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How to Study with Becker CPA

To learn about the best way to study for the CPA Exam with Becker, read this article. With an integrated and guided review from Becker CPA, you may be able to conquer the CPA Exam on your first try.

However, you should know how to study using Becker CPA. For example, you should be familiar with how to create a Becker CPA Exam study schedule and use the Becker simulated exams. So, I’ll discuss these features. I’ll also go over the recommended study hours per CPA Exam Becker.

How to Study for the CPA Exam Using Becker

Becker CPA Review is one of the top CPA Exam review providers on the market. Subsequently, Becker is our #1 rated course. Plus, Becker serves the Big 4 and other major accounting firms. But what’s the best way to study for the CPA using Becker?

Although all of Becker’s learning tools are easy to use, I’ll review how to study using Becker CPA.

What are the Becker CPA Exam study materials?

Becker has become popular with CPA candidates because of its high-quality materials and unparalleled student support. Specifically, Becker’s top course includes:

  • 7,400+ sample MCQs (multiple-choice questions) plus a bonus bank with another 1,100+ questions
  • 475 practice TBSs (task-based simulations)
  • SkillMaster videos to help you solve each practice TBS
  • 190 hours of videos (for the Premium and Pro bundles)
  • Proprietary textbooks, a mobile app, and flashcards
  • Accounting for Empires learning game
  • 12 simulated exams and unlimited practice tests
  • The Becker Final Review, a last-minute cram course
  • Access to success coaches and 1-on-1 tutoring sessions

Plus, Becker’s top course even has access until you pass. So you won’t have to re-up your Becker subscription to access your materials.

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Using Becker to Study for the CPA Exam

The Becker method uses pre-assessment quizzes followed by content review, ending with a final cram course. Plus, you can attend live or virtual classes and interact with instructors in other ways. Along the way, Becker’s online platform tracks your performance to make sure you’re headed in the right direction. Basically, you should follow these steps, which I explain more thoroughly below:

  • Create a Becker CPA Exam study plan and stick to it.
  • In each learning module, start with a pre-assessment to determine your base knowledge.
  • Get the most from your Becker package by using the books, lectures, and SkillMaster videos.
  • Supplement your studies with flashcards, the mobile app, and the Accounting for Empires learning game.
  • Reach out for instructor support when you need it.
  • Take the timed simulated exams.
  • Complete the Becker Final Review 1-2 weeks before your CPA Exam date & hone in on your weak areas.

1. Create a CPA Exam Study Schedule with Becker

When you start the Becker CPA Exam review with access for self-study, you’ll begin by establishing a study schedule. Your Becker CPA Exam study plan will help you plot out the content you need to review before your scheduled exam date. Plus, you can use the estimated Becker CPA Exam section study hours (see below) to help plan your time.

Likewise, you can work with your Becker success coach to establish learning goals and figure out how you’re going to reach them. And remember – if you stray from your Becker CPA Exam schedule, your success coach can help you get back on track.

2. Start Each Learning Module with a Pre-Assessment

The Becker courses are divided into learning modules. Each module starts with a pre-assessment quiz with 4-8 multiple-choice questions. These short assessments determine your base-level knowledge of that module’s content. So, for example, let’s assume your quiz results suggest you still need to master certain areas. As a result, the adaptive learning platform will feed you material based on your weaknesses. In this way, you won’t waste study time on what you already know.

After you finish your pre-assessment, you have two choices:

  • Start with a lecture-based review of the content presented in the learning module.
  • Or, you can go straight to the application phase and answer MCQs and TBSs from the test bank in that learning module.

3. Get the Most from Each Becker Learning Module

Once you’ve finished the pre-assessment in a learning module, you can proceed in several different ways. However, I recommend reading through the books and watching the videos. Then, I would start drilling questions in the test bank.

And remember: Becker has worked with over 1 million students and understands what it takes to become a CPA. After all, the Becker CPA Exam statistics and pass rates are so strong because Becker’s study materials work. So trust Becker’s experience and get the most from your Becker course.

Watch the video lectures

The Becker courses include instructor-led videos that are reputable for the thoroughness of their content. Therefore, I suggest watching all videos in your course.

If you take notes, you’ll stay more engaged in the lectures. Although the videos are 10-60 minutes long, they are presented in 2-5 minute sections. So, pause the lectures when needed to get caught up on your notes.

Watch the SkillMaster videos

When you’re working through a CPA task-based simulation, keep in mind that they’re all accompanied by a SkillMaster video. If you watch these videos, you’ll gain key strategies for answering the TBSs.

Read through the Becker textbooks

I recommend reading through the Becker books. They can be helpful for everyone, even if you’ve been working in the field for a long time. The Becker writers are pros at distilling down the AICPA blueprints. So no matter your level of experience, you’ll probably learn something new from the Becker books.

Read each answer explanation

As you work through the practice questions, you’ll note that the answers include explanations about why something is correct or incorrect. Even if you think you know the right answer, I urge you to read these clarifications.

Take the final review

At the end of a learning unit, you can take a personalized review session. The e-learning platform gives you a mix of questions (both MCQs and TBSs) for a review of each unit after you think you’ve mastered it. The questions are based on your performance during the review course. Then, it calculates how your accuracy has improved. That is, it compares your current performance to your previous performance to track your overall advances.

Becker CPA Exam changes

Did you know that some of the questions on the CPA Exam change from time to time? In fact, the AICPA slightly alters the content about twice a year. For instance, content changes after new tax laws are enacted and another time when other accounting standards are updated.

But don’t worry. When questions on the CPA Exam change, Becker updates its study materials, too. What’s more, the Becker CPA Exam Review update schedule is public knowledge:

  • December 2023 updates: AUD, FAR, and REG
  • June 2023 updates: BEC

Still, are you looking for where to download Becker CPA Exam Review updates? Actually, all online materials are automatically updated. And if you need updated hard-copy materials (like textbooks), you’ll find a “Redeem Books” button on your Becker online course dashboard.

becker cpa discounts

4. Reach Out for Support

If you are struggling to understand a particular concept, reach out for support. After all, Becker gives you several options for personalized instruction.

First, you can communicate with your success coach. Your coach will help you identify your learning goals and develop a path to reach them.

Second, you could post an exam-related question to the Becker forum. You will normally receive a response from a Becker instructor within a day or two.

You can also attend a live or live online class. Even in a live online class, you can ask your instructor questions in real time.

And finally, if you choose the top Becker package, you can work with a tutor. With the Pro course, you can schedule up to five one-on-one tutoring sessions with a Becker instructor.

5. Supplement Your Studies

Make sure you use Becker’s supplemental materials, too. For example, if you get tired of working through the test bank, switch things up by reviewing the flashcards. Or, try your hand at the Accounting for Empires game if you want to learn while having a little fun at the same time.

Study on-the-go

Thankfully, Becker is a review provider that has developed a mobile app so you can study anywhere, anytime. It’s easy to use! Just download the Becker app from your app store. Then, use the same login for the mobile app that you use for the online platform. From there, you can access all your Becker study materials.

But do you know how to download the Becker CPA Exam review so you can study without Wi-Fi? You can download the Becker material to your computer and access it anytime you don’t have internet access. To get started, log into your online user portal when you have internet access. There, you will find a section of downloadable material. Choose the file that is appropriate for your operating system, complete the download, and study anytime.

6. Take the Becker Simulated Exams

It’s true that the content of the CPA Exam can be difficult to master. But it’s also true that learning how to take the CPA Exam is just as important as learning the content. Each exam section is 4 hours long, so candidates have to learn how to focus for that length of time. They also need to practice their pacing. That is, if you take too much time on any one question, you might not have enough time to finish your exam.

Therefore, I strongly suggest taking the Becker simulated exams. And pay attention to the timer. Plus, don’t skip questions you don’t want to tackle because you won’t be able to do that on exam day.

Becker CPA Mock Exam vs. Actual

Of course, it takes time to complete the Becker mock exams. So, you might be wondering about Becker vs the actual CPA Exam or how does the CPA Exam compare to the Becker exams. Essentially, they are the same in terms of the look, pacing, and functionality.

But still, how similar are Becker questions to the CPA Exam? Well, after you take a Becker CPA practice exam and compare your Becker mock exam score and actual score on the CPA exam, you might notice that your Becker mock scores are lower. That is, many candidates think that the Becker CPA mock exams are tougher than the real exam.

Therefore, is Becker harder than the CPA Exam? Well, many users think so. In fact, if you read comments on sites like Reddit, you’ll find some scores for Becker vs actual CPA Exam results. Basically, many users report that their Becker CPA practice exam vs actual scores differ by 10-15 points, sometimes even more. So are Becker CPA questions harder than the exam? It seems that, yes, they are.

When should I take a final mock exam with Becker CPA?

You should plan to take a Becker mock exam about 2 weeks before your actual exam date. This way, you’ll have time to review any content you missed.

Best Way to Study Using a Becker CPA Exam Review Course

Is a Becker CPA course enough to pass the CPA Exam? Yes! After all, each section of the CPA Exam has its own challenges. However, if you study with Becker, you can master them all.

You can find more tips for studying for the CPA Exam in Ultimate CPA Exam Prep Strategies and Last-Minute Tips on Exam Day.

How to study for audit using Becker CPA

  • Even if you’ve been working as an auditor for years, don’t underestimate the difficulty of AUD. It can test nuanced specifics that you might not use in your daily practice. So, pay attention to the Becker material related to audits. Take notes on the tricky details.
  • AUD—more so than other sections—can have questions with answers that seem subjective. But thankfully, Becker has detailed answer explanations to the test bank questions. So as you work through the sample questions, read why the correct answers are correct and the wrong answers are wrong.
  • Also, even though you may understand a concept, you’ll need to ensure you grasp it at the evaluation level, the highest level tested on the CPA Exam (read: hardest skill level). Therefore, I recommend watching as many task-based simulation Skillmaster videos as possible to gain additional insight into the topics.

Best way to study for BEC CPA Exam with Becker

  • BEC covers a range of content, everything from corporate governance to economics to information technology. Since it includes so many topics, review all material suggested by your Becker course.
  • Practice the written communications that come with your Becker course. Even if you’re a strong writer, you should get used to the word processing program used on the CPA Exam.
  • Don’t avoid the simulations that cover variances, even though they are tedious and complex.

How to study for the FAR CPA Exam with Becker

  • Many candidates struggle to finish FAR in the allotted time period. However, you can take the timed simulated Becker exams to practice your pacing.
  • Additionally, when candidates fail FAR, it’s usually because they didn’t study all of the content. Or, they didn’t study it long enough. So work through all the modules related to FAR.
  • And when you’re using Becker for FAR, read the in-depth answer explanations in MCQs and TBSs to reinforce the content further.

Studying with Becker for regulation

  • Some candidates feel that they don’t have enough time to finish the REG section of the CPA Exam. Therefore, it’s important to practice with Becker’s simulated exams, so you get used to the quick pace of REG.
  • If you struggle with some of the topics—like taxation, for example—take notes while you’re watching the videos in the REG modules. And remember that each TBS is accompanied by a SkillMaster video. These videos will help you better understand REG issues.
  • Becker has some great mnemonics for REG — commit these to a piece of paper, a note on your phone, or anything you can take with you. Then, review your mnemonic “cheat sheet” document when you have an extra minute or 2.

How Many Hours to Study for the CPA Exam with Becker

How long does it take to study for the CPA Exam with Becker? Well, Becker has developed specific recommendations for how many hours to study with their materials. Of course, your needs may be higher or lower depending on your starting content knowledge. But for planning reasons, here are the suggested study hours for the CPA Exam with Becker.

Becker CPA Exam prep study hours

How long should I study each section of Becker CPA Exam Review?

  • AUD: At least 90 hours
  • BEC: At least 90 hours
  • FAR: At least 150 hours
  • REG: At least 120 hours

Therefore, how long does it take to complete a Becker CPA Exam Review course? Well, if you study for all 4 parts of the CPA Exam, you should plan on studying for about 450 hours.

However, if you utilize the adaptive platform within Becker, it may be possible to speed up your overall study time, as you won’t be covering the concepts you already know. Plus, when you start your course, you’ll first set up your Becker CPA Exam study plan that will keep you on track.

Further Reading

How to Choose Your CPA Study Materials

Free CPA Questions: 13 Sources for Free CPA Exam Study Material and More

Becker vs. Wiley CPAexcel

Becker vs. Surgent CPA Review

About the Author Stephanie Ng

I am the author of How to Pass The CPA Exam (published by Wiley), and I also passed all 4 sections of the CPA Exam on my first try. Additionally, I have led webinars, such as for the Institute of Management Accountants, authored featured articles on websites like Going Concern and AccountingWeb, and I'm also the CFO for the charity New Sight. Finally, I have created other accounting certification websites to help mentor non-CPA candidates. I have already mentored thousands of CPA, CMA, CIA, EA, and CFA candidates, and I can help you too!

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