This is where I am now - waiting for my BEC grade.
This grade is a pivotal factor - if I pass BEC, I will have finally passed the CPA exam after taking it 10 years on and off (yes, it took that long!). If I fail BEC, I lose my FAR credit (noooo!) and will have to re-take both BEC and FAR. It took me multiple tries to pass FAR so it would be devastating to lose it. I can't imagine having to go through that again, especially at this point in my career.
My words of advice – try to pass the CPA Exam as soon as you get out of school. Become one of those "slackers" who sit in the office unassigned studying instead of asking to help on clients. I used to think they were goofing off - you're being paid to work, not to study. But that couldn’t be any further from the truth. Those of my colleagues who studied passed in a year or two (with some exceptions, of course), while I increased my billable hours. They may or may not be doing as well as me now, but at least they are done with the CPA Exam.
I haven't posted anything in a while because my energy has been zapped between work, studying, work, life, work and work. I like my job and am happy to have it, but the hours have been long the past few months. Instead of writing for my blog, I end up going to sleep early or napping during my commute (I am actually typing this draft into my phone while fighting sleep during my morning commute). Must get ideas out before eyes close.
A few really cool things have happened that I would like to tell you about:
- My blog was mentioned in CGA Magazine in a piece called Blogging by Numbers by Mindy Abramowitz! I am under the category “Accountants-to-be Who Blog” (although I am more of a CPA-to-be since I am an accountant) I am so honored! CGA Magazine is published by the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada. I want to say hi to all my Canadian readers!
- My blog is one year old :) Yay! It all started when I was looking for an outlet while unemployed and trying to pass the CPA Exam. Here are my first few posts.
- My garden is thriving. There were a few casualties though (peppers and eggplant plants) due to too much water collecting in one of the containers. I planted my vegetable plants in pots since the soil in my yard was too hard to dig. The lesson here: Make sure all your pots have drainage holes! I will write more about my garden in other posts.
- I passed REG! I was surprised because I had a really bad experience at the test center even before the test started. I had written a draft about it and will post it soon.
How are you doing? Let me know in the comments! Let me know if you are waiting for your grade in Wave 2 of this April-May testing window as well. Hopefully, we will all receive some good news this week!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup for a Cold Day
Last Sunday, I thought I would make chicken soup for dinner. I know it’s not the traditional Super Bowl food, but it was cold where I live and the Mid-Atlantic states were still digging out from that huge snowstorm. I could go for some of this soup tonight!
Instead of watching the pre-game coverage, I was preparing a whole chicken to make chicken soup. I won’t go into details unless you ask, but I will say that cleaning the inside was gross.
For this recipe, I used a chicken just under 4 lbs to feed the 2 of us and have soup and chicken leftovers for dinner the next day. I also used baby carrots so I didn’t have to peel and cut carrots.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
A Cold Saturday Night
On this cold Saturday night in February, I am coming back to my blog.
New York was spared from major snowfall today. We just received a light dusting where I live. But it is still frigid outside, so I figure I will take this opportunity to get back to my favorite but recently neglected hobby.
I had taken some time off from posting for personal reasons. It is so sad that the thing that brings me the most joy was the easiest to drop when I needed to find more time for other things important at the time. I feel like my creativity has suffered and I lost touch with the blogging community as I haven’t kept up with my favorite blogs. (I will try to catch up ASAP!)
I am taking REG at the end of the month and have been trying to study. Unfortunately, as I am sure some of you have found, this is not an easy time to study. Calendar year-end close, reporting deadlines, auditors, January month-end close… there were so many things going on at work. Hopefully, next week I can start leaving work at a normal hour so I can have enough time to study in the evening.
I am using my Wiley book and plan to start with Business Law tomorrow. I want to get through a decent amount of material and leave the multiple choice questions to answer during my commute to and from work.
Is anyone else sitting (or have you sat) for a CPA Exam part in Jan-Feb? Have you found it difficult to find the time to study?
New York was spared from major snowfall today. We just received a light dusting where I live. But it is still frigid outside, so I figure I will take this opportunity to get back to my favorite but recently neglected hobby.
I had taken some time off from posting for personal reasons. It is so sad that the thing that brings me the most joy was the easiest to drop when I needed to find more time for other things important at the time. I feel like my creativity has suffered and I lost touch with the blogging community as I haven’t kept up with my favorite blogs. (I will try to catch up ASAP!)
I am taking REG at the end of the month and have been trying to study. Unfortunately, as I am sure some of you have found, this is not an easy time to study. Calendar year-end close, reporting deadlines, auditors, January month-end close… there were so many things going on at work. Hopefully, next week I can start leaving work at a normal hour so I can have enough time to study in the evening.
I am using my Wiley book and plan to start with Business Law tomorrow. I want to get through a decent amount of material and leave the multiple choice questions to answer during my commute to and from work.
Is anyone else sitting (or have you sat) for a CPA Exam part in Jan-Feb? Have you found it difficult to find the time to study?
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
Today is Thanksgiving in the US, so I wanted to wish my readers a very Happy Thanksgiving!
I am making butternut squash as a side dish and will post the recipe tonight or tomorrow. I snuck a taste and it’s pretty good so far!
On another note, someone anonymously posted a comment to my blog which I decided to reject. The commenter incorrectly assumed that the people who commented on my post did not put in the necessary hours to pass. Maybe I didn’t THIS TIME, but how does he/she know how many hours we all studied? Give me a break. This commenter was very negative and I want this blog to be a place where we are comfortable venting about our experiences with the CPA Exam and sharing recipes and cooking techniques.
Negative comments do not help people pass the Exam; all they do is discourage people. I don’t think comments such as this person’s add value to my blog and as such will not approve them.
So to my readers: I don’t care how many hours you study, what counts is the quality of your studying! If you want it, you can do it! We will pass!
I am making butternut squash as a side dish and will post the recipe tonight or tomorrow. I snuck a taste and it’s pretty good so far!
On another note, someone anonymously posted a comment to my blog which I decided to reject. The commenter incorrectly assumed that the people who commented on my post did not put in the necessary hours to pass. Maybe I didn’t THIS TIME, but how does he/she know how many hours we all studied? Give me a break. This commenter was very negative and I want this blog to be a place where we are comfortable venting about our experiences with the CPA Exam and sharing recipes and cooking techniques.
Negative comments do not help people pass the Exam; all they do is discourage people. I don’t think comments such as this person’s add value to my blog and as such will not approve them.
So to my readers: I don’t care how many hours you study, what counts is the quality of your studying! If you want it, you can do it! We will pass!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Why Can’t I Pass BEC?
***2016 Update is here***
Last night, it was windy and rainy here in NY, so we had a nice dinner at home. I made salmon steaks with rice pilaf. We paired the meal with a delicious Greek dry white wine – Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko-Athiri Santorini 2007.
After a very satisfying dinner and plenty of wine, I wasn't quite ready to jump back in to studying for REG. I checked my e-mails instead and was excited to see an e-mail from Another 71's site announcing that BEC grades were released! I sat for BEC in October and have been anxiously waiting for my grade. I know with BEC it can go either way (that is one deceptive test).
After entering the required info on the NASBA score page, I saw what I thought was a joke - a 68.
Wasn’t that my grade the last time I took it? I re-checked my NTS and I had entered the correct Section ID. Hmm... I checked my grades spreadsheet and saw I had scored a 67 the last time I took BEC. OK so this is definitely my score. Not just a failing grade, but only a 1 point increase.
Was I disappointed? Of course. I was hoping to print out a screen shot of a passing score to hang on my fridge door under the FAR and AUD score screen shots. Was I upset or crying (like the last time I failed a part)? Surprisingly, no. I was confused and wondered what sections I bombed. Nevertheless, the analysis will have to wait until the Candidate Performance Report arrives in the mail next week. What was my reaction then? I calmly logged onto Prometric's site and moved my REG exam from next Sunday to the end of January.
Want to know the reason why I didn't pass BEC?
I don't give myself enough time to study. I always start out strong and end up either procrastinating or something happens to me that moves studying to the back burner (working crazy hours, sustaining an injury). I want to do it right with REG; extra time but no procrastination. I will resume my studying today.
Interestingly enough, this clarity came after several glasses of wine, something that should impair this type of thinking.
Every time I fail, I wonder if this is for me. It’s perfectly logical to question yourself. If you keep trying and failing, you wonder if it's something you should stop pursuing.
I think like this for a few minutes and then I became angry. I am good at what I do. I may not be able to pass this stupid test but I'm not giving up. Why shouldn't I be a CPA? What makes someone who passed the exam any better than me at my job? Nothing! I don't care what anyone says. I will be a CPA in 2010!
Anyone else receive a failing CPA Exam score from this Oct-Nov score release? Feel free to vent in the comments. You are not alone! We can do it next time!
Last night, it was windy and rainy here in NY, so we had a nice dinner at home. I made salmon steaks with rice pilaf. We paired the meal with a delicious Greek dry white wine – Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko-Athiri Santorini 2007.
After a very satisfying dinner and plenty of wine, I wasn't quite ready to jump back in to studying for REG. I checked my e-mails instead and was excited to see an e-mail from Another 71's site announcing that BEC grades were released! I sat for BEC in October and have been anxiously waiting for my grade. I know with BEC it can go either way (that is one deceptive test).
After entering the required info on the NASBA score page, I saw what I thought was a joke - a 68.
Wasn’t that my grade the last time I took it? I re-checked my NTS and I had entered the correct Section ID. Hmm... I checked my grades spreadsheet and saw I had scored a 67 the last time I took BEC. OK so this is definitely my score. Not just a failing grade, but only a 1 point increase.
Was I disappointed? Of course. I was hoping to print out a screen shot of a passing score to hang on my fridge door under the FAR and AUD score screen shots. Was I upset or crying (like the last time I failed a part)? Surprisingly, no. I was confused and wondered what sections I bombed. Nevertheless, the analysis will have to wait until the Candidate Performance Report arrives in the mail next week. What was my reaction then? I calmly logged onto Prometric's site and moved my REG exam from next Sunday to the end of January.
Want to know the reason why I didn't pass BEC?
I don't give myself enough time to study. I always start out strong and end up either procrastinating or something happens to me that moves studying to the back burner (working crazy hours, sustaining an injury). I want to do it right with REG; extra time but no procrastination. I will resume my studying today.
Interestingly enough, this clarity came after several glasses of wine, something that should impair this type of thinking.
Every time I fail, I wonder if this is for me. It’s perfectly logical to question yourself. If you keep trying and failing, you wonder if it's something you should stop pursuing.
I think like this for a few minutes and then I became angry. I am good at what I do. I may not be able to pass this stupid test but I'm not giving up. Why shouldn't I be a CPA? What makes someone who passed the exam any better than me at my job? Nothing! I don't care what anyone says. I will be a CPA in 2010!
Anyone else receive a failing CPA Exam score from this Oct-Nov score release? Feel free to vent in the comments. You are not alone! We can do it next time!
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