2nd REG Final Practice Exam Done

78 days remaining
Mood – Ok
Study Time – 2.0 hours (206.5 total - REG: 118.0 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

I did the 2nd Final Exam under Becker today.  I did right just about the same as I did on the first one.   There were some minor RTCDQ issues.  There were some things I picked up and I have my areas to focus on for tomorrow

REG Final Exam 1 Completed

79 days remaining
Mood – Bleh
Study Time – 3.0 hours (204.5 total - REG: 116.0 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

I took a progress test today at lunch.  I got 94 out of the 100 questions right.  I came home and did the first Final Exam and didn't do as hot.  I got 81% on the MC and 90% on the simulations.  This would be enough to skate by with a 75 on a straight percent correct basis.  I got the basics of the written, so I would have grabbed 3-7 points there as well.  I am a bit disappointed.  On the AUD final exams I scored mid to high 80s on the MC, so I am a bit behind where I was with AUD.  I still think I'm strong enough to pass though, so I am trying to not stress about it.  Several of the questions I miss I feel are pretty basic and I won't make the mistakes on similar questions on the actual test now.  Tomorrow I'll do the other final exam.  Sunday I'll skim/read the parts of the book relating to the questions I missed on the Final Exams.

3 Study Days Remaining

80 days remaining
Mood – Ok
Study Time – 2.5 hours (201.5 total - REG: 113.0 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

I skimmed through the REG-1 through REG-4 book material today to refresh myself on the tax stuff.  I then did the several supplemental AICPA released simulations.  I feel better looking at the details of the tax stuff again.  I will probably do it again on Sunday before my Monday test.  On the simulations I did ok.  Not outstanding, but adequate. 

The written parts bother me again.  In the released simulations there didn't seem to be as much meat in the answers.  It came across more as made up, feel good, client-relations stuff.  Unlike AUD, I don't anticipate having a ton of extra time to spend on my written for this exam. 

Good News / Bad News

81 days remaining
Mood – Ok
Study Time – 2.0 hours (199.0 total - REG: 110.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

The good news is that I got 96% on my progress test.  The bad news is that several of the tax questions scared me.  I was going to start the final exams tomorrow but I think I am going to spend the evening going through the book and flashcards instead.  I still did really well but I am a bit nervous now.

Getting Closer

82 days remaining
Mood – Good
Study Time – 2.5 hours (197.0 total - REG: 108.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

I went through the  271 questions for REG-7 (including the 123 supplemental questions).  I did really well.  On the 148 regular questions I only missed 3 (98%).  On the supplemental I got  90%.  This gives me an overall of 94%.  Not a bad place to be in.  On the simulation I got everything in the sim correct.

Tomorrow I'll start with the overall stuff including overall progress tests and the supplemental simulations.

Last REG Calss Done

83 days remaining
Mood – Tired
Study Time – 4.0 hours (194.5 total - REG: 106.0 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

I'm now done with the REG classes.  I'm feeling good on the content but unconfident in the tax.  It isn't that I don't know the tax stuff, it is just that I am worried that I'll over-read or under-read the question.  I've got a couple of busy days ahead of me for my final prep.

So what am I going to do over the next few days?  I really should have a plan moreso than I do at this point.  Just thinking about a general schedule: 

Tuesday:  REG-7 questions and simulation (3 hours)

Wednesday:  2 progress tests (100-ish questions each) (3-ish hours)

Thursday:  additional AICPA released simulations and progress test (2-3 hours)

Friday:  Final Exam #1 (2.5-3 hours)

Saturday:  Final Exam #2 (2.5-3 hours)

Sunday:  skim read and/or flashcards (2 hours)

That gives me another 15-20 hours of study time for this section taking me up to 120-ish hours for REG total. 

Unfocused

84 days remaining
Mood – Bit Unfocused
Study Time – 2.0 hours (190.5 total - REG: 102.0 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

I am a bit unfocused today.  I flew through the questions pretty quickly.  I still got 88%.  I did really well on most parts (90-95%), but then blew two sections (75-78%) which drug my average down to the 88%.  The bulk of what I missed was due to RTCDQ issues.  All in though I still feel good about the material.  I should have it down pat after tomorrow's lecture.  After that I get to start my final review.  REG test is in 8 days!

Another Day Down

85 days remaining
Mood –  Good
Study Time – 3.5 hours (188.5 total - REG: 100.0 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94, 

I did the simulations for this past weeks' classes, a tax progress test, and read the material for the last class.  I missed 1 item on the simulations.  On the progress test I did 50 out of 53 (94%).  One of the three misses I knew the answer I was just confused on how the question was worded.  I'm still feeling pretty good, but I do need to go through the tax stuff again briefly next week as a refresher.

Winding Down REG

86 days remaining
Mood –  Good
Study Time – 2.0 hours (185.0 total - REG: 96.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

I got through all the REG-6 questions in just over 2 hours tonight.  I did 96% on the main set of questions and 90% on the supplemental for a 94% blended total.  I got home a bit early today (was out in the field running around a ton).  I am also off tomorrow and it is a study day off.  I plan on sleeping in a bit.  I might do a progress test or a little something, but overall I plan on taking it easy.

One More REG Class to Go

87 days remaining
Mood –  Ok
Study Time – 4.0 hours (183.0 total - REG: 94.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94, 

Another exhausting day of work and class.  On the bright side I'm done to one more REG class to go.  I was hoping to take tomorrow off from work.  Instead of that glorious plan I'll be going to work so we can move a couple hundred boxes of stuff from the office to the warehouse.  Maybe Friday....   Anyhow, the material is going well.  Like always we'll have to see where I end up after tomorrow's questions.  The even bigger test will be if I haven't managed to forget all the tax stuff again by this weekend as I start working on my final studying for REG.

I Need a Title Here

88 days remaining
Mood –  Ok
Study Time – 2.0 hours (179.0 total - REG: 90.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94, 

It was another one of those days where there were a ton of distractions.  It took me 3 hours to get in my 2 hours of study time tonight.  Various distractions kept popping up.  Several of my question misses in the first half of my studying were very minor RTCDQ issues (somewhat related to being distracted).  Overall I got 93% of the questions right.  This is broken out as 95% on the main questions (2nd time through them) and 88% on the supplemental questions (first time through them).  Overall not bad.  I think I am being a bit hard on myself.  I am doing better on the questions given the number of times I've worked the problems compared to the AUD section questions yet I feel like I'm doing worse.  I'd say I need to figure out why I feel like that but 1) I don't have the time/energy to spare and 2) it really doesn't matter as long as I put in some more study time to lock in the material.

Another Class

89 days remaining
Mood –  Pooped
Study Time – 4.0 hours (177.0 total - REG: 88.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94, 

I am posting this a day off since I was too tired to post last night after class.  I made it through the long day and class.  I'm down to 2 weeks before the exam and I'm feeling pretty good about the whole thing overall.  I'm not where I need to be yet, but I'm getting there.

3 Months to Go?

90 days remaining
Mood – Good
Study Time – 3.0 hours (173.0 total - REG: 84.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

I worked through the main MC questions for REG-5 & REG-6 today.  I scored 89% and 88% respectively.  While I wasn't overly pleased with those results, they are still pretty good.  I'll be over 90% after the lectures this coming week.  I will probably be starting into my final review this next weekend even though there will still be one class left to attend.  I take the REG test in 15 days.

Long Day

91 days remaining
Mood – Annoyed
Study Time – 5.0 hours (170.0 total - REG: 81.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94, 

I read the book materials for REG-5 & REG-6 today.  There is a ton of material in those so they took a while.  I then worked the three simulations they had for REG-3 & REG-4.  I did great on most of it and soso on a few parts.  The annoying part about today is it took almost 7 hours to get that 5 hours of study time in (feel like the whole day is shot).  Tech support calls, calls from family, and the dog were all big distractors today.  I got in the 5 hours that I put into my totals even though it took 7 to get it done.

Short Night

93 days remaining
Mood – Tired
Study Time – 2.0 hours (165.0 total - REG: 76.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

I just did the questions from Wednesday night's class tonight.  I'm pretty tired and want to get some extra sleep tonight.  I got 95% overall on the questions.  I was going a bit faster through the questions than I should have and that cost me 3 easy answers that I missed due to not fully reading the question (2%).  On the supplemental questions that I had not seen before I got 91%.  There were a couple of badly worded questions in there that confused me on what they were asking.  All in I feel good about the material.  Tomorrow is a study-night off and I plan on watching a movie with my wife and getting some extra sleep.

Halfway Through REG

93 days remaining
Mood – Tired
Study Time – 4.0 hours (163.0 total - REG: 74.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94, 

Another class down.  The class lectures are done with tax topics and moving onto ethics and law.  Hopefully I'll do as good on the questions tomorrow as I did on Tuesday.  I think I'm going to try and take a day off work next week to rest a bit (and still put in my study time).  I'm pretty pooped to the point I can feel it effecting me.  

Hope I Don't Get Overconfident

94 days remaining
Mood – Really Good (but tired)
Study Time – 3.0 hours (159.0 total - REG: 70.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

I've been feeling a bit over-confident over the last couple of days relating to my studying.  I felt really solid coming out of the lectures and getting an 80% and 90% on the MC questions prior to the class.  Tonight was suppose to be a reality check to see how I really stand.  The answer is 95% on Monday's class' questions (including the supplemental ones).  I got 186 out of 195 questions.  One of the ones I missed I clicked on the right answer and then changed my mind for some stupid reason.  Another that I missed was just a piss-poorly worded question (dealt with charity contributions without using the word donate/charity/whatnot).  After I finished those questions I did a practice test covering everything through REG-3.  I missed 1 out of 40 for a 97.5%.  I did 90% on tomorrow lecture questions, so after tomorrow I can push practice exams with all the tax material in it.  I need to do that two or three times a week so I can maintain my tax knowledge.

Almost Halfway

95 days remaining
Mood – Good
Study Time – 4.0 hours (156.0 total - REG: 67.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94, 

Another long week has begun and another 4 hour tax lecture is done.  We actually got out about 20 minutes early for this lecture, but mentally I am still pooped.  The material sunk in well.  I knew and understood the questions easily.  I should do great on the MC questions tomorrow.  I got in the 80s% range when I did these questions on Sunday so I should be over 90% tomorrow.  

3 weeks from today I'll be taking the REG test.  It is going to be here before I know it.

3 Weeks Until REG

96 days remaining
Mood – Good
Study Time – 4.0 hours (152.0 total - REG: 63.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

I went through the MC questions for REG-3 and REG-4 today.  I did really good on the REG-4 questions (92%).  That section is part tax and part law.  I still got 90% on the tax part and a bit over that on the law.  Many of the things I missed in the tax part of REG-4 were RTCDQ problems (read the cockadoody question problem).  On the REG-3 stuff I didn't do as hot, but still got 80%.  Hopefully after tomorrow's class lecture I can get the questions up into the 90s on that section as well.

I forgot to mention in my previous post that I have my REG and BEC exams scheduled.  I'll be taking REG on Monday February 1st at noon.  That gives me 6 study days after the last REG class to get ready.  It is a couple of days sooner than I'd like, but I don't want to overlap into the next class lectures.  With AUD I didn't do much the last 5 or so days before the test so I feel like I can do it.  I know there is more material in REG, so I may take a day off work for study time.  I have BEC scheduled for Friday Februrary 26th.  This gives me 9 days after the last class before the exam which should be plenty (assuming it is similar to AUD - both have 5 class lectures).

One other item on upcoming tests:  I've gotten some word regarding sections I have not taken.  A nice guy named Chris posted some comments on my blog which then resulted in an email exchange.  He did the Becker classes for the FAR section and says they covered the material on the actual exam.  This add the warm fuzzies for the section I think will be my hardest.  A lady from my live classes said the Becker BEC material covers the test good as well.  She did say that cost accounting was covered on the exam and to not skimp on the study time for that subject.  So, two confirmations that BEC and FAR Becker material is a good representation of the test.  While in the AUD class I got scared a bit by a couple of people everything I've heard from then on has increased my confidence in the exam.

Now to relax a bit before another work and study-filled week.

Easy Homework!

97 days remaining
Mood – Good
Study Time – 5.0 hours (148.0 total - REG: 59.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94, 

I'm including my 1.5 hours of study Thursday evening into today's post since I didn't post on Thursday plus my 3.5 hours this morning for the total of 5.  Thursday I did really well on the REG-2 class questions and was over 90%.  I did a weighted practice test with both REG-1 and REG-2 and got 89%.  I feel really good about that material.

This morning (Saturday) I read the REG-3 and REG-4 book material in preparation for next week's class.  I get a little fuzzy on some of the corporation stuff, so we'll see how I do tomorrow.  I also did the simulations for REG-1 and REG-2.  I had three misses between all parts of both simulations.  One was just a miss dealing with IRAs.  The second miss was missing a dependent (and hence exemption) for one child.  I simply missed it in my reading of the situation tab.  The third miss was a quasi-miss.  The written part of one of the practice simulations asked about when a tax preparer can disclose tax payer information.  I understood all three times when it is permissible.  I over-read the question.  Apparently when they said the court requested that is "good enough" whereas my interpretation I was looking for a "valid subpoena."  I'll have to clarify with the class facilitator on how they tend to word it on the exam.

All in I'm feeling pretty good.  

2 of 7 REG Classes Done

100 days remaining
Mood – Good
Study Time – 4.0 hours (143.0 total - REG: 54.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

Another day gone; another class done.  The lecture was short by about 15 minutes (tax lectures are shorter than the business law ones).  This means I was home by 10:20, which was a good change.  I felt good about the material to the point of boredom.  There were none of the homework questions I wasn't confident in.  Hopefully that will carry over to the homework tomorrow.

In the Saddle

101 days remaining
Mood – Good
Study Time – 3.5 hours (139.0 total - REG: 50.5 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94, 

I did decent on the MC questions tonight.  I did 87% on the REG-1 questions including the supplemental ones.  The items that I missed were typically some minor point that was glossed over in the lecture.  I did the REG-2 questions minus the supplemental ones.  In AUD I liked to do the questions before class once so I could get a feel for what to look for in the lecture.  I got 78% on the REG-2 questions.  Most of what I missed were specific time-periods or exclusions.  I'll nail those after tomorrow lecture easily.  I just have to remember them come exam time in 3.5-4 weeks.  I also looked through the flashcards.  I had planned to go through them and pull out the ones I didn't feel were important like I did towards the end of my AUD studying.  The flashcards for REG are much more relevant and important in whole than the AUD ones were.  I am not pulling any of them out for now.

I also found a couple of issues within the software answers.  I kindof like finding them as I really focus on the question and answer to make sure there is actually an error and not just me missing something. 

REG Class Begins

102 days remaining
Mood – Tired
Study Time – 4.0 hours (135.5 total - REG: 47.0 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94,

The first class began tonight.  The lecture was the exact same from the 2009 materials (same shirt/tie on the lecturer).  This class has double the number of people that my AUD class did.  There are enough people in the class that it is actually crowded.  I'm pooped after this long day but am glad to get going again.  The sooner this gets going the sooner it will be over.  Tomorrow I get to go through the questions.

Mini-Calm Before the Storm

103 days remaining
Mood – slight dread
Study Time – 3.0 hours (131.5 total - REG: 43.0 - AUD: 89.5)
Scores:  AUD-94, 

I read the materials for Monday and Wednesday's class yesterday (Saturday).  I feel like I've got a pretty good handle on it, although I know the questions will trip me up something fierce.  Tomorrow the fun starts and doesn't stop until sometime in April.  Hopefully my mind can switch into 'one day at a time mode' and I can start knocking this stuff out.