Becker CPA Review 2024 : User Reviews

I have Becker but find their content difficult to grasp at times. The explanations often require multiple reads to sink in.

The lectures feel pointless since they just read the text and tell you what to underline. However, the simulations are high quality and I like the master skills videos walking through them. Overall, while Becker provides helpful simulations and videos, their textbook and lecture content leave something to be desired. The material is not presented most understandably or engagingly.

To summarize – Becker offers good practice tests but their core content itself needs improvement to explain concepts more clearly and concisely. The lectures and textbook just aren’t getting the job done as a primary learning tool.

#studytips

Last year, I passed all 4 CPA exam sections on my first try using Becker, despite working long hours and having a new baby at home. It was incredibly difficult, but achieving this feat while juggling so much proves it’s possible if you stay focused. I now mentor others on their CPA journey and share the strategies that helped me succeed.

Studying every day is key, even if only 15 minutes – just building that consistency matters. Mornings are best if you can swing it. Follow a study schedule through Becker and stick to it, making up time on weekends if needed. Use the Pomodoro technique to stay laser focused during sessions.

Listen to lectures at 2x speed – your brain adapts quicker than you think, saving loads of time. Practice questions are everything – the active recall method is proven best for retention, so hammer MCQs constantly. Sims are too time consuming – just do a couple on weekends to get exposure.

Don’t stress over completion percentages – they’re unrealistic. Take 2 weeks before exams just for practice tests and hundreds of MCQs. Becker is way harder than the actual exam, so don’t get discouraged.

Use an authoritative list on exam sims when you can. Take sections back to back – momentum is key. Put in focused time daily, lean on proven study methods, hammer MCQs, and you can absolutely pass these exams even with life demands. It takes relentless commitment, but you’ve got this!

Peep those free trials first – that’ll let you sneak a peek at the lectures, questions, layout, and all that jazz. Just a week or so of sneakin’ though, not the full shebang. But it’s enough to get a feel, ya know?

I’d check out the MCQs and videos to see whose teaching style clicks with how you learn best, feel me? Gotta make sure it jives with your brain.

Oh, and pro tip: if you’re paying yourself, hit up the chatbot for discounts! I told them I’m currently less than employed and asked for a hook up. Bam, they took some bucks off even the sales prices.

I also went with Surgent for the lectures, MCQs, and sims. Not as many guys use it but it just clicked for me. Then I snagged Gleim’s test bank for FAR with their book. Gleim’s great overall but Surgent explained Gov concepts way better IMHO.

That’s my 2 cents! Think about what vibes with your study flow and don’t be shy about asking for deals. You got this!

Heads up that Becker has sales popping up all year long. So if you snooze on this one, no worries – more deals are coming!

No need to stress about buying too early. When I enrolled, my account didn’t expire, and I bet it’s still unlimited access.

One tip though: don’t order your books too soon! They update the content regularly, so you’ll want the newest versions when you start studying. The books aren’t shipped automatically, phew! You’ve got to request them, so just wait until you’re ready to crack them open.

Becker’s pretty transparent about updates and changes. And their customer service peeps are super helpful if you have any q’s!

So in a nutshell – go ahead and snap up those deals when you can, but don’t sweat it if you miss one. Just hold off on requesting your mats until you’re ready to dive in!

Becker overcomplicates concepts and dwells on material rarely tested. Their MCQs are often overly difficult without justification.

However, Becker’s SIMs are worthwhile for the video explanations. But the challenging, exam-irrelevant MCQs are a weakness.

Conversely, Roger’s greatest asset is the in-depth MCQ explanations. Their detailed reasoning clarifies not just why right answers are correct, but why wrong ones are flawed.

In summary, Becker’s instruction tends to make topics harder than needed and emphasizes fringe exam material in MCQs. Roger’s robust MCQ feedback is far superior for developing true comprehension.

I preferred Roger’s focused content and MCQ clarity over Becker’s propensity for excessive difficulty and obscure concepts. Pick the provider that best aligns to the actual exam content and provides feedback that enhances your learning.

Overall it’s a really thorough prep course. The mock exams look almost identical to the real deal, which is clutch for getting used to the test format. They cover everything under the sun content-wise.

I think Becker is great for having all the materials in one place. However, I did supplement with Ninja MCQ practice to drill questions. For straight-up MCQ practice, I preferred Ninja’s laser focus.

So in summary – Becker is great as an all-in-one course with mock exams that mimic the real test. But you may want to supplement with another resource if you need to grind out a ton of multiple-choice reps.

I’ve used both courses (Becker and Roger CPA) and overall prefer Becker, except Roger does better on MCQ explanations. Those have more detail than Becker’s.

However, Roger’s lectures are entertaining yet tough to comprehend at times, perhaps due to the accent and subpar recording quality. Sometimes you can’t even read his handwriting clearly.

The Roger lectures uploaded to YouTube were easier to understand. But in the end, it comes down to personal preference.

Becker’s lectures provide clear, structured explanations that I find easy to follow. Their MCQs are aligned well too, just skimp a bit on detailed answers.

Roger’s engaging lecture style works for some learning styles, but I need a succinct delivery of concepts. The hard-to-read boards and audio issues were also distracting.

If you love Roger’s energetic approach, his course may click more than Becker’s. But for me, Becker’s focused content and lecturing made retention much simpler despite lighter MCQ clarity. Pick the provider that matches your learning needs.

In my opinion, the high cost of Becker CPA Review does not provide enough value. The lecture quality is subpar, in my view, with the instructors merely reading the textbook verbatim. Additionally, the practice questions are not significantly better than those offered by less expensive competitors. After failing some sections using Becker, I switched to Roger CPA Review supplemented with Ninja CPA Review as needed. This alternative combination enabled me to pass all four exam sections.

The textbook alone may be sufficient for many students, paired with practice questions and free online supplements. In my experience, the lectures do not provide meaningful instruction beyond the book, and any confusing topics can be clarified through YouTube or other free resources. Those with the personal discipline to study independently likely do not require the full Becker course to pass the exams.

I had access to Becker through my firm but could have succeeded without it, in retrospect. While some may benefit from the structure, reminders and encouragement a prep course provides, the high price does not seem justified based on my experience using Becker compared to more affordable options. In summary, assessing your personal needs and leveraging free resources can be a more cost-effective approach to prepare for the CPA exams.

I learn best by reading the textbook, watching lecture reinforcements, and practicing MCQs. Becker structured their materials perfectly for that approach.I have tried the major CPA prep courses – Becker, Gleim, Roger, Wiley, etc. For me, Becker was the most straightforward, well-organized program that aligned with my learning style.

The other courses didn’t fit my needs as seamlessly. Bottom line – Becker provided the cleanest layout and content flow that enabled me to learn most efficiently.

One more tip – Ninja Notes are great for final week cramming. Rewriting their condensed notes helps the material sink in right before exam day. Recommend pairing Becker with Ninja for that last-minute prep.

Many Becker lectures feature simply reading the textbook word-for-word. I did not find listening to verbatim passages an effective learning method.

It is much more efficient to read the textbook yourself and spend more time practicing with MCQs instead.

The regurgitated textbook lectures provide little value over self-reading. And MCQ practice is ultimately how you reinforce concepts and get exam-ready.

Becker’s redundancy between textbook and lectures makes you feel like you’re learning twice, when really it’s the same content repeated. I’d rather cover the material once efficiently via self-reading, than cement comprehension with robust MCQ practice.

In summary, Becker’s textbook regurgitation lectures provide minimal benefit. Focus on your own careful reading, then maximize time spent honing skills with MCQs instead for productive exam preparation.

#studyplan

I took an unorthodox approach with Becker that worked for me. Unlike most, I watched all the video lectures first before doing any skills practice or test questions.

Seeing the big picture upfront helped my ADHD feel progress rather than getting stuck on one section. It enabled me to grasp broader concepts before filling in details.

After finishing all lectures, I took the first practice exam to reveal weak areas and focused skills practice on those. I retook practice exams to reassess my weaknesses and adjust my studying.

This cycle of lectures first, identifying gaps, targeted practice, and retesting gave me both a top-down understanding and a way to systematically strengthen specific sections.

While not the typical approach, watching all lectures upfront provided an efficient framework for me to then slot in details. I passed each exam on my first try in just 6 months with this method.

The keys were:

Lectures first for a broad conceptual grasp

Practice exams to reveal weak spots

Focused skills practice on struggling areas

Retest and repeat the process

What worked for me may not work for everyone. However, this less conventional strategy allowed me to progress quickly by capitalizing on my learning style.

I used Becker as I got it for free from my employer.

#studyplan

Honestly, the best study method depends on the person. For AUD and FAR, I 100%’d every module before moving on and passed both first try. But that got tedious when I started working and did REG.

So for REG chapters 3-8, I just read the book solo and only peeped lectures if I was straight up lost. Reading helped me learn way faster so I could speed through. I still did the skills practice and MCQs though.

I saved all the REG sims for the final two weeks. Some use concepts from future chapters anyway, so it’s not that helpful to do them as you go.

I ended up passing REG on the first try too by studying smarter this way. But full disclosure – I did have some tax background already from work and college courses.

For BEC I’m planning a similar approach of skipping lectures at my own pace, but still hammering MCQs, then sim review at the end.

Everyone is different. However, getting strategic with how you use the materials can save time and mental burnout.

I passed all 4 sections by finding what study method worked best for me.

First, I watched all the lecture videos while outlining key notes – writing things down was necessary for me to actively listen and retain info.

After lectures, I did the MCQs and 1-2 sims for that module to apply the concepts.

Then I added a cumulative review of previous modules – each study session started with 30 MCQs and 3 sims from all covered content so far. I wrote down the rule for any wrong answers. This reinforced previous material.

I continued this process until finishing the content, leaving 7+ days for final review of weak areas before the exam.

In my experience, there’s a “peak timing” element – going too slow makes retaining early info difficult, but too fast misses key concepts. Cumulative MCQ sets throughout kept me progressing without losing comprehension.

The keys for me were:

Outlining lectures to engage and retain them

Progressing through modules with MCQs and 1-2 sims

Daily cumulative review sets to keep earlier material fresh

Leaving time to review weaker areas at the end

Finding the right pacing and review style is crucial – this system worked well for me across all 4 exam sections.

Despite some complaints about Becker’s prep course, I think it provides excellent preparation on its own. I used only Becker to study for the CPA exam, occasionally supplementing with Farhat YouTube videos when I wanted a break from practice questions. My scores were FAR 95, AUD 88, BEC 94, REG 94.

I’m not sure why some criticize Becker as insufficient. If the cost is the main concern, perhaps exploring cheaper options makes sense. But you likely won’t even remember the extra money you spent on prep years from now. To me, it was worth it.

The Becker video lectures covered all the material thoroughly. The multiple-choice questions and simulations provided ample practice to prepare me for the real exam. I also made sure to hammer my weak areas using the analytics Becker provides. Taking the timed practice exams was critical to simulate the real testing environment.

In my experience, Becker equipped me with everything I needed to pass all 4 sections of the CPA exam on the first try with high scores. As long as you put in the hours and do the work, Becker can prepare you to succeed. I would recommend the online course to others planning to take the exams.

I passed all 3 of the CPA exam sections I’ve taken so far on my first tries using Becker. I’m now studying for BEC and will take it in July. My approach with Becker is to first go through all the lecture videos and take notes. Then I do the multiple choice questions and simulations just to get familiar with the material.

Once I’ve gone through all the modules, I focus on mastering and reviewing the areas I’m weak on and any major topics. I don’t find the final review or mini exams too useful personally. Instead, I spend that time doing full practice exams for each section, with the same number of MCQs as the real testlets.

For simulations, I give myself a few minutes to try them and if I can’t figure it out, I immediately look at the solution explanation along with the skills video and textbook to learn how to do it properly. This strategy has worked very well for me to pass the first 3 sections of the CPA exam on my first attempts.

While Becker has its flaws, I think it provides solid preparation if you put in the time and supplement where needed. The lectures cover the material and MCQs give ample practice. Mastering weak areas and doing full practice exams is key. I would recommend the Becker course based on my experience using it to pass 3 sections so far. Just be ready to fill in any gaps on your own!

#studyplan

I passed REG and AUD in 8 weeks each with high 80s scores using this approach:

For each module, I fully completed lectures at 1.5x speed, outlining key points identical to the lecturer’s. Then I did the skills practices, MCQs, and sims.

If I got MCQs wrong, I moved on first before revisiting missed questions. This forced deeper comprehension rather than just memorizing answers.

After finishing all content, I did the final review, mocks, and re-did MCQs for sections I missed mock questions in. This identified weak areas needing work.

My process was:

Complete lectures, skills, MCQs, sims per module

Identify gaps from mocks

Review weak sections’ MCQs

Retake mocks, redo MCQs, repeat

Before the exam I hammered MCQs for shaky areas. This full yet efficient approach built confidence to pass my first time.

The keys for me were:

Outlining lectures for engagement

Gauging weak spots using mocks

Drilling MCQs in struggling sections

Retesting to confirm improvement

This strategy ensured comprehension while allowing targeted practice to pass the first time.

Becker is superior to other CPA prep courses in my opinion. I previously used Roger and failed FAR on my first try.

Roger has more engaging lectures but I didn’t retain the information well that way. Their practice questions were also subpar for exam preparation.

Becker isn’t perfect, but I feel exponentially more confident now using their materials compared to Roger. Becker’s comprehensiveness makes up for having less captivating lectures.

In summary – While Roger’s lecturer is talented, their course lacked the content depth I needed to pass. Becker better prepared me for the actual exam through robust materials, even if the lectures weren’t as lively. I stand by Becker as the best option based on my experience.

I’ve gotta keep it 100% honest after using Becker for a few months now. The layout and structure are great and all. But y’all, the content itself is kinda lackluster IMHO.

For example, so many of the MCQ and sim explanations are useless AF. The right answers just say “B is correct because…B is correct”. Like, where is the actual explanation though?! And they rarely break down why the wrong ones are wrong. Not helpful!

Also, when they update sections mid-study, it’s a hot mess trying to figure out what changed! I’d love it if they recovered the updated parts so we know exactly what’s different. But instead, my scores just drop and I have to re-do questions blindly since the lectures stay 100% complete. Annoying TBH!

Now don’t get me wrong, Becker has improved over the years. But there’s still room for growth IMO. The nonstop rave reviews are confusing given my experience!

Anyway, those are my constructive thoughts after a few months with Becker.

While Becker is a review course, they teach the exam content in an approachable way even if you’ve been out of school for a while.

You need some accounting foundation, but I passed two sections with Becker despite being removed from college for 4 years.

I did supplement with free I-75 YouTube videos on certain topics I struggled with like BEC IT and REG depreciation. Becker didn’t fully click for me there.

But Becker can prepare you to pass on its own for most content. Some folks just learn differently and need alternate explanations.

Bottom line – Becker teaches the material in a digestible way if you have an accounting baseline. Minimal supplementation may help strengthen shaky areas depending on your learning needs. But Becker provides nearly all the content needed to pass in my experience.

In my experience, Becker has the best course layout and test bank bar none. I used about 20% of i75’s lectures but relied on Becker for the other 80%.

I also tried Farhat and Ninja but found Becker superior overall. For the audit, I did need i75’s lectures at times. However, i75’s practice questions and simulations simply weren’t on par with Becker’s quality. Also, MCQs from Becker are like real exam.

Bottom line – Becker’s structured approach, coupled with its unmatched test bank of MCQs, simulations, and mocks make it the premier CPA prep course in my opinion. If you invest in Becker and fully commit to the program, you will be set up for success on exam day.

Initially, I chose Surgent for my studies but quickly regretted the decision as it didn’t meet my needs. I found greater success with Becker, particularly due to the videos for SIMS. While the explanations for multiple-choice questions in Surgent were mediocre, Becker offered clearer, more helpful insights. Another aspect I appreciated about Becker was the realistic practice exams and sims, which closely mimic the actual exam environment, helping to alleviate nerves on the big day.

In my opinion, the key factors for CPA exam success are your personal effort and dedication, as well as your accounting foundations. The specific review course you use is secondary.

Becker touts high pass rates, but they attract top students from elite programs and Big 4 firms who likely would succeed using any review course.

While some credit Becker for their success, at the end of the day it comes down to your own hard work and commitment to studying. No review course alone determines if you’ll pass.

I prepared for the CPA exam using Becker. I watched all of the video lectures and took detailed notes. After each lecture, I went through the multiple-choice questions and redid any that I had missed. I also took all of the practice exams Becker offered. However, I did not complete any of the simulation questions. Despite skipping the sims, I still ended up passing all 4 exam sections on my first try.

The final review course Becker provides was clutch for me since I had spread out my studying over several months. By the time I was done with all the materials, the final review helped refresh everything right before I sat for the exams. In the end, between the lectures, multiple choice practice, and practice exams, Becker fully prepared me to pass the CPA exam even without touching the sims. So I would absolutely recommend their prep course based on my experience using it and successfully passing on my first attempts.

#mystudyplan

I took extensive handwritten notes on each textbook chapter before watching the lecture. Then I re-took the following notes along with the videos.

After reading and lectures, I completed the chapter MCQs. Important concepts were made into flashcards for repetitive review.

I cycled through this process for every chapter – read, lecture, MCQ, flashcards. Then I repeated all modules 3-4 times as a review.

The constant note-taking and flashcards reinforced retention despite also working 55-hour weeks. This diligent preparation enabled me to pass all sections on my first attempts.

The keys were 1) aligning my learning style with intensive writing 2) comprehending content multiple times through reading, lectures, and MCQs 3) consolidating concepts into portable flashcard format. This system worked for me even with a demanding full-time job.

Where do I even start with Becker’s CPA review course? I mean, don’t get me wrong, the lectures are fine and the sims are pretty legit. But some of those multiple-choice questions are just bonkers hard for no reason! It’s like they go out of their way to make things confusing AF when the actual exam is tough enough already.

Then there’s Surgent over here making their sims look totally diff from the real test layout. I know they’re still teaching the right material, but talk about throwing me off! At least their MCQs keep it real.

If I’m dropping major coinage on one of these courses, they better let me replay lectures until I pass, ya feel me? Any program that’s all “one and done” can kick rocks. I need unlimited retries over here!

So in conclusion, Becker = solid but frustrating, Surgent = similar but odd format, and my #1 criteria = let me learn until I earn those letters after my name, regardless of how long it takes!

Honestly, 100%ing each module is a total waste of time for FAR, in my opinion. It takes way longer and isn’t necessary.

My strategy was to read the module first without lectures, then hammer the MCQs. For any I got wrong, I’d go back and peep the lecture quickly to review that concept.

I’d re-do the incorrect MCQs until I had each module’s MCQs 100% down. Then I moved on to the next section. You gotta make MCQs your main focus.

The sims weren’t worth the time since the real exam ones were way different. But Becker’s MCQs matched the actual exam super closely.

I also recommend taking those 3 mocks the week before your test to get used to the endurance needed.

And after you finish the material, knock out Becker’s final review online. It’s money for that last minute overall refresh.

In the final week, hit 100-200 MCQs a day to drill it all in. That’s how I got an 85 on FAR on the first go.

The key things that worked for me:

Focus on MCQs, not lectures or sims

Only use lectures to review MCQ concepts

Keep crushing MCQs until you nail each module

Do mocks for test endurance

Final review for a complete refresher

Cram MCQs daily the last week

That approach was efficient and got me a solid score. Give it a shot if the standard ways aren’t working for you