In this episode of the CPA Exam Experience Podcast, you’ll hear how Jason was able to go from failing AUD 3 times, to passing all 4 exams in 6 months.
Jason was doing the original method of studying, watching the lectures and reading the textbook then attempting the questions. He would always end up rewatching the lecture and re-reading the textbook so that his study sessions in the evening took up to four or even six hours. Then he found SuperfastCPA, changed his strategies (like going to the questions first) and had a completely new result. Jason was super excited to be on the podcast, so enjoy and make sure you follow his tips!
IMPORTANT LINKS:
Master your study process by attending one of our free study training workshops:
https://www.superfastcpa.com/study-secrets/
Episode Timestamps
- 00:00 Jason Interview
- 02:37 Motivated to Get on the Podcast
- 03:21 Passed BEC with the Traditional Method, But Went Downhill from There
- 05:16 After Failing AUD 3 Times, Decided to Switch Sections
- 06:35 Found SuperfastCPA and Watched the Webinar
- 07:44 Realizing the Low ROI from Doing the Traditional Approach
- 08:46 Doing Mini Sessions Throughout the Day
- 10:52 Forcing Yourself to do Mini Sessions
- 13:05 Unlock His Phone Straight to the SuperfastCPA App
- 15:08 Used the Ideas from the Webinar and Passed REG
- 16:52 CPA Exam Test Timeline
- 17:49 Learned More from the Questions First Approach
- 19:37 Should’ve Bought the PRO Course Right from the Start
- 20:42 Had to Figure Out the Flashcards Process on His Own
- 21:48 Found the Flashcard Tip to be Valuable
- 23:21 Studying Four Hours After Work and Failing
- 24:21 Found the Method Bearable to Switch Studying After Work
- 25:58 How Jason Prepares for a Study Session After Work
- 27:03 Practicing with Excel Helped on Test Day
- 29:10 Planned His Study Timeline in Excel
- 31:02 Always Felt Unsure If He Passed
- 32:35 Felt Like TCP was a Continuation of REG
- 34:07 The Feeling After Finally Passing
- 36:15 Jason’s Study Timeline for Each Section
- 37:03 How Jason Studied for the Sims
- 39:40 Weekend Study Routine
- 40:40 Split Study Sessions on Weekends to Mimic Test Day
- 41:54 Still Had Time for Hobbies Because of the SuperfastCPA Method
- 42:45 Jason’s Way of Handling Difficult Topics
- 45:04 Preparing for Exam Day
- 46:42 Scheduled the Exams in the Afternoon
- 48:25 Top Tips for People Studying for the CPA Exam
- 54:03 Mini Sessions Throughout the Day is a Game Changer
- 54:57 Having the SuperfastCPA App Made Studying Flexible
- 56:26 Plans after Passing the CPA Exams
Interview Transcript
Jason: [00:00:00] So like when I was using the traditional method, I would study after work. You’re already tired and I have a long commute too. It’s just, oh my God, and then you have to watch hours long lecture videos and you’re gonna zone out, so you’re gonna replay them.
Same thing with a textbook. You’re gonna zone out when you’re reading it, and then you’re gonna have to re-read it and like that quote unquote “30-minute lecture” turns into two hours. And then you’re gonna have to do like all the, and then you’re gonna have to move on to practice questions when you’re already tired from work, from commuting, and then watching the, that lecture with a l- such a low ROI.
So I would, in the past, I would have to study over four, five, six hours, like after work, and I was just like, “Oh my God, this is so draining. I cannot do this.”
Logan: Welcome to another episode of the CPA Exam Experience podcast from SuperfastCPA. I’m Logan, and in today’s episode, you’re going to hear me talking with Jason.
Now, Jason is probably the most excited person I’ve [00:01:00] had on the podcast, as in excited to be on the podcast. He had made it one of his goals to be on the podcast once he discovered it and started using SuperfastCPA.
And I think you’ll find a lot of great tips and advice from Jason because he was very passionate about this process. He went from failing multiple exams, I think he failed audit three times, and then when he switched to SuperfastCPA, he passed four exams in a row and was done with them in six months.
So a huge difference, a huge contrast, and you’ll hear Jason talk about all the differences and all the changes that he made to be able to accomplish that. Honestly, I don’t want to really say too much because he has a lot of great things to say, and again, he was very excited to be on the podcast. So I think it’ll be awesome for you to listen to him, so let’s get into the episode as quick as we can.
Just before we get into the episode, I want to give one more reminder about our SuperfastCPA training webinar on superfastcpa.com. This is [00:02:00] something that Jason watched, and you should watch it too. It is a one-hour free webinar where we will teach you the key ingredients to passing the CPA exam so you don’t waste months or even years of your time failing exams.
And that of course is well worth one hour of your time. And after you watch that, you’re going to want to learn more. So of course, make sure you check out becoming a PRO member of SuperfastCPA or buying our extra study materials or of course getting the total bundle where you get everything that we offer.
I’m excited for us to get into the interview with Jason. So without further ado, let’s get into the interview with Jason.
Logan: All right. Hey, Jason. I’m super happy to be on the podcast call with you today.
Motivated to Get on the Podcast
Logan: Uh, how are you doing today?
Jason: I’m doing, I’m doing great. Uh, I mean, I love SuperfastCPA. I’ve been u- I used it for the past six months in order to pass all my CPA exams. And I know Nate always said, “You have to have a why on why you want to pass your CPA exams, like, you know, get through all the hurdles and to motivate you.” And obviously, I had a lot of important whys, like impress my career mentors, impress my family.
[00:03:00] But one of my whys was to be on the podcast, so I’m super excited.
Logan: I, I, I had the, I had, I had a very similar goal. I remember thinking the same thing, like, “I’m gonna be on that podcast when I’m done.” So, that’s awesome that you… I mean, it’ll be great to have you sharing all your experiences because these podcast episodes, as you saw yourself, are super helpful.
Passed BEC with the Traditional Method But Went Downhill from There
Logan: Um, so yeah, let’s just kinda get into everything. I know that you, you know, so you, in your email that you sent us to kind of be a part of this, you know, it was like the failed three times, switched to SuperfastCPA, passed all four in six months, you know, kinda one of those classic awesome stories. So, let’s kinda dive into that.
Uh, how did you start? Like, how did you get to that point? Uh, what were you doing when you wanted to become a CPA?
Jason: Yeah. So at that time, uh, so I guess to back up a little, I had, uh, first started working out in tax compliance, and then later I transitioned to a financial reporting role. And I started [00:04:00] studying around the middle of 2023, I was using the traditional method cause, you know, everybody, everybody gets Becker from their, uh, provided by their company.
And I was just like, “Okay, well, I’ll use Becker. Everybody says that, that’s like, you know, the gold standard.” So, I mean, just like a lot of other people do with the, you know, quote-unquote, “traditional studying method approach,” well, you know, I went on to Becker. I, uh, I watched the lectures, read the textbook, and I did the questions.
And the very first exam that I passed was, uh, BEC. That was through the traditional method, but it kind of went downhill from there because then I started taking Audit under, under– Uh, and I was using the traditional study approach, and I got a 71 on that.
Logan: Oh, man.
Jason: Then I was just like, “Oh, no.” So, you know, I was just like, “Well, what’s going on?”
So, you know, I re-studied again using the traditional approach. I re-watched the lectures, I re-read the textbook, read through all my notes, and then I failed again with a seventy-two. So I [00:05:00] was just like, ” Oh, man, what’s going on?” Right? So after I failed the second time, I had, uh, actually had like a family emergency on my end, so I had to take a break from CPA studying for about a year and a half, and I picked it back up around mid 2025.
After Failing AUD 3 Times Decided to Switch Sections
Jason: So I was like, “Okay, all right. Well, this third time’s the charm. I’ll take Audit again,” right? So again, using the traditional study, studying approach, I’ll just like, you know, re-read the textbook, re- uh, re-watch the lectures. And guess what? I failed again, and I got a 70 So for Audit, I had a seventy-one, sev- Yeah
So it was Audit 71 72 and 70 and it was super frustrating because, I mean, from an early age, uh, with our school system, we’re like, you know, drilled, it’s drilled into our heads like, “Oh, you go to school, you attend lecture, and then you come home and you do your homework, and that’s how you get a good grade.”
I mean, it’s drilled into us with elementary, middle school, high school and college. So that’s… well, so I was just wondering like, “What the heck [00:06:00] is going on?” Like, I genuinely cannot pass. And let me know if I’m going off on a tangent over here, but, uh, cause I’m probably making this answer way too long-winded, but, uh, I was just like, “What’s going on?”
So I was just like, “Okay, maybe I’ll just take a break from Audit because I just failed it the past three times, and I’ll move on to REG because, I mean, I used to work in tax compliance. That’s my background. Maybe that’s my strong suit.” But even when I was studying for REG under s- under tw- under the, uh, traditional approach, I was just like, “Oh my God, I’m still so stressed out, and I’m still so nervous.”
Found SuperfastCPA and Watched the Webinar
Jason: And then I remember one night, lo and behold, I get this ad on Instagram, and I see Nate from SuperfastCPA, and he’s describing like these acronyms. And I was just like, “Well, what do these acronyms mean?” And I was just like, “What the heck is SuperfastCPA? I’ve never heard of it before.” I’ve been, I’ve been using Becker my entire study process, and I was just like Is this a gimmick?
So I Googled it, and I was like, “Oh, wait.” I read– I saw a lot of good reviews on it, so I was like, [00:07:00] “Okay, wait a minute. These guys are legit.” So I signed up for y’all’s free webinar, and everything in the free webinar clicked for me. It’s just like, I mean, it’s the SAID principle, S-A-I-D, specific adaptation to impose demand.
On exam day, you are not gonna be tested on how well you can watch a lecture. On exam day, you are not gonna be tested on how well you can read a textbook. On exam day, the only thing that matters is questions. So during your study process, the SAID principle, you should impose that demand of questions onto yourself, so your mind can adapt to it, and you can actually do.
Logan: That’s what you get good at. Yeah, exactly.
Jason: And I, I, mean, a lot of– Oh, sorry, go ahead.
Logan: Uh, no worries.
Realizing the Low ROI from Doing the Traditional Approach
Logan: Uh, so I, so with the, like, you know, the whole traditional approach and then finding SuperfastCPA, what was the, what was it that really stood out to you that kind of, I mean, you were just barely talking about it a little bit, maybe the multiple choice questions, right?[00:08:00]
But what, uh, explain like the, the difference once you started going from the traditional approach to the SuperfastCPA.
Jason: Yeah. So I mean, so i-i-it’s it’s one of those things that, like, Nate talked about, like, oh, you watch a, like, you– I, I, I think I remember him saying like, “Oh, stop me if this sounds familiar. You watch a lecture, and then you move on to the multiple-choice questions, and you realize only about 20% of the material on the lecture actually carries over to the questions that you do, the, to the practice questions that you’re subsequently doing.”
And it’s just, like, such a low ROI. I mean, it’s just like, well, why am I spending all this time watching a lecture, learning all this material, but only has a 20% carryover rate to the multiple-choice questions? Whereas if I start with the multiple-choice questions first, it has a 100% ROI. Yes. Yes. Exactly.
Doing Mini Sessions Throughout the Day
Jason: So that was one of the big things, uh, that helped with Superfast with like, you know, SuperfastCPA method, and I love you guys’ s-study tools. I mean, like, uh, uh, this, this might be difficult to explain, but I mean, like, there really is a lot of [00:09:00] value in doing mini sessions throughout the day. Like, basically, you know, uh, for first-time listeners, basically, you’re on your phone, you have the amazing SuperfastCPA app. It has a lot of great, uh, quick mini quizzes that you can take.
It has a lot of great review notes. It has the au- it has a lot of great audio notes that you can listen to while you’re st- driving your car or you’re walking or whatever. And there’s a lot of value in that because, uh, I come from a background of, of a lot of different hobbies where you, like, you learn a lot of different stuff.
And, like, and working out, when, whenever you first start working out, there is, uh, whenever, whenever, like, people start, first start working out, they have, uh, difficulty doing pull-ups, for instance. What– and what a lot of people do is that they mount a pull-up bar onto their doorway, and every time they pass through that doorway, they have to do one to two pull-ups.
And within the course of a couple months, they get really good at it, versus them trying to do a bunch of pull-ups in one session. That’s not gonna be as effective as doing it throughout the day.
Uh, another example I could bring up [00:10:00] is, like, whenever people are, uh, l-li-like, uh, people learning a language in high school.
I mean, like, people usually don’t really effectively learn a language in high school, in high school because what they do is they have a, a one big session during, like, the day. Like, oh, let’s say, uh, like I’m in high school, I have Spanish or French for an hour, and then for the rest of the twenty-three hours in the day, I don’t do anything.
And that’s why, uh, people don’t learn a language very effect- yeah, you know, even whereas, like, somebody in a foreign, in a foreign country, like, let’s say they’re in Spain, they’re trying to learn Spanish. When you wake up, you’re forced to use Spanish, uh, to talk to your landlord, and then later in the day, you’re forced to use, uh, Spanish to order food or, uh, ask for directions or whatever.
The point is, y- whether it’s, like, pull-ups or learning a different language, you’re using that information in short, intermittent bursts throughout the day.
Forcing Yourself to do Mini Sessions
Jason: And that’s exactly what really clicks with me about SuperfastCPA, is that you’re essentially doing the same thing. Like, yes, you have that main [00:11:00] two-hour, uh, study session throughout the day, but then throughout the day, I mean, everybody loves checking Instagram, everybody loves checking text messages from friends.
what– I mean, what I did was that I just, like, every time I opened up my phone, uh, I would open up the SuperfastCPA app. I would have a quiz, uh, already open, and then I would close, close my phone, and then inevitably, throughout the day, I will obviously instinctively reach into my pocket to check Instagram or whatever, but oh, nope.
Once I open up my phone, the
Logan: The app’s already there.
Jason: You know, the app’s already there. There’s, there’s, there’s less, uh, less barriers to entry cause it’s already there. So they’re like, “Hey, Jason, if you wanna check Instagram, if you wanna check that text from a friend, you have to get through this five-question mini quiz first.”
And guess what? Usually, whenever, like, I did one quiz, I was just like, “Okay, that wasn’t that bad. I’ll do another one, or maybe I’ll do a third one.” So I mean, like, over time, you just get a bunch of questions throughout the day, and I mean, like, throughout your entire study process, you accumulate hundreds, if not thousands, of extra questions, and [00:12:00] that will in turn obviously lead to a much, like, higher, uh, like, exam, uh, point boost.
Logan: Yes. Yeah, I mean, I love a lot of the things that you said there. Uh, I mean, the, the, the connection of like the pull-up bar and then, you know, speaking a new language. I mean, I experienced that directly. I took Spanish in high school, learned absolutely nothing, like zero, and then I lived in Costa Rica for two years, and going from, you know, exactly like you said, you know, you’re in the classroom, you think you’re learning, but then you don’t do anything about it, you don’t apply it, then you don’t learn anything.
But then I, when I was living there, I had to speak it literally all the time, all day, every day, and you pick it up so much faster and you just, you’re immersed in it. And that’s exactly the whole point of SuperfastCPA, like the app.
That’s exactly what you were saying, you know, is to be able to be immersed in it constantly, cause that is just, it’s way easier to do that than [00:13:00] spend five hours sitting at your computer every, every night when you’re already tired, you know?
Unlock His Phone Straight to the SuperfastCPA App
Logan: Um, and I, and I really like your idea. I think a lot of people should do this exact thing with the mini quiz. Like, not only like have SuperfastCPA like on your home screen, but you’re saying that you left it open on your phone and then turned your phone off so that you open your phone screen and then the a- the quiz is already right there, Is that right?
Jason: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, cause I mean, like, what, what– cause, like, you don’t want, like, like, barriers to entry, cause, like, if I just have Superfast CPA, uh, the SuperfastCPA app on my, on my home screen, but I also have Instagram on my home.
screen
I also have, yeah, the text, the text message app on my home screen, or Twitter or whatever, uh, then it’s just like, well, oh God, then you’re gonna have to make that decision.
Like, do I wanna check Instagram or am I gonna go to SuperfastCPA? Like, that creates kind of like a friction. You wanna remove that friction. Like, you want– you, you just want like… cause I mean, like, everybody’s gonna pull out their phone like 100 times a day. You [00:14:00] just want that thing, like that SuperfastCPA quiz right there once you open up your, once you unlock your phone, so, yeah.
Logan: I love it. Yeah. Yeah. I think that people should do that, like, and they could switch off between the quizzes or the review notes. Did you ever do that with the review notes, or was it mainly quizzes that you had always pulled up?
Jason: That was mainly quizzes but, uh, the review notes most definitely helped. Uh, i, I f- like, like, like for quizzes like, oh, like if you want to check Instagram, you’re gonna have to get through one or two quizzes.
Well, with the review, with the review notes, like same thing. Like, oh, if you want to check your Instagram, you’re gonna have to get through a couple of pages of, uh, Superfast review, SuperfastCPA review notes in order to, uh, in order to give yourself the privilege of checking Instagram.
And a- again, it builds up cause I mean, like over time you’re doing like hundreds and if not thousands of more questions, or you’re reading hundreds of pages of review notes. And you can’t tell me that if you, if you do 100, 100 or 1,000 extra questions that it won’t in turn lead to an exam point boost. So I mean, like it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s… but I, I [00:15:00] think, uh, uh, you guys literally have like the best out app out there for, for like CPA reviewing.
Logan: I love it. Yeah, I, I, I agree.
Used the Ideas from the Webinar and Passed REG
Logan: Um, so, so you saw the webinar and, you know, you were… was it like right away you’re like interested and you went and bought it? Or like what was the process after that?
Jason: Yeah. So when I saw the webinar, I was just like, I was still a little skeptical because, I mean, like, it, you… a-a-as it’s an unorthodox strategy, do questions first, I mean, that goes against, like, everything we’re taught in college and high school and whatnot. So I was just like, “Okay, maybe I’ll try this.”
But after I passed REG, I was just like, “Okay, SuperfastCPA, these guys know what they’re talking about. These guys are experts. I’m, I’m gonna buy their app. I’m gonna start doing mini sessions.” Because again, it’s like learning a language where it’s like doing pull up- l-learning to do pull-ups or whatever. Like, there was a lot of value and benefit, uh, scientifically proven, of doing stuff throughout the day compared… and, and, like, if you’re, if you’re trying to do mini quizzes using, like, Becker or Gleim or UWorld or whatever, uh, [00:16:00] mainstream, like, uh, review course, like, it’s hard to do because, like, like a lot of people talk, will talk about on this podcast, like, it’s hard to do, like, full force questions.
Like, oh, I open up the phone, uh, th- I’m using Becker. I have to look at an entire balance sheet just to, like, do these questions it’s not, it’s not very mobile friendly. Whereas, like, you guys, like, you guys make sure that, like, even though the questions are, like, like, quote-unquote, “simplified,” it still, like, really tests your knowledge and really tests, like, like, what you know.
And, like, I found that, like, uh, uh, like, let- like, let’s say I’m doing, uh, a Superfast, a bunch of, like, SuperfastCPA mini quizzes, and then I study later on using my full review course, uh, and was like, “Oh yeah, I remember this popping up from the mini quizzes.” I, I even had, like, some questions on exam day where, like, it was just like, “I, I remember this from the SuperfastCPA mini quizzes.”
Logan: That’s perfect
Jason: A satisfying feeling.
CPA Exam Test Timeline
Logan: So, I mean, there was something I wanna, I caught onto there. So did you pass REG before actually purchasing [00:17:00] SuperfastCPA? You just kind of took some of the ideas from the webinar, is that what you s- what you’re saying?
Jason: Yeah. Y- yeah, yeah, th- that’s what happened. I’m, um, yeah, I, I just took some ideas from the webinar first cause I was just like, “Okay, is this actually real?” And I was like, “Okay, yeah, this is actually real. You guys are, like, legit really smart and are, like, experts on this.” So I mean, like, I, I guess, like, a timeline of my CPA was BEC passed with traditional method, and then failed Audit three times from the j- under the traditional method, and then I took REG, TCP, FAR, and Audit, uh, all in, all in that, uh, like, bubble, yeah, in six months with using SuperfastCPA, and I passed all four of those in the first try.
So, it’s definitely s- most definitely super fast.
Logan: Yeah, yeah. I mean, six months is an awesome timeline. Uh, so you lost your, uh, your credit for BEC then cause of that, like kind of the, kind of that break.
Learned More from the Questions First Approach
Logan: Um, and so what did you change, but like before you even purchased SuperfastCPA, what did you change and start implementing to make you pass REG?
Jason: I, [00:18:00] I think it was definitely questions first, cause I mean, like, like, cause I mean, again, it’s like, it’s like, it’s like that ROI thing that I was talking about. It’s just like, oh, you watch them, like there’s o- there’s only a 20% carryover rate, uh, when you move on to multiple choice questions, whereas if you do the multiple ch- multiple choice questions, it has 100% carryover rate towards what you’re gonna see on exam day.
Uh, so that, so that was, so that was what I took. And like some people may say like, “Oh, you’re only doing questions. You’re only studying towards the exam. You’re not actually learning anything.” Well, I mean, like I’ve been… because of SuperfastCPA and like you, you guys’ like questions first approach, I’ve genuinely been able to like apply so much of what I’ve learned towards my actual job, like passive activity, loss limitations.
Like, uh, I work in a fi- financial reporting role now, so like, uh, I like, I can understand the statement of cash flows better. Like I can understand like certain audit procedures better whenever our auditors are around. So it’s just like, like I’ve been able to learn this stuff better and apply it to my job better because of SuperfastCPA.
So I mean, like [00:19:00] besides being able to pass exams, there’s also like, like, you know, carryover to my real world stuff.
Logan: Yeah. I mean, that makes sense, like, um, with what you’re saying there, like the, because the multiple choice questions are active, they’re, you’re actually applying yourself, you’re, you’re having to use problem solving to learn it, and therefore it sticks in your brain better. You actually understand it better. Whereas just listening to somebody explain it or just reading it in a textbook, it’s not gonna give that same, uh, return like you’re saying. So that makes sense that, uh, that you’re able to like have it stick more even for your job.
Should’ve Bought the PRO Course Right from the Start
Logan: So you changed like multiple choice questions first, uh, and did you also like start studying in the morning or was that maybe like, cause I, I think you mentioned that you purchased the study bundle and, but you didn’t ever have the PRO course. So, uh, what, where did you get most of the strategies from SuperfastCPA? Was it like the podcast or where did you get [00:20:00] most of them?
Jason: There was the webinar and the podcast, but I mean, looking back, I would’ve definitely bought the PRO course first because, I mean, like, like it would’ve saved me like so much time. Like, so there was some of the stuff that I had to figure out first, and then I heard on the podcast and I was just like, “Oh, yeah.”
Now, had, had I had that, had I had the PRO course first, it would’ve saved me so much extra time and energy. I mean, like, it’s worth it just to save yourself the time and the energy and like from possible fail attempts, like if you just buy the SuperfastCPA PRO course method first because like you guys literally have it like all outlined.
Like, “Oh, hey, this is what you, this is what you sh- this is what you should do. This, this is like, these are the strategies, these are the tips,” etcetera, so, yeah.
Logan: Yeah.
Had to Figure Out the Flashcards Process on His Own
Logan: So what, what were those kinds of things? Like, what was it that you, like, kind of were trying to figure out on your own and then you heard it on the podcast or the webinar and you’re like, “Oh, that makes sense.” Like, what kind of things were those?
Jason: Like, uh, like flashcards for instance, like, like like let’s say you’re doing your re-reviews. I mean, uh, I, I, I think, I don’t think [00:21:00] I’ve mentioned this yet, but I love you guys’ like 30 questions, like re-review process that you guys mentioned, like at the end of each study session just… cause I mean, you’re gonna inevitably forget like all your prior chapters as you move forward with the other chapters.
And I had noticed that like whenever I was doing my, uh, re-review sessions that like, “Oh wait, uh, why do I keep missing these?” And I was just like, “Okay, maybe I should like take some flashcards on this and like, uh, maybe that’ll help me stop missing these questions on my re-review.” And then I remember hearing on a podcast like, “Oh wait, you guys said the exact same thing.”
Like, I wish I figured this out earlier, cause it would’ve saved me so much extra time, uh, from having to study. And that saved time from studying could have gone towards like hobbies and like other like family time and like whatnot, like actual fun time.
Logan: Yep. Yeah.
Found the Flashcard Tip to be Valuable
Jason: Yeah, so, uh, a- a- and yeah, no, that, that flashcard tip was like truly like, uh, like so valuable to me because I mean, like you’re essentially turning a weakness into a strength on exam day.
Like, oh, let’s say [00:22:00] I am struggling with asset impairment or whatever accounting concept, like and I keep missing questions on it. Well, one, t- it’s scientifically proven that if you make a flashcard, whether you’re typing or handwriting it out, like you actively like kind of like… It’s just like when you’re
Logan: You have to figure it out.
Jason: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I mean like when you’re like actually like putting that process, like, like the steps of how to solve this equation or whatever problem onto a flashcard, you, you figure it out and you’re just like, “Oh yeah, okay, it makes sense now.” Like the process of making a flashcard itself is a learning tool, and then once, when, then later it’ll, later on it’ll come by, come up in, uh, your review. So, so yeah.
Logan: Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I mean, flashcards, that’s a huge thing cause exactly like you said, just the act of making the flashcard is valuable in itself, and then you’re reviewing that flashcard, um, you know, maybe every day. And so exactly like you said, you’re turning something that was a weakness into a strength.
But the great thing is, like you [00:23:00] were saying with the re-review, you’re not losing things that you’re strong in, like, cause you’re constantly reviewing it, so you’re never losing strengths, you’re just adding strengths. You know, uh, so all that together just works really well. Um, yeah, you’re, you, you, you’re saying, you’re, you’re saying everything exactly, you know, how we, how we think it. I love it.
Studying Four Hours After Work and Failing
Logan: Um, so you, you know, flashcards was something you implemented, uh, questions first. Did you, uh, start studying, like when, when you were studying the traditional method, what time were you studying, and did you change that?
Jason: Yeah. So I mean, like when I was us- using the, the, uh, traditional method, I would study after work. Like, you know, you’re already tired, like, and I have a long commute too. It’s just like, oh my God. And then you have to watch hours long lecture videos and you’re gonna zone out, so you’re gonna replay them.
Same thing with a textbook. You’re gonna zone out when you’re reading it, and then you’re gonna have to like re-read it and like that quote unquote 30-minute lecture turns into like [00:24:00] two hours. And then, and then you’re gonna have to do like all the, and then you’re gonna have to move on to practice questions when you’re already tired from work, from commuting, and then watching the, that lecture with a l- such a low ROI.
So I would, in the past, I would have to study over like four, five, six hours, like after work, and I was just like, “Oh my God, this is so draining. Like, I cannot do this.”
Found the Method Bearable to Switch Studying After Work
Jason: Um,
Logan: And, and then you get 70, and then you get 72, 71, 70 on audit after all that work. It’s just horrible.
Jason: Yes. It was so demoralizing, but I mean, like SuperfastCPA, my saving grace, like you guys recommended, hey, two-hour study session in the morning and then like mini sessions throughout the day, because, you know, there’s a lot of value in, uh, doing stuff throughout the day, as we just talked about. Um, so yeah, that, that, that’s what I did for like the first month-ish of REG.
Uh, that REG was the first exam that I started taking using the Superfast Study, uh, Super- SuperfastCPA studying approach. But after like a month of waking up [00:25:00] early, I was just like, okay, maybe, may- like may- maybe I like I, I knew that, I knew that I was like comfortable enough to like switch it into the, into a night session.
Just, I mean, in the past traditional study method, I would use four or five hours a night. At, with the SuperfastCPA approach at night I’ll only do two hours, and then obviously throughout the day beforehand I did s- the mini sessions. So, uh, e- it’s like e- even then it like, like I, I love that you guys recommended two hours.
Like with that two hours, eliminating lectures, eliminating the textbook, just pure questions, I was just like, “Oh my gosh.” I wouldn’t have done it without SuperfastCPA.
Logan: Yeah. Yeah. So, so you’re saying that, like, you tried doing the morning for, like, a month, but you’re just like, “Ah, this is, this is just, you’re just not, it’s just not working”? And, you know, uh, the thing, the thing is in the end, you know, we want people to study in the morning just cause that’s usually how people can get it to happen. But I don’t really care as long as you’re doing it and you’re seeing results, you know?
How Jason Prepares for a Study Sessions After Work
Logan: So you were doing it in the [00:26:00] evening. Were you doing it, like, right after work or right before bed? What did that look like?
Jason: Uh, so I would usually do it like, I mean, like right after I get, I get home from work, I’m exhausted. So like I eat dinner first, I take a shower, you know, just, just make sure that like I’m fully like battery is back.
Logan: Decompress a little bit.
Jason: Yeah, yeah, decompress a little, fill up my battery a little. Cause like, I mean, after a meal, after a shower, you’re a little bit more refreshed compared to like right after you come home from work.
So I mean, like after the meal, after the shower, I j- I, I’m like more like alert. I’m just like, “Okay, let’s do, let’s do the two-hour study session.” Start with the questions. I would have one monitor with like my Becker review course, uh, one monitor with like an Excel, cause I, I loved y’all’s tip on… cause like beforehand, like I’ll be taking notes, uh, using handwriting, using a pen, but, uh, I’m not, my handwriting is not the best and I genu- and, and like, you know, we’re, we’re all, we’re all compressed for time.
We’re all busy professionals, and I love the motto of Superfast and SuperfastCPA, so it’s just faster to write it out in- into an Excel, [00:27:00] um, and yeah.
Logan: Okay. So yeah,
Practicing with Excel Helped on Test Day
Logan: I mean, yeah, th- that’s, that’s a big thing right there. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with handwritten notes. I think there is a benefit to them, but like you said, the time. It makes a huge difference having time to, like, to get through the, like, to type it out. And also, the great thing about using a spreadsheet is it’s very structured, so it’s way easier to, like, keep, keep things in order and everything and, like, see what’s going on. And it’s such a good, uh, tool for exam day as well. Did you, did you find that, like, by using it during your studying, you were more comfortable using it during your exams?
Jason: Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I mean, like, in, in, in the past with the traditional method, I would use that, like, little 10 key that, uh, Prometric provided and I would use this. God, and, and it’s just like, it’s just like, I mean, like, within Excel, I mean, like, one, I mean, like, we’re all accountants. We’re all used to, like, the, the, uh, the, the number pad on our keyboard, so it’s just like we’re all, [00:28:00] we’re all used to that a bit more, so we’re inherently gonna be much faster with that, uh, which is, uh, a huge asset on exam day.
And, like, with, with a spreadsheet, like, you can see what goes into a calculation versus one of those little plastic calculators.
Like, you don’t see, like, all the math that act- you only get, you only see one line of numbers compared to in Excel. You can have, like, a sum of the columns and you can see, like, what number, what numbers are in that column. Does that make sense?
Logan: Exactly. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you can see what is going into a number instead of just seeing the end result, which, that’s actually something I talk to my coaching clients about a lot is like I tell people, um, instead of, you know, using your spreadsheet and just doing the whole calculation in one cell, cause you can just do equals and then just do the whole calculation, right? But I always tell people to split the numbers out and then you do the calculation based on the cells because that way you can see what’s going on. That way you can see what’s happening instead [00:29:00] of just being like, “I don’t know where that number came from.”
And, uh, it’s kind of the same, kind of the same thing that you’re saying there, like calculator versus the spreadsheet, you know? Uh, I mean, yeah, you’re having lots of great tips.
Planned His Study Timeline in Excel
Logan: So, uh, I remember before this, and I did have a chance to look at it, I just didn’t have a chance to respond. I saw that spreadsheet that you, um, that you laid out. So you had it like it– You had it like all planned out every day. Can you kind of explain that, like how you planned out each day to make sure that you were on track?
Jason: Yeah. So I mean, like, essentially like, uh, I mean, like, uh, I, I guess like, I mean, you guys don’t have to use a spreadsheet if you don’t want to. I would recommend it, but I mean, like, I would have like one column with like all the dates lining up to the exam day, like, oh, March one, March two, March three, March four, March five, whatever.
And then I would have a row on top that said like all the, uh, all the chapters of the, of like, you know, my Becker review course, and I would try and do like one or two chapters a day. And, uh, it kinda just looked like a descending staircase in the end, but I [00:30:00] always made sure to do like at least one set of 30, if not multiple sets of 30, cause like, like, you know, you, you, you have to do it.
It not only like prevents you from forgetting the concepts that you learned beforehand on prior days and prior chapters, but also strengthens it. It strengthens it. I mean, like, I remember when I was, uh, studying audit for the fourth time, which I finally passed, by the way, but, uh, uh, like there were like some concepts there, I was just like, “What the heck?”
I was like, “Okay, whatever. Next day I’ll just move on to the next chapter.” But I always made sure to just do a random set of 30, if not multiple sets of 30, of all the prior chapters. Like let’s say I’m on day six, I’m doing chapter six for the first time. Well, at the end of the study session, I would do a 30-question, uh, a random 30-question mini quiz of like chapters one through five just to make sure that like I’m not forgetting anything and that I’m also strengthening those concepts. Uh, yeah.
Logan: Yeah
Jason: Did I answer your question? Sorry, I’m, I’m going off on tangents.
Logan: No, you’re, you’re good. Uh, so yeah, with the, and honestly I [00:31:00] forgot what my que- exact question was, but.
Always Felt Unsure If He Passed
Logan: Um, so you, what was the, so you know the timeline was six months and was, I mean, you passed all of them first try at this, this time through. Um, was there any exam that still gave you a lot of trouble where you’re like, you weren’t 100% sure that you’re, that you were, well, I guess you probably were never 100% sure you were gonna pass, but was there any exam that gave you extra trouble in particular?
Jason: I’d say, I mean, like, I, I– and I hear this on, like, the other podcast episodes too. It’s just, like, I mean, like, SuperfastCPA is w- with no doubt the best review course out there, and it’ll definitely, like, like, increase your chances of passing the CPA, uh, exams by a significant margin. But, like, like, it’s just, maybe it’s just anxiety on my part, but, like, every time I walked out of an exam, I was just like,
Logan: Mm-hmm. “There’s no way.” Yep, yeah
Jason: like… And I- I’ll always just be like, “Oh my God, I’m so nervous.” Uh, and like, and then I, [00:32:00] I see the, I see the, uh, the exam results, like, maybe a few weeks or a month later, I’m just like, “Oh, hey, I passed.” I mean, like… And, uh, my, my scores were, let’s see, uh, let’s see, BEC, well, that was traditional method.
I had, like, an 83 or whatever. Then the three times I failed audit under the traditional approach were 71, 72, 70. Uh, and then I finally switched to SuperfastCPA. REG was 83, TCP was 84, FAR was 80, and Audit was 84. So I mean like,
Logan: Hey, So they’re great, yeah.
Jason: Yeah
Logan: That’s awesome.
Felt Like TCP was a Continuation of REG
Logan: So, and did you find that, uh, like, that this is actually something I’m curious about, ’cause I feel that this is the case, but did you find that REG and TCP fit really well together? Like, it was good to take them close together?
Jason: Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean, like, in many ways, TCP just felt like, like, like an, an extension, a continuation of REG, so I was just like, okay. Uh, uh, and that was one of the reasons why I switched to REG after [00:33:00] failing audit for the third time, because I was just like, “Okay, well, the TCP window is coming up,” uh, you know, that quarterly window
Logan: Do REG first and then do TCP? I see.
Jason: Yeah. So, uh, yeah, so I was just like, yeah, no, REG and TCP are like, like, like, you know, brothers and sisters. Like, you know, it ju- it just makes absolute sense to pair those two together and take those together. Like, take REG first, because, like, that’s kind of like the bigger monster, and then afterwards, yeah, take, take T- take, uh, TCP.
Logan: Yeah, I’ve, I’ve thought the same thing because between the three discipline exams, the re- I mean, TCP seems very close to REG, whereas ISC has some similarities to audit, but it’s like n- there’s a lot of new stuff as well. And then BAR is just, like, BAR is basically like taking FAR, which is already hard, and making it even harder, in my opinion.
So it’s like, don’t take BAR. Uh, but but that’s, but I’m, but that’s cool. Like, I thought the same thing, that TCP seems to be one of the, like, the closest discipline exam to one of the core exams, [00:34:00] um, which I think is probably why it has one of the highest pass rates. Um, I think it has the highest pass rate, anyway.
The Feeling After Finally Passing
Logan: Uh, so, you know, you passed them all in six months and I mean, I mean, obviously you’re very excited about it as you’ve been talking about it.
So what, uh, what did you do, like, each time you passed an exam and when you finally passed all of them, like, what was it like to, to be f- seeing that and feeling that?
Jason: It was so surreal, cause I mean, like, again, like, I, I had failed three times, like, all within, like, the same low 70s, like, uh, range. So I was just like, “Oh my God, what is going on?” And like, I remember taking, like, REG, uh, in study… Um, uh, well, I remember when I was, like, in the study process for REG, and I was still pretty nervous cause I was just like, I mean, I’ve worked in taxes theoretically.
I, I, I should have, like, REG in the bag, but I was, like, so nervous about even REG because, I mean, I just failed Audit three times. And I was just like, “What is going on?” [00:35:00] So when I found out that I passed REG, I was just like… It was, like, genuine, cause I was so stressed leading up, uh, leading up to, like, that exam score release.
So I was just like, “Oh my G-…” It, it just felt like, like ice water.
Like, hu- yeah, huge relief. And I was just like, “Oh my God, I wouldn’t have done this without SuperfastCPA.” And then I moved on to TCP with SuperfastCPA. I moved on to FAR with SuperfastCPA. I moved on to Audit with SuperfastCPA. And each time I was just like, each time I found out that I passed, I was just like, “Oh my God. Yes, I can do this.”
Logan: That’s awesome.
Jason: Oh, oh, and another point, uh, uh, going back to that spreadsheet thing, uh, where like you said, like, oh, break out the numbers in each little cell. Don’t have it all in, all formulated into one cell. That really helps too, cause, uh, I mean, like, a lot of the CPA questions, they have, uh, multiple questions that if you trip up on one step, there’s, there’s, there’s an answer just like that.
So it helps that, like, you break out in the spreadsheet on exam day, like, oh, uh, you break out all the numbers into [00:36:00] each, each, each, each, uh, each individual cell so that you can easily spot if you’re making a mistake, if you’re making an error, so that way you don’t trip up and select the wrong answer that the AICPA purposefully put on there.
Logan: They, they knew you’d make that mistake. Yep, exactly. Yeah.
Jason’s Study Timeline for Each Section
Logan: Uh, so what was your, uh, like study timeline for each of them? Did you… Was it the same for each of them or was it kind of different? Like, was it like six weeks for this one, three weeks for this one? Uh, just curious how that looked.
Jason: Yeah. So I’m trying to think. Let me, let me see. I think REG was like seven weeks. TCP was like five or six weeks. Um, and these are just ballpark numbers out there. I, I kind of forgot, forgot by now. FAR was like definitely longest, like eight or nine weeks. And then with, uh, audit, since it was my fourth time taking it at that point, it was only like seven weeks or so what… uh, these are just like, again, these are just like ball park ranges, I can’t remember exactly, but.
Logan: So r- kind of roughly around the same ti- uh, [00:37:00] amount of time each time, except maybe TCP was a little bit less.
How Jason Studied for the Sims
Logan: Uh, and one thing that I haven’t asked you about yet, so we talked a lot about, you know, questions first, talked a lot about the mini sessions, um, and actually I have one question about the mini sessions that I’ll ask after this.
But, uh, what did you do to study the sims? Like, what was your strategy for those?
Jason: Yeah. So I mean, sims were definitely the biggest nightmare. I mean, I think, uh, I mean, there were multiple reasons why I failed audit three times. I mean, one of it was just because I was using the traditional method, the traditional study approach, which is, which is, you know, completely ineffective.
But the other reason why I kept failing audit was that, like, I just, I just kept avoiding sims.
I just kept telling myself, “Oh, I’ll, I’ll figure it out on exam day.” Cause like, uh, during… when I was studying for audit those three times, I was just like, “You know, this seems really hard. I’m just gonna, like, just push it off till tomorrow. I can figure it out on exam day. I’ll wing it on exam day.”
But I mean, like, part… what, what… like, obviously, like, the sims you see in your practice course aren’t gonna be the [00:38:00] sims that you see on exam day, but I mean, like, by doing sims, you just build up the skill, the skill, cause I mean, everything is, uh, like, it-it’s just a skill of being able to do sims well. It’s a, it’s just a skill to be able to do MCQs well.
Um, y- by, so by doing a bunch of sims, uh, in your, like, own little, uh, in, during, while you’re studying, you inherently build up the skill of being able to look through, like, eight different exhibits and, like, extract the information you need. You, uh, y- you know, that’s a, that’s a good skill.
And to answer your question more precisely, I know you guys recommend, like, y- you do the, uh, sims during the weekends, but I found that, like, so what I, what I did for each exam was that, uh, I just, I just did all the multiple choice, uh, maybe, like, maybe, like, a week.
I finished all the multiple choice w- maybe, like, within, like, two weeks before my actual exam, and then those two weeks leading up to the exam, I would do all the sims. I would also, you know, do the, uh, do more multiple choice question re-reviews. But I would save the sims for [00:39:00] last, for, like, f- for the final two weeks of, uh, my study journey leading up to the exam day, ’cause, like, I just found that, like, it was more helpful that way.
I mean, like, you know.
Logan: Yeah.
That’s actually pretty much exactly what I did, cause I just really struggled to spend all that extra time on the weekends.
Those two weeks leading up to the exam, I would do sims every day, um, just ’cause like you said, they’re so overwhelming, they’re so time-consuming. So, kind of saving them for the end was, uh, was just, was just easier for me personally. Um, and I still did them, you know, exactly like you did. Like, you still did them, still got that practice.
Weekend Study Routine
Logan: Um, so did, on the weekends, did you just still just do two hours or did you study extra but you did MCQs? How did that look?
Jason: Yeah. So on the weekends, I would, uh, study like six to eight hours, which is definitely like a bit more than what you guys recommend on, on the weekends. I think you guys recommend like four to six hours. But I mean, like for me, I was like kind of [00:40:00] a slow learner, slow learner. But I mean, the point is, during Monday through Friday, I only did the two-hour main session and the mini sessions throughout the day, so that was a huge time saver.
But anyways, on the weekends, yeah, I was like six to eight hours, but I mean, like, I still had like, like, you know, time to do like the stuff that I actually like, which is, you know, one of the benefits of SuperfastCPA. Uh, but on the weekends, so let’s see. I mean, like, yeah, I would just like, uh, I mean, uh, it would just be like the same like process as usual, just like, you know, just more in depth, but just like longer.
Like, oh, I would try to get through the chapter. I would, uh, if I could, I would do multiple sets of 30. Um, and yeah, that was pretty much it. That was pretty much my weekends, just the
Logan: Did you do–
Split Study Sessions on Weekends to Mimic Test Day
Logan: Did you split it up into like, you would just do multiple two-hour sessions, or was it just kind of one long session?
Jason: Yeah. So I would do them in two-hour sessions because, uh, I mean, I, I don’t wanna burn myself out too much, and it’s the weekend. I, you know, I wanna, like, relax a little.
Um, but I mean, like, what I like [00:41:00] about, like, I mean, like, like, it, it is helpful just to, like, study for two hours and then, like, maybe take a little break and then, like, maybe like 10, 15 minutes, and then g- go do another two hours because, I mean, that kind of just mimics exam day.
Like, it builds up your endurance for exam day because on exam day, guess what? You’re, you’re gonna be like two hours, you’re halfway through the exam, and then you get, like, that allowed 15-minute break, and then, uh, you know, you continue the rest of the two hours for that exam. So I mean, like, in a way, like, the weekends, not only were they, like, super helpful, like, catching up if I, like, missed anything throughout Monday through Friday, but it was also just super helpful to, like, essentially build up that mental stamina, that endurance that’s required on exam day.
Logan: Exactly. Yeah, I mean, pretty much everything about the process is around that, like building up your skills, building up your, uh, stamina and ability to do exactly what you’re gonna be doing on exam day. Um, I love it.
Still Had Time for Hobbies Because of the SuperfastCPA Method
Logan: And, uh, you’ve mentioned hobbies throughout this, you know. Was there anything that you were able to [00:42:00] still maintain because, you know, the process was more efficient and more manageable?
Jason: Yeah, absolutely. So I mean, like, uh, I, I mean, like, I, I love training martial arts. I love MMA. Uh, I love lifting weights. I love, uh, learning languages, stuff like that. So, I mean, I was still able to do those things thanks to SuperfastCPA. I mean, like, under the traditional approach, that time that I used for my hobbies would have had to go towards those lecture videos or reading the textbook.
But, like, so I wouldn’t have been able to do any my, any of my hobbies under the, uh, traditional approach. But under SuperfastCPA, I mean, like, you guys got down to the nitty-gritty. There was no fluff. It was just like, “Hey, here’s what you need to do, and then you’re gonna save so much extra time, so you could use that extra time for your hobbies, for your family, your friends, etcetera.”
Jason’s Way of Handling Difficult Topics
Jason: And then, uh, yeah. Uh, and, uh, uh, uh, one other point that I wanted to highlight, uh, was that kind of going back to the whole weekend thing and the studying process was that, I mean, like, w-whenever, like, you’re… I mean, when you’re, when you’re studying, you’re inevily g- you’re inevitably [00:43:00] going to be coming, uh, across a hard concept like accounting principle or whatever.
Same thing on exam day. You’re inevitably gonna be, like, thrown, like, this, with this, like, weird out-of-left-field question. I mean, one of the things that I would do, uh, while studying, cause I mean, like, everything you do while you’re studying is essentially just building, like, like you said, it’s like, it’s building up to exam day.
It’s kind of centers around exam day, is that, like, whenever I encountered a hard concept while studying, what I would do is, like, you can either choose to be frustrated and just be like, “Oh, whatever,” or you can choose to, like, you know, just calm down, reassess, and just try and learn from it. Like, whether you’re making a mistake or whether you’re, uh, coming across a difficult concept.
So, like, once you build out that h- build up that habit of not freaking out and remaining calm in your studying process, then on exam day, like, oh, i-i-it’s, it’s that same habit of remaining calm and not freaking out that you’ve already practiced many, many times throughout your studying process. Like, does that make sense?
Like like,
Logan: Yeah. Oh, n- no, exactly.
Jason: It’s [00:44:00] easy to freak out on exam day, but if you build up the habit of not freaking out and remaining calm while you’re studying, whenever, whenever you make a mistake, whenever you come across a difficult concept, then it’s just like on exam day, it’s just like, “Oh, I’ve exercised this habit of remaining calm a million times by now,” so it’s just like, whatever.
Logan: Exactly. Yeah. I mean, you’ve, you’ve encountered hundreds of difficult topics at this point, and instead of panicking, you’ve gotten used to just like breaking it down, figuring it out, and that’s exactly a skill that you take on exam day, especially with the sims.
Like, if you’ve practiced this, if you have not practiced the sims, and this happens all the time, I hear it from people all the time, that they get to the sims and they just are so panicked.
They’re so overwhelmed by the sims and they just floor them, you know? But then if you’ve practiced MCQs, if you’ve practiced sims and you just know how to confidently move through it, then you, you, it’s just another sim. It’s just another MCQ. It’s, you’ve already done [00:45:00] it hundreds of times, you know? So I, I love what you’re saying there.
Preparing for Exam Day
Logan: Um, and on exam day, was there, uh, do, do you have any like tips or tricks or anything like that for actual exam day that you did?
Jason: Yeah. I mean, uh, uh, yeah, I mean, uh, of course, yes. Uh, so I mean, like, obviously, like, make sure you absolutely hammer the sims and the MCQs. So like, and when you’re, whenever you’re doing the sims, don’t go for the easy ones. Go for, like, the hard ones, that need to… like, the brutal ones with, like, six, seven or eight exhibits.
Like, like, that’s how you condition yourself for exam day, so that when you come across those, like, eight exhibit exams on exam day, it’s just like, “Whatever, I’ve seen this a million times before. I can calm down. I can just, you know, like, confidently move through it.” But on exam day, like, I know, I know we talked about rituals, like exam day ritual. I would always wear the same shirt.
Logan: Yeah. Yep.
Jason: I know you, I know you just, I know you did so too.
Logan: I did that too. Yeah.
Jason: Yeah. And then I would always eat, like, relatively the same breakfast. Like, uh, you know, like a healthy protein shake, some, like, grilled chicken, some [00:46:00] eggs, some veggies, some rice. Cause, like, you get out what you put in and, like, I, I want, like, constant, like, natural energy throughout exam day.
Uh, so, uh, let’s see, what else would I do? I mean, like, I, I would also, like, uh, do, like, those last minute cram sessions. Like, I, I wouldn’t do any questions at that point, maybe some, but, like, I would just, like, essentially look through all the… cause, like, I, I printed out all the notes I took, that I took in the, in those Excel spreadsheets.
So I would just, like, look through those really quick, just be like, “Okay, make sure you remember this, make sure you remember that.” Um, uh, I, I know some people, whenever they’re driving, uh, towards, uh, the CPA exam center, that they will listen to the SuperfastCPA audio notes. But for me, I was just like, “Okay, I just wanna calm down my brain first.”
Like, yeah.
Scheduled the Exams in the Afternoon
Logan: Yeah the… And d- would you take them in the morning or like midday? When did you take your exams?
Jason: Yeah, I took them midday. I mean, like, uh, r-really it just depends on, like, what type of person you are. Like, are you a morning person or are you an afternoon person? I, I feel like for me, like, [00:47:00] around like the 1:00 PM time mark was best because, like, then I could just, like, use all that extra time beforehand just to, like, do like a last minute little cram, just like, okay, re-review all my notes, just like make sure I don’t forget this or that, and yeah.
Logan: Yeah. I mean, the, you know, just like with everything, you know, a lot of times we recommend doing it in the morning, but there have been a lot of people on the podcast as you, I’m sure you’ve heard and as you just mentioned, where, you know, changing it to a time that is the least stressful for you, like, so that you, you like for sure can get there on time, can for sure be ready for it, you know, that’s what you should do.
Like for me, total opposite. I was like, I would be so anxious about the exam that if I had set it for like 12:00 or 1:00, I would’ve just been sitting there like a, like a nervous wreck waiting the whole time until I’m supposed to take it. So I always took mine, you know, at 8:00 in the morning so I could just get it done and out of the way.
Um, but like you said, having, for you, having that time to [00:48:00] like, kinda like prepare, relax, know you’re gonna be there on time, that was what you needed. So, uh, yeah, I think that take it at the time that makes you the least stressed and makes you feel the most prepared. I, I like what you’re saying there.
Um, and I mean, we’ve talked about a lot of, I mean, you’ve basically just, you’ve said amazing things about your process throughout this whole thing, and so I think this will be a great episode for, for people.
Top Tips for People Studying for the CPA Exam
Logan: Um, as we’re wrapping up, I always like to ask this question. Is there anything that you thought of before this call that you’re like, “I wanna share this,” but we haven’t gotten to talk about it yet?
Jason: Oh, yes, absolutely. I mean, I prepared like a whole notebook of talking points, but, uh, uh, these, this is only gonna be like five tips. I’m gonna make it quick because I don’t want to drag out this whole call. But I mean, like, the first tip I have is really, guys, if you’re listening to this, just get SuperfastCPA.
I know it costs money, and I know money is money, but time is also money. Like, you are gonna save so much extra [00:49:00] time just from using SuperfastCPA. There’s, there are tips, there are strategies, there are study tools. I mean, like, would you rather, like, just keep failing, or would you rather like, you know, just like co- like, you know, like just purchase SuperfastCPA and like, like, I’m not a paid actor.
Like, I’m just, I’m just a regular accounting guy. Like like, like… And, and I use the, and I use
Logan: This is not a sponsor. No, I’m just kidding.
Jason: Yes. I mean, I, I’m just a regular accounting dude, and I, and I just use, and I just use the SuperfastCPA products, and I was so amazed. Like, I would have never thought in my wildest dreams that I would have passed the CPA within six months.
I mean, you hear these horror stories of, like, people, like, spending years, if not, like, much more time just, like, failing, and it’s, it’s demoralizing. And, like, uh, all that time you, you spent years studying and failing could have gone towards something else, like family, hobbies, friends, whatever. Um, so that’s my number one tip.
Just get SuperfastCPA. Like, like I’m not a paid actor, but, like, seriously, get it.
And number two, um, and this, this essentially just goes back to, like, the, the second tip that I have is [00:50:00] essentially just goes back to, like, knowing what type of person you are. Uh, so after I failed audit for the third time, I talked to a good friend of mine, he’s a pharmacist, uh, and you know, he, he had failed, like, pharmacy exams in the past or whatever, and he told me, “Print out all your failing scores and tape it onto the wall.”
So that’s what I did. I taped it onto my bedroom, my home office, and my actual work office. And every time I looked at those failing scores, I swear it was like a movie because, like, I looked at those failing scores, and I would ball up my fist in anger, and I’d just be like, “Oh my God, never again.” But I mean, like, again, that, like, like it, it, it depends on the type of person you are.
So, like, if, if posting your, like, you know, your failing scores on the wall demoralizes you, don’t do that. But for me, it motivated me, so do that.
And then the, the third tip that I had is I’ve never, I’ve never seen anybody mention this on a podcast before, but it really helped me. What’s that like? So I mean, yeah, obviously I would have a monitor for my Becker or whatever review course.
I would have a monitor for my Excel. And then on my third [00:51:00] monitor, because I, like, I connected with a laptop, on my third monitor, I would go onto YouTube, and I would type, uh, “study with me.” It’s like, it’s like, it’s like this trend of, like, these rand– Yeah, yeah, it’s this trend of, like… Yeah, it’s this trend of, like, these random people just, like, filming themselves quietly studying.
And for me, it really helps because, like, I, and I would find, like, a two-hour, like, long study with me video. Uh, because I mean, like, uh, you know, that’s what you guys recommend, the two-hour study, main study session. Uh- And like, it really helped because like while I was studying, like, you know, you’re in h- we’re, we’re, we’re all living in the 21st century.
We’re all addicted to our phones. We’re all constantly distracted. It’s just like by seeing somebody study on my, on my… And so, so it’s like studying and like so focused on one of my monitors, I’d just be like, “Oh, no, I can’t get distracted.” So like, it would like shift me back into the, like the right path.
Logan: I like that. That’s a good idea.
Jason: Yeah. And then, uh, the… I can’t remember what number we are. Uh,
Logan: So that was three, I think.
Jason: Yeah, yeah, the fourth or the fifth tip I had, the fourth tip is, uh, just find a good [00:52:00] community. I mean, like, I remember like, like always like, like again, like I failed audit for the third time. I was feeling so demoralized because, you know, I was using the, using the ineffective traditional study approach, and I was feeling so demoralized.
And, you know, I had a good community. I have a good community of friends. Like, uh, you know, shout out to you guys who trade martial arts with me if you’re watching this. I mean, like, I would, I would always just come in and they, they were like… Yeah, right. I’m gonna make this the highest rated podcast episode.
Uh, I’m gonna try. But, um, but yeah, like, just like, uh, all my martial arts friends, they’re like, you know, these professionals. They’re pharmacists, they’re CPAs, they’re CFPs, they’re C, uh, CFAs. I mean, like, they know what the, what it’s like to take a professional exam, and they would always just give me constant encouragement, and I am, I am from the bottom of my heart so thankful to them.
So like find a good community, and if you don’t like, uh, ha- ha- have a good community of like, uh, support, I mean, like, there’s always the SuperfastCPA forums that you guys have. I mean, like, I, I, i, I’ve, I’ve been on there, like, uh, several times and I’m always so like amazed and like, like, uh, touched that like everybody there is [00:53:00] so supportive and like, “Oh, you’re demoralized,” or like, “Oh, you need more motivation.”
I mean, it’s a very good, uh, like community to like give you g- like, you know, give you guys support and everything. And then, ah, I swear I had a fifth tip. Um, no. No, I think that was it.
Logan: Okay. Hey, no, those are fantastic. And I mean, those are pretty m- uh, that pretty much just answers the last question that I always ask, you know, what, what would be your top two or three tips? So we won’t ask that one, but I, yeah, I m- I think those are fantastic tips. You know, get SuperfastCPA, um, have a good community, uh, have something that motivates you, and y- you know, like you said, you, depends on the person. Like for me, if I had had any failing scores, I think looking at them would’ve made me feel horrible. But for you, you were just like, “No, never again.”
Jason: Yeah, it was like a movie. It was a movie.
Logan: Uh, so that’s, I mean, that’s awesome. Uh, so yeah, I mean, you’ve had some amazing tips. I think that this will be one of those episodes that people can refer back to and just have a lot [00:54:00] of, uh, information on how to do the process right.
Mini Sessions Throughout the Day is a Game Changer
Logan: Um, now just before we finish up, just checking one last time, is there anything else that you wanted to say before we, you know, kinda wrap up here? Cause you’ve had a lot of great tips, so I just wanna make sure we don’t miss
Jason: Yeah. No, no, I, I, I, I really prepared for this podcast cause, like, again, like, I was, I was so hyped to be on here. I kept watching you guys, and I’m just like, “I’m living the dream. I’m finally on a hotshot, big podcast.” Um, I mean, yeah, I mean, like, yeah, uh, again, like, I guess, like, the fi- the fifth tip I, I want to add is, like, just, like, do mini sessions.
I mean, like, again, like, when we were talking about the pull-ups or, like, the language learning, like, there was genuine value in doing something multiple times in intermittent bursts throughout the day rather than doing it in one big chunk throughout the day and then just not thinking about it for the rest of the day.
It’s scientifically proven that if you do something throughout the day, you are going to learn it more, whether it’s language learning, whether it’s, uh, strength training, pull-ups, whether it’s CPA study. Like, it is, like, genuinely, like, the best tip out there.
Having the SuperfastCPA App Made Studying Flexible
Jason: And I… and yeah, like, [00:55:00] it’s, the SuperfastCPA, uh, study tools app is, like, allows you to do those mini sessions throughout the day, because if you’re doing it with any other review course, you’re dealing with, like, these un-mobile-friendly, un- like, eas- like, you’re gonna have to look at an entire balance sheet if you’re using Becker for some
Logan: Yep. Pull up your calculator. Pull up… yeah, mm-hmm. Yep, exactly.
Jason: It’s not feasible. It’s not feasible. I mean, so that’s what, that’s what I really loved about SuperfastCPA and just in addition to, like, all y’all’s tips and, like, all the time that you guys saved me to, in order to, like, not only, like, s- pass, study and pass these exams but to also have a life and, like, do things that I enjoy, you know, family time, hobbies, stuff like that.
So, I mean, like, yeah, I mean, like, yeah, just get SuperfastCPA PRO me- PRO course method, all the study tools. I highly recommend it. I would not have passed S- I would not have passed the CPA exams without SuperfastCPA, and I genuinely mean it. So Logan, Nate, everybody else on the team, thank you so much.
Logan: Yeah. Hey, no, I, it’s awesome to hear that. I mean, that’s the whole reason we do it is to pass the [00:56:00] success that we’ve figured out. I mean, Nate figured it out, and then I’ve been doing it too, uh, pass that on to people, you know? Like, cause that, it just, it can be such a, such a horrible nightmare, but turning it into something that maybe isn’t quite as horrible depends on the person.
But, uh, you know, it’s just so much more manageable. Um, and I actually did have one more question just to kind of end on like a, a celebration note.
Plans after Passing the CPA Exams
Logan: Like, have you done anything or are you planning on doing anything for having passed the exams?
Jason: Yeah. Well, first, uh, the first, the first thing I’m gonna do, I’m going– to celebrate is I’m going to do everything in my power to make this podcast episode the highest rated and highest viewed podcast episode of all t- of all time. And then the second, I haven’t, I haven’t taken it yet, but, uh, I plan to visit LA to just, uh, for the first time, you know, just visit some family, uh, friends.
Logan: Oh, cool. That’s awesome. yeah, you’re just gonna take a trip soon.
Uh, well, thank you, Jason. I mean, this has been an awesome podcast, like I said. [00:57:00] Uh, thank you for everything that you shared. Congrats on being done. Are you, um… You’re not a CPA quite yet, like, or have you gotten the certification?
Jason: Yeah. I’m, I’m still in the process of, like, doing all the paperwork. I still have to take the ethics exam, all that. But I mean, like, it’s open book. And compared to what I had to go through with FAR, REG, TCP, audit, it’s just like, “Oh, I’m not too worried about the ethics exam.”
Logan: Yeah, the ethics exam really isn’t too bad at all. Well, uh, con- again, congrats on being done, and thanks for being on the call today, Jason. Have a great day
Jason: Thank you so much.
Logan: All right. That was the interview with Jason. Again, he was very excited to be on the podcast. I loved his energy. I loved how passionate he was about the process. You know, it kinda reminds me of myself when I was going through the CPA exams. I was telling everybody about the exams, and I was just so excited about it because it really works.
And as you can see with what Jason was talking about, the SuperfastCPA strategies really work when you [00:58:00] apply them and actually live them and actually use them. Again, Jason went from failing multiple times to passing all four exams in a row. That is a huge difference, and he did that in six months. If you want to experience something like that, again, learn more about SuperfastCPA.
One of the best things you can do is go to superfastcpa.com and sign up for our free one-hour webinar training, where we will teach you the key ingredients to passing the CPA exam. And from there, you’ll be able to learn even more by looking into becoming a PRO member, looking into our study materials, or of course, looking into the total bundle where you get everything.
I think this was an awesome episode with Jason, and I’m sure that you learned a lot, and I hope that you can have the success that he had by applying the SuperfastCPA strategies. Now before you go, again, I already mentioned the webinar. I already mentioned the PRO course and the study materials. Make sure that you go check those out.
If you like this video, make sure to like it and leave a comment. Thanks for watching or listening, and we will see you in the next episode.
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