[Anonymous]

Hi Everyone,

I recently graduated from Bryant University in May of 2013 with 122 credits. I did not graduate with 150 credits, so I will have to take additional courses at some point in my career. I planned on going to grad school to get a Masters and fulfill the 150 credits so that I could re-apply to Public Accounting firms (especially the Big 4).

I soon realized that it is very hard to achieve your 150 credits at a graduate school in ONE year. This raised a difficult question for me. Do I go to grad school for two years to get my 150 credits and THEN take my CPA Exam? Or should I take my CPA Exam first, and then just achieve my 150 credits with undergrad courses?

I will be sitting for my exam in New Jersey. Since I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Accounting I am eligible to sit for the exam. I just won’t be licensed until I achieve the 150 credits. Also, there is no time limit after completing the CPA Exam to get my 150 credits in New Jersey

Also, I was just recently hired to do Private Accounting for BASF this upcoming Fall. My accounting friends had mentioned to me that I should take my CPA Exam first b/c the more I work the more i’ll be busy. And I can b*llshit courses later on in my career, but I CANNOT b*llshit studying for the CPA Exam.

Please let me know your thoughts. I am very confused on what I should do. Thanks!

[barelystayingsane]

First and foremost…what state will you be getting your CPA license in? Some states require you to have your 150 credits before you sit for the exam. Other states allow you to only have 120 credits to sit and then take the remaining 30 credits later.

[barelystayingsane]

First and foremost…what state will you be getting your CPA license in? Some states require you to have your 150 credits before you sit for the exam. Other states allow you to only have 120 credits to sit and then take the remaining 30 credits later.

[Anonymous]

@barelystayingsane Sorry, I should have mentioned that. I will be sitting for my exam in New Jersey. Since I graduated with a Bachelor's in Accounting I am eligible to sit for the exam. I just won't be licensed until I achieve the 150 credits. Also, there is no time limit after completing the CPA Exam to get my 150 credits in New Jersey

[Anonymous]

@barelystayingsane Sorry, I should have mentioned that. I will be sitting for my exam in New Jersey. Since I graduated with a Bachelor's in Accounting I am eligible to sit for the exam. I just won't be licensed until I achieve the 150 credits. Also, there is no time limit after completing the CPA Exam to get my 150 credits in New Jersey

[acamp]

Sooner you can get a job the better.

https://jobs.deloitte.com/new-jersey/advisory/jobid3870381-full-time-audit-assistant-princeton-office-%28fall-2014%29-jobs

The job posting for an entry level auditor in the DT NJ office is

“Must meet minimum requirements to sit for CPA exam before beginning full-time employment”

So from that standpoint you're good right now. I would ask the question on which is worse, working full time + CPA Studies, or working full time + going to school. If you're shooting for a Big4 job, I would buckle down and get through as much school as possible, because school sounds worse to me than studying for the CPA while working and will open you up to on-campus recruiting. I don't know your ultimate plan or if you have to work while going to school. The accounting job would be nice, but it might slow down your progression and not add all that much to your resume, ie: people with 5 years of industry accounting experience might get hired in as a “2nd year auditor”. So if you know you want Big4 and if you can survive not working or working part time, I would I would step it up, and get through the 30 units ASAP (Summer semester is nice for helping that along). Further, I would try to knock out some exams during that time.

Usually Big4 interviews in the Fall to hire for the following Fall. So being that you'd be starting in the Spring semester I assume, that might give you an extra semester. Start Spring”14, interview that semester or Fall'14 for a job that starts Fall'15–and during that time finish the 150 and at least a few, if not all, CPA sections.

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[acamp]

Sooner you can get a job the better.

https://jobs.deloitte.com/new-jersey/advisory/jobid3870381-full-time-audit-assistant-princeton-office-%28fall-2014%29-jobs

The job posting for an entry level auditor in the DT NJ office is

“Must meet minimum requirements to sit for CPA exam before beginning full-time employment”

So from that standpoint you're good right now. I would ask the question on which is worse, working full time + CPA Studies, or working full time + going to school. If you're shooting for a Big4 job, I would buckle down and get through as much school as possible, because school sounds worse to me than studying for the CPA while working and will open you up to on-campus recruiting. I don't know your ultimate plan or if you have to work while going to school. The accounting job would be nice, but it might slow down your progression and not add all that much to your resume, ie: people with 5 years of industry accounting experience might get hired in as a “2nd year auditor”. So if you know you want Big4 and if you can survive not working or working part time, I would I would step it up, and get through the 30 units ASAP (Summer semester is nice for helping that along). Further, I would try to knock out some exams during that time.

Usually Big4 interviews in the Fall to hire for the following Fall. So being that you'd be starting in the Spring semester I assume, that might give you an extra semester. Start Spring”14, interview that semester or Fall'14 for a job that starts Fall'15–and during that time finish the 150 and at least a few, if not all, CPA sections.

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[so1913]

My advice is if you don't plan on going to Grad School within the next 1.5 years, go ahead and knock the exam out especially since you are still in “study mode” being that you are a recent grad and all that accounting knowledge is still fresh.

AUD - 90 Pass
REG - 70,61,81 Pass DONE DONE DOOOOONNEEE!!!!!!!!
BEC - 79 - Pass
FAR - 70,82 - Pass

[so1913]

My advice is if you don't plan on going to Grad School within the next 1.5 years, go ahead and knock the exam out especially since you are still in “study mode” being that you are a recent grad and all that accounting knowledge is still fresh.

AUD - 90 Pass
REG - 70,61,81 Pass DONE DONE DOOOOONNEEE!!!!!!!!
BEC - 79 - Pass
FAR - 70,82 - Pass

[mla1169]

Does your current employer offer tuition reimbursement? If its on someone else's dime, knock out the credits now because you never know if you'll have that benefit in the future.

Otherwise knock the exam out first then seek a job with tuition reimbursement.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

Does your current employer offer tuition reimbursement? If its on someone else's dime, knock out the credits now because you never know if you'll have that benefit in the future.

Otherwise knock the exam out first then seek a job with tuition reimbursement.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

@mla1169 — My current employer DOES offer tuition reimbursement, but only after I have worked there for 6 months. So in your opinion I am better off taking the exam now, and then by next Fall go for my 150 credits on the company's dime.

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it!

[Anonymous]

@mla1169 — My current employer DOES offer tuition reimbursement, but only after I have worked there for 6 months. So in your opinion I am better off taking the exam now, and then by next Fall go for my 150 credits on the company's dime.

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it!

[mla1169]

If you have to wait to be eligible for tuition reimbursement, get going on the exams. Just look into the rules for the reimbursement (ie do you have to pay it back if you leave in 2 years) you may find yourself wanting to move on after you pass the exams.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

If you have to wait to be eligible for tuition reimbursement, get going on the exams. Just look into the rules for the reimbursement (ie do you have to pay it back if you leave in 2 years) you may find yourself wanting to move on after you pass the exams.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[sonygal57]

I am knocking out my exams with my Bachelor's degree. I figured getting a review program and studying for the tests was not as expensive as Masters degree level classes. I have been and plan on continuing to save money for grad school while I knock out the tests. If I had chosen to get the credits first I probably would have gone through the community college to save money….I guess I wanted money to be less of a factor in determining which route I took for obtaining my final credits.

Good old Gandalf, "All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is give to us."
"Not all those who wander are lost."

FAR: I slayed the Dragon!
BEC: I defeated the Siren!
AUD: I eliminated Medusa!
REG: ?????

[Author]

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