Exam Preparations

For my friends asking me on how I prepared for the CPA Board Exam.. allow me to share on how I reviewed for the past 6 months (Nov - May);

1. Answer your handout in advance. Since everyday ang schedule ko sa review, I tried to answer the handouts before the discussion. I believe na in this way, na tetest ko yung stock knowledge ko. I also tried to grade myself sa bawat handout so I can mark the topic if okay na ba ako dun or hindi pa. If hindi pa, meaning more time ang kailangang i-allot para sa topic na hindi pa super na gegets.

2. Attend your class! Remember na bawat sasabihin ng reviewer mo ay mahalaga. Take notes sa mga sasabihin nila na hindi ka familiar, then review it after the class. 

3. Take notes or record the discussion. I did both.  I had a notebook for each subjects. Based on my experience mas okay na naka summarized per topic. Others do it on an index card. Super na appreciate ko yung gantong style lalo na sa mga huling months ng review. Even on the day of the actual board exam very helpful pa din yung mga last glance ko sa notes ko. 😉 For the voice records naman, pinapakinggan ko lang ulit pag may hindi ako maintindihan sa notes ko.

4. Practice. Aside from answering your handouts, it would still be the best to answer your P1 and P2 + Auditing Problems + MAS + Tax and Law na din. In short lahat pala hehe. 😋 Sa akin po, nag start lang akong mag sagot ng mga Prac Books 2 months before the board. Medyo cramming na din. Medyo nakakasisi yung 4 months na pinalagpas ko na chill ako. Pero on a brighter side... dun ko na kita na nakalimutan ko na agad yung ibang naaral ko for the past 4 months. So medyo maganda pala yung effect sa akin ng 2 months na pag sagot ko ng mga Prac Books. Medyo imposibleng matapos ng 2 months lahat yun no? Yes! Kaya naman daan lang ginawa kong pagsagot. Pag di ko masagot or mali sagot ko binibilugan ko lang yung number para mabalikan a week before the board.. (pero never ko na nabalikan hehe) 

5. Make sure ka na sa lahat ng subjects before the final pre board. As if actual board na yung final preboard for you dapat.. para medyo relax ka na sa preweek. Dapat handouts for the preweek na lang talaga ang inaaral mo. Konting balik sa mga previous handouts pag may extra time pa. 

6. Have a very clear reason why do you want to pass the board. I'm sure mararanasan nyo din yung pakiramdam na aayaw ka na.. yung tipong masasabi mo sa sarili mo na, nag-aaral ka naman pero parang wala namang pumapasok sa isip mo.. Sa mga panahong yan, dun natin mas kailangang iremind yung mga sarili natin kung bakit natin kailangang gawin to. Kung bakit hindi tayo pwedeng sumuko.. Paulit-ulit mong sabihin sa sarili mo na "Mag-aral ka!! Kailangan mong pumasa dahil/para........" 

7. Study! Minimum of 2 hours a day.. Just study.. For the first four months, Yung pag sagot lang talaga sa handouts ang naging pinaka study hour ko. But for the remaining 2 months... I did really study, minimum of 6 hours per day. Di ako yung tanong super haba ng oras sa pag-aaral, but I'm really trying to absorb kung ano ang kakayanin sa maikling oras. 

8. Bring a review material wherever you go. Sayang kasi ang oras sa pag tayo sa lrt, pag hihintay ng order sa restaurant, pag hihintay for someone, or kahit ano pang ginagawa mo na feeling mo not productive.  So why not magbasa pamatay ng oras? 😊 kaya naman I have review materials in my phone. Para anytime, pwedeng magbasa basa.. 

9. Sleep!!! I know na halos lahat ng reviewee ay sobrang mag-aral. Sobra din mag puyat.. Pero para sa mga kagaya ko ng mahilig matulog.. May chance!!! Since I usually sleep 7-10 hours. Nag aaral lang ako sa oras na kaya ng katawan ko. Hindi talaga ako nagpupuyat. Well I tried.. until 3am. Pero nagkasakit lang ako at super tanghali ang gising kinabukasan. In effect mas ineffective lang. So dipende talaga sa inyo.. you know your body at kung ano ang best study period sayo.

10. At the top of my list... PRAY!! Before, During, and After.. Sa mga panahong nahihirapan talaga ako.. pray pray pray. Yun din siguro ang dahilan kung bakit naiiraos ko ang bawat araw ng review ko kahit super ikli lang ng naka allot na oras sa pag rereview ko. God will provide wisdom, energy, positivity, and everything else that you'll need. 

I hope you could learn from my mistakes last October;

1. Wala akong clear vison why I want to pass. 

2. No practice at all. I'm so so so tamad.

3. All I have was prayer.. but no executions. 

4. Preweek na pero naghahabol pa lang ako sa mga di ko alam na topics.  

5. I have no organized notes and thoughts. 

I hope you guys got something from this.. Anyway, effective naman yan because;

♡ top 106th for the first preboard, CPAR  

♡ top 76th for the final preboard / 6th in homeschool ranking

♡ and a good grade on the actual board examination

These are the materials (books and handouts) that I'd used for my preparation for the board exam this May 2017. I am giving them all away for free. Sana ay maging useful din po sa inyo. God bless!

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Fated to Love You (Korean Version)

I started watching this Korean Series few days after the board exam.. Since I am a free lady now (haha). I've watched the Taiwanese Version of this series when I was in high school, of which I believe is the original one. Since I have a lot of time, it's no surprise for me to finish this 20-episode series in one week. Well, I kinda feel like a bum tho. 😂 Don't get me wrong, I'm really thankful to have a ton of movies and series here with me now. I know that when I start to work again, it would not be possible for me to watch a series again. And I'm just enjoying this phase in my life where God is giving me the time to rest and relax. 😁

Anyway, I just really like to share that this series is so awesome just like the Taiwanese Version. You'll surely laugh, cry, and fall in love. 🤗 

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CPA by God's Grace and Faithfulness

May 29, 2017 9:04PM, Jay called me.. sabi nya CPA na ako.. naiinis pa ako nung una. Kasi akala ko inaasar nya lang ako. Kaya chineck ko if totoo. Pag kita ko.. nandun nga yung pangalan ko.. totoo nga, CPA na ako. "Lord, thank you" paulit-ulit kong sinasabi..

Wala akong ibang gustong mangyari kung di ang pumasa ako para masulat ko to. Paulit-ulit kong sinasabi kay Lord na I want to pass for His glory. Gusto ko kasing i-share yung mga messages nya sa akin. Gusto ko din i-share tong testimony ko ng faithfulness nya sa akin. An encounter that I had with my Lord and Savior.

Bago magsimula yung review. Ang word ni Lord sa akin ay "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9

Yan lang yung hawak kong message from the Lord for the first few months ng review. Hangang sa biglang ang lapit na ng actual board. 2 months na lang.. so I kept on praying. Asking God for encouragement.. and He answered "..testing of your faith produces perseverance" -James 1:3

Lumipas ng lumipas yung araw. Papalapit ng papalapit yung actual board.. So I continuously prayed to God.. na bigyan nya pa ako ng lakas ng loob. Na bigyan nya ulit ako ng word of encouragement.  But for more than two weeks, God was so silent. I prayed and prayed.. pero lahat ng devotions ko at quiet time ko.. hindi related sa board exam yung sagot ng Lord. Sa mga panahong yun... wala akong ibang magawa kung hindi magtiwala. Alam ko at naniniwala ako na God is still at work.. hindi man nya ko sinasagot.. sa puso ko, alam kong nandyan sya. Hindi man nya ko sinasagot, He's still strengthening my faith.

During my D-group, I even cried to my sisters in Christ. That time.. I realized na hindi na lang talaga para sa sarili ko ang kagustuhan kong pumasa. Dun ko naramdaman na si Lord talaga yung nagbibigay ng desire sa puso ko to pass the board. That time.. I am so sure that I would like to glorify my God.  I want to pass for His glory.. I  want to pass to testify that my God is really faithful.

So I continuously prayed to God kahit wala akong narereceive na message from Him. Medyo na ffrustrate ako nun kasi never naging ganun katahimik si Lord sa akin ng ganon katagal.. My God always answers my prayer through His words.. pero this time iba. Walang sagot sa akin.. hangang sa matapos ang Easter Sunday. Then I got the message from the Lord through CCF Eastwood's Sunday Chronicles.. the Lord made it clear to me that... "Fear takes away the logic of faith." "Fear takes away hope." "Faith is the reason gone courageous." Sinabi dun na yung dream natin nagmumula sa Panginoon.. it's up to us to trust the Lord that He will equip us. I cried so hard nung nabasa ko yun. Totoo na naririnig ako ng Panginoon ko.

Lumipas ang mga araw.. at sobrang faithful ng Lord, patuloy yung nga messages nya sa akin everyday.. sobrang dami para isulat ko.. Pero isa yung nag struck me the most.. It was in Romans 5:21 "he was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises" eto yung faith ni Abraham. Na kahit no reason for hope, he kept on hoping.. so every night ang prayer ko is.. "I believe God that you are able, I pray that you are willing." And believe it or not.. the very night before the board exam.. God answered... He said through Matthew 8:3 "I am willing." 

Sobrang daming revelations ni Lord sa akin. Pero sa dami nun, isa ang hindi ko makakalimutan.. that was when I was reviewing sa Family Mart.. tapos may sumasakit sa tyan ko ng sobra. As in masakit. Hindi ako makapag focus sa pag rereview ng Law nun.. so I prayed.. and instantly, the pain was gone. The PAIN disappeared, just like that. At sa lahat ng araw ng pag aaral ko.. yung araw na yun yung pinaka madami akong naaral. Feel na feel kong effective yung pag aaral ko dahil alam kong kasama ko at tinuturuan talaga ako ng Panginoon.  Sobrang real yung encounter na yun.. may mga times pa na hindi ko mahanap yung paliwanag sa mga hindi ko maintindihan na topic.. then instantly biglang pagbuklat ko ng book napupunta talaga dun sa mga pages kung saan masasagot yung mga tanong ko. Alam ko na ang Lord yung nagtuturo sa akin sa mga panahong yun.

Magiging sobrang haba nito kung isusulat ko lahat ng ginawa ng Panginoon sa journey ko sa pagrereview. But please, allow me to share the message that I received from the Lord the night before the actual board exam..

Huling review na ako that night for Taxation and Law, first set ng exam.. so after my final review.. I closed everything and opened my bible. I prayed  and lifted everything to God. I asked Him to override my preparations.. then ayun sinabi nga nya na He is willing.. he also said "Daughter, be encouraged!  Your faith has made you well." - Matthew 9:22 and.. " Because of your faith, it will happen" - Matthew 9:29

At sa actual board, tuwing nadadalian at nahihirapan ako.. throughout the examination, paulit-ulit ko lang sinasabi sa sarili ko na "My God is with me." Sya ang nagbigay ng talino sa BOA na gumawa ng mga tanong.. Kaya alam ko na sya din ang magbibigay sa akin ng wisdom and knowledge to answer the questions. Masaya ako na natapos ang board exam ng maayos at mapayapa ang kalooban ko. Payapa because I have my God with me. Indeed He is faithful.

One week of waiting para sa result.. kinakabahan ako. Pero God gave me peace.. I know that I took the examination under His presence.  And amazingly, today before ilabas yung result, lahat ng quiet time and devotions ko lahat may word na successful and victory..

I have nothing to do with this victory.. it's all because of my Heavenly Father.. All praises and glory to my one and only King, Jesus Christ! 

I am Madeleine Alinea Isais, CPA by God's Grace and Faithfulness..  To God be the Glory!

PS..
Please allow me also to share with you on how God used my failure last October 2016 CPA Board Exam.. You can read it here.. God is greater than anything that happens to us.

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Daddy's 9th

March 16, 2008 Sunday afternoon… when police officer / llb Medel G. Isais; my father, passed away.. Ang bilis talaga ng panahon.. today marks his 9th year death anniversary.. 

It's already nine years when our lives changed when our dear God called our earthly father back. Nine years… matagal tagal na din pala no? Well.. matagal na talaga. 

I was only 16 years old back then.. Hindi ko pa masyado alam yung mga mangyayari pag nawala na si Daddy. Ang naalala ko lang na naiisip ko noon, mawawala na si Daddy.. yun lang. Hindi ko naisip kung pano mababago yung araw-araw naming buhay.. 

Until lately.. palagi ko tinatanong sarili ko kung ano kaya ang buhay namin if nandito pa si Daddy.. Kung mas naging close na ba kami habang tumatanda ba ako? Magiging proud kaya sya sa akin? Ano kaya mga ipapayo nya sa mga gagawin ko? Ewan.  Ang daming tanong.. Ang dami kong tanong kung paano ang buhay kung nandito pa sya.. Ang kaso lang.. wala sya. Wala na sya. At kahit kailan, hindi ko malalaman at mararanasan pa yung “what if kung nandito pa sya”. 

Wala akong ibang pwede gawin kung hindi kausapin yung Father in Heaven ko.. I thank God na binigyan Nya ako ng ama dito sa lupa.. Nagpapasalamat ako na for 16 years pinaranasan sa akin ni Lord kung pano magkaroon ng Daddy. Hindi man perfect si Daddy… pero  lubos lubos ang pasasalamat ko na sya ang eartly father ko. 

Mahigpit sya sa amin.. pero salamat at naging mahigpit sya. Kasi lumaki naman kaming maayos.. Nagagalit sya pag hindi kami pumapasok.. at salamat dahil doon ay nakatapos ako ng pag-aaral ko.. Pinapagalitan nya kami lagi pag hindi nauubos yung pagkain namin. At sobrang pasasalamat ko doon.. Dahil hangang ngayon sobrang sakit sa dibdib ko pag may natitirang pagkain. Kahit sa mga nakakasalamuha kong mga tao, palagi ko sinasabi na kailangang ubusin ang food. Nagpapasalamat ako na nagkaroon ako ng ama na sobrang sipag mag-aral.. Dahil sa kanya nakita ko ang halaga ng may pinag-aralan. Nakita ko din sa kanya ang pag tulong ng walang kapalit. Nagpapasalamat ako sa Panginoon sa buhay na binigay nya kay Daddy. Nagpapasalamat ako na naranasan kong may matawag na Daddy. Nagpapasalamat ako na may nag disiplina sa amin noon. Nagpapasalamat ako sa pag mamahal at pag aalaga ng isang ama. 

Thank you Lord, that even though I lost my earthly father…. You found me and allowed me to call you my Father.. 

Daddy.. 
Someday.. we'll see you again in our forever home, in Heaven.  Together with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We love you so much! 

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