‘Over a Cup of Coffee’ is our new series of blog posts where we sit down with successful CPA candidates and get their take on studying and how to turn the CFE challenge into a success! Our contributor, Alla Volodina, asked several former exaMENTOR students who successfully passed their CFE exam a couple questions that often come up in our tutoring discussions with students:

Alla Volodina: “How important is a study schedule leading up to the CFE?”

Mark G: “A study schedule is very important – I studied from 9am until 5pm for several weeks up to the CFE. I made sure that I stopped studying exactly at 5pm and that motivated me to be as efficient as possible during the day. I also made sure that I kept my phone off during my study time and turned it on only during lunch.”

Rob F: “While I did not have a sharp cut off at 5pm, I did not study past 7pm. I found I preferred taking longer breaks in between my studying – sitting down for four hours in a row is exhausting. I would write my simulation and then take a 20-30 minute rest. Taking a long break allowed me to ensure that my brain was fresh for the debrief. After that, I would thoroughly debrief through my simulation. One piece of advice to all candidates – never write a simulation without debriefing it right away. That is why writing three simulations in a row is not a very good idea either.”

Alla Volodina: “Would you ever study on weekends?”

Mark G.: “I did not… Weekends were for getting away to nature – hiking, camping and resting.”

Rob F: “I did, but not extensively. Only a light technical review in the morning or right before bedtime.”

Alla Volodina: “Did you plan any special activities for your weekends?”

Mark G.: “Yes, all of my weekend activities were pre-planned. I really enjoyed having something to look forward to… That kept me motivated.”

Rob F: “I did not have anything planned except to get some extra hours of sleep. I found my days were so structured during the week that I did not want to be on a schedule.”

It is clear that no one-size-fits-all approach applies to everyone when preparing for the CFE. Find your own successful formula for passing the CFE and let exaMENTOR help you figure it out!