I took the weekend off from studying after taking REG last week and have since been tinkering with the idea of studying for Financial Accounting and Reporting, but have so far found limited success in this endeavor. I've been pondering what exactly could motivate one to start studying for a section of the CPA Exam that they've already passed and I think I found the answer:
PAY $280 FOR IT.
(rant) The 18 month window is absolute garbage. It's not even 18 months. Each testing window is 2 months long and you can only sit once in a testing window. After each window, NASBA takes a one month breather and doesn't allow exams and it STILL takes as long as 9 weeks (a co-worker of mine sat for his exam on July 3rd and as of today, September 3rd, his score is still not posted online) to get scores back. Of course it's up to each state BOA to determine the window of time in which to pass, but the 18 month window is fairly uniform. Naturally, your 18 months starts when you sit for your exam, not when you get your score. Nice. If I ever find one aspect of the CPA Exam that is candidate-friendly, I will be more than happy to pass it on. I am also completely ignoring the fact that if I would have studied more for REG I wouldn't be in this mess, but I am taking no accountability for my actions or test scores. It must be someone else's fault.(/rant)
After I entered my payment information and submitted it, I immediately thought of all of the things that $280 would buy. In no particular order:
-A new gas grill
-An XBOX360
-4 family trips to see “Dinosaurs on Ice” complete with stuffed dinosaurs wearing skates for each child
–NFL Sunday Ticket (now you've hit a nerve)
It made me so mad that I promptly pulled out my Wiley FAR book, popped in Yaeger‘s 1st FAR DVD and I'm off and running.
Something else to spur my motivation is as soon as I get my NTS back, I'm scheduling it for mid-October.
I will never pay for another NTS again.
This line is really great: "I am also completely ignoring the fact that if I would have studied more for REG I wouldn't be in this mess, but I am taking no accountability for my actions or test scores. It must be someone else's fault.(/rant)"
I'm glad you recognize your responsibility in the matter but definitely agree with you that between the blackout months and the time it takes to wait for scores, you are kind of being cheated. Many of my students see the "18 months" and assume they have all this time to kick back and take their time - very often they don't take those things into account. And they certainly don't consider the fact that they may not be able to breeze through all four sections like they plan to - your blog is a perfect example of how our best plans and intentions don't always work out the way we want them to.
Great post and thank you for sharing!
This is hopefully something that the AICPA will look at as we move towards the new CBT-e and continued changes with the exam.
Thanks Roger for being a reader and dropping me lines.
Great blog! I too feel your pain. I took REG four times (73, 71, 71... 83). I wasted so much time waiting on those scores when I should have picked up with the next part. I'm also WAITING on my July 3rd FAR score (Florida)... it's ridiculous!! I've taken BEC twice (68, 72) and waiting for this one as well. AUD is scheduled for Oct 2nd, again, this will be my 3rd time around (71, 73)... i swear this exam wants to drink my blood..ARRGH! LOL
Good luck to you on your next part!
I hear your pain and second the motion!!!! I took some of the weekend off as well but did manage to get through half of the Audit I disk. I like how Gary goes over the questions as he goes along with the material. The thing that is dumb founding to me is that I know the material and answer most of the questions correctly before he answers them. I do not see how I actually went down on this exam from last time. Good luck with FARE, I have to start on it sometime soon as well.
you can have my husband's XBox 360.....he's not allowed to fire it up until all exams are passed.....he's studying for AUD for the third time since April.
And, I have put some serious thought into creating a blog for the significant others of those taking the exams. I need to vent to other "single parents" now and then.
The End.
pd momma, I'm sure your husband abhors the time lost with you and your children.
I don't have children yet, but the single hardest part of motivating myself to study is that when I do, I often feel as though I'm alienating my husband.
Fortunately, he's very understanding and says that he'd rather have limited time with me over the next few months than for me to be angry and stressed out for what could be a few years or more if I don't get it all knocked out now.
Question: Is the online re-exam registration instant, or do you have to wait just as long for an NTS as with a first time application?
pdmomma, i'd sign up for your blog! sometimes, i feel more crazed about this test then the hubby. he has 2 parts down just reading the books himself, no courses or anything. Now after failing the other 2 parts two times, he's agreed to do the REG CRAM review (scores were a 70 and 72) and a local classroom class here in Philly for FAR in Jan. His AUD expires April 30. So its been over a year of him spending 4 nights a week plus weekends studying!
FAR is something painful....sigh...