Kamusta? As to my story, I spent 19 years of my life in the Philippines, and have been living in Canada for at least 30 years. I received my 4-yr Bachelor of Science in Commerce (Accounting major) from the University of San Agustin (October 1985), Iloilo City, Philippines. I started my journey with my US CPA designation in 1987 as a Washinton State exam candidate (grandfathered status since 2000 – due to passing Business Law in 1999). About at the same time in Canada, I was in pursuit of the former Chartered Accountant(CA), currently called Chartered Professionals Accountants(CPA) designation, which I started in 1994. I decided to do more schooling and pursued the UBC-DAP credential while waiting for my US CPA exam results and finding a ‘special' internship/articling for my former CA program. I thought I would be a US CPA in 2010 since I passed REG and AUD, and my FAR and BEC are in the 60s; however, with an 18months threshold, I lost my credits and my FAR and BEC marks deteriorated to around 60s/50s since then. So after eight years, I decided to go back to school in Canada and started pursuing the new Canadian CPA designation, which internship/work experience is very similar to the US CPA. Unfortunately, I recently learned that any prior courses taken, after 10 years, they are no longer acceptable credits in Canada, especially for pursuing higher education. Most colleges will give you an equivalent to high school and have to take English courses. However, not all bad, CPA Canada will grant you at least 3 years' worth of your degree as per WES evaluation; likely, you will only have to take one course in each area of an accounting major degree, for example. This is why each time I met someone who likes to go back to school, I want them to be aware of the school system in that country or state. So far, I am doing fine, enjoying college life, hoping to graduate with my last two young adults attending SFU, doing their computer science (AI major). I haven't forgotten my US CPA (the last exam was taken in 2019) and Canadian CPA yet (last assessed 2018/2019). I know I have a better chance of becoming a US CPA or a Canadian CPA if I nailed my BEC contents. Anyway, as to my USA'85, it's called Bachelor in Accountancy with a 5-years degree program now; I requested my BSC'85 TOR, two years ago. I am so glad my USA alma mater has been keeping up with the changes, including outside Philippines educational requirements. For now, once I graduate from my BBA-Accounting degree, I might try as another state exam candidate, a state where my husband wants to retire (he still have 7-12 years of working life), somewhere warm during the winter season in Canada (we live in Surrey), closed to Canada/USA border. Lastly, my apology for the long post, I am just so excited to share my story and meeting you here; I didn't know you are also here. Good luck with the application, please do it sooner. ‘Paalam muna, sa susunod uli'(good bye for now)!:)
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