Megan is a weekly Another71 Facebook blogger as she documents her journey through the CPA Exam.
This week, it will be extra challenging to stay on target with my study plan for REG. Im moving to a new place this weekend, and Im so excited for the new beginning that all I want to do is pack!! I wont lie; I packed for an hour and a half last night when I should have been studying.
Isnt it a shame when you find yourself doing something productive and necessary yet you still feel like youre procrastinating!? The good news is, I made sure to devote some time to studying last night as well.
There is something Ive noticed lately that I thought would be a great topic of discussion: multiple choice questions seem to be the worst part of studying for me and many others, yet they are a valuable piece of CPA exam success. It just feels like the questions slow me down compared to the fun lectures of my Roger CPA Review course.
I know people who take the MCQ quizzes and have a tendency to be disheartened when they dont receive a good score on those quizzes. I also see other people watching several lectures before doing ALL the MCQs. Personally, neither of these approaches would be effective ways of studying for me. In fact, I think Id find them just as daunting and de-motivating!
I think there is a better way to look at the MCQs. They provide a means of reinforcement of the material and essential repetition. They frequently bring me better understanding of the concepts through application of examples. They also prepare your mind for the complex, purposely confusing wording found on the CPA exams.
As for my method of covering MCQs, I follow the recommended suggestion of Roger CPA Review. After watching the lecture on a topic and re-reading the notes, I will do the MCQ homework assigned one by one, making sure to read each answer immediately following the question.
This method serves to break up the monotony of doing hundreds of practice questions at the end of several sections. It also serves to give you practice immediately following the instruction to help solidify the material before you forget what you were taught.
Finally, once Ive finished the review course, I find it helpful to use the software included to review MCQs and simulations in a random order to see identify my weaknesses and strengths. I would never forgo doing MCQs throughout the course to only work through them at the end. It just would not work for me!
The important point I want to make here is that MCQs are very valuable! Sure, they can sometimes feel like a drag, and they have the potential to remind us how much we have yet to learn. On the other hand, I truly believe that working through MCQs will contribute to our success. Stay motivated. Have a good week!
