Down to the wire...

BEC: 111 hours/Score: 79
FAR: 159 hours/Score: 78
AUD: 74.5 hours/Scheduled 7-26
REG: 0 hours/Scheduled 8-31
Total Hours Sacrificed: 344.5

I have really been working too much in these final few days before my exam. I worked today and will work Monday and Tuesday (exam day) too! That was not wise of me, but it really comes down to the fact that I moved this exam twice...so planning ahead didn't really work out...

As for studying, I was struggling these last few days to really get through the rest of the material. I have yet to finish final review of A-5. That is my plan for tonight. I am honestly feeling so much better about the material in this section of the exam. I feel like it is the "easiest" section as my readers have indicated by their votes and the passing rates also indicate more people pass audit. None of these exams are a breeze though, so don't underestimate what it takes to pass...

Happy studying!

Exam day is fast approaching!

BEC: 111 hours/Score: 79
FAR: 159 hours/Score: 78
AUD: 63.5 hours/Scheduled 7-26
REG: 0 hours/Scheduled 8-31
Total Hours Sacrificed: 333.5

Quick post to say studying is going well. I am on track, but it is taking longer to get through A-4 than I anticipated. I am wrapping that up first thing in the morning. Then I should be able to finish A-5 as well. I feel really great about A-1 through A-3 and know A-4 needs more work. I have to say that I am sorta enjoying studying for this section! Don't get me wrong, it stinks, but it seems to be going far better than BEC or FAR. I really think I can pull off a pass!

8 days remaining...

BEC: 111 hours/Score: 79
FAR: 159 hours/Score: 78
AUD: 55.5 hours/Scheduled 7-26
REG: 0 hours/Scheduled 8-31
Total Hours Sacrificed: 325.5


So I packed up my car with my dogs and computer and headed to our new house for the weekend...I fully intended on studying a good 12-16 hours while I was there. My husband starts his new job today, so we were getting him situated in the new house with just the essentials until we actually move in September. We are not going to actually move until after my REG exam...but his commute would be 2+ hours each way if he waited to move...

Well, I decided to set my computer up (not a laptop) and try to get in some studying and realized I forget the power cord! So that totally blew my plans for studying and needless to say I was not going to drive all the way home to get it! I did finish A-2 and most of A-3 and so my goal for today is to finish A-3 and A-4. I don't work today, so I should be able to accomplish that...

Happy Studying!

I have serious commitment issues!

BEC: 111 hours/Score: 79
FAR: 159 hours/Score: 78
AUD: 45.5 hours/Scheduled 7-26
REG: 0 hours/Scheduled 8-31
Total Hours Sacrificed: 315.5


Ok, so there is just far too much going on this week for me to really have enough time to finish preparing for the Audit exam...so I decided to move my exam again! This is typical me...wasting money on exam fees and then wasting the extra time I paid for...oh well...

Good news for my husband and I this week! We found a home we both love and are signing a lease tomorrow!! We are so excited to move into a nice big house with our own yard! My dogs will be so happy :) See? I really am pretty busy with life this week...(I am trying to convince myself these are valid excuses for changing my exam and ignoring the fact that I spent 2 hours on another71.com today!)

I just really want to pass this thing! I am hoping I didn't go too far into July that I am going to struggle with time when preparing for REG on 8-31. I will have to stay on track from tomorrow until REG or I am going to really regret it come score release time in September. I would love to actually meet my goal of passing all 4 parts before I start my job in October!

Where did the week go?!

BEC: 111 hours/Score: 79
FAR: 159 hours/Score: 78
AUD: 40.5 hours/Scheduled 7-18
REG: 0 hours/Scheduled 8-31
Total Hours Sacrificed: 310.5

So it turns out that giving myself an extra week to study resulted in me not studying much at all! I hate when I do that to myself, but I just could not focus when I sat down to study...I really should have packed up my stuff and headed to Starbucks or something, but instead I sat at my desk glued to the another71 forum, facebook, my iPhone, really any distraction was easily welcomed...So now I am stressed because I only have a week left, I work through Saturday and am not even close to prepared...

I did finish A-1 completely. I took my own notes right on the Becker flashcards as well as made my own cards, did all the MCQ and averaged 82.6% which I am very happy with. I really didn't find the questions very difficult for A-1, so I am hoping to finish A-2 as easily tomorrow after work. I am getting back into the groove of things, but it was difficult.

In other news, my husband landed a nice job that he starts the day I take this Audit exam! Now we are in a scramble to move, which we have planned to do anyway, but it is more of a rush so he can avoid a 2 hour each way commute! We looked at some homes for rent and found one we both love, so I am hoping we are able to get it...we currently live in a condo we bought literally three seconds before the market crashed and now we owe more than twice what it is worth! That is a harsh reality for us and so many other people right now...

Good luck to anyone taking exams this week!!!

Change is Good...

BEC: 111 hours/Score: 79
FAR: 159 hours/Score: 78
AUD: 28.5 hours/Scheduled 7-18
REG: 0 hours/Scheduled 8-31
Total Hours Sacrificed: 298.5


I just plain cannot focus! I have felt overwhelmed about having to scramble in this last week before my Audit exam, nothing is sticking to my mush for a brain :(  In my insane rampage, I really haven't accomplished anything in the way of learning this material...

So then yesterday I became desperate and decided I was going to HAVE to change my exam date and if that meant driving for 4 hours to a testing center, then fine. I checked the Prometric site several times and was not having any luck finding a test date anywhere :( Then I decided to check the center I normally go to once again and a spot on July 18th had opened up!!! I grabbed it as fast as I could! Best $35 I have spent lately...then I took the rest of the day off from studying because I felt like I deserved it...riiiight! I need to really push myself to make these last days count.

My goal for tonight is to finish my initial review of A-1 and all the MCQ. I also need to FOCUS...

Life can change in an instant...

BEC: 111 hours/Score: 79
FAR: 159 hours/Score: 78
AUD: 22.5 hours/Scheduled 7-11
REG: 0 hours/Scheduled 8-31
Total Hours Sacrificed: 292.5

Last Saturday (June 25th) my husband's Aunt suddenly passed away. She was young, full of life and beautiful. Everyone that knew her was shocked and terribly saddened by her passing. My husband and I left the very next morning for our home town (1,000 miles away) to support our family and to say our farewells. Her  presence will truly be missed every day...

Needless to say, studying was not my priority last week at all. We returned home Saturday night and pretty much slept the day away on Sunday. I hoped I could move my Audit exam forward by 1 week, but there are no test dates available...so I must try and cram like crazy this week and give it a good effort next Monday. I am very prepared for the fact that I will likely have to do Audit over, but that is ok...being there for family was far more important.

On another note, my husband got a job offer after almost 5 months of being unemployed! It is a decent offer too and so now we must scramble to find a place to move to...life is certainly hectic!

I wanted to thank everyone for your support through this exam process. It means a lot read your kind comments and shared stories of struggles and success! THANKS!

Seriously?! 2 Down 2 to go!!!!

BEC: 111 hours/Score: 79
FAR: 159 hours/Score: 78
AUD: 17.5 hours/Scheduled 7-11
REG: 0 hours/Scheduled 8-31
Total Hours Sacrificed: 287.5

So I was at work today and all I could think about was my FAR score and I literally checked it every 20 minutes on my iPhone. At around 10 am I checked it again not expecting to see a score and there it was! I couldn't believe my eyes and had a coworker check and sure enough, a passing score of 78 had been posted!! I just can't believe I passed both BEC and FAR on my first try and I am half way to becoming a CPA!! I don't think it has really sunk in yet...

I am really amped to tackle AUD now as I feel like this material is much easier to grasp than BEC or FAR. I just realized that my goal of completing this exam before I start at KPMG is still possible!!! WOW!

To anyone else that received scores and passed, CONGRATS in a big big way! And for those that didn't pass, know that you aren't alone...an awesome forum (another71.com) is filled with others who have struggled along the way and is a great resource I have used since before starting this blog...

SCORES!!!!

BEC: 111 hours/Score: 79
FAR: 159 hours/(Time to pray a lot!)
AUD: 17.5 hours/Scheduled 7-11
REG: 0 hours/Scheduled 8-31
Total Hours Sacrificed: 287.5


OMG I passed BEC! I checked my score this evening and am in disbelief that I actually passed!! That means 1 down and 3 to go by 10/16/2012! I will conquer this exam after all :)


I am hoping for FAR scores tomorrow and am feeling much better about looking at that one...pass or fail, I am ready to know! At least I know I didn't fail both sections... 


Good luck to anyone else waiting on their scores and congrats to those who received good news!

OOPS!

BEC: 111 hours/(Time to pray)
FAR: 159 hours/(Time to pray a lot!)
AUD: 14.5 hours/Scheduled 7-11
REG: 0 hours/Scheduled 8-31
Total Hours Sacrificed: 284.5


First off, I can't believe it has been over two weeks since I have blogged! That should be a good indicator that I was too busy studying to update this blog, but of course that is not the case at all! I could honestly come up with a million excuses as to why I am behind yet again, but I won't even bother...truth is I am back on track and that is what counts!

I finished Lectures for A-1 through A-4 very very slowly in the last 2 weeks and will finish A-5 tonight. That gives me 3 weeks for all the homework, flashcards and notes. I have a good feeling about this section and really like the way Becker (Tim) is presenting the information. Way way better than BEC and of course I am not nearly as overwhelmed as I was with the FAR material. I feel like I may actually pull off a passing score in this section...

Other things going on this week:

Scores should be coming out sometime this week! I am not sure how to feel about that...I mean, I want to know obviously, but I don't want to face reality if I didn't pass...
I'll share as soon as I know...

Also, I have been working a lot more in the last few weeks and expect that to continue through August. This is a super busy and often stressful time of year for a cake decorator. Tons of graduation, wedding, holiday and summer orders to keep up with...I do like my job, don't get me wrong, but on top of studying and life, I could do without mishaps and annoyed customers...and the more orders you have, the more things can and do go wrong..

Just for fun, here is a cake a made last week:

Strawberry and Chocolate Ice Cream in an Oreo Sugar Cone (This is actually 24 cupcakes!)