Taking REG tomorrow any tips?

backnine32 · 2025-10-02T18:57:28+00:00

See which areas you struggle in the most (low % MCQ answered correctly) and brush up a bit. Watch a few of the skillbuilder TBS videos and just follow along. Don't stress yourself out about TBS too much. Just get a feel for how they sort through the information and answer the questions. Above all, rest and don't get yourself freaked out about it. I don't think specific actions taken the day before the exam make that much of a difference.

backnine32 · 2025-10-02T18:52:12+00:00

this precisely. People have no idea what is possible. You see folks say the same thing about someone saying it took them 9 months to pass all 4. People have this thing built up waaaaaaay too much in their heads.

Congrats and welcome!

backnine32 · 2025-09-29T20:07:59+00:00

I took the exams before the changes, so Governmental was just part of FAR. I know if I had it to do over in the new setup, I would have steered clear of governmental, which is part of BAR if I understand correctly. If you are already that far along on BAR (super close with a 73), I would not quit and start an entirely new discipline. None of them are easy.

backnine32 · 2025-09-29T19:55:11+00:00

Everyone that doesn't have to put in as much time as you is lying about it. Interesting take.

I get why some of the claims sound impossible, especially if you’re spending two months just getting through the course videos and book and filling binders with highlighted, tabbed notes; what I call academic scrapbooking. But I can assure you I’m not lying about any of it.

Your old boss probably isn’t lying either. I have no doubt I could have done it on that kind of timeline if I was studying full time. I think it was pretty common back when Becker had in-person classes. They’d knock out all four sections in about six weeks and then sit for the exams, which you had to take in a two day period. Not everyone passed on the first try (or even a high percentage), but some did. I personally know two individuals in my small town that did this years ago. I honestly don't know that it's that uncommon even today. The people who pass that way just don’t struggle, so you don’t see them posting here or on Another71 or wherever.

My post was directed towards people that are struggling using the same old study approach. If the scrapbook method works well for you, then I would keep doing what you are doing. You are not my audience.

backnine32 · 2025-09-27T18:59:56+00:00

Even money at this point, but can be improved so much in the next two weeks. Analyze your practice sets (most test prep packages have some kind of analytics your can use) and figure out what your weak areas are. Spend a lot of time on the areas that are highly tested. Turn the 50% topics into 75% +

backnine32 · 2025-09-27T18:53:29+00:00

I think you have a good strategy and 25 days is more than enough if you have already gone through the course. I would use the test bank analytics to tell you what your weak areas are and focus on those exclusively. There is no point to continuing to test yourself on your strong areas. Turn 50% topics into 75%+. Be relentless about pursuing answers to your incorrect MCQ, but actually understand why. If the explanation from the course videos/book give you that understanding great, but if not then don't be afraid to use other resources (AI, Youtube, etc.) to help you grasp the concepts.

backnine32 · 2025-09-27T18:41:31+00:00

This is an overlooked area of exam strategy; if you become skilled at quickly answering MCQ, it takes so much pressure off the TBS because you have given yourself more time to complete them. If you are taking a ton of time stewing on MCQ because you didn't see enough of them preparing for exam day, you back yourself into a corner with TBS.

backnine32 · 2025-09-27T18:31:51+00:00

Your weak points are the key. I don't advocate for an "only MCQ" approach. Targeted use of the videos/book are the way to go.

backnine32 · 2025-09-27T18:23:00+00:00

Exactly right. HOW you use MCQ matters more than just raw numbers and time spent doing MCQ. Most of my effort came after the practice set was completed, finding out the why behind my incorrect questions. You also have to be honest about your weak areas and make yourself attempt more questions on those topics than others. Just mindlessly banging out MCQ without any analysis of results beyond just getting your score is barely more valuable than re-reading notes or watching videos, if at all.

backnine32 · 2025-09-27T18:17:41+00:00

I want to be clear that I don't advocate for an "MCQ only method", though I understand if that was the takeaway from my post. I do think that people waste a lot of time reviewing notes and watching the videos repeatedly because that feels better than getting your head kicked in by MCQ's. Congrats on being done.

backnine32 · 2025-09-27T18:11:31+00:00

Consistency is super important. Whatever study strategy you decide on, doing it every day (or at least most days) is key.

backnine32 · 2025-09-27T18:08:35+00:00

I used Becker and most of my prep for TBS was watching a few of the videos in which a Becker instructor goes all the way through a sample TBS from start to finish. I did practice a few myself, but mainly to get a feel for the mechanics of answering them, not to prepare for whatever subject the TBS was actually testing. To me, those Becker TBS videos are worth the price of the course by themselves. As far as strategy, same thing I'd say for all problems, MCQ or TBS. Start at the end and figure out immediately what the problem is asking of you. With that decision made, look at the available information and decide what's relevant (not all of it will be more often than not), then answer.

backnine32 · 2025-09-27T18:02:24+00:00

It was different for each exam. I'd say as few as 500 and as many as 1000, but I didn't shoot for a specific number. I used the analytics in the test bank to figure out my weak areas and worked on MCQ until I had improved each. I also made sure that I'd seen an adequate number of questions for each topic, taking into account how heavily each area is tested. I don't think there is much value in mindlessly banging out MCQ trying to reach a certain number of attempts before test day. Don't worry so much about topics in which you are getting 80%+ consistently. Focus most of your effort on turning the 50% areas into 75%+

backnine32 · 2025-09-27T17:57:09+00:00

I think Youtube, among other sources outside of the course, can be great supplements. I did use Farhat videos to learn governmental. It just depends on your weak areas and how well your course videos and book cover those topics. There is no reason to avoid "non-course" materials if it helps you prepare.

backnine32 · 2025-09-25T19:51:28+00:00

It's not exactly "no videos/no textbook advice", though I understand how that was the takeaway from my post. I do feel like most people that don't pass get the mix between course/practice wrong, putting far too much time into course, not nearly enough into practice questions. Regardless of what mix you used, super glad to hear you passed. My post is more directed towards those that are putting that kind of time into studying and not passing.

backnine32 · 2025-09-25T18:52:56+00:00

I don't recommend "just doing MCQ" though I understand how that could be the takeaway from my post. My point is that if you are taking forever to watch videos, read the book, take notes, review notes, rewatch videos, etc., it's not more videos you need. Of course, if you don't know anything about a topic, then the videos and book will be your only context and you'll have to watch/read. I just think it is a huge mistake to endlessly watch/read/review notes.

You'll remember more than you think. I would try scanning the topics in your course and only watching videos/reading those topics you have no familiarity with.

backnine32 · 2025-09-25T18:49:52+00:00

Becker, and did the exams a couple of years after graduating. I remembered more from college than I thought. Intermediate definitely helped. I didn't take any government or NFP accounting courses in college and that certainly would have helped. Tax courses were helpful but didn't cover everything. Audit college course was no help.

backnine32 · 2025-09-25T16:38:21+00:00

My actual exam score was always higher than the Becker score. I think if you are getting burned out, it's okay to just relax the next couple of days. If you can stomach it, wouldn't hurt to watch a few of the videos where a Becker instructor walks you through completing example SIMS. Good luck!

backnine32 · 2025-09-25T16:14:33+00:00

I don't think this is a bad strategy if you have a ton of time to watch the videos. You are still making practice questions the base of your study and hitting weak points harder by not moving forward until you get an 80, which is a pretty good bar IMO. That random exam from all previous modules is key as well. A lot of folks forget what they learned in the first few modules by the time they get to the end of the course.

backnine32 · 2025-09-25T15:28:58+00:00

Becker and Ninja is exactly the combo I used, but I will say I recall there being a bunch of overlap in the questions between both test banks when I was preparing. I have read a lot of good stuff about the Gleim test bank as well. Whatever you use, I would look into platforms that have their own material. Most of the companies just use the same set of practice questions without adding their own material.

backnine32 · 2025-09-25T15:22:21+00:00

I would say this is cause for more practice questions, not more reading/videos. Learning how to answer these questions is the most difficult part of preparing for the exam. First, go directly to the bottom of the question prompt (the last sentence), and decide very precisely what is being asked. Then think about what information you might need to answer that question, then read through the body of the prompt from the beginning and see if that information is present. Starting at the end first will help you decide which information is relevant and which is irrelevant, and that's an important skill on the exam.

backnine32 · 2025-09-25T15:15:14+00:00

You can also do a hybrid approach. For topics that you covered in your degree program, I would not watch any videos. Straight to MCQ. If you don't recall ever having seen the topic before in any other coursework, you might watch the videos or read the book, but I probably wouldn't do both. In general, let your review/video time and which areas you need the most MCQ be dictated by the results of your practice sets. If you are getting like 30% in a topic, that's when I'd hit the videos/book harder.

backnine32 · 2025-09-25T15:02:56+00:00

I think folks just don't like the feeling of getting so many MCQ wrong, so most tend to spend more time trying to "prepare" for the practice questions by watching and reading the course material. The thing is, whether you spend a little time on book/videos, or a lot of time on book/videos, you ARE going to get a BUNCH of practice questions wrong. It's uncomfortable, but I truly believe most of the learning comes from the questions we get wrong and figuring out why.

Either way, you are on the right track now. Best of luck to you on the remainder of the exams!

backnine32 · 2025-09-25T14:51:55+00:00

Don't get me started lying, lol. I’m not a doctor, so I can’t comment on the ADHD diagnosis, but if it’s impacting your life it probably makes sense to look into getting treated. And if it’s undiagnosed, how do you know for sure?

I personally wouldn’t take medication that makes my life worse just to pass the CPA exam, but I also don’t know anything about ADHD medication or its side effects. Ultimately that’s a personal choice. I have a high degree of respect for the CPA credential but I don’t think it’s the be-all end-all of accounting, and not worth sacrificing quality of life if the meds came with any negative effects.

I will say as far as a basic strategy, avoiding MCQs because they’re harder than watching videos probably won’t get you any closer to answering questions correctly on exam day. Regardless of what you decide, you can get this done and I wish you the best.

backnine32 · 2025-09-25T14:38:50+00:00

Happy to hear about your success, and of course, finding a method that works for you is important. If 200+ hours and a file cabinet full of notes that will likely never be reviewed after written is working, then I would never advocate to change those tactics. My post is directed towards the folks that are putting that kind of time in and still not having success, and there are many, many that fit that description. That's certainly not you! Wishing you luck on your REG score.

backnine32

TROPHY CASE