[jeff]

I will be giving away an iPad 3 Thursday to someone in the forum. Here are the details:

Who: 1 Randomly-selected winner.

You don’t have to be a current candidate to enter – Alums are welcome too!

The selection will be recorded through a screencast.

Note – the winner will be double-checked to make sure they don’t have more than one forum account posting in the giveaway thread, so no shenanigans.

What: iPad 3 – $499 model (winner will have the option to pay for any upgrades/features they want added)

Why: iPads are awesome (I have an iPad 2 … hope I win!) 😉

How:

1. “Like” another71 on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/another71)

2. In this thread, post a CPA Exam or Accounting Career tip (or both) that you think would benefit a College Senior or recent graduate. If you work for a Big 4 or Regional Accounting Firm, interview tips or anything making the process easier would be great.

That’s it … Good Luck!

***

New Prizes Added!

– 5 Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University Memberships (Online)

– 5 Complete NINJA Audios

– 5 Complete NINJA Notes

– 1 30 Minute Muay Thai training session at Del Mar Beach (CA) in September (you have to get to Del Mar though) 🙂

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[Anonymous]

Career Tip:

Learn to answer your Boss's questions before he or she asks them.

[Anonymous]

Career Tip:

Show up on time

Exam Tip:

NINJA Audio

[wldcatnc]

Career Tip: In career fairs, utilize the recruiter's/associate's business cards to write something down you talked about and immediately email to thank them for their insight on XYZ CPA firm after the fair. If you talk specifically about something you discussed then you have a real good chance of standing out amongst the crowd.

A recruiter was able to remember me specifically because I remembered the name of her golden retriever. Sounds stupid but works like a champion.

FAR: 81
REG: 85
AUD: 73,71,83
BEC: 82

DONE!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Exam Tips:

1. Take the exam as soon as possible; putting it off will only make it harder to find the motivation to start studying.

2. Use forums such as this one when you start feeling discouraged or lack motivation; talking to others going through the same thing really helps!

3. Don't be afraid to reschedule your exam if you don't feel you are 100% prepared; this can cause you to fail the exam and become discouraged to keep trying.

4. Use a variety of test banks and study materials; sometimes it helps to see things explained a different way

5. Most importantly…. RELAX!

[wazy121]

My tip is to make sure you still enjoy life. If you get a job where you have to work 60-80 hours a week, make sure you are happy doing that. If you are going to study for the exam on top of that, make sure to make time for yourself. Science shows if you are studying or trying to get something later at night and you just can't figure it out. Go to sleep and look at it again in the morning with a fresh mind and you'll have a better chance of understanding or doing something. If all you do is work work work and study study study your brain is going to get fried. Work and studying are very important, but you only get one life so make sure to still take time to enjoy it and give your brain a rest.

[mgott1]

Regional Firm Interview Tip: Network as much as possible before applying. Attend networking events; get introduced on LinkedIn; ask your department head/chair/dean for a list of school alum working at your firm of choice and reach out to those individuals. Chances are pretty good you already know someone at the firm, so see if you can shadow him/her. Bottom line: make sure people know your name. “It's not what you know, it's who you know.”

[lpetersen8]

Commit to the challenge. Be dedicated to putting in the time and effort that the CPA demands. It's a difficult, grueling experience, but the reward is worth it. Know that you can do it but that it will require sacrifice and persistance. And read all the tips and supportive comments on another71, it's an amazing community and super helpful!

[Anonymous]

My advice for taking the exam is: take it as soon after school as possible!! I passed 3 parts right after school, then missed by a point or 2 & lost credit… then life got in the way & now I'm back at it 10+ years later & scoring in the 70's every time 🙁 I currently have credit for AUD set to expire in August.

My advice for interviewing: be HONEST about your skills. I work in a small public accounting firm & have seen many people let go after a week because they couldn't deliver on what they said they knew. In my interview I laid it out & said I have the education, but not the working knowledge of how to “do the job.” Honestly, although I knew in theory what a compilation was, I had no idea what it looked like in practice. I was hired 9 years ago & am now one of the senior accountants (& the only one without my license, ugh.)

[Anonymous]

Best advice: Commit to study for the exams rights your undergraduate/graduate degree

Do your research on which review materials will work best for you’re before throwing money away

Believe on me on this – I did my research and was able to spend under $250 on FAR section review material

Try to mix your review materials i.e. Becker videos/Wiley Online Test Bank/ Ninja Notes with another71.com

Commit to a study plan and stick to it

Believe me for some odd reason when you are studying for the exam is the time that everyone you know

friends, relatives and acquaintances will have events to invite you to.

Prioritize what is truly important

Review the material over and over again

Believe me on this FAR has a lot of material and you will forget if you don't practice over and over the mcq

---

Best Wishes on becoming a CPA whooowhoo—-

Taking FAR for the first time on 5/23

[zhoux508]

1. I used becker books, wiley test bank and Ninja notes. i think it is a good combo.

2. FAR is most difficult part for me because there are so many materials. It took me about two months and end up with 80.

3. Your 18 months only starts as soon as you pass one section. So take the difficult section first.

Texas Licensed CPA

[rowingOC]

Accounting Career Tip: Even though you may be sure that you want to do ______ (insert current dream job here), do not shy away from other opportunities. I really wanted to do financial planning, but am now in forensic accounting for divorce litigation and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It's a field I never knew even existed until I ended up in the interview! Keep your mind and all possible doors open!

Tip 2: If you can find a place where you only work 8 hours a day, DO IT! If you were to break your salary down by hours, I bet you'd still come out ahead over those places w/ a bigger check and more hours.

B - 11/10: 79
A - 10/10: 81
R - 2/11: 77
F - 5/11: 83 <--- DONE!!!!!!!!!!

[YatYat]

Exam Tip: Try not to think about whether the testlets are getting harder. Sometimes it is easy to tell but other times it's not so easy and then you stress yourself out thinking you did poorly because they aren't getting harder. Just concentrate on each question and answer it to the best of your ability.

FAR - 10/17/11 71; 4/23/12 80
BEC - 1/18/12 80
AUG - TBD
REG - TBD

[katiebatson4]

Tip – Take the exam seriously!!! It's simple you have to put in the time, A LOT OF TIME. I passed by a lot of sacrifice. That is the only way, and it is so worth it in the end. Good Luck Ya'll!

[mrbryantpark]

Never give up despite how many times you fail.

Audit: 65, 68, 73, 72, 74, 73 (TBD)

REG 76 (expired)

FAR 78 (expired)

REG 77 (expired)

[Mom2two]

Exam Tips: Never give up. Get this done as soon as possible after school. Make a study plan as to when and what you are going to study and stick to it. MOST IMPORTANT, follow Jeff’s NINJA plan, put down the highlighter. His plan works!

Career Tips: Be yourself as much as possible so you can see if your personality will match where you are interviewing. Maintain professionalism at all times no matter what type of jerk your supervisor or co-workers are being. Hold your head up and hold yourself to a higher standard.

Big 4 career tip: No matter how young you are, as soon as you are working, this is your career. Maintain your professionalism at all times, no matter the frustration. Go to the bathroom and vent, do what you have to do but never let them see you sweat…as the saying goes. Start building your network from day one.

Overall tip: Enjoy life!! You only get one run around the bases so make it count. 🙂

B: 81 (3X) May 2012
A: 76 (1X) Nov 2011
R: 86 (2X) Feb 2012
F: 64, April 2011, retake 10.01.12 - 75!!!!!!!!!!

[Author]

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