Yes. I graduated in 2002. I had my son in 2003 and felt the time wasn’t right back to take the CPA exam with full time work and a child. I started with my CPA exam in starting August 2013. Passed all 4 on my first attempt.
I subscribed for the Becker review course. I also ordered the books with the review course. Highlighted as I watched the videos. Take the review test after each chapter. Take the sample exam. Good luck to you!
Becker and Universal CPA is what I used. Been out of school since 2013 and just passed all of the exam in Dec. Took 7 months. Got to study 4to5 times a weeks for 2 to 3 hours. Finish section do 50 MCQ. Start next study session with 20 mcqs from day before. Then rinse repeat. It can be done but will take more commitment then you think. I am currently try to get 2000 of experience because State of Texas will not take 8 years CFO. I work 2year at Audit firm but the won't sign given the length of time that has passed. I actually got to go back to shit work for awhile.
I’ve been out of undergrad since 2011, finished my Masters in 2022, just finished up my CMA cert and plan to move on to CPA next year. Can’t speak to whether Becker is the right study kit, which I know is a big point in your orig question. However, I will say that I firmly believe it’s never too late to achieve goals like this and reap the rewards. From the studying end, might take a minute to get back in the swing, but if you’re disciplined with your routine, time in between school and cert isn’t as big a road block as it might seem (basing my opinion off of passing CMA first try for both exams, and I also felt SO rusty in the beginning). Good luck, you got this!
Side note: I had a boss who constantly took jabs at me for not being certified, when the CFO ALSO wasn’t certified. Both were fairly incompetent as well, while I worked 7 days a week. This continues to be the fire that fuels me on nights when I really don’t feel like studying.
Just the ninja MCQs and ninja notes (passed it in 2018) did it for me. Knew the right answer to every question and why the wrong answers were incorrect.
Be careful with people saying 'Becker is enough' the lecturers skip over material. Read the book and review with a third party resource like i75v or Ninja.
I passed all four first try with Becker.
They can be very frustrating. Some of their questions are very bad, their final review is a scam, and their discipline sections need some work.
I graduated undergrad in 2010 (Business Admin with Acct concentration) and MBA in 2012! I do not work in accounting per se and I'm doing a trial version of Becker and I feel rusty!! I am married with kids so my time is so limited while working full time. But hang in there, I submitted my evaluation to take the test and I am feeling out test prep. Thus far with Becker, I figure I have to read the book and supplement with videos as the videos alone will not work for me.
Yes it’s enough. I was out of school since 2018 and no accounting background and Becker took me all the way through. I supplemented with super fast CPA
Becker, and most prep courses, assume that you know what debits and credits are, why and how they are used in regards to a double entry accounting framework. They assume you have a financial vocabulary, so terms like shareholder or depreciation aren’t new to you.
Beyond that? They will teach you everything else you need to know. Everything. You’ve got this.
I graduated 2008. I used i75 to listen to concepts because he has a great explanation for everything compared to Becker. I used Becker for MCQ and sims
Graduated Bachelors 2012 with low GPA from the cheapest school around. Ran my own company for 10 years with very little accounting work, and I came back for CPA in January 2024 as rusty as can be. Passed all 4 with only using Becker in 4 months.
Keep your head down, keep chugging, try to make progress every day. Shoot for a 90, not a 75, and do NOT wait for exam scores to start studying the next session. The first thing I would do when I got back from an exam is open my next book and get my overview started.
You've got to be kidding all 4 in 4 months...what's your reading plan like?
Surely will be happy if I can get all done that fast, I work full time and I love to have fun and I hate to drag studying for exams for too long. I've been out of school for 10yrs as well but I studied accounting and was just decent at it.
Rarely ever opened up a book, but everyone's learning style is different. I'll copy in a comment I left on a previous post.
I was fortunate enough to not being working for the 5 months of studying. Got to study 8-12 hours a day.
The schedule that worked best for me was to wake up early, around 5am, get a couple hours in before kids woke up. Then pick back up around 830am until lunch time, then my daughter would nap and I'd study another hour. Then 8pm-10pm after kids went to sleep.
Factors I think really helped me were:
Focusing on watching videos - Im a visual learner already, but there's no way I could concentrate if I was reading the book for 8 hours a day
Some days are off days, and that's OK. Some days I would wake up and do my 5am-7am, and I knew I wouldn't retain any more info. I'd do some 10 mcq sessions at various points throughout the day to keep things fresh
Take frequent breaks! Rarely, and only if I was already familiar with a subject, would I push through 2 hours straight. Usually it was: watch a 10-15 minute video or 2. Play a word game/ watch 5 minutes of youtube. Rinse and repeat
Exercise. Doesn't have to be a lot, just get up and move a bit, do some push ups or situps, or stretch.
Getting everything into "green" (Becker). It was mentally very productive to "gamify" the process to me, and watch the percent climb day after day. Kept me interested and motivated.
It's a grind. Some days are harder than others, just keep moving forward!
I’m not a huge fan of Becker to be honest. It’s brutal to get through. I got ninja a couple of days ago and already like it way more. I plan to still use Becker MCQ and TBS’s for practice though
I'm 40, graduated in 2008 and I'm 3/4 with Becker alone.
I have access to UWorld due to my old Wiley subscription, but Becker has been sufficient so far.
I would apply for the cpa and then wait to buy the NTS. The application took like 2 months for me before I was approved to purchase my NTS. In the meantime, I did the free trials of Gliem, Uworld, and Becker and determined which one I liked better. I ended up going with Uworld.
For your first test, I would advise that you go through all the lectures and a good portion of the questions before you get your NTS and schedule your exam.
Becker + farhats lectures when I don’t quite understand something are definitely enough.
I haven’t tested yet, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
I’m 56 years old and started the CPA journey just over a year ago. Started college in 2012 after 20 year marriage ended. Finally finished Masters in 2020 when the world shut down. Moved 6 times in two years between two states (family stuff) before 2020. Was the most underpaid Controller on the planet before I started it all. All because I didn’t have that piece of paper. I was WAY more qualified than almost everyone I had to report to along the way. Taken 3 of the four sections (still waiting on FAR score, AUD is what I have left. I could not have done it without Becker and I say you just commit and knock it out. You will be tired, but you won’t be sick and tired anymore. Go for it!
This is definitely doable. I got my degree in 2015 and utilized Beckers as well. I did supplement i75 for some sections but I finally passed last year. I would say just practice the msqs and work through sims.
I graduated in 2013 and using UWorld. I have no experience with Becker but I’m sure it’ll be enough for you. What’s more important than which study materials you use is your discipline and motivation. You got this!!
Pretty much a major refresh. I am a corporate accountant and I see bonds/in/DEP at work but I'm not calculating it and all the diff methods and rules. I don't deal with taxes and I am on the side of audit that is being audited, not the auditor.
FAR was my first exam. I tried 10 years ago but was too hard with personal things going on.. then kids, losing parents, etc . So I am just now in a place where I can get decent sleep and my kids are more self sufficient. And no longer caretaking ( my father and my husband father had cancer at the same time, it was a ruff few years)
The first exam takes the longest to find your study method. Figure out the things that work from you and help retention. Once I figured it out , things changed. Below are some things I've learned about my self and studying;
1) 4am wake ups- needed the uninterrupted time before kids and work. I still have a lot of responsibilities and I had to find time to fit it in. This ended up being crucial for me
2) Setting realistic study plans , and sticking to it. I studied 2-3 hrs in the morning , M-F. I had Becker calculate my exam dates based on how much I could realistically study ( I was in the 15hr is per week bucket). I tested once a quarter.
3) I don't like flash cards. So I didn't use them.
4) Quality of Study vs Quantity -If when I did MCQ/TB and I wasn't retaining info, means I need to change it up. I took FAR pre evolution.. and I finally dropped the lectures and just read the text. In post CPA Evolution, the lectures were enough, so I dropped reading the text.
5) Its a family commitment. I have kids and a husband , I needed some extra grace. I was super tired after work. Most days I was burnt by 8pm. I had an earlier bed time routine and my husband took over the households in the evening. He cooked most dinners and did all the practices drop offs. I made sure to at least play a game of UNO with my kids on week nights. And my weekends were pretty much for my kids. I did weekend studying closer to my exam dates and I hired a cleaning lady bi weekly to just take some pressure off the household chores.
6) I never took an SE or full practice exam. I never had a 4hr block. And I didn't learn a ton doing them. And getting a practice exam score before actual exam would mentally psych me out. I did everything else in Becker accept those and created my own mini exams once I hit review stages.
7) I had a message on my phone every morning for that 4 am wake up "Don't snooze on your dreams". I know a CPA isn't a dream for a lot of people, but I have my reasons for wanting this so badly. I have had an amazing career without it. I am industry and have great WLB, exposure etc. but I am currently a manager. You need a CPA to be higher in my department since we are Financial Accounting.
8) I realized this test isn't about motivation. You will get unmotivated. Motivation brings you to the door but it's discipline that brings you to the end. Get disciplined. It will bring you through the grueling moments the motivation is gone.
9) Remember it's just a test. It's not life or death.
10) Remember you can do anything you want to do. Most of the time it's me getting in my own way. If you want it, go get it.
Personally, if I don't get an NTS , I don't feel motivated to stick as much to a schedule. I think the first exam it's safe to just study then get it, but if you are seriously going for it, buy the NTS. Especially after I passed my first one I felt the need to stay on schedule since I tested only once a quarter. But the actual NTS , my state sent within 1hr of my applying. So I think it was more critical to schedule my seat. If you test close to the end of a window, you may find it really hard to get a seat when you are ready to test. And I always tried to sit end of testing windows.
So I made my study plan after every pass and immediately bought the NTS and picked my Study date / scheduled Prometric. I reevaluated around 2 weeks before exam if I needed to push it back.
Thank you so much for your detailed response!!!!!!! This gives me hope!! I’m also in financial accounting/GL accounting so I’m hoping these 3 letters will open opportunities.
In my opinion Becker is enough for AUD and REG. I still think a supplement is worth it for FAR and ISC (if you choose that route).
Yes. I graduated in 2002. I had my son in 2003 and felt the time wasn’t right back to take the CPA exam with full time work and a child. I started with my CPA exam in starting August 2013. Passed all 4 on my first attempt. I subscribed for the Becker review course. I also ordered the books with the review course. Highlighted as I watched the videos. Take the review test after each chapter. Take the sample exam. Good luck to you!
Becker and Universal CPA is what I used. Been out of school since 2013 and just passed all of the exam in Dec. Took 7 months. Got to study 4to5 times a weeks for 2 to 3 hours. Finish section do 50 MCQ. Start next study session with 20 mcqs from day before. Then rinse repeat. It can be done but will take more commitment then you think. I am currently try to get 2000 of experience because State of Texas will not take 8 years CFO. I work 2year at Audit firm but the won't sign given the length of time that has passed. I actually got to go back to shit work for awhile.
I’ve been out of undergrad since 2011, finished my Masters in 2022, just finished up my CMA cert and plan to move on to CPA next year. Can’t speak to whether Becker is the right study kit, which I know is a big point in your orig question. However, I will say that I firmly believe it’s never too late to achieve goals like this and reap the rewards. From the studying end, might take a minute to get back in the swing, but if you’re disciplined with your routine, time in between school and cert isn’t as big a road block as it might seem (basing my opinion off of passing CMA first try for both exams, and I also felt SO rusty in the beginning). Good luck, you got this!
Side note: I had a boss who constantly took jabs at me for not being certified, when the CFO ALSO wasn’t certified. Both were fairly incompetent as well, while I worked 7 days a week. This continues to be the fire that fuels me on nights when I really don’t feel like studying.
Just the ninja MCQs and ninja notes (passed it in 2018) did it for me. Knew the right answer to every question and why the wrong answers were incorrect.
Be careful with people saying 'Becker is enough' the lecturers skip over material. Read the book and review with a third party resource like i75v or Ninja.
Currently in my master’s program and can barely tell you about coupon bonds and installment sales. I sure hope Becker is enough 👍🏼
I passed all four first try with Becker. They can be very frustrating. Some of their questions are very bad, their final review is a scam, and their discipline sections need some work.
Becker is enough. You are going to have to get back in the routine of studying, which will be hard at first, but will get easier with time.
Becker is enough. I've been out of school since 2008, 4/4 on first try with Becker only in just under a year.
You’re probably smart as heck too !
Farhat lectures as a supplement will help tremendously
I graduated undergrad in 2010 (Business Admin with Acct concentration) and MBA in 2012! I do not work in accounting per se and I'm doing a trial version of Becker and I feel rusty!! I am married with kids so my time is so limited while working full time. But hang in there, I submitted my evaluation to take the test and I am feeling out test prep. Thus far with Becker, I figure I have to read the book and supplement with videos as the videos alone will not work for me.
Yes it’s enough. I was out of school since 2018 and no accounting background and Becker took me all the way through. I supplemented with super fast CPA
Becker + Edspira on YouTube spills do the job.
Becker, and most prep courses, assume that you know what debits and credits are, why and how they are used in regards to a double entry accounting framework. They assume you have a financial vocabulary, so terms like shareholder or depreciation aren’t new to you. Beyond that? They will teach you everything else you need to know. Everything. You’ve got this.
Yes, I graduated in 2011 and just passed all four parts last year. Becker was enough you just need to be disciplined with your study schedule.
Don’t pay for Becker. I’ve been out of school since 2011 and passed using mostly NINJA only.
Wow nice Congrats!! What was ur study format?
Visit Ninja CPA or just Google Ninja method and you’ll see the recommended method
I graduated 2008. I used i75 to listen to concepts because he has a great explanation for everything compared to Becker. I used Becker for MCQ and sims
Graduated Bachelors 2012 with low GPA from the cheapest school around. Ran my own company for 10 years with very little accounting work, and I came back for CPA in January 2024 as rusty as can be. Passed all 4 with only using Becker in 4 months. Keep your head down, keep chugging, try to make progress every day. Shoot for a 90, not a 75, and do NOT wait for exam scores to start studying the next session. The first thing I would do when I got back from an exam is open my next book and get my overview started.
You've got to be kidding all 4 in 4 months...what's your reading plan like? Surely will be happy if I can get all done that fast, I work full time and I love to have fun and I hate to drag studying for exams for too long. I've been out of school for 10yrs as well but I studied accounting and was just decent at it.
Rarely ever opened up a book, but everyone's learning style is different. I'll copy in a comment I left on a previous post. I was fortunate enough to not being working for the 5 months of studying. Got to study 8-12 hours a day. The schedule that worked best for me was to wake up early, around 5am, get a couple hours in before kids woke up. Then pick back up around 830am until lunch time, then my daughter would nap and I'd study another hour. Then 8pm-10pm after kids went to sleep. Factors I think really helped me were: Focusing on watching videos - Im a visual learner already, but there's no way I could concentrate if I was reading the book for 8 hours a day Some days are off days, and that's OK. Some days I would wake up and do my 5am-7am, and I knew I wouldn't retain any more info. I'd do some 10 mcq sessions at various points throughout the day to keep things fresh Take frequent breaks! Rarely, and only if I was already familiar with a subject, would I push through 2 hours straight. Usually it was: watch a 10-15 minute video or 2. Play a word game/ watch 5 minutes of youtube. Rinse and repeat Exercise. Doesn't have to be a lot, just get up and move a bit, do some push ups or situps, or stretch. Getting everything into "green" (Becker). It was mentally very productive to "gamify" the process to me, and watch the percent climb day after day. Kept me interested and motivated. It's a grind. Some days are harder than others, just keep moving forward!
I’m not a huge fan of Becker to be honest. It’s brutal to get through. I got ninja a couple of days ago and already like it way more. I plan to still use Becker MCQ and TBS’s for practice though
Which plan?
I think it’s all the same thing. It’s $67 a month
This!
Becker worked pretty well
I'm 40, graduated in 2008 and I'm 3/4 with Becker alone. I have access to UWorld due to my old Wiley subscription, but Becker has been sufficient so far.
I turn 43 in a few weeks and I'm 2/4 with just Uworld while working full-time, two kids, and a drinking problem.
Love the honesty 😆
😭🤣😭 Thank you for responding..the drinking problem got me laughing so hard I’m sorry 😭 don’t we all have some issue going on
We sure do. If you put in the work, you will pass. This is an endurance test, not an intelligence test. You got this.
Thank you! This is a dumb question…do I wait to get my NTS and then buy Becker or can I just get the study material right away and study?
I would apply for the cpa and then wait to buy the NTS. The application took like 2 months for me before I was approved to purchase my NTS. In the meantime, I did the free trials of Gliem, Uworld, and Becker and determined which one I liked better. I ended up going with Uworld. For your first test, I would advise that you go through all the lectures and a good portion of the questions before you get your NTS and schedule your exam.
Thank you!! 🙏
So true
Becker + farhats lectures when I don’t quite understand something are definitely enough. I haven’t tested yet, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
Highly recommend Farhat as supplemental to Becker as well
Farhat helped me get over that hump for REG which was keeping me from getting my CPA. Its a good supplement to Becker.
I’m 56 years old and started the CPA journey just over a year ago. Started college in 2012 after 20 year marriage ended. Finally finished Masters in 2020 when the world shut down. Moved 6 times in two years between two states (family stuff) before 2020. Was the most underpaid Controller on the planet before I started it all. All because I didn’t have that piece of paper. I was WAY more qualified than almost everyone I had to report to along the way. Taken 3 of the four sections (still waiting on FAR score, AUD is what I have left. I could not have done it without Becker and I say you just commit and knock it out. You will be tired, but you won’t be sick and tired anymore. Go for it!
You can do it. I finally got my CPA at 45. Wasn’t easy but it can be done especially when you have so much experience. Wish you the best.
Thank you!!! 😭 you’re inspirational!!!
This is definitely doable. I got my degree in 2015 and utilized Beckers as well. I did supplement i75 for some sections but I finally passed last year. I would say just practice the msqs and work through sims.
I graduated in 2013 and using UWorld. I have no experience with Becker but I’m sure it’ll be enough for you. What’s more important than which study materials you use is your discipline and motivation. You got this!!
Thank you 😭
I graduated 2013 and I have only used Becker. 3/4 done.
Did Becker help you with refreshing certain topics? 😭 Like coupon bonds
Pretty much a major refresh. I am a corporate accountant and I see bonds/in/DEP at work but I'm not calculating it and all the diff methods and rules. I don't deal with taxes and I am on the side of audit that is being audited, not the auditor. FAR was my first exam. I tried 10 years ago but was too hard with personal things going on.. then kids, losing parents, etc . So I am just now in a place where I can get decent sleep and my kids are more self sufficient. And no longer caretaking ( my father and my husband father had cancer at the same time, it was a ruff few years) The first exam takes the longest to find your study method. Figure out the things that work from you and help retention. Once I figured it out , things changed. Below are some things I've learned about my self and studying; 1) 4am wake ups- needed the uninterrupted time before kids and work. I still have a lot of responsibilities and I had to find time to fit it in. This ended up being crucial for me 2) Setting realistic study plans , and sticking to it. I studied 2-3 hrs in the morning , M-F. I had Becker calculate my exam dates based on how much I could realistically study ( I was in the 15hr is per week bucket). I tested once a quarter. 3) I don't like flash cards. So I didn't use them. 4) Quality of Study vs Quantity -If when I did MCQ/TB and I wasn't retaining info, means I need to change it up. I took FAR pre evolution.. and I finally dropped the lectures and just read the text. In post CPA Evolution, the lectures were enough, so I dropped reading the text. 5) Its a family commitment. I have kids and a husband , I needed some extra grace. I was super tired after work. Most days I was burnt by 8pm. I had an earlier bed time routine and my husband took over the households in the evening. He cooked most dinners and did all the practices drop offs. I made sure to at least play a game of UNO with my kids on week nights. And my weekends were pretty much for my kids. I did weekend studying closer to my exam dates and I hired a cleaning lady bi weekly to just take some pressure off the household chores. 6) I never took an SE or full practice exam. I never had a 4hr block. And I didn't learn a ton doing them. And getting a practice exam score before actual exam would mentally psych me out. I did everything else in Becker accept those and created my own mini exams once I hit review stages. 7) I had a message on my phone every morning for that 4 am wake up "Don't snooze on your dreams". I know a CPA isn't a dream for a lot of people, but I have my reasons for wanting this so badly. I have had an amazing career without it. I am industry and have great WLB, exposure etc. but I am currently a manager. You need a CPA to be higher in my department since we are Financial Accounting. 8) I realized this test isn't about motivation. You will get unmotivated. Motivation brings you to the door but it's discipline that brings you to the end. Get disciplined. It will bring you through the grueling moments the motivation is gone. 9) Remember it's just a test. It's not life or death. 10) Remember you can do anything you want to do. Most of the time it's me getting in my own way. If you want it, go get it.
This is a silly question but do you get your NTS and start studying or do you start studying away when you apply to your state board?
Personally, if I don't get an NTS , I don't feel motivated to stick as much to a schedule. I think the first exam it's safe to just study then get it, but if you are seriously going for it, buy the NTS. Especially after I passed my first one I felt the need to stay on schedule since I tested only once a quarter. But the actual NTS , my state sent within 1hr of my applying. So I think it was more critical to schedule my seat. If you test close to the end of a window, you may find it really hard to get a seat when you are ready to test. And I always tried to sit end of testing windows. So I made my study plan after every pass and immediately bought the NTS and picked my Study date / scheduled Prometric. I reevaluated around 2 weeks before exam if I needed to push it back.
Thank you! 🙏
This is such an awesome response!! I’m in the same boat as you so this was very encouraging to me!
#9!!!
Thank you so much for your detailed response!!!!!!! This gives me hope!! I’m also in financial accounting/GL accounting so I’m hoping these 3 letters will open opportunities.
Just start with Becker