(Posted April 2022)
Of course, there is nothing wrong with WhatsApp or WhatsApp groups. But here is the problem with joining a WhatsApp group for your CPA Common Final Examination (CFE) study.
By its nature, a WhatsApp group contains a whole mix of people. CFE writers who are desperate to know how to prepare for the exam, past CFE writers who had success on the exams and then potentially CPAs who are offering services on how to write the exam.
The interesting thing about the CFE is that as soon as someone passes, they instantly become an expert on how to pass. That has always baffled me given that their sample size is one, but I digress. When you join a group with a mix of people, you are listening to advice from unknown sources and sometimes that advise is just plain wrong. And you can find an opinion that will support any theory you have about preparing.
• Use a computer plan, it’s more efficient. Not true since it disappears as you write, you need to scroll to find it, or if you have a computer crash, it goes too…
• I studied alone and passed. That’s great, but you also missed the value of a study partner, real-time immediate unbiased marking, seeing someone else’s attempt at the exam (good or bad you still learn), the list goes on.
• And my favourite, write your CFE Day 3 cases back-to-back because it will help you improve your time management. Dead wrong. All it will do is ensure you don’t effectively debrief the second and third case because you will no longer remember what you were thinking when you wrote those cases by the time you get to debriefing them.
I hope you get the point. Be wary of where your advice comes from on how to pass the CFE. Don’t fall into the trap of listening to sources that may or may not be right. You only want to do this once. Our CFE Prep courses will provide you with advice, tips and tricks to help you achieve success on the CFE.