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How Dom Passed His CPA Exams - CPA Exam Experience Ep. 11
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May 3, 2024
Pass your CPA exams faster with this free training: https://www.superfastcpa.com/passnow In this video you'll see an interview with Dom, a SuperfastCPA customer and now CPA about how he studied for and passed his CPA exams. Important Links: Don't have a review course yet? The best thing you can do is get a free trial from several courses and see which one YOU like the best. Get free trials from the top 3 courses here: Wiley CPAexcel: https://www.superfastcpa.com/cpaexcel Roger CPA: https://www.superfastcpa.com/rogerreview Surgent CPA: https://www.superfastcpa.com/surgent Get our free guide "The Busy Candidate's Guide to Passing the CPA Exams Fast" and 500 Free MCQs here: https://www.superfastcpa.com/free Also check our podcast, the CPA Exam Experience podcast on iTunes here: https://cpa-exam-experience-superfastcpa.captivate.fm/listen Or just search "superfastcpa" in your favorite podcast app and you'll find it. Here's some of our popular videos: The question I get asked the most:
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Your notes helped me throughout the whole process because it was just like a very simplified version and it was really queer, concise, right
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To the point, I really think your notes, everything really helped me, like, just pass everything
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Like, once I feel those couple parts, like, once I went to you guys, just helped me pass all the other parts, like, on the first try and it was awesome
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Welcome to episode 11 of the CPA Exam Experience podcast from Super Fast CPA
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I'm Nate and in today's interview, you're going to hear me talk with Dom. He is a past super fast CPA customer and he's now a CPA
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In this call, you'll hear us talk through his study experience from beginning to end
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And in the beginning, what he struggled with, how he was really overwhelmed with how much material there really is that you're trying to learn
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He also goes through his experience in switching review courses, which is a good cautionary tale for anyone out there listening that might not have chosen a review course yet
0:56
he basically talks through the reasons why we recommend to people what you really should do to choose
1:03
your review course is get an idea of maybe the top three that you're kind of considering for
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whatever reason and then get a free trial for each of those three and spend a few hours
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inside of each course to get a very good idea of which one do you personally like the best
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Then we also talk through the two main things that were a big turning point for him in his study
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process and once he kind of figured those things out, he was able to go on and just pass each exam
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back to back to back to back. He also brought up a very good tip that you can do in the last few days
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before you actually sit for an exam that can give you a big leg up on the simulations. Now
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the simulations are obviously the type of thing where they're so difficult, anything you can do
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to gain an advantage is something that you should do. He also talked about how he used the AICPA
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blueprints in his study process and how helpful that was. And as a
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side note, that's why the super fast CPA notes and audios follow the same order as the blueprints
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Now, he also mentioned something that person after person that I've talked to on these interviews
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have also said that they did with our review notes. What you'll hear Dom talk about is how he
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would use the review notes in his main study session to quickly get a big picture understanding
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of the topic before he jumped into the full lesson in his review course. And again, person after
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person that I've been talking to on these interviews, probably like 80% of them have mentioned
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that that's how they use the notes as well, in addition to the idea of using them for your
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mini sessions throughout the rest of the day. One less thing before we get to the interview
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if you're listening to this for the first time, if this is the first thing that you've happened
2:40
to have come across from Super Fast CPA, the best place for you to start is with one of our free
2:45
study trainings. That's a one-hour webinar where we will walk through our study process that the
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people on these interviews keep kind of referring to. Our study methods, the super fast CPA way of
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studying, our study hacks course, I mean, whatever it is, it's all the same thing. And we walk through
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that for free on these free study trainings. What you'll learn in these trainings is how to have the
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perfect two-hour main study session with your review course. And the idea is that's all you have to do
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on weekdays with your review course is two hours following the study framework that you will learn
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on this training. To register for one of these trainings, you can find the link below this video
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or if you're listening to this and the podcast version, just go to superfastcpa.com slash pass now
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or just text pass now to 4422, and we will send you a link to register for the training
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All that being said, let's get into this interview. So you were on, I was looking back through
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if we've ever like sent emails back and forth. And you were in like a year ago or so when we did like
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like a challenge. Yeah. You were in that, right? Right. Yep. And you're all done at this point, correct
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You've passed all four? Yeah, so I finished the year ago, and then with my license and the work requirements
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I finally got my license in January. So I'm all good. Nice, man
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Just this January. Correct. Yep. Cool. When did you start the CPA study process originally
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So I would say summer of 20. 17 going into grad school. That's when I started studying and going to school at the same time with the
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CPA process. Okay. And what was it like in the beginning? Did you just kind of get a review course and
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just kind of start going through each lesson or how did you approach it in the beginning
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Yeah. So to give you background, so I went to Fairfield for undergrad for four years and then I
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did my fifth year there as well. And my professor, he really didn't talk about like any review
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courses. He really just said, just do the Becker. So my classmates and I, we all sign up for the
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Becker, but the problem we all had was, too, was with the CPA, they were changing, like
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the whole exam. Now it was like four-hour sessions. So we kind of really didn't know what to expect
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We were the guinea pigs. And it was a lot of information overload because, like, you're taking
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like, four, you know, grad classes, and then you're trying to study for the CPA at the same time
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and they all told us to take four first because that had the most information and that made
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sense but i don't know i just felt like it was like information overload because with becker
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they tell you to watch the lectures do the multiple choice questions do like i remember they had like a skill like review and then to do sims on top of that so it was kind of like really tough to like juggle Because like the backer that just like a job in and of itself
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And then to do school at the same time. It was like a lot. Did you take a section and fail it or or what happened from there
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Yeah. So like I sat for far the first time and I didn't do very well at all
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I did pretty poorly. So then I figure, because I only studied for five weeks
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which for me was not enough time with juggling with school. So then I retook it again
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I failed for the second time. And then I was on Facebook. And I was pretty like down
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And I saw like your ad come up. And then I was like saying myself, all right, what do I have to lose
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I'm like it's only. And I think I only pay like $300 like for your whole course
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which is like the best money spent. But I was like, all right
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Like clearly what I'm doing is not working. So for me, I really
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really like took in like your tips and everything. And then I think for me personally, I cut back
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I didn't watch any of the video lectures. So like I just listened to your audio lectures when I
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was like commuting back and forth to school. I would wake up like the first thing in the morning
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and just start doing MCQs and the Sims and whatever questions I got wrong, I would go back and to
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understand, okay, why was that the correct answer? But most important, why were the other three choices
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is not correct as well. And that really helps me to like really understand the process instead of just like
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memorizing answers that you see the same questions over and over again
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Gotcha. Okay. So in the beginning, you were just kind of doing it the normal way, like trying to watch
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every video lecture, kind of read the chapter and then and then go into the questions
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Right. So the biggest thing you changed was just kind of jumping into the questions first
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Correct. Okay. So what was a typical day of studying for you, like the whole day
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You kind of did your main session in the morning and then you said you listened to our
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audios when you're driving and... Right. So I would say I probably got like most of my work done in the morning
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So depending on what time my classes were, I would really study two, three hours
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First thing in the morning because that's when I was at my best and like fresh and everything
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I would go to class. So I would listen to the audio lectures and then anytime we had breaks, I would like take my phone
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out and I downloaded your app and I would do the, you know, like the five question like MCQ
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But most importantly, it was like just reading your notes over and over and over again
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So like it got to the point where I knew like your notes like the back of my hand
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Like your notes helped me throughout the whole process because it was just like a very simplified
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version and it was really queer, concise, right to the point. I really think your notes
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everything really helped me, like just pass everything. Like, once I feel those couple parts
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like once I went to you guys, just helped me pass all the other parts, like on the first try
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and it was awesome. That is awesome to hear. I'm glad it could help somewhat. So that was my
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next question. So you just passed all four. You didn't fail another one after that
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So I'm trying to think. So after I did four, I think for audit
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audit I failed once like the first time. And then I really looked at your notes
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And then once I really started your notes, I passed audit. And then for the other parts
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Reg and BC, I passed on the first time. So I didn't have to like worry about like retaking those sections
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Nice. And so even after you changed kind of how you were studying
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was there anything that you still kind of struggled with and then kind of how to break through on your own
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Yeah, so to go with the other breakthrough, another thing I did was I, after like back
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of like those couple times before, I just dished that review course because it didn't work for me
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And looking back, I kind of wish like my professors back at school told us like do some research
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on like the four or five review courses out there before, you know, like you buy one
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Yeah. So one of my professors, she actually gave me really good advice
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So instead of doing Becker, I actually chose Yeager. And in Yeager, they had the lectures in there, too
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But it wasn't like, I'll make it up. You know, when you're sitting in a Becker rector, it's like an hour of the guy just like talking
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And you're really not getting anything. You're zoning out. Like, their lectures, I noticed for like 15, 20 minutes
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And it was kind of like your notes, which was nice. But most importantly, too, they would just have some like 15, 20 minute videos
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of just going through MCQs, not like the two or three game backer
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Like they would walk you through. I'm not kidding, like 20 or 30 questions saying, okay, especially with audit two
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which is like less math involved and more theory. And I thought that really helped me out
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So combination of your products plus using Yeager and ditching Becker, that's really what helped me throughout the whole process
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Yeah, that's interesting. And I, that's kind of the feeling I've got
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because I've never looked inside of Becker really. I never had Becker or anything, but it just
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seems like it's so comprehensive. And then a lot of people's big mistake is just kind of assuming that
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if it in there you have to know it So trying to learn all that information like truly learn that much is just way too big of a task And that not even really what required on test day Sounds like you kind of figured that out Yeah What was your process
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with taking your own notes or flashcards? How did you do any of that? And if you did, how did you do it
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So I'm really not a big flashcards person per side. But when he came to your notes
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if there was like a hard MCQ and it recorded like theory
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if there was formulas, instead of writing it like on a separate sheet of paper
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I just wrote it like right alongside your notes. So for me
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I actually would print out like a hard copy version of your notes
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And anything that I felt important, I would just write on that hard copy version of your notes
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So like I would read your notes and then whatever notes I had alongside that
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that's what really helped me like retain everything. And I felt like right to go like on test that
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Nice. That is a good idea. And that's, I mean, yeah, that's not something I tell everyone to do, but three of these interviews I've done now have all mentioned that. And I've never really thought of that, but that is a good idea
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Kind of a general question, but what was your motivation? I mean, obviously, if you went to a master's to do this, that was always what was in my mind was like, okay, I did an entire master's degree just to be able to take these stupid exams. So like, I am going to do these things
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but I mean what was your kind of driving motivation? Kind of similar mindset like as you
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because one thing I learned in grad school it's nothing like undergrad
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So you know the course load with everything. I'm saying my mind like I can't go out
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I really can't do anything so I might as well just put my head down and get this done. And I think the most important key takeaway too
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was like I'm in public accounting now and the fact like if I had to study while
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going to work and doing a busy season and everything, which don't be wrong, it's doable
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I have friends that have done it, but to get it all done before I started working
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just felt like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Yeah, I'm sure
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So what about, do you remember the day that you saw your fourth passing score
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What was that like? It was huge. I remember, it was actually, so I remember I got like two weeks before Christmas
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So it was like the greatest Christmas, like, gift I, you know, could have ever received
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And just, just looking back. So, you know, my dad, like, you know, he tackled me
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Like, just like, you know, all fun in games and everything. Because he just knew how much work I put in and all the sacrifices
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And I think really what this exam comes down to is, like, you know, facing adversity in, like
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your life head on, but, like, able to overcome that adversity and get up and just keep, you know
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going through those tough challenges. eventually. You keep staying the course and you stick with it. You will pass this exam
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Yeah. Just now before this, I was, you know, answering emails. And someone was saying, like
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I just started studying. It just feels like I'm lost every day. What's your advice? And that's
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exactly what I told him. Like, okay, listen, if you just follow the process around two or three weeks
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it will just kind of click. It's like riding a bike. Like, you know what the steps are
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but there's a lot more going on to actually learn what it feels like to, you know, to ride the bike
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And yeah, anyways. So we've kind of been through everything. Oh, test day
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Any specific test day things you feel like hurt you the first two times and then any just general tips or things that you did differently on test day that you feel like helped a lot or or your mindset going into the exam, just anything dealing with test day specifically
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Yeah. So I basically copied what you did on testifies. So I would wake up really early
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And I was just do, I think you said, like two sets of 30, like MCQs
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And then I would do some practice sims. But yeah. That is a good tip
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No, I was also going to say too. I think another good tip that I learned from Yeager was actually like looking
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through the ACPA blueprints and like going through every like blueprint. because if you have a general sense of those blueprints
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then you're going to pass the exam too. That kind of helped me to think about the Sims that I possibly could see for like every section
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Yeah, that is a big tip. And that probably wasn't in our stuff back then
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But we've started pointing that out because even comparing the, those blueprints to some of the lessons in like the review courses
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it seems like there's still entire lessons in the review courses. that aren't even necessarily mentioned on the blueprints anymore
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On BEC especially, they're starting to put so much IT-type stuff, and it seems like the review courses are pretty behind on the newer stuff
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that they're putting on BEC all the time. Anyways, just a side note
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What about your, I mean, I don't recommend, like, the full final review
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because ideally you're kind of re-reviewing every day anyways. Right. So how did you do a final review or what did you do in the last like two days before an exam? Or how did your final review work for you
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So last two days I basically read your tips and I did exactly the same thing So like I would cram I make it up I would study like 10 12 hours every day for the final 48 hours try to get as much information
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as possible. And then whatever like topics I just felt like I was struggling with, I was like
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let me make sure like I kind of nip those in the butt and have a good understanding of those
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And for four especially, I remember there's like a couple topics that I was when I failed like the
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first two times. I was like, oh, screw. It's not going to be on the exam. I'll be fine. But
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I kind of like in the back of my mind when I passed that my last time, I was saying, you know what
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let's just know this just in case. And I'm happy I did that because some topics that I was about
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to brush it off, they were on two or three sims. And if I would have brushed those off
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there's no way I was going to pass far. So I was happy I did that. Yeah. Yeah, it's another good tip
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Yeah, in general, the coverage is king. That's what I always say
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but spending a little bit of time those last two days, just going to maybe your weakest things or like exactly what you said
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just a few topics that you are really kind of lost on and just right before you go in
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You're not going to learn them for life, but you just brush up right before you go in
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Is there anything that you think was big for you that we kind of didn't touch on
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Yeah, I mean, like one thing, if people reach out to you about review courses
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I don't know per se if you could recommend review courses and all that, but one thing I would say that really helped me the most was going back to Yeager
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So with Yeager, they actually incorporate the blueprints in all of the different sections
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So if you have the blueprint printed out, they'll go through every one in their workbook
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And then most importantly, too, the guy who found it at Phil Yeager, you could call him up personally
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He'll give up to you his phone number and you could ask him any questions you have
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like, what's a game plan? This guy's, like, been through it all
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He goes to the meetings and everything. So I know people reached out to you to find a game plan
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but besides you, if you had to recommend anyone else, I would call up this guy because I'm like all the other review courses
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this guy will actually talk to you on the phone. And he actually helped me out with all the other parts like I passed too
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And he was insurmountable in my success, him and you two alone
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So combine those two products, that really helped me out a lot. That's awesome
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I was not aware of that, but I typically just kind of recommend CPA Excel and someone asks because that's what I use
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So that is cool that he will do straight up call him
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That's pretty awesome. Well, I appreciate you being on here. I think that everything you said will be really helpful to other people that are studying
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And I mean, I appreciate the kind words about our products. I'm glad we could help out somewhat
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So yeah, I appreciate it, man. Thanks for being on here. Yeah, anytime, man
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And yeah, congrats again on being done. Thank you. All right. So that was the interview
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I want to just go over a few key takeaways. First, if you look at the big picture of his study process, really what was going on
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And everyone is going to have to kind of go through this process is in the beginning
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you are going to struggle most likely. The things won't click immediately
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You're still kind of trying to figure out the nuances of your own approach
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to the study process, even if you're following our advice. There is going to be a period where you're
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really just trying to figure it out until it clicks. And then once it clicks, as long as you have
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persevered that long, you know, however long that takes for the process to click for you
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that is when people go from really struggling to figuring it out and then they start passing their
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sections. He mentioned that one of the turning points was when he got our study package and he
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started using the notes, he started applying our study strategies. He switched from trying to watch
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every lecture, read every chapter, to going straight into the multiple choice questions. Again
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another strategy he mentioned was he would read the review notes during his main sessions to get
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a big picture overview of the topic he was about to go into, and that that really helped. And again
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person after person that I've talked to on these interviews have all basically said the same thing
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that they use those in the same way. In addition, of course, to the main idea with our notes and
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audios is that you use them as much as you can throughout the rest of your day outside of your main
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study session. And he mentioned he used the AICPA blueprints, which is something that we also
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recommend all the time in our study trainings and in the study hacks course. You should be using
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the AISCPA blueprints in your study process. Again, our review notes and audios follow the
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same order as the blueprints and we base what content we put in the notes and audios on those
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blueprints. And again, we have a lot of these interviews that have already been recorded. We are going to
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edit one each week and release it on a Tuesday. I think as you listen to several of these
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or hopefully all of them, what you will start to get is a clear understanding that there are several
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big key items that each of these successful candidates eventually figured out and implemented
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into their own study process. And then each interview, they also each have a bunch of their own
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little individual tips and ideas that you can take and kind of make your own, or it might give
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you an idea for something that you might want to do differently in your own study process. So again, to register for one of our free study trainings where you can learn how to have
22:00
the perfect two-hour study session each day, just go to superfastcpa.com slash pass now or text the word
22:08
pass now, one word, to 44222. Thanks for listening and watch for the next episode
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