CMA Study Group

  • 1.  One week before the CMA exam

    Posted 04-22-2013 06:43 PM
    Hi Everyone,

    For the people who passed the CMA exams; what did you do exactly in the last week before the exam?!!

    Regards,

    -------------------------------------------
    Ehab Ibrahim
    Director/Manager
    Azizyia Panda Savola Group
    Jeddah
    Saudi Arabia
    -------------------------------------------


  • 2.  RE:One week before the CMA exam

    Posted 04-23-2013 01:24 AM
    Hi Ehab,

    I strongly suggest you take a week (or at least 4 days) off before exam date, so you can continue practicing by answering 3 sets of 100 MCQs daily to keep those highly tested topics fresh in your mind come actual exam date. When doing each round, try to complete all 100 MCQs in 120 maximum 135 minutes. Both IMA/Wiley and Gleim online testbanks are very good indicators of your level of preparedness. In my opinion, if you're hitting above 90% on each practice rounds you surely have greater chance of passing the tough CMA exams. 

    Good luck on your exam. I hope to hear some great news from you after the first week of June.


    -------------------------------------------
    Angel Secerio CMA, CPA
    Director/Manager
    Leighton Middle East LLC
    Azaiba
    Oman
    -------------------------------------------






    Original Message


  • 3.  RE:One week before the CMA exam

    Posted 04-23-2013 03:17 AM
    Dear Angel,

    Thanks for your inputs for the exam preparation. In addition, could you please share how the preparation for the essay question should be so that we can try that as well.

    -------------------------------------------
    Al Ameen Shahul Hameed
    Accountant
    GMC Medical & Dental Specialty Center
    Sharjah
    United Arab Emirates
    -------------------------------------------






    Original Message


  • 4.  RE:One week before the CMA exam

    Posted 04-23-2013 05:45 AM
    Hello Hameed,

    If you are a first-time CMA exam taker, planning on how to prepare for the essay part is always a daunting task. In my opinion, CMA candidates need not deviate from their general preparation, e.g. reading materials from Hock, answering MCQs from Gleim and IMA/Wiley online testbanks. Do you have to answer (very) long problems during practice rounds in order to prepare yourself for the essay portion? Probably not. As long as you have a tight grip of the basic concepts which prepare you to answer MCQs correctly, you will use these same concepts in answering the essay questions. 

    What is actually more important, though, is time management when taking the actual exam. We are not at liberty to discuss specific areas of the exam, but I guess it would not be violative to stress a point that candidates should give themselves more than the allotted one hour (ideally 90 minutes) to decisively tackle the essay portion.

    Good luck to you, Hameed.


    -------------------------------------------
    Angel Secerio CMA, CPA
    Director/Manager
    Leighton Middle East LLC
    Azaiba
    Oman
    -------------------------------------------






    Original Message


  • 5.  RE:One week before the CMA exam

    Posted 04-23-2013 12:13 PM
    The last week before the exam, I took one of the practice exams offered by Gleim and then drilled multiple choice questions.  I did as Angel said, drilled the questions in large blocks of 50-100 questions.  I did more of the 50 question blocks though.  This kept me fresh on a wide range of topics.  Also every day I reviewed some essay questions.  I didn't practice the essay questions, just simply reviewed them.  I would read over the questions and then the answers.  My view on the essay questions is that if you know the subject mater and the theory then you should be able to get the majority of the essay questions correct.  They always surprise you, but at least you will be able to know the majority.

    The day before, I didn't pick up a book at all.  I found something relaxing to do and didn't study or even think about the exam.  So when I walked in to the test i was relaxed and prepared!

    Good luck!

    -------------------------------------------
    Brandon Buffington CMA
    Accountant
    Port Byron IL
    United States
    -------------------------------------------






    Original Message