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In this SuperfastCPA podcast episode, you'll hear how Mike started using SuperfastCPA along with his Becker review course. He felt like the "mini sessions" using the SuperfastCPA study tools are what made the difference.
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00:00 Introduction
05:30 Mike's CPA Journey
08:48 Bridging the Gap Using SuperfastCPA
11:17 His Daily Study Routine
12:32 Studying on the Weekends
16:06 Flashcards and Note Taking
18:38 Actual Day of the Exam
22:08 Tips for Those Who are Still in the Study Process
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0:00
And then I had my, I had like an Excel spreadsheet full of notes and I'd have different tabs for each module
0:06
And it got out of hand. It got gigantic to the point where that was not helpful to me in my final review
0:12
But I found that note taking during the lecture helps me stay on track and help me stay focused
0:18
Because without note taking, I'll just be, I'll just be listening to it because like I said, the lectures get, they get dense
0:24
They get very, very dense. And they, especially once the examples start coming in, it's, it's hard
0:29
to follow at some points. At least I personally, I definitely found. That's kind of that. I really
0:36
didn't take much flashcards and then my notes were, my notes were just to stay focused and that
0:41
that was kind of that. Welcome to episode 96 of the CPA exam experience podcast from Super Fast CPA. I'm Nate and in today's
0:58
interview, you're going to hear me talk with Mike. So I recorded this interview with Mike
1:02
close to two years ago at this point. And I'm not really sure why we never published it
1:09
There was, we did a few of these interviews in different batches and I switched the interview
1:14
software we were using. I switched from Zoom. And somehow it kind of fell through the cracks
1:18
And then just this week, Mike emailed me and was referring one of his coworkers. So Mike is now all done
1:27
with the CPA. But this was our original interview from, I think, a year and a half or two years ago
1:33
So Mike is the author of the famous email, at least to me. This is probably my favorite
1:41
customer email of all times. He sent an email, and here I'll just read it. This is from
1:50
so April 2020. So yes, it was two years ago. So Mike's email says
1:55
I'm not sure whom I'm speaking to, but I hope this gets to the proper marketing team, content team
2:03
I use this program with Becker and Crushed Far. I'm at a big four accounting firm
2:07
Many of my peers failed on their first attempt, but I passed. The only differentiation was I had your audio guides and study guide
2:15
I believe in this product for FAR and feel like more people should try it out
2:19
Now it should be the time that you should run targeted ads for people studying for the CPA
2:24
Many individuals are losing motivation due to tests being postponed. So he's referencing the COVID year 2020 and a lot of testing centers obviously shut down for several months
2:38
He says, you can run an ad campaign on Instagram and Facebook and stress how easy it is to supplement studying and how bite size the lectures are
2:47
This is the perfect time for people to pick up the audio lectures, follow them in the written guide and then make flashcards
2:53
Thank you for your amazing product. I will be purchasing for reg when I can afford it
2:58
So if you've been on our email list for a while, you know that I use his email in our email campaigns over and over
3:08
I just found that really amusing because I appreciate the sentiment of what Mike's trying to say
3:15
just being very complimentary saying, you know, you should really tell more people about this because your product really works
3:23
And so obviously I believe that, but I just thought it was funny that he was telling us that, you know
3:29
you should really tell more people about this. So, obviously, I agree with Mike
3:35
The ideas are how to implement the strategies. It just makes sense
3:40
If you have mobile study tools, you can be taking advantage of all these little five to 10 minute gaps all throughout your day
3:47
And you will hear Mike describe in this interview how that was kind of the key difference maker for him
3:52
in addition to his main study sessions with Becker. So before we get into the interview
3:57
I just want to mention two things. First, our free study training webinars
4:01
As you'll hear, that's what Mike started with. Essentially, everyone you've heard on these interviews
4:07
that's the first thing that they started with super fast CPA. Because in those training webinars
4:13
we walk you through the big picture ideas and strategies behind our study approach
4:19
how to use your review course, much more efficiently than the normal way of studying
4:25
And you will just have several big light bulb moments or aha moments
4:30
as you watch one of these free training webinars. So you can sign up for one of those
4:34
The link will be down in the description of this episode or on our homepage at superfast CPA.com
4:40
The second thing is our free podcast giveaway. So each month we give away three pairs of Powerbeat Pro headphones
4:46
kind of just on the idea of using our audio notes as much as possible
4:52
Whenever you're doing other things like washing dishes, preparing meals, whenever you're in your car, walking your dog
5:00
you can be racking up study time and exposure time, and this stuff just sinks deeper and deeper into your brain
5:06
by listening to the audios over and over and over. So that's the idea behind giving way my favorite headphones each month
5:14
So the link to sign up for that giveaway is superfastcb.com slash enter, or again, that link will be down in the description of this episode
5:24
So with that being said, let's get into the interview with Mike. I began my study process probably in about maybe it was October or so
5:38
I was given Becker by my accounting firm. I was going through that and then I needed a little something extra
5:44
So I, of course, through that, that YouTube ad I saw, I went to the, I guess it was the super fast CPA
5:52
like live lecture demo. And right that I was thinking about it
5:56
I was like, you know what, like this would be nice as little like supplement because the audio files
6:01
all the files seemed pretty light. I was like this might be what I like need as the idea of the Dexter push So once I actually gained access I was kind of navigated through the app and I realized I could download the audio files which was that was perfect
6:16
So I ended up downloading all of them and then on my drives to and from school
6:21
I'd be listening to each audio file. I tried to pair them with what module and chapter I was in with the Decker program
6:30
So it was kind of like reinforcing what I was already listening to. But I found that the audio files were very light and they were easy to follow as opposed to a Becker lecture during a 30 minute drive would be kind of very dense
6:44
And I would kind of need the textbook. I mean, at least me personally, I would need the textbook to be following that as opposed to the audio files from the Superfest CPA app
6:54
Nice. Yeah, no, that is the point that because that's exactly kind of what I
7:00
experienced. I bought audio notes when I was studying and they were like the full everything
7:06
So first of all, even over like the course of a few weeks, it would have been hard to get
7:10
through them even once. And yeah, while driving, if you're getting the full strength thing
7:15
it's just like a lecture and just starts. You're not even hearing it. Yeah, it's a lot
7:22
It's definitely a lot. I would, I was, I guess I found a little bit of success in
7:28
kind of just squeezing in those audio. lectures wherever I could. I mean, as ridiculous as it sounds, I would listen to them
7:35
I was driving to and from college. If I was early for class, I would skim through the actual audio notes that were on the app
7:45
I realized, like the written. Yes, the written one, the written one. So I could actually read what I just heard and kind of like highlight, if anything
7:52
stood out for anything to make a flash card for something that I needed to know
7:58
Also, I'll listen to them in the gym too. It sounds ridiculous, but all my free time was kind of like
8:04
how can I interject these and make this work? Yeah. Yeah. No, that's exactly what I found, again, was just studying with my review course once each day
8:18
I just felt like I wasn't really learning stuff or forgetting what I studied even that morning
8:25
Right. And even those audio notes that I did have, I mean, I was using them
8:29
They weren't ideal. I didn't really like how long they were. But constantly throughout the day
8:35
instead of looking at ESPN at lunch on my phone, I would do questions or whatever
8:42
Yeah, instead of listening to just music or the radio, listening to audios
8:46
And that just kind of like bridge the gap. So one thing you said I wanted to go back to
8:51
when you said you started with Becker and you said you needed a little bit more
8:57
what was that? Was that just because you felt like overwhelmed with the Becker materials
9:06
I mean, personally, I, Becker provides you with flashcards. In my experience, I was given flashcards
9:13
I wasn't, I guess I was reading through flashcards, it was not for me
9:17
It was simply not for me. So I found that I needed like another way to review the material to make sure that, like I said
9:24
to reinforce it, to really have something to drive it home. And that's, this is what I found
9:29
the Super Fast CPU audio files did for me. I kind of bridged that gap of where I would be using flashcards
9:37
and reviewing material and driving at home. That's where these audio files came in
9:44
Okay. And then what, so you started using our materials as soon as you started studying in general
9:52
Just about. Okay. And now I'm going through audit only because, as like how audit is like kind of because I already took an undergrad audit and an MBA audit
10:05
So it really kind of comes natural to me. Plus I have work experience in it so far
10:10
So I really, really barely going through running a review course in general
10:14
I'm kind of just going through practice tests and mock exams and kind of going through that
10:18
But now it's a struggle to schedule a test, really. Right. With the honest with you
10:23
So now I'm kind of just in limbo now. So now I'm kind of thinking about starting reg and just kind of putting
10:29
audit off hold and you're starting to learn new material. I know reg is going to be an absolute
10:34
beast. Yeah. Are you done with, you're done with FAR? Is that what it is then? Correct. Yes. I
10:41
I studied for four for about maybe three months in total. That includes final review and practice
10:48
tests and all that stuff. It was, it wasn't easy. I would have to say it wasn't easy. It took
10:57
It took me, took quite a bit of commitment and, you know, willpower to delete Instagram
11:03
delete Snapchat, delete Twitter, a lot of weekends, you know, missing, missing out on going
11:08
out and friends' birthday parties and events and stuff like that. But, you know, it pays off
11:15
Yeah. Definitely pays off. Yeah, and that's kind of just what it takes too
11:20
So what did a day of studying look like for you? Were you working full time already when you started
11:27
studying. I was not working full-time. I was actually a full-time student. So my day would normally
11:35
consist of probably waking about maybe eight or eight or nine. I would study for, I would do a Becker
11:41
review. I would do a Becker module. And then I would be going to class on certain days I'd be
11:47
going to class and then listening to an audit, hopefully an audio file that matched up with
11:51
that what I just learned or learned from Becker to kind of reinforce it. And then I'd do the same
11:57
I'm audio file from Super Fast CPA driving home again from college
12:02
So at that point, I've already listened to that file twice. Plus I had the initial first time I heard it in the morning
12:09
And then I would get home do a little bit of multiple choice questions And then I would do if I was up for it do a second Becker module And then kind of do more multiple choice questions And then the next day that was kind of it
12:24
Like I say, I would restart the whole process, do homework at night or whatever I could really
12:29
And I prioritize studying, to be honest with you. Yeah. And then what were Saturday and Sunday like, like what were you aiming for study-wise on the weekend days
12:41
I would let myself go a little bit because, you know, you need some kind of certain time to just relax and rest it on
12:48
So on those days, I really wouldn't do new modules. I would go over multiple choice questions and then reinforce what I'm not, what I'm getting wrong with
12:55
it's not sticking with the audio files. Okay. Nice. And then getting closer to, so I kind of tell people it, well, you know this because you had her
13:11
but I'm not a big fan of like the full two-week final review because if if you're kind of
13:18
building in re-review to your day each day you don't need to like relearn everything by the time
13:25
you get close to the exam what was your approach to the final review or the few days before an exam
13:32
or I guess you have you only just taken far then I've only I've only just taken far but I've
13:38
been through the final review process with audit, you know, probably by now about two times
13:45
because my test could hold on like, well, I had to change my exam five times. So I've been through the
13:51
been through the whole process for twice so far. I find that the, the Becker final review is
13:59
very solid, at least for far, it was very solid. And then like I had said previously already, like I would
14:07
just run through multiple choice questions and practice tests, and then whatever I
14:11
whatever wasn't translating from the final review, too much performance in multiple choice or practice test
14:17
I would then supplement with the, the super fast CPA audio files
14:24
I mean, that's what works for me and that's, I mean, maybe I'm just
14:28
you know, a unique case, but I, I passed with, you know
14:32
flying colors and couldn't be happier. Nice. Yeah. And then people in your higher group or whatever it is, people were taking them at the same time
14:44
What was kind of everyone's experience? Was it right around those same fail rates
14:49
Like half of you guys passed, happy you guys failed? Yeah, I had a handful of my peers fail for the first time
14:59
I mean, it is an absolute beast of an exam. But to that note, also no one else really has
15:06
had the the supplemental audio notes and files like I had. Yeah, I mean, the thing that does make sense is the more time you can just squeeze in
15:17
each day, you know, the better you're going to do. Yeah. Yeah, I honestly felt pretty ridiculous, you know, going to work out and listening to what
15:24
you know. That's brutal, man. Yeah, that was the one time when I would not, I couldn't listen to a county like
15:34
while I'm trying to work out of the gym. So yeah, I would listen to music then
15:39
So that's, yeah. I honestly had like I made maybe like 30 minutes a day
15:45
where I would just play video games. And no matter like how busy I was, I would make sure that like I sat down
15:51
played 30 minutes of video games, listened to music then, you know, talk to friends then
15:54
That was kind of my like daily social interaction that I could always rely on
15:59
It's just kind of ridiculous. No, I mean, I mean, you know, you could call that a strategy in itself
16:04
I think that is important. Yeah. One other question I had was
16:09
what was your system of taking notes or writing your own flashcards
16:15
or did you do any of that? How did you do that part? Like I previously said
16:20
I did struggle with reviewing flashcards. So the very few flashcards I made
16:26
I knew that like I needed to review these. I know nothing about them
16:30
I can't remember them. I've gotten a multiple choice question. a wrong multiple times
16:35
or maybe I got a sim wrong that I completely bombed and I was like all right this is something I need
16:41
to really nail down so I had a small deck of flashcards
16:47
and whatever I did have it was the essentials I felt like that really helped me out because I know a lot
16:53
of people have you know 500 flashcards or you know they do
16:57
the Becker flashcards which is like what looks like another 500 plus their own flashcards so
17:03
to me that was that was just not the route that that was going to work for me and then speaking to the note of note taking
17:10
what I found worked for me was I would listen to the Becker lecture and just take just take notes to kind of stay focused and stay on track
17:19
and then I had my I had like an Excel spreadsheet full of notes and I'd have different tabs for each module and
17:26
it got out of hand it got gigantic to the point where that was not helpful to me in my final review
17:33
but I found that note taking during the lecture helps me stay on track and help me stay focused
17:39
because without note taking, I'll just be listening to it because like I said, the lectures get, they get dense
17:46
They get very, very dense. And they, especially once the examples start coming in
17:50
it's hard to follow at some points. Well, both of those things are really good
17:55
The flashcards, that's exactly what I tell people. It's like, you don't want to rewrite the lecture in flashcard form
18:02
and just make flashcards about every single thing. What you do want to do is the things that you struggle to remember for whatever reason
18:10
and that you personally struggle to understand, those are what you make flashcards about
18:15
I mean, and that's exactly what you just said. Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely
18:18
And then almost the kind of doodling very simple notes during a lecture that a good idea That a really good strategy to just like you said
18:30
It kind of keeps your mind locked in on what they're saying. Definitely, definitely
18:37
Well, that I believe, oh, last question is test day stuff. What did you, what were you trying to keep in mind as you went into the exam
18:49
as far as just like test taking tips, you know, timelines or, yeah, what were your ideas on that
18:57
Timeline-wise, I had already ran through practice exams and mock exams so many times that I knew for a fact that I can get through multiple choice in, you know, a reasonable amount of time
19:11
And so I have plenty of time for the sims. So honestly, I didn't focus any amount of any amount of thinking towards, you know, timing
19:18
It was kind of, if I was stuck in a multiple choice question, I would highlight it, go back to it at the end
19:24
And if I needed to guess on, I made an educated guess. And that was kind of it because generally I can kind of narrow down two of the answers and make an educated 50-50 if I really needed to
19:35
But I didn't need to do that too much on the exam
19:41
Test day, though, I actually had a little bit of almost disaster
19:45
I wrote down the wrong, I guess, like activation key because I had multiple activation keys on my NTS
19:54
and I was so nervous the day of the test. They gave you a little posted note and they say
19:59
right before you go in, put all your documents, all your phone and everything into the locker
20:04
and write down the activation key onto the posted note and then you can go into your exam
20:10
go through the process, the fingerprinting, the whole nine yards. I wrote down the wrong activation key
20:18
I wrote down the activation key for audit I believe so I go through this like 10 minute
20:23
they checked me padded down they fingerprinted me they do all this whole security process
20:29
and then they let me in and I'm like oh my God I started the exam
20:33
the timer's going down I can't log in I'm like what do I do so I sprinted back out
20:39
and I explained the woman what happened then she, you know, gave me an express lane checkout, if you want to say, ran to my locker
20:49
ran back in, typed in the activation code, and it worked. So I guess my nerves were at a 10 out of 10
20:55
And as simply puts, the moral ad story is to take a deep breath, pay attention to what you're doing
21:02
And I guess definitely double-check the activation key before you go in because it sounded ridiculous
21:07
But if that timer would have went out, I'm not too sure if it would have been able to access the test
21:12
probably not i mean yeah i would have been horrible i would have been horrible i'm surprised the lady
21:19
you know kind of helped you out like that they act like prison wardens in there like it's kind of
21:23
crazy oh i i don't know the most the security is like 10 out of 10 you can not met miss around
21:30
with that yeah but um i was literally like running from my locker back already like steps for her
21:37
and like because like they make you sick out your pockets and all that stuff like that so i'm trying to
21:41
like, ask the process as fast as possible. Too funny. Too funny
21:46
That was a little test day story. Yeah. Well, and what you said before that, I mean, again, that's, I'm always telling people
21:56
if you spend enough time through the study process, just working questions over and over
22:01
like you should, then the MCQs take care of themselves on test day
22:05
Right. That's like exactly what you said. So, yeah, I think we went through everything I had
22:10
Any other just overall tips you'd have for someone that's in the study process
22:18
Maybe. I mean, everyone's kind of struggling, scheduling exams right now. I would say to just make a schedule and stick to it and just keep pushing because, you know
22:29
that one day and no, whether it's going to be next week or a month from now or even two months from now
22:34
we all will be sitting down for the test. And better be prepared than not
22:40
Right. Correct. So that was the interview with Mike. I'm sure you found that very informative and helpful
22:51
He gave a lot of good strategies and tips and just insights he got as he went through the far study process
22:58
And like I mentioned in the beginning, he is now done with the CPA exams
23:03
So we will be having a follow-up interview with Mike now that he's all done with the CPA
23:07
He's been done for a while. and after this original email, I don't think we sent emails back and forth, but apparently he just
23:15
breezed through the other three and now he's done. So if you found this episode helpful
23:21
take a minute to send this to somebody you know who's also working on their CPA exams
23:26
You might not give them a lot of thought. But these interviews, if you listen to 10 to 20 of these
23:31
interviews, and we're approaching 100, we have a lot of these interviews. If you listen to 10 or 20
23:36
of these interviews, your study process will dramatically improve because you will be full of ideas
23:43
of mistakes to avoid and the key study strategies that work that need to be part of your process
23:50
These interviews are extremely valuable for anyone trying to figure out their own study process
23:56
So don't dismiss them just because they are free. These are almost just as helpful as our pro course itself
24:03
So share this with someone you know who's also working on their exams. If you haven't yet, sign up for one of our free study training webinars
24:09
That is the first thing that you should do if you haven't yet. And then you might as well sign up for our free podcast giveaway as well
24:16
Both of those links will be down in the description. So thanks for listening or watching and we'll see you on the next episode
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