Elizabeth is a NINJA CPA Blogger.

Greetings all,

First of all, I apologize for the tardy blog and second for the brevity of this blog. I had my exam on Thursday, and honestly I was wiped.

I have been fighting a cold and honestly after my exam my system just gave up. I have slept. This is not good seeing as I have another exam on Friday, though more on that later.

As you may recall, my last blog had a discussion of whether or not I should change my exam. I am relieved that I resisted the urge to change my AUD exam.

Personally, I can count the number of times I left an exam knowing I ROCKED it – it was exactly once. That being said unless the exam was different, then the additional time would have been spent on studying material not even tested.

It was a very odd test – to say the least. On two of the simulations, I think I might have been a test subject though I actually think I earned a fair amount of the available points on those.

Honestly, unless when I rescheduled the exam and received a completely different exam, additional time would not have assisted with this exam. I overall felt ok leaving the exam. However, to echo the comments made by others except for the time when I rocked it I always am so close so again I could just be close on this exam.

To move forward now or at least until Friday thanking my lucky stars that my BEC exam is 9 in the morning prior to the scores coming out.

As you are well aware due to Sandy, the testing window was extended till Dec 8th. Well my dad heard that and had the brilliant idea, which in some sleep derived state I agreed to, for me to schedule BEC on Dec 7th – actually Dec 8th but all locations were filled.

Lets think about this in a non-sleep deprived state. The exam is right before finals, right after AUD. I have serious anxiety when it comes to BEC (I scored countless back to back 74s on the exam on my first go around).

So clearly why shouldn't I take the exam a few days after AUD with finals looming? Well the logic I used to agree with this scheduling option (now in the midst of studying I officially find this a hair brain idea), the less time I have to study I will only be able to learn the information and not thoroughly digest the information.

The common contention and I fully agree is that I make the exam more difficult than it is. I read too much into the question. By studying in an intensive way I will only go through the information enough to answer the questions.

During practice questions so long as I answer the question within a minute, I normally answer it correctly. The longer I spend on a question my score goes down. While I will not know the answer to the super difficult questions I will answer the majority of the questions correctly and hopefully pass.

My dad was also quick to point out that if I fail, I was planning to take it next window, so what is there to lose, except of course for the fee? Additionally, this was the logic used when I passed BEC the first time.

I should also disclaim that I have been through all of the BEC material countless times not only before but also last year and earlier this year so I am not attempting to take the BEC exam without ample study time. Rather, I am attempting to just go through an intensive review so everything is in the forefront again.

If you have you never poured over this material previously, please never attempt this idea of going over all the material in less than a week's time.

So what am I doing to prepare? Again my long commute comes in great here to listen to NINJA Audio as well as reviewing printed out questions. I have realized that instead of listening to the audio in a constant loop I am skipping for the Cost Accounting sections.

I found that while listening to cost accounting or other more computational items I space out though while listen to non-computational it really helps reinforce the information. I think the key is you have to know yourself.

I did manage to rewrite the NINJA Notes this weekend in between my sleep festival. Additionally, I am just pouring over the multiple guess questions and printing out anything I do not fully feel comfortable with/think I might forget.

I will then review these questions during my commute and then on Thursday right before the exam.

Have an enjoyable week and I hope we will all be celebrating the good news we receive on Friday, December 7th.

Cheers,

EAB