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RP - Thread
Studying for Part 4
RP - Thread posted September 30, 2009 by Jessica Hoffman
882 Views, 4 Comment
Title:
Studying for Part 4
Content:
I am currently studying for Part 4. Does anyone have any tips as to how to study or the best materials to use? I am currently using Gleim. I have passed the other parts using Gleim, so I am comfortable with it. Part 4 makes me nervous though due to the different format of the exam. Any advice would be great.
Comment
Be confident, you already pass 3 parts and to your information (good for you) Part-4 students having highest passing percentage according to figures provided by IMA.
Regards,
Sohail Siddique, CMA
Several points for your reference:
(1) The difficulty of Part 4 lies in its wide coverage, not its depth. So it is a good tactic to remember all the key points, but shy of studying too in-depth.
(2) Don't be misled by "4-6 essay questions". In fact Part 4 typically comprises 25 to 30 questions based on 6 cases. So you must be prepared to answer the questions concisely, to the point, and type quickly. Don't spend too much time on one particular question.
(3) The passing rate of Part 4 is around 60%. However, we have to bear in mind that the candidates for Part 4 have already passed Part 1 to Part 3 (they are much better prepared for the exam that candidates for other parts). It is not easy at all!
(4) Try to pass it at first attempt; otherwise you have to study Part 1 to Part 3 all over again and it will be quite time-consuming.
Man Wah LAW, CMA
I also used Gleim to study for all 4 parts. I went through the book and answered the multiple-choice questions. Then I practiced, practiced, practiced the questions on the test-prep cd. I felt that was a good review for all the material.
I found that the Gleim multiple choice questions were great for the 1st 3 parts, and ok for part 4. I did practically all the essay questions in the Gleim part 4 book and all the questions from the IMA. I thought these were great to help me prepare as I felt relatively comfortable with the time limits. My only complaint was the financial statement, technical sections, I thought these were a bit basic and I would have done better if I had used a CPA financial study guide to supplement my studying.