accounting. Actuarial work sounds interesting too.
I didn't want to take the hardest section first, because I knew if I didn't pass, I wouldn't be motivated. I am going to try and take REG at the end of August, giving me about 5 weeks after I take BEC.
How many of you hear "back when we had to take all the parts at once..." acting like this test has somehow gotten easier!
Posted on 7/7/14 at 10:42 am to liz18lsu
quote:
How many of you hear "back when we had to take all the parts at once..." acting like this test has somehow gotten easier!
It is most definitely easier from the standpoint that you can take the 4 parts whenever you feel like it. There is no way taking all 4 parts over a two day span was not more difficult than today's exam format. And that's coming from someone that finished in 2012.
Posted on 7/7/14 at 10:45 am to PurpleAndGold86
It's definitely easier now. Well, maybe the test isn't easier, but it is easier to pass the test. The pass rates are now right at 50% for all 4 sections, a couple years ago they were down closer to 40%.
Posted on 7/7/14 at 10:54 am to liz18lsu
quote:
How many of you hear "back when we had to take all the parts at once..." acting like this test has somehow gotten easier!
If I had a dollar for everytime I heard that, I could just be a book keeper
Posted on 7/7/14 at 12:47 pm to PurpleAndGold86
quote:
Honestly, I thought BEC was, by far and away, the easiest of the 4 sections of the CPA exam.
I finished about a year and a half ago. I passed BEC a couple times without studying for it (but I did have a Masters) and took 6 years to finish school so had a lot of electives.
I thought REG was by far the toughest, but my experience in public on the audit side made AUD and FAR easier than they should've been.
I think I passed BEC 4 or 5 times total and AUD 2 or 3. When I finally committed to studying, I was able to knock out FAR on my 1st serious attempt and REG on my 2nd serious attempt.
But passing the CPA really comes down to will + time commitment + Becker.
quote:
How many of you hear "back when we had to take all the parts at once..." acting like this test has somehow gotten easier!
I've heard it a good bit, but it is a very different test now. The depth of material is much more comprehensive and challenging than it was in the past, but changing the test format from 4 parts in two days twice a year to a computerized test that you can take in pieces as often as you'd like makes it easier to accomplish.
Looking at my certificate number, I'd guess the LCPA has issued about only 30K certificates in total during its existence. That is a testament to what an outstanding accomplishment it is to pass the CPA regarless of how/when you pass.
This post was edited on 7/7/14 at 12:58 pm
Posted on 7/7/14 at 1:01 pm to meldawg399
Why did you pass these sections so many times? Just enjoy taking the tests?
Posted on 7/7/14 at 1:03 pm to POCKET
quote:
Why did you pass these sections so many times? Just enjoy taking the tests?
You know when you pass sections they expire right? Once you pass one section, you only have 18 months complete the rest of the exam. The clock does not reset every time you pass a section.
Posted on 7/7/14 at 1:17 pm to liz18lsu
I took exams back in 2006 and 2007, but we have a lot of staff taking the exams all the time, so I hear their war stories. It doesn't seem like too much has changed.
BEC seems to be a beast when you are studying for it, because BEC is the "other" drawer of the CPA exam. Anything that doesn't neatly fit into one of the other exams gets shoved into BEC. So the CPA exam adage of "the exam is 10 miles wide and 2 inches deep" really kicks in for BEC. You need to know a little bit about a whole bunch of disparate topics.
FAR is a beast because the material is flat complex.
REG and AUD seem to be "easier" I think because there isn't as much material to cover.
As to whether the exam is easier now compared to older days... the pass rates used to rarely exceed the low 30s, and now they are in the upper 40s pretty consistently.
BEC seems to be a beast when you are studying for it, because BEC is the "other" drawer of the CPA exam. Anything that doesn't neatly fit into one of the other exams gets shoved into BEC. So the CPA exam adage of "the exam is 10 miles wide and 2 inches deep" really kicks in for BEC. You need to know a little bit about a whole bunch of disparate topics.
FAR is a beast because the material is flat complex.
REG and AUD seem to be "easier" I think because there isn't as much material to cover.
As to whether the exam is easier now compared to older days... the pass rates used to rarely exceed the low 30s, and now they are in the upper 40s pretty consistently.
Posted on 7/7/14 at 1:23 pm to PurpleAndGold86
Yes, I know that. Just seems like an awfully long time to have something hang over your head. Especially when the poster didnt even study for a couple of them. Just seems like a waste of money and added stress to stretch it out over that amount of time.
But I probably have a biased view as Becker is an actual class we take, so we have to prepare during our final semester and we were not already working
But I probably have a biased view as Becker is an actual class we take, so we have to prepare during our final semester and we were not already working
Posted on 7/7/14 at 1:33 pm to LSUFanHouston
quote:
rarely exceed the low 30s
I never realized they used to be this low. That is pretty daunting.
Posted on 7/7/14 at 3:55 pm to LSUFanHouston
I think section difficulty varies amongst peoples inter4ests in the topics.
For me, BEC was the toughest, followed by auditing, but I hate, HATE cost accounting and auditing.
REG and FAR were very easy.
For me, BEC was the toughest, followed by auditing, but I hate, HATE cost accounting and auditing.
REG and FAR were very easy.
Posted on 7/7/14 at 11:11 pm to Jcorye1
quote:
REG
quote:
easy
Does not compute
Posted on 7/10/14 at 10:16 am to POCKET
quote:
Why did you pass these sections so many times? Just enjoy taking the tests?
I was in Big 4 and we were required to take each part every year or get dinged on our evaluations for it. Never had time to study with my client load so I didn't pass until I got out. Once I got into industry I'd study like a week for each part, which was enough to pass BEC and AUD, but not FAR or REG. I was much closer to passing FAR than REG at this time though. Even though I was in industry, I'd use my close/external audit OT or other projects that popped up and required a good bit of OT throughout the year as the excuse for not studying.
Once I got serious about FAR & REG and used holiday time and vacation to study, I got FAR on my first serious attempt on it and REG on my second serious attempt. All done now and been a CPA a year and a half.
In industry, my employer was paying for Becker and the test fees, so I guess I'd have been more urgent if I was paying out of pocket. In Big 4, the loss of raise money was more expensive than paying to take each part once a year, so it was worth it to just take it and be done. I had seniors who would go in, close each testlet without answering anything, get his/her certificate from the testing center for taking the test, and take the rest of the day off.
This post was edited on 7/10/14 at 10:21 am
Posted on 7/11/14 at 8:16 am to liz18lsu
From what I've heard, it is the easiest of the 4. Good luck to you. I'm taking FAR on Monday...put in the good word with the big man upstairs for me.
Posted on 7/11/14 at 8:22 am to SippyCup
quote:
REG and FAR were very easy.
Yeah you're full of shite
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