How to Study for the CPA Exam

While studying for the CPA exam I realized how important it was to have a set study method plan. It's crucial to being able to retain all the information tested. Finally figuring out what study method worked for me is what helped me pass. In the beginning of my 5 year long CPA exam journey the way I was studying was all over the place. My Study Plan and Over and Over and Over Again! blog posts lay out what finally worked for me. But everyone is different, right? Everyone has different study methods.

One of #twudygroup friends, Posty, said he learned a lot from my study method but he adapted it for how he studies. He was able to pass FAR and AUD on his first try by using the "Posty Method" and motivation from all his #twudygroup friends. He agreed to be a guest blogger on several #twudygroup CPA exam blogs. You may have read this on another blog. But I believe it's important to review different study methods, find what works best for you, or combine different aspects to form what works best for you.

Here's the "Posty Method." Thanks for Sharing, Posty! Good luck with the rest of your journey. I can't wait to hear you are "Posty, CPA!"

A few #twudygroup friends have asked me what my study method is. So without further ado, I present to you the Posty method:

Disclaimer:  Everyone is learns differently. I am simply sharing what has helped me pass FAR on AUD.

1.       Watch Roger CPA Review lectures straight through.  (1-2 weeks)

Watch the full review course from start to finish.

Do NOT stop to do homework problems. Focus on learning the material. Only work the questions that Roger does during the lecture.

Take intense notes as you watch the lectures. If your hand isn’t hurting, you’re probably not taking enough notes. Don’t worry about pressing pause to get everything written down. Roger is a fast talker!

2.        Do every MCQ in the Wiley book twice.  (2-4 weeks)

A good goal is try to do 100 MCQs a day. Some days you won’t make it. Some days you’ll do over 100 MCQs. Don’t get discouraged.

Be sure to read the Wiley solution in the back of the chapter. Even if you got the problem right, read the solution anyway. It will help enforce the concept. If you got the question wrong, understand why you got it wrong. Albert Einstein said you don’t really understand a concept unless you can explain it to your grandmother. Don’t move on to new problem until you can do this.

Grade yourself while you do these questions.

3.       LIVE in the Wiley Test Bank.  (2-4 weeks leading up to the exam)

Start by doing 20 MCQ tests over 1 topic only. Go through each topic, starting with your weakest area and moving on until you have completed all topics. Don’t move on to a new topic until you score at least a 70%.

Then, start doing random 20 MCQ tests over all topics until you curse the day you decided to become a CPA… and then do some more. Again, a good goal is to get 100 MCQ done per day. Try to do at least 3 TBS a day in the Wiley Test Bank.

Always hit “Not Seen Yet” before each test to ensure that you’re getting questions that you’ve never seen before.  Do these MCQs and TBSs in Study Mode, so that you can get automatic feedback as you work through them.

4.       The week before the exam, do a Practice Exam.

Using the Wiley Test Bank, do a mock exam in Exam Mode. Say you’re about to sit for FAR. Give yourself 4 hours to do 90 MCQ and 7 TBS. This should help you with the time management aspect of the exam.

Good luck!

-Posty