[altomas989]

Hi Everyone

Just got my education credentials evaluated by the Illinois CPA board, apparently, I need more credits:

1. 2 hours in Accounting Research & Analysis
2. 2 hours in Business Communication
3. 3 hours in Business Ethics

I checked with the board and they gave me a link, a list of colleges which will give me the courses I need to complete:

https://www.ilboe.org/requirements/approved-college-templates/

I started looking into how I can fulfill the requirements but the colleges I looked into, the options are either way too expensive, no online option or not all the required courses are available. Devry has too many prerequisites which would take months to complete, the University of Phoenix is a quicker option but will cost $6000 for all classes. I’m totally lost on which option would be best for me. I just want to get this over with so I can write the exam.

Please keep in mind I will have to take online classes as I work 60 hours a week, I’m in Texas (Dallas) currently but intend to move back to Illinois sometime next year. Has anyone else been in this situation, What options are available to me?

[altomas989]

Can anyone help? Fall classes are about to start and I could use your advice.

[CoachEmUp]

@altomas989 where do you live? I fulfilled credits at Harold Washington college in downtown Chicago. For 2-3 classes a semester its ~$1,100 so it's a bargain. They have a template listed on the IL website you listed, so I would just use that to find the courses you'll need. The teachers are pretty hit or miss, but the requirements are the requirements, you need to do them.

[altomas989]

@CoachEmUp Unfortunately I'm in Dallas now, do they provide online classes?

[CoachEmUp]

@altomas989 I think they provide some, but you would still need to have an address in Chicago in order to take classes there and I believe with each online course you'd need to actually physically go into the testing center for one of the tests. From a different jurisdiction I would look at taking those online classes from one of the templates. It sucks, but given you're out of state that is your best option.

[altomas989]

@CoachEmUp In that case, I'll just look up the two colleges in Texas, if those don't work out then I guess I have no other options but Phoenix..thanks though for your input.

[Javilon]

altomas989, my co-worker had this exact same issue last week. What he did was ask his out of state graduate school (Penn State) to send in a template giving him research and analysis credit. He asked his grad school, they sent the board a template immediately, and he had his approval letter two days later. He did not have to reapply for evaluation or anything. So, that could be an option.

Otherwise you might check various community colleges in Illinois, like Parkland college…bus106 or bus245 for the communications credit. I am not sure what classes they offer online. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a new online Masters in Accountancy program as well.

I am not sure if this is helpful, but Good luck.

[kirkwood]

Is there a reason you are specifically looking at Illinois colleges? I was short on credits and went to Harper Commmunity College to fulfill the 150 threshold and the 2 hours of accounting research credits. I believe Harper was around $150 a credit hour in-district and $350 out-district. It's in IL but it wasn't where I got my bachelor's so I don't see what would be the risk in doing a TX equivalent.

You should be able to sign up at a reputable community college in Texas that'd fulfill Illinois' requirements. And you'd paying their in-district rate, too. May want to check with IL CPA first, I guess.

[rb2017]

It shouldn't matter what state you get the credits in. I went to college in Wisconsin and ILBOE accepted my hours. It looks like that link just shows which classes in IL count towards the required hours – it would be crazy if they had a list for every school in America. I'd find something that works for you and send IL the course description to see if they will accept it.

[Author]

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