In this SuperfastCPA podcast episode, you’ll hear how Liam was fed up with spending all his time studying for the CPA exams, but it still wasn’t working.
Then he found SuperfastCPA, watched our free study strategies webinar, and immediately turned his process around and started passing exams.
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 Intro
- 02:34 Liam’s Talks About His CPA Journey
- 04:17 Liam Describes How It Was Studying for His First Attempt
- 05:25 Studying in the Mornings Ended Up Being the Key
- 06:53 Things That Made Sense from the Free Training Webinar
- 09:09 How Liam Changed his Study Sessions
- 11:26 Got the Study Materials and Used Them a Lot
- 12:31 How Liam Would Spend Time to Learn a New Topic
- 16:45 Felt More Prepared After Implementing the Study Strategies
- 19:23 How Liam Motivated Himself Throughout His Study Processx
- 21:44 Liam Talks About His Study Routine
- 22:40 Managing Time Between Studies and Relationships
- 24:15 Even Managed to Make Time for Some Hobbies
- 27:12 Liam’s Flashcard Process for Difficult Topics
- 29:45 What Liam Felt After Passing His First Exam
- 30:26 Took Rests In-Between Exams
- 31:12 Worked in Tax, Found Audit to be the Most Difficult
- 33:09 How Liam Dealt With the Tricky Topics in Audit
- 34:39 The Constant Re-Review Helped Liam for His Final Review.
- 36:56 What Liam Found Most Helpful from SuperfastCPA Study Tools
- 37:51 Building the Habit of Doing Mini Quizzes on the Phone
- 38:46 Utilizing the Audio Notes Whenever He Can
- 41:52 Passing His Final CPA Exam and Getting His License
- 44:27 Top Tips for People Still Struggling with their Study Process
Interview Transcript
Liam: [00:00:00] And so by the time I reached the last module, I had already been re-reviewing multiple choice and certain sims that I felt were probably important to cover, uh, up to that point.
And so, I just, I would kind of continue business as usual, really, and it ended up working out. I would, I would have to say that that was the most helpful was that constant re-review. It really eliminates the need for such a intensive, a horrible final review session.
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 Nate and I talking to Liam.
Now Liam had your pretty typical start. He got into accounting in undergraduate. And really didn’t know much about the CPA as he started out his journey, but as he went further and further into school, he realized, oh, not only am I supposed to get a degree, but I’m supposed to take another big exam. The CPA exam.
And [00:01:00] so after he graduated, he decided to go for the CPA exam. Didn’t really know what he was doing. Just kind of did what everybody said he was supposed to do and ended up bombing his first exam and also subsequently failing each exam at least once before he found SuperfastCPA.
He was studying in the evenings. He was kind of struggling to focus and pay attention. And then once he started using SuperfastCPA, after watching the free webinar.
He switched to studying in the mornings and to using the SuperfastCPA strategies and study tools.
And from that point on, he felt a lot better about his study process and he was able to pass all of his exams first try, from that point on. So he went from failing each exam at least once to passing every exam on his first try.
And he has some great tips on how he did that.
And it was awesome because he was able to have his evenings back. He was able to spend time in the evenings with his fiance. Sometimes with his friends and he even was able to keep working on one of his hobbies, Gaelic soccer. I had never heard of Gaelic soccer before this interview, and I still don’t really understand what it is. But I think it will be [00:02:00] fun for you to learn what it is from Liam himself. But again, I think that Liam has some great tips in this interview.
And before we jump into the interview, I just want to give everyone one more reminder about the SuperfastCPA training webinar on superfastcpa.com. Again, this is the same webinar that Liam watched and that most people watch who are on this podcast. And we will teach you the key ingredients to passing the CPA exam.
We will show you how to study effectively and efficiently so that you don’t waste months or even years of your time failing exams. The link will be in the description so make sure you go check that out.
And with all that said, let’s dive straight into the interview with Liam.
Liam’s Talks About His CPA Journey
Nate: Let’s start at the beginning. So when you decided to do your CPA, where were you at in your career and what made you want to do the CPA?
Liam: Yeah, so I first heard about the CPA when I was in college, maybe my sophomore or junior year, and I didn’t know that there was a big exam that accounting majors were apparently supposed to take. And then I felt like it was a little late and I guess I was going to do the [00:03:00] CPA. Um, but I actually started the process pretty shortly after graduation. Uh, I graduated 2019 and in 2020, I went ahead and I took my first exam and just, I bombed it. And then I, uh, you know, it was kind of, I took some breaks. I started up again, failed and I finally got remotivated to really just go ahead and do this, uh, about 2022.
Nate: Okay. And what, what, what caused that? You just kind of have it hanging over your head and that bugged you or what, what got you remotivated?
Liam: Yeah, so it was definitely that hanging over my head, just that CPA storm cloud. It was, uh, always felt kind of bad when I was talking to people who have, were on the other side of it, you know, and they were doing other things, not worried about the exam. So it was, it was that hanging over me and I just decided that. I wanted to, it was kind of internal, I guess, intrinsic motivation, right? I just, I [00:04:00] decided, you know what, I just, I want to do this thing. I should just get it done, get it out of the way. And, uh, I actually happened across one of your Superfast ads or something like that, and I joined the webinar and didn’t turn back.
Nate: Nice. Okay. Yeah. Uh, we’ll, we’ll get into that.
Liam Describes How It Was Studying for His First Attempt
Nate: So let’s go back to your first attempt back in 2020. Uh, how were you trying to study and just what was the study process itself like?
Liam: Um, so I never, I guess I kind of had a vague idea of how I study effectively, but I never really implemented that. Um, I was just pretty disorganized. I didn’t have a schedule laid out for myself. I just, I went too deep into the material. I, um, you know, just a lot of lectures and just trying to follow up with multiple choice after maybe goes through sims, basically just going through too much and too [00:05:00] slowly and, uh, sort of just cramming right before each exam.
And I mean, part of that, I guess, was because I was fortunate enough to have the first test covered by my first company I was at. And then that kind of made me think, Oh, I can, I can wing it and see how this thing feels. But, uh, there was just a lot of disorganization, I guess, and lack of motivation.
Nate: I see. Yeah.
Studying in the Mornings Ended Up Being the Key
Nate: So, uh, would you try to study, let’s see, were you, were you working then?
Liam: Yeah. So I guess before I started my, I started my job in July of 2019. Yeah. My first job out of school. And so I was working then, uh, a big four accounting firm was trying to, you know, I guess I was both getting a sense of how to exist in that kind of environment and trying to study and it was just, uh, a big mess.
Logan: I’ve, I’ve heard, I’ve, I’ve heard that from a lot of people, like that adjustment [00:06:00] to not only being out of school, but suddenly being in the big four, um, and then that on top of studying for the exam, I’ve heard it’s, it can be pretty overwhelming. So yeah, that, that makes sense.
Nate: So were you just trying to study at night when that was during that period?
Liam: I wouldn’t wake up in the mornings to study because I was staying up pretty late and just not really realizing that that was, you know, that ended up being a really big piece of what helped me to pass. But I was just studying at night kind of studying halfheartedly here and there on weekends and not really focusing myself.
Nate: Yeah.
Logan: Yeah.
Nate: Yeah, the, uh, the, CPA exams you cannot just cram for it, you know. You can’t cram for it or kind of study haphazardly. It’s just a totally different thing than college classes, even harder college classes. It’s still above and beyond that. So, all right.
Things That Made Sense from the Free Training Webinar
Nate: So you come across one of our ads, you watch the free training. Do you remember any of the specific ideas that [00:07:00] made sense to you compared to how you’d been studying before?
Liam: Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, I think you just kind of reframed it in a way that felt like it was achievable. Really? Um, you know, just actually setting aside time to study. That was, that was big, actually setting aside time and actually studying. But, um, the advice you gave about just breaking out your study process into, you know, say 30, set multiple, of multiple choice questions and, uh, constantly re-reviewing what you’ve covered. Um, I thought that was a really big help. Um, and just, uh, I think maybe either you said this or somebody said this, but you’re not studying to become an accounting professor. You’re, you’re trying to just, you know, get your license. Um, so that was, that was also very big. Just focusing, constant re-review, filling some space with [00:08:00] little extra mini quizzes, um, and just breaking, yeah, just kind of breaking it down into bite sized pieces almost, the, the study process.
Nate: Okay. Yeah, so having a structure. Well, and yeah, we, we get, we talk about that on these interviews a lot where when you’re in college, you don’t ever think about this much, but 80 percent of it is kind of taken care of by just the schedule of showing up to class and the professor kind of walks you through the material, just, you know, the nature of a semester.
And then with these exams, you just have this library of information, meaning your review course, which is kind of a black hole that you can just fall into kind of sounds like that’s how your first attempt was going. You just kind of some, when you, when you would study hard, you know, you’d go too deep on one topic, but then your schedule was kind of haphazard and yeah, just having a, just an actual [00:09:00] plan to follow.
There’s just all these things like having a plan to follow, making the time to do it each day. Uh, so I think you kind of hinted at this.
How Liam Changed his Study Sessions
Nate: So did you try to switch to the two hour study session in the morning?
Liam: I did, I did. Would you like me to kind of break down sort of high level what my process was there?
Nate: Yeah. Yeah.
Liam: Sure. So, I mean, on an ideal day, I would wake up around 5, maybe 6, go into my office, which happened to be very close by, um, and I would study for about 2 to 3 hours. And so in that, in that session, I would go ahead and do the, uh, about 90 minutes covering new material and then the additional 30, maybe 60 minutes of re-reviewing what I’ve covered. And then I’d have my work day to fill. I’d fill, I try to fill some of those gaps with some, some of those mini quizzes. Uh, I ended up purchasing your practice problems in the app, and so that was, that was a big help. [00:10:00] Um, and then after work I would study another one to two hours and all that looked like was me doing one to two 30 problem, uh, sets of multiple choice questions just because I was kind of dead, but I would just cover the, uh, again, it would be a re-review session. So I’d save the mornings for the new material, re-review in the evenings. And this was during the weekday. During the, uh, weekends, I would actually go to the library. I, uh, rediscovered libraries. I think they’re, they’re pretty cool.
And I would try to spend maybe five to six hours again, just cycling through multiple choice sets, and I would actually, I started covering sims, and that was, that was a huge help, because initially I had been avoiding those, and then I would just get really messed up on them when I, when, coming, come exam day.
Nate: Yeah.
Logan: Yeah, the sims, um, you know, a lot of people kind of mentioned like, oh, I didn’t do too many sims or [00:11:00] whatever, but in the end you do have to know something about sims. You know, you can’t, I mean, I think most people can’t just completely skip the sims. Um, whether you do them a lot or a little, you have to have some practice with them. Um, and, and I also, when I was studying, I went to the library sometimes. Libraries, libraries are great. They, they have those free rooms you can, you can take, or even if you don’t do the rooms you can, they’re just a great place to study.
Got the Study Materials and Used Them a Lot
Logan: Um, one question I had was, so you mentioned like the quizzes and stuff, so did you have just the study materials, like the review notes, the audio notes, and the quizzes? Or did you also have the pro course? Like what, what did you use throughout this?
Liam: I just purchased the, uh, study materials. I didn’t do the PRO course with the how to study videos. Um, I was, I used the multiple choice a lot, and I used the audio lectures a lot as well. I, uh, I found those really helpful because, you know, you, you kind of simplify [00:12:00] things and it’s easier to follow when I’m in the car or working out or whatever it is. So that was, that was really big just because it was so difficult to use. I was using Becker and you know, about those lecture videos, they’re just a lot.
Nate: Yeah.
Logan: Yup. Yeah.
Nate: Mm-Hmm. Right. Someone telling you to highlight this and highlight that the, uh, skill builder videos for Becker are really good though. Um, the things they have for the sims, but now they, now they have a lot for their MCQs as well. It seems like.
How Liam Would Spend Time to Learn a New Topic
Nate: Um, so one question I had was just for the, I think people like hearing each person kind of described this. So your first few hours in the morning where you’re going through new material, let’s say you’re opening a new lesson that you haven’t been through before. What was your actual process? How’d you spend those two hours?
Liam: Sure. So I took from your webinar that, uh, problem first approach. Uh, so what my process looked [00:13:00] like was I would open up the new lesson, say module one of whatever. Um, I would go straight to the multiple choice questions of like that, whatever section within the module and just do 30 of those. And I also followed your turning it onto that test mode where it doesn’t give you the answer, doesn’t give you the immediate feedback. And I would just go through those questions, uh, read the descriptions of whatever it was I got wrong, and then move on to the next set of questions. Um, I would basically try to, yeah, just try to do at least the 30 multiple choice for the, like the first section, move on to the next, and I’ll go in my re-review, I’ll go back and do like 30 from the first and the second section within the module. And I’ll just keep on, keep on moving forward that way. So that new material, it was just cycling through. And I mean, thinking back on it, that’s yeah, I [00:14:00] would, I would definitely, um, just keep cycling through the, the new multiple choice questions and then exclusively save that last little 30 minutes. And then the 1 to 2 hours after work for the re-review.
And I wouldn’t cover anything new in the re-review at all. I would just go back. And so that was kind of helpful to just constantly be recirculating those multiple choice questions. And at any time that I was really caught up on a topic, then I would maybe turn to a lecture in my, uh, main exam software just to get try and find some clarifying points, right? Maybe even Google a few things.
Logan: Yeah. Mm-Hmm.
Nate: Okay. And, so you would, you would do 30 questions in exam mode for something brand new that you hadn’t seen. And just attempt each question, even if you really didn’t know how or just to, and then deal with the solutions all at once after?
Liam: Yeah. I found that, that was a huge help. And as opposed [00:15:00] to trying to read into a lot of the material before attempting the questions, um, because each of the solutions gave you, you know, gave you kind of what you’re what you needed to know for that type of question.
Nate: Yeah. Each question. That’s one of the hardest things to, I think, help people understand from the beginning is, cause they’ll, they’ll try this approach, like, okay, let me open the questions and first question, you know, obviously they don’t know how to do it, they’ll look at the solution and they’ll, they’ll think, well, there’s still all these unanswered questions.
I need to know about. Maybe this or that the solution to each question is just a, a building block versus watching the whole video or reading the chapter, not really knowing within the context of questions, how that’s going to show up or how to even answer that. Um, but yeah, it’s just one question at a time.
Each solution is just one little [00:16:00] building block in your understanding. And even after five or 10 questions for a topic, you start to, usually it starts to click pretty quickly. Is that kind of how you experienced it?
Liam: That’s essentially how it worked. Um, and then it it did vary between each each test. Right? And so I, luckily, I squeaked by before the CPA evolution. Um, but, I guess for, for REG, you know, I would, I would definitely go more into the material just because it does help to do the questions first, to see the layout of the question, find the call and everything. But ultimately didn’t really remember how to calculate basis or something like that in a, in a problem, so.
Felt More Prepared After Implementing the Study Strategies
Logan: So, you know, you’ve talked about a lot of the changes that you made. So once you started applying all these things, uh, I guess I have two questions. So how long did it take for you to kind of start feeling like, okay, this [00:17:00] feels better. I feel like I’m understanding more. And then after that, how did you know your first exam and the exams after that go? Compared to before.
Liam: Yeah. So when I first started implementing those changes, uh, I just felt more productive. I felt pretty, pretty happy with how I was progressing along after the first couple of weeks, um, and just, you know, constant re-review cycling through when I got to actually the week before the test, I was generally comfortable enough with knowing that I had a test looming just because I had failed each of them before and I, I at what to expect come test day.
Um, but I felt a lot more prepared. And when I started implementing those changes, I also did the thing where I scheduled on a Monday instead of, and then I didn’t take any days off, uh, from work prior to the test, uh, before when I was just kind of, [00:18:00] Doing whatever I thought I should be doing. I would take off maybe three to four days before an exam and then cram and just try to review all these things that I had left till then to actually review. And it was just a big mess, but I didn’t take any additional days off. I passed I think it was, I think it was FAR actually. Yeah. I think FAR was the first one I passed.
I had, uh, I had failed it. It was the first one I took initially and I failed it. I went through all the others. Came back to FAR with that new study approach and I, I passed it and then I continued throughout the rest of the test and I didn’t have to retake any others after that. It actually took me a little, maybe a year and a couple months or so to finish the whole exam.
Logan: So, so what you’re saying is like, just to make sure I understood you there. So, you know, before this, you hadn’t, I don’t think you did. You, you hadn’t passed any yet, right?
Liam: Nope.
Logan: Okay. Okay. [00:19:00] So, uh, you pass FAR and you passed all the rest as well. Like four for four. Once you started applying these, is that right?
Liam: Exactly. I had, um, and when I first started taking the test, I failed each of them once. And I think I failed audit two or three times or something before finally, finally getting that one right.
Nate: Yeah, that’s awesome. Uh, let’s see.
How Liam Motivated Himself Throughout His Study Processx
Nate: And did, so did you find the, cause it kind of sounds like you were, well, obviously you were studying more because you were sticking to this each day. Um, so you were more consistent, but you were also studying two to three hours in the morning, like you said, and then two hours at night.
Did you find the, uh, like the motivation to study that much just came easier this time around? Because you felt like it was working or what was it that helped you kind of lock down this time, just from a putting in the time point of view?
Liam: So it was going back to [00:20:00] just hating every minute of the process and thinking it was so boring. And, but deciding, you know what, like this is my career. I should, I should probably put forth some effort and not just pick some, this thing up and set it down. Like I, I’ve just done with a lot of things. Um, but, I’m sorry, I kind of, I just, I just lost your question,
Nate: Basically, it was kind of a, a fuzzy question. I think basically just what helped you, I mean, you, you, you essentially answered it that you were putting in more time, you were a lot more consistent this time around and yeah, just where you got that drive from this time around You know, versus the first few times, but you, you basically kind of answered it just that you just decided doing this halfway or having this hang over my head is worse than just fully committing that basically what you’re saying.
Liam: [00:21:00] Essentially, and I also another, it was, it was definitely still hard to keep motivated throughout, but part of it was just reminding myself of that because I was just so sick of it at that point.
Nate: Mm.
Liam: And writing down a schedule really helped as well. My fiance and I got together and we just got a piece of blue sleeve and just wrote down a breakdown of what I would do throughout a weekday versus a weekend, and that was really helpful to just keep on track.
I kept a copy next to my, next to my desk.
Nate: Nice.
Logan: Nice. I found that helpful too. I had like little bullet points every day, like little tasks I could check off. Like I did this, I did this and it just, it helps you stay on track. I’m, I’m, uh, but anyway, what were you going to say Nate?
Liam Talks About His Study Routine
Nate: Just about that were you, were you breaking out what lessons you needed to cover by what date or just more of a, here’s like a weekday study structure versus a weekend or what was your schedule specifically?
Liam: [00:22:00] It was, it was actually a pretty high level view. Um, when I heard people talk about how they, you know, they checked off modules and they, you know, logged study hours, that just really stressed me out more than motivated me. And so for me, I just broke out that, you know, 6 a. m. to 9 a. m. study multiple choice, right?
Lunch, study, mini quiz and like 6 p. m. to 9 p. m. or whatever, uh, re-review. And then it really helped me to just have that framework in place.
Nate: Okay.
Managing Time Between Studies and Relationships
Nate: And I’m guessing you mentioned your fiance and she like, or plant, or, uh, they planned helping you make your plan. They helped you make your plan. Um, was that, uh, I’m guessing that was like a big help in the whole thing. And you mentioned coming home at six, studying from six to nine. So how [00:23:00] did you guys, how did you find time to like still hang out or like, what was that whole thing?
Like navigating the, you know, having a relationship where someone wants to spend time with you and fit in all this studying you were doing.
Liam: Sure, so she was really supportive of, the whole process, which I’m very fortunate.
Um, and yeah, so basically I guess six to nine was a stretch, six to eight. Um, but basically because I was doing the bulk of the studying in the morning and just that re-review in the evening, I would cut, I would just cut it off after after that last re-review session.
And so then I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t feel guilty or weird. And I would just actually have an evening to spend time with her, maybe see some friends or just do something without that guilt and anxiety of, oh, man, I should really be preparing for something. And then same thing on the weekends. I would allocate that 5 to [00:24:00] 6 hours of just study time.
And after that, you know, I’m, I’ve studied. I’m good. I’m, you know, Probably not going to pick too much extra up after that. So it was just finishing that studying and like creating boundaries, I guess.
Nate: Yeah.
Even Managed to Make Time for Some Hobbies
Logan: Were there any hobbies in that, like, you know, in that free time you had every, every day, like, were there any hobbies or things that you were able to continue doing?
Liam: Yeah. So I started to read, I’ve always wanted to read more books. So I, I would actually on my most productive days, I would, I would finish my studying and then like read something. And so that was pretty cool. Cause I had this book sitting on my shelf for seven years that I was cool just trying to get through and is interesting, but like not a real page turner, you know, and, um, so that was one thing I would actually have time for that. And I also started playing Gaelic football and, uh, that would be something I would do on weekends with people. And, um, I’d have that. I’d have that [00:25:00] time to do it and it was good to just
Nate: All right.
Liam: run around.
Logan: So what is that? Yeah.
Nate: Yeah. going to hear that. I want to say I’ve seen a Reddit clip of this at some point, but yeah, what, what is that?
Liam: Yeah. I love plugging Gaelic football. It’s a kind like, it’s kind of like a mix between, I want to say rugby, soccer, and handball, maybe. And essentially you just have a round ball. It’s a little heavier than a soccer ball. And you advance down the field with it by either you can hold it or you can kick it. And you can only take a certain number of steps with the ball before you have to make a decision and do something with it, either passing, shooting, or kicking it back to yourself, and you can kick it back to yourself and continue running. And you score in a goal with a goalie, but there are also uprights attached to that goal, and you can score through those for a different point value.
Nate: What’s more through the goal, behind, oh my gosh, pass the goalie or through the uprights?
Liam: Pass the goalies three points through the uprights is one point [00:26:00] and you can shoot with your foot or your hand.
Nate: So you can just throw it through the upright.
Liam: Uh, you hit it like a volleyball serve, like an underhand volleyball serve.
Nate: Oh you have to do it that way?
Liam: Yeah, anytime you pass with your hands, you have to, or shoot with your hands, you have to hit it.
Nate: Okay.
Liam: It was really hard to, um, keep all that straight in my head and I’ve been doing it maybe three or four ish years now, one officially in a league and I’m at the point now where I freeze up a little less. When I get the ball, but I’m still not that good.
Logan: That sounds pretty complicated.
Liam: Yeah.
Nate: What can the defense do? Can they just like tackle you? Is it like rugby?
Liam: Um, there’s no wraparound tackling, but you can, you can run into a player or just strip the ball from them. And I think you kind of use one arm to strip the ball, but you can’t wraparound tackle anybody. If I understand it right.
Nate: Okay.
Logan: Gaelic football.
Nate: Pretty sure I’ve seen like a web clip on this.
Logan: That’ll be the [00:27:00] title for this episode, professional Gaelic football player, nah just kidding.
Nate: From Gaelic football to CPA.
Yeah. Let’s see.
Liam’s Flashcard Process for Difficult Topics
Nate: Um, what about, was your system of flashcards or taking notes or things that you struggled with even after seeing it three or four times? Did you have some system of writing those down or what’d you do for that?
Liam: Yeah, uh, for the tough, tougher topics, I would write them down in the notebook, but I would also, depending on the section, depending on the exam, I would make flashcards. I used flashcards a lot when it came to REG and when it came to audit, uh, those are my big flashcard exams and essentially I would just, I would take paper flashcards. I found that like everybody says, you know, it’s, it’s very helpful to actually write the thing down and, and sort of look at it. And so that, that did [00:28:00] help. That really puts it into your head. Um, I would write the flashcards out, just a topic, answer, and I would generally read them before going to sleep, um, that was about the time when I could read flashcards.
I tried to scroll less before bed, and instead I would put my phone down and just try to look at some flashcards and then knock those out that way.
Nate: Yeah, no, that’s perfect.
Logan: That’s like the golden like that. That’s exactly what we want. We always are saying. That should be a part of like your bedtime routine, you know, like that’s a great idea.
Nate: Yeah. Yes. The best time to review your flashcards is exactly what you said. Like right before bed, whether it’s on your phone or so many people say the, I really like the digital ones cause it was always on my phone. But so many people on these interviews mentioned, uh, writing them, making them handwritten flashcards.
And I mean, I get the reasons, you know, actually writing it. And I did make a few like [00:29:00] that. If it was something that I could kind of diagram or I don’t know, but mostly use digital, uh, about how many did you make per exam or maybe for, uh, audit and REG, the big ones.
Liam: Yeah, for REG, I would think about, honestly, maybe between 40 and 60, um, audit similar, if not a little less.
Nate: So it wasn’t a ton. It was just topics that just remain difficult after you’d already seen them several times in the re-review sets?
Liam: Yep. Yeah. And then just anytime that I would, yeah. Anytime I wouldn’t quite understand something or I would just see it come up a lot in my multiple choices and sims. I would just try to write those things down and re-review.
Nate: Okay.
What Liam Felt After Passing His First Exam
Nate: Um, I was going to ask as well about you passed your first section, you know, after a few years of kind of struggling, just what did that feel like? Was that the big confirmation that, okay, now this is going to happen. [00:30:00] I know I can pass these.
Liam: That’s exactly it. It was knowing that I, you know, knowing that I can do this, right? Like I, I actually have it in me to put my mind to something and, and work on it and achieve it, right? So it was, it was very, it was very great just seeing that passing score. And then, uh, Moving on to the next one and seeing the next and the next and the next, so.
Nate: Yeah, that’s, that’s awesome.
Took Rests In-Between Exams
Nate: What about in between? So you said you took about a year, like this, this time around when you passed them all, um, would you take a few weeks off or even like a month or so off? Or how did you treat the in-between exams thing?
Liam: I would take off about a month between each and just sort of rest and recuperate basically. And, um, leading up to each exam, the big ones FAR and REG, I took approximately three months to prepare for and I took about one month to prepare [00:31:00] for audit and BEC each. And so I, I left, I just tried to leave myself with a comfortable amount of time, uh, because it was 18 months at the time when I was.
Logan: Yeah.
Nate: Yeah.
Worked in Tax, Found Audit to be the Most Difficult
Nate: And which one did you find the, what’d you say you worked in? Do you just do financial reporting? So, or do you do work in tax or audit at all?
Liam: Three years of tax and now I do a financial reporting type of role. And so the, uh, work really helped with the tax. Um, I also, I, I changed jobs. in the middle of the exam process. So that was kind of a big thing. I guess sort of like a, not quite an obstacle, but just something additional to adjust to. But, um, I was working at a small tax and financial planning firm when I took tax, when I took REG.
And so that was, that was definitely helpful to see day to day, a lot of the material on the test.
Nate: Yeah. Okay. And so, okay. If you had experience directly in [00:32:00] tax, so was audit a pretty difficult exam for you?
Liam: Yeah, it was definitely just really tricky. Audit was difficult. It was pretty tricky, just every, it felt like every question I’m reading, I have to really think and rethink it. Um, and that was the one I failed the most, actually, so.
Nate: Oh that’s right. You said that.
Liam: And I guess, yeah, I just, I fell into that, that pretty cliche bucket of, I guess, tax versus audit.
Logan: I think audit could honestly be difficult for anybody like when I was I, I don’t know in my this is my just my opinion but somebody working in tax might do a little, might do fine in tax. I mean, I could be wrong, but even somebody working in audit might still struggle with audit because audit is just so conceptual and everything is like, just a teeny bit different than the other thing.
Like, it’s like these subtle differences that if you don’t pay attention, like you said, like [00:33:00] reread it, really think about it. You’re probably going to pick the wrong answer anyway. Yeah. I, I totally understand audit being the like, super difficult. Yeah.
How Liam Dealt With the Tricky Topics in Audit
Nate: And that’s one thing we hear a lot is, uh, how do I, because so many questions come down to two answers that are both pretty correct sounding. And so I actually get asked that a lot. Like, how do you, uh, how do you figure out those types of questions? So how did you deal with that? Like when you just mentioned that it was, a lot of it was confusing.
How did you. What was your process of getting to the the most correct answer or just figuring out that part of audit?
Liam: Yeah. So when I would go through my multiple choice review, I would start with that whole call of the question thing. I’ll just try to find that, like read the question backwards almost. Um, when it came to a lot of frameworks and things in those. I think there was, yeah, [00:34:00] some kind of frameworks in both BEC and audit, I guess, I would make sure to write down, write down each on a flashcard basically, and, and review those.
And so then came to any of those kinds of questions, I would tend to be a little bit more comfortable, at least feel like I must be more prepared for it. Um, but just that constant reviewing of those trickier topics and, and just reading the question backward, back to front.
Nate: Yeah. Meaning the, the last, the literal last sentence of each question, which is always like the real question. Yeah. Okay.
The Constant Re-Review Helped Liam for His Final Review.
Nate: Um, let’s see, we talked about your weekend study and then did you mention, did you leave a week for a final review each time or how did you approach a final review for each exam?
Liam: Sure. So pretty similar to what you had even said in your webinar that you probably don’t need as intensive of a final review if you [00:35:00] just keep reviewing throughout your process, that’s that’s essentially how I felt. The last week I would try to have somewhat of a final review, but again, it would just be more so going to that final review section of the software, in addition to just cycling through the problems I’ve been cycling through already. And so by the time I reached the last module, I had already been re-reviewing multiple choice and certain sims that I felt were probably important to cover, uh, up to that point.
And so, I just, I would kind of continue business as usual, really, and it ended up working out. I would, I would have to say that that was the most helpful was that constant re-review. It really eliminates the need for such a intensive, a horrible final review session.
Nate: Yeah. Yeah.
Logan: Yeah, the, the, the big cram and, and it also like, even it makes it so that if you do want to cram, you’re not cramming information you never learned. You’re just trying [00:36:00] to get as much of what you already know in your short term memory. Um, anyway, yeah, the, the constant re-review every day, uh, just makes it almost like second nature by the time you make it to your, um, by the time you make it to the exam where instead of, oh, I studied this like two months ago.
I guess I better, uh, hurry and try to shove this, this back into my memory, you know,
Liam: Exactly.
Nate: Yeah, it, it solves a lot of problems in advance. That’s, it’s like my favorite thing to say about the sets of 30. I mean, it helps you with your MCQ timing. You just get really good at MCQs by doing, you know, sets of 30 each day. And you were doing multiple sets of 30. It sounds like, um, and then it, uh, had some other really good comment about that.
Um, geez, that’ll come back to me. Uh, well, yeah.
What Liam Found Most Helpful from SuperfastCPA Study Tools
Nate: So, what about, so as far as [00:37:00] our study tools, you mentioned the, uh, mini quizzes and the audio notes. Those the two that you use the most or what did you find most helpful with our study tools?
Liam: Sure. Most helpful would definitely be the audio lectures for me. Um, when I changed jobs, I had to commute an hour instead of 10 minutes, which I, I guess I just did that to myself, but, um, I really took advantage of the audio lectures on the car rides. And then the mini quizzes were really great just throughout the day.
And I started implementing like my own little mini quizzes with my Becker software as well. But I just found that it was, it was much simpler to use the super fast ones just because they’re already laid out in such a way that, you know, they’re randomized, they’re quick and easy and still are covering that key information.
Nate: Yeah.
Building the Habit of Doing Mini Quizzes on the Phone
Logan: Did you set like, this depends on the person, but did you set like daily goals on the mini quizzes or was it kind of just, [00:38:00] you tried to get into the habit of whenever I pick up my phone, I do a mini quiz or how, how did you do that?
Liam: Yeah, I essentially the latter, right? I, I had listened to a few different, uh, podcast episodes of yours where they said, you know, instead of checking my social media, I’ll at least, well, maybe not instead of, but before checking the social media, I’ll, I’ll just do a mini quiz. It’s only five questions. Like I should just get that into my head. Just get that out of me so that I, I can go ahead and maybe do a little bit of scroll or something like that. Uh, so it was more so just trying to build that habit of when I’m distracted and I want to look at my phone. Let me just knock out some questions before I go off and do other things.
Logan: Okay. Awesome.
Nate: Yeah.
Utilizing the Audio Notes Whenever He Can
Nate: And then, uh, with the audio notes, again, this is just for the sake of people that listen to this episode, because again, I get asked a lot, is it worth listening to the audios if I’m kind of, [00:39:00] if I’m drifting, uh, not drifting off sleeping. If I’m, if I zone out here and there, and my answer is like, yeah, just the idea with the audios is you just play them in the background.
I mean, try to listen intently, you know, try to understand what’s being said, but if you’re driving and you zone out, it’s not a huge deal. Like you’ll catch these pieces that you wouldn’t otherwise. If you weren’t just playing them as much as you can. Uh, so is that kind of how it worked for you when you would listen to them an hour to work in an hour home?
Liam: Yeah exactly. And it’s just I’m using those to, you know, feel productive and also to fill in, fill in the gaps. And, um, it was really great to just again, like you said, played in the background. I just kept listening every section I would and I wouldn’t necessarily try to line it up necessarily with my other study software.
I would just go ahead and listen to, I’m studying FAR and so I would just listen to [00:40:00] FAR ones and everything just from start to finish and just replay. Uh, so it was just, uh, anytime I wasn’t able to do multiple choice or something the audio notes. I would force myself to just kind of listen to those. Um, I shouldn’t say anytime because, you know, that that would be a lot of studying. I still did take some, some time to myself. But, um,
Logan: Yeah.
Nate: Yeah. And that’s, that is what I was going to get to, or mentioned a minute ago when I totally forgot was, is just the idea of like you were saying the constant re-review under the, like the standard approach to studying. You essentially cover each topic twice, right? Working through each lesson, you don’t look back at anything and then you do your final review, which for most people just turns into this frantic attempt to relearn everything they’ve forgotten, uh, versus with a re-review set every day.
And then like you just mentioned, with the audio notes or the [00:41:00] quizzes or the review notes over seven to eight weeks, or I mean, for you, like three months for one exam, you’re hitting every topic, I don’t know, 20 or 30 or 40 times in different little ways. And it just, when you compare the two approaches like that, it’s obvious why this, this is going to work better, you know, to help you understand all these different topics.
Cause you’re hearing them 30 or 40 times seeing, hearing, working on it versus just twice. It’s just, uh, I think that also is why the standard approach results in like the 50 percent fail rates you hear about.
Liam: I agree.
Nate: Okay. Well, uh, we kind of have gone through everything. Did you have anything else you want to ask about Logan?
Logan: Um, no, I feel like we’ve gotten a great look at, at your, at your process.
Passing His Final CPA Exam and Getting His License
Logan: Uh, what did you, Oh, well, I guess, did you do anything to celebrate? I mean, it had been years, uh, but like almost three years, [00:42:00] right. By the time that you, you finished. So, uh, did you guys do anything to, to celebrate?
Liam: Um, I had a couple of dinners and stuff, but I really want to throw a big party. And so I’m, I’m, I’m planning that out now. I’m, I’m actually trying to, like facilitate a real, a real, I’m gonna hire, I’m gonna hire a band and give people food and just invite like a bunch of people. And I have like a funny guest list of friends and people I’ve worked with and work friends. I just, uh, I want to celebrate the people that kind of got me to this point. So I’m going to throw them a, something in
Nate: That’s awesome.
Liam: couple months. Yeah.
Nate: When did you get your last passing score? Like when did you find out you were done?
Liam: So I got my, yes, I guess about, I want to say August ish of 23. Cause I got my, I got my license September of 2023.
Nate: Okay.
Liam: Yeah, the, the passing score [00:43:00] was around August ish or so. And then I took that, uh, that last, my, I’m in Virginia. So I took the ethics exam after that, and then got the license in September. That was a big surprise. The ethics exam. I, it was pretty in depth.
Nate: Right.
Liam: That was, that was one thing that they don’t really tell you. I mean, they tell you about it, but it was definitely still something take seriously.
Logan: Yeah, it’s overshadowed by the massiveness of the exam, but it’s still annoying. I remember it took me two weekends because I had to do it on a Saturday because I didn’t have time, other times, at other times. And it’s so much that I was just like, well, I’ll just do open book. But then it still takes you like, two, three hours because you have to like, go look through everything. And I think the first time I took it, I got an 89. And I was like, well, I guess I have to do it again next Saturday. So, it [00:44:00] definitely is, it definitely can be, uh, annoying for sure to have to do that after you’ve already done the big exam. Um, But you got, but you got it done. So are you gonna, you should have like your, your license, like on a, like on this pedestal at the, at your party or something. I don’t know.
Nate: Or have a cake. The picture your, your license is like the cake.
Logan: Yeah, yeah. yeah.
Nate: Yeah. Okay.
Top Tips for People Still Struggling with their Study Process
Nate: Well, let’s see, so last question we always ask, even if it’s stuff we already covered, what would be your top two or three tips to people that are still trying to figure out their own study process?
Liam: Sure. So, I mean, I would say create a schedule for yourself and actually hold yourself accountable to that. But kind of caveat that with, you don’t have to completely stick to it 100 percent every day. I know I still, I told you about my ideal day, but sometimes I’d still wake up at [00:45:00] seven or whatever, and maybe, you only to study an hour or something in the morning and whatever and then I’d be so dead after work or something like that.
But just to hold yourself accountable the best you can to a schedule that you create for yourself and to just constantly re-review that material and don’t, ignore sims. Uh, they’re, they’re very important to, uh, to go over because they can get pretty confusing come test day.
Nate: Yeah. That’s funny. So yeah, thinking of someone, so your first attempt at FAR, you hadn’t looked at SIMS at all.
Liam: Yeah.
Nate: And just knowing what those are like, those are probably just, completely mind blowing at the time.
Liam: Yes. A lot of, a lot of boxes.
Nate: Yeah. That’s funny. Yeah. You have to do enough of them to at least know the structure. I mean, um, that’s like the bare minimum.
All right. Liam. Well, I appreciate you doing the call. That was fun to hear your story and uh, yeah, I’m, I’m glad you saw that webinar and that it helped so [00:46:00] much and just kind of gave you the, the ideas to like set a structure, follow a plan and you know, it sounds like you had gotten to that, the proverbial point where you were just sick of having this hang over your head. So that was just the other missing piece, but, uh, yeah, I appreciate it and congrats on being done.
Liam: Yeah, thank you.
Nate: All right.
Logan: All right. That was the interview with Liam.
And again, I think it was an awesome interview. I think Liam is a great example of going from using the ineffective normal strategies to applying the SuperfastCPA strategies and seeing a big difference. Being able to actually spend time with his fiance, being able to actually have hobbies such as Gaelic soccer. Again, I thought that was pretty cool that he plays Gaelic soccer. Make sure you go look it up.
But again, I think that he had a lot of great tips. I’m sure you found it helpful. If you did like the interview, make sure to leave a rating in your favorite podcast app and to leave a comment on the YouTube video.
Also just remember that this podcast is one of the best free resources out there for CPA exam [00:47:00] candidates. So listen to the other episodes, share it with people you know who are going through the CPA exam, and I think that you’ll learn a lot just from these episodes.
With all that, thanks for watching or listening. And we’ll see you in the next episode.
