Leah is a NINJA CPA Blogger.

My first attempt at AUD is coming up next week. It seems like the past two months have gone by way too fast. I don’t feel prepared, but then I didn’t feel prepared for FAR either and managed to pass.

I’ve heard it said many times on another71 forum that you will never feel prepared so just jump on in. That’s what I’m doing.

I’ve studied two months for AUD, and I have BEC scheduled at the end of the same window giving me two months for BEC. It will be a full onslaught this summer to try and knock out AUD and BEC.

I cringed when I told my husband that my weekends from now on up through August would be cut short. I don’t like it one bit, but I’m willing to sacrifice time and activities now so I can get through the exams.

I have to admit this schedule is a little out of my comfort zone, but I found out the hard way that studying for an extended period of time is just a waste of time. That sounds weird to say, and I didn’t believe it at first either.

After four months of full time, dragged out, study for FAR, I believe it now. The NINJA method is where it is at and I wish I had followed it previously. You live and you learn.

Something else I recently learned is a trick for the Wiley MCQs. It has an option called “seen fewer than”. Tah-dah! The option has always been there, but it was a mini ‘ah-ha’ moment when I discovered it.

It made me feel like I just twirled something over my head and body-slammed it! Hi-Ya! Take that, CPA exams!

I’m sure those sitting for exams can probably relate to that feeling when something comes together. It’s like I had just inched that much closer to passing. Finding a way to make sure I’ve seen all questions at least twice is awesome since I typically go through MCQ’s more than once.

I know not everyone uses Wiley, but for those that do the “Seen fewer than” option can come in handy especially for sections with over 200 MCQ’s.

In between all of those MCQ’s I’ll have to make time for my new position as Town Recorder. I’ve been on Council for four years and we’ve continued to work on some much needed changes. It’s a really small, quaint town, but it’s home.

I’ll have some new responsibilities as Recorder like chairing meetings in the absence of the Mayor. That’s a crazy thought. I never imagined I would be helping our town in this way, but then I never thought I could pass a section of the CPA exam either.

As E.A. Bucchianeri said, “If it can be thought, it can be done, a problem can be overcome.” Until next time my fellow test takers.