The Gleim Blog: Helping You Pass Your Exam on the First Try!

Here you will find helpful tips for the CPA, CIA, CMA, EA, and RTRP exams. We'll post exam updates, helpful hints, CPE information, and the study habits of fellow exam candidates. If you'd like to write about your studies for the Gleim blog, please email us at gleimblog@gleim.com.

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First Week of CPA Studying!

October 15, 2012, by 2 comments

 

Written By Guest Blogger Erica T.

 

Historically, Friday has been the day where I’ve been excited to get out of the office and have a few days of freedom. I’m a bit disappointed in myself that I chose to study for such a monumental exam just as football season got started.

 

It has required quite a bit of discipline, so let’s recap the past week of my CPA studying. I mapped out a study plan that I think will be beneficial. I have a true accountant spirit and I like to work from a list and know when things have to be done. I am oftentimes envious of people who just go with the flow and “wing it.” However, for this type of event, I’m grateful that I have a plan.

 

I plan to study one study unit each day during the week. I will allow myself 3-4 hours each evening to go over the material, in depth, and to use the resources available from Gleim, such as the practice quizzes. These have been particularly helpful in allowing me to identify which areas I’m not quite grasping. I have allowed myself the weekends as review days to go back and hit the points where I was struggling. I have been making flashcards like a mad woman. I tend to learn a lot better when I re-write things. I don’t know why, but things tend to stick a little more, and I have a better understanding of the material if I write it down. I have mapped out my entire study plan up until the day I take the exam. I have allowed myself four “review” days and then a week-long review right before the exam.

 

This week has been a bit more stressful than I had thought it would be. It is tough to devote 3-4 hours of your time every day to studying. However, I have been listening to the Gleim audios whenever I’m in my vehicle. I hook my AUX cord right up to my iPhone and listen and try to absorb information in whatever way possible. It is almost terrifying that this is only the beginning, but I’m just going to take it one day at a time because that’s all I really can do.

 

Circular 230 – Countdown to the EA Exam

October 11, 2012, by No comments yet

 

Written By Guest Blogger Amy W.

Six days until test day! The truth right now is that I feel very prepared and I’m not the least bit jittery. Lest you think this means that all is well in Amy-land, I hasten to add that my very lack of nerves is making me nervous. I wonder, does not being nervous mean that it’s going to be just fine? Or does not being nervous mean that I have seriously underestimated just how hard the test is going to be? Clearly too much introspection can make you crazy.

My plan for this final study week is to continue my 100-question daily test, continue reviewing the audiovisual material, and add in one last thing: actually reading Circular 230. This is something I meant to do earlier, but there was always something more interesting to do. This close to the wire, though, there’s no more kidding around. In order to be able to feel that I’m familiar with the Provisions of Circular 230, I have to actually read the darned thing. It’s long and dull looking, so of course I’m dividing it up into so many pages per day in order to lessen the pain.

I read my fellow bloggers’ offerings each week, both for the joy of knowing that others are in this same boat and also to find new ideas for my own studies. I loved KRR’s lavender oil idea! I too find the smell of lavender very relaxing, but it never occurred to me to rub it into my skin just prior to the test so that I could sniff it at will. I’ve added “Lavender Lotion” to my short list of stuff to bring along on Test Day. Thanks, KRR! Best of luck to us both!

 

Let’s Try the Audiovisual Benefits and Outline Everything

October 11, 2012, by No comments yet

 

Written By Guest Blogger Shelley C.

This past few weeks I have been traveling with kids in sports and have been limited to using my EA book as a study tool. I find that I have really enjoyed the book. After reading each section, I make flash cards because they are easy to keep with me and I can refer to them later. I also find the book helpful because I can underline areas that I find important or need further reviewing. This is visually helpful at a glance. The part that I miss out in this method of studying is a formal outline. I guess in a way I am outlining as I am making the flash cards, but I would think that a formal outline would help me to write down the concepts in my own words and my own style. This, however requires sitting at a computer or having a larger area to write on…so plan your study area and study techniques accordingly.

Secondly, I am going to add the audiovisual clips to my study session. My plan is to have the outline that I have already written in front of me as I watch the clips. Then I can review it as I am watching the video to see if my outline has any holes. I could also follow this theory with the audios that Gleim makes available. I am grateful for so many study options to fit so many different learning styles. So, if you are like me and need to try and solidify those tiny details into your head, don’t be afraid to try a variety of learning methods. For this week, I am going to add the audiovisual resource and outlining and see how that fills in the gaps.

 

Notice to Schedule Expiring

October 11, 2012, by No comments yet

 

Written By Guest Blogger Oprah M.

Today I decided to print my Notice to Schedule and realized that the latest I can take the exam is the first week of October. So I’m sitting here trying to figure out how to get everything finished for each study unit along with a final review. I figure since I paid for the test and NASBA doesn’t give refunds that I would go ahead and take it. I scheduled the latest time I could get in October.

Once I found out my testing time, it wasn’t a hard decision to continue. I have completed up to Study Unit 12 so I have eight more to go. For the next two weeks I took some vacation days so that I could study. I feel like I let myself down by not knowing my time was about to expire.

Right now, multiple-choice questions have become my savior. I’m using the Gleim software I downloaded to my computer for which I don’t need internet access to use. I’ll definitely have to start doing more Gleim simulations to get comfortable and teach myself how to stay within the allotted time. I have been studying 2-3 hours a day instead of just one hour per day. Carrying flash cards around has become another good way for me to study. When something doesn’t require too much of my attention, I review my flashcards. I created the flashcards from the Gleim AUD review book so that I wouldn’t need to always carry a book to study. Gleim has provided me with all my self-study CPA AUD review materials needed and has also assigned me a personal counselor to help me answer any questions or problems I may have. It all comes down to the next two weeks.

Wish me luck

 

Study Materials Are Here! Time To Schedule With Prometric.

October 11, 2012, by No comments yet

 

Written By Guest Blogger Erica T.

I got my study materials in the mail yesterday, which was a lot sooner than I was expecting. I can’t describe exactly how I felt when I received them. I was excited because I have worked so hard to get to this point, but I was also nervous. I’m nervous of failure and becoming discouraged. I’m anxious to take the first part of the exam and see how it goes. I’m feeling overwhelmed with all the material that there is to study. I’m a big basket of emotions, but overall, I’m excited and dedicated to the studying process.

 

I have already been impressed by the exceptional customer service that I’ve received from Gleim. They have been so helpful and so quick to answer any questions. I do love a company that stands behind their promise and I look forward to continuing this journey with such a solid and credible company.

 

Shortly after receiving the study materials, I was so eager to start. That eagerness quickly turned into an overwhelming fear of not being able to retain all of this information in time for my exam. I’m scheduled to take REG in November. I have laid out a schedule of dates that I will use as a guideline to study diligently and effectively. I’ve called Prometric to schedule a few times but got nervous and hung up the phone. Now that I have an official test date in my future, everything seems a lot more real to me. I want to go into this exam with the confidence that I’m going to do well. I think this program is going to be beneficial to me in that sense.

 

I will keep you updated on my studying process and how effective it is. I hope that this blog will be beneficial to anyone studying for the exam or thinking of taking the CPA exam! We are all in this together.

 

 

Scheduling EA Exam 1 Soon!

October 10, 2012, by No comments yet

Written By Guest Blogger Danielle C.

Hello All!

I am nowhere near where I had planned to be with my EA Exam studying! I did not get caught up last week like I had intended. I ended up going on a camping trip, which was great, but I didn’t study. Now that I have taken a break from everything and feel refreshed, I can get going again and hopefully get caught up. I am only getting one study unit done per week. I am not in a huge rush, but I would still like to pass all three tests by the end of the year.

I am retaining the information well. This is very encouraging because I always feel like I am forgetting something. I may be over studying though, which I know many people believe is inefficient, but I really want to pass the test and be good at my job! I would much rather over study then under study. I have not run into any difficulties yet in understanding the material. Everything has been fairly straightforward, but I do believe I will be running into some challenging sections. Last week I did something a little different. I did a few small study sessions and then one large study session with every question. I had to pause it several times, but I was happy with my grade. When I took the quiz, I passed with a 95%, which was even better. This week though I am going to go back to smaller sessions because it is much easier to get 20 questions in versus 90 questions.

I plan to study for at least two study units this week. Once I get to Study Unit 7, I am going to schedule my Enrolled Agent exam. By then I am hoping to have solid study habits. But I don’t dare schedule it now since nothing seems to be going according to plan! My biggest challenges right now are juggling the kids and classes. I have not started getting up early yet, but I hope to start soon. My son has not been sleeping well lately; therefore, neither have I! So hopefully this week he will start sleeping better again so I can start getting up early. Well, that’s about it for now! I hope to have much more to report next week!! Best wishes to you all!

Danielle C.

 

Life Is Starting To Slow Down

October 10, 2012, by No comments yet

 

Written By Guest Blogger KP.

This past week has been busy with school and work, but it wasn’t as bad as the previous week. I did finish up the study units on partnerships, and now I am 55% done with my initial audio and book review. Next up will be corporations, which is then followed by a few study units on estates and trusts, retirement plans, and exempt organizations. The material for this exam (I have already finished EA Parts 1 and 3) has been the most difficult for me to grasp because I have little to no experience in the tax field. I wanted to take this exam in order to help me determine whether I would enjoy tax and to help me break into the tax field. And for the most part, I do really enjoy the material!

 

However, I remember when some of the material in the Individuals part of the exam started to seem a bit overwhelming. The review questions at the end of each study unit really helped emphasize what concepts I really needed to know. I remember that there were many concepts on the actual EA exam that were heavily emphasized in the Gleim study questions. It can feel like there are so many concepts to learn, especially with this book being the longest at about 450 pages. However, Gleim didn’t fail me before on Parts 1 or 3, so I know that if I use this approach again with Part 2, that I will do just fine. Personally, it can be easy for me to get lost in the details and try to learn every little thing, but I know that if I am going to finish this by the end of the year, I need to push through. I am very nervous about retaining information during my study of the corporation study units, so I will try to keep this all in mind!

 

And Then There Was One for John E.

October 9, 2012, by No comments yet

 

Written By Guest Blogger John E.

I love the fall season. I love it especially this year. My reason for welcoming this fall with open arms and optimism is that I have managed to pass three sections of the CPA exam. I am within reach of completion and finally becoming a Certified Public Accountant. I see the light at the end of a long and sacrificial journey. Forgive me for being philosophical, but I am coming off a high from recently receiving a passing score on the BEC section.

I could not be happier. I really wasn’t so sure about myself after the BEC exam. I didn’t feel as confident as I had been when I took the AUD exam. I still believe and have stated before: “These exams are designed to be long, tricky and to leave you with the feeling of confusion.”

I would recommend to anyone not to stress too much about what has already been done and cannot be undone. Just leave it in the test room and move on. What I mean is that you should forget about the exam until you receive your advisory score. Then make a decision. Try not to schedule the next section unless you know you passed the section you just took. Just wait for the score and then transition to the next part. Yes, it’s tough to retake a section of the exam. I can speak about this from experience. However, it is tougher to retake a section and find focus after you have begun studying new material. I say, “one step at a time.” The journey to become a CPA is not a sprint but a marathon.

 

Busy Interviewing for Big 4, Studying and Finishing School

October 9, 2012, by No comments yet

 

Written By Guest Blogger KP.

The word “busy” doesn’t even begin to explain this past week!  I just finished up my first week  of grad school, work has been super busy, and on-campus recruiting is also currently taking place at my school, so there any many networking events each night during the week.  On top of that, I also had interviews this past week with another Big Four firm, so I have spent considerable time preparing for those.  Although I ultimately don’t know which direction I will go after grad school, it is nice to have options.  I was even tested on a few of the concepts that I learned while studying for the EA exam, so that was nice!  The interviewers seemed impressed that I was pursuing this exam before I even finished school and started in the field, as they said it really showed that I had a desire to pursue tax and liked the initiative that it showed.

 

However, due to the craziness of the past week, I only made it through one more section of the Business part of the EA exam. It’s my second section on partnerships, and the information is getting even more in depth. I felt very distracted though because I had a lot of other information on my mind. However, I really didn’t want to take the week off from studying because I don’t want to lose focus on the exam.  However, I must note that even after taking a few days off, it felt like I had already “lost” some of the information I just learned.  Ideally, I’d like to just keep pushing through these study units. I really want to finish this exam by the end of the year because then I will have completed all 3 parts in a 12-month period, which was my original goal.

 

 

Exam Studying Tricks for the Memory-Challenged

October 9, 2012, by No comments yet

 

 

Written By Guest Blogger Amy W.

I’m less than 2 weeks away from test day. Unlike my experiences with Part 1 and Part 2, I am not breaking out into a cold sweat thinking about the upcoming test. That’s either because I’m feeling confident about my test prep skills or because I’m just too tired of test taking to care! All kidding aside, I’m happy to say that I feel pretty comfortable with my grasp of the material in EA Part 3. Going through the material again from the beginning was a great study idea; it’s all making a lot more sense the second time around.

 

My stack of 3×5 cards for form numbers has grown since last week. I’m using a variety of techniques to help me memorize these numbers. For example, how do I remember the difference between the form numbers for Injured Spouse Allocation and Request for Innocent Spouse Relief? Injured Spouse is Form 8379 while Innocent Spouse is Form 8857. Well, the injured spouse has been injured, so the “8” got injured and is now a “3”. Here’s another one. Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement is Form 843. I just couldn’t lock this in my head (I’ve said it before, I’m memory-challenged) until I realized that if I take the last two words of the name of the Form and reverse them – Abatement for – that’s my clue for the numbers “84”. Okay, it’s silly, but it helps!