[yankees144]

This exam, for most people, really consumes a large portion of our time and lives; I know it has for me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to make large sacrifices to my social life, my relationship, and my family just so I can sit behind the computer and explore the wonders of Accounting for Leases, Schedule A deductions, and the Modified Unqualified report.

I thought I would start this post to help us future CPAs see the light at the end of the tunnel (the good light, not the ‘oncoming train’ light). Thinking about all of the great things I will be able to do once this test is over keeps my hopes high and my mood even higher. I can’t tell you how many times I have played the following scenario in my head:

---

I walk into my house after a long day of work. It’s hot and sunny outside so I slide open the back door and let the breeze rush in through the house. On the way to the bed room to hang my tie, I notice that my phone has a few messages:

@Jeff @ another71.com: 8533 FAR scores have been released to AICPA.

@NASBA: Today, 8533 FAR scores have been released by AICPA to NASBA for April / May 2010 testing window.

@NASBA: Don’t forget it takes 24-48 hours for scores to post.

“YES, FINALLY!!”

I barrel across the living floor and into my office to flip on the computer to check the scores. My hands are shaking so it’s hard to hit the power switch, but somehow I manage to hit it by violently dropping my hand in the general vacinity of the power button. Waiting for the computer takes 5 hours to turn on that day. Once up and running, I open my bookmarks and I’m instantly transferred to NASBA’s website. My NTS is already sitting there taped to my desk to minimize the amount of time it takes to find my section ID, so I quickly copy the number into the correct field. Now my birthday….my birthday….damn what was it?! Oh god, what was my birthday!? I don’t have time for this!! Where is my license?!

Oh yeah, I got it never mind. Okay, this is the moment of truth. One click of the mouse is going to show me whether or not the next 2 months are filled with weekends upon weekends of studying Bonds and Encumbrances, or whether or not I’ll be studying weather.com for the weekend forecasts. The anticipation is too much so I close my eyes. I’ll just click and walk away. I don’t need to see it! If I don’t see it, I can’t fail, right? Okay okay, but seriously it’s now or never.

Click…

…

“This site is taking forever to load, come on!”

Waiting…

Waiting…

The screen blinks off for a second as it reloads. The background is loading, this is it!!

“Error: Score not found. Please verify Section ID Number and Date of Birth format and re-submit”

My heart continues beating again and I exhale. Not this time. I’ll just wait until later tonight to check again.

:::five minutes pass:::

F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5

“Error: Score not found. Please verify Section ID Number and Date of Birth format and re-submit”

“Error: Score not found. Please verify Section ID Number and Date of Birth format and re-submit”

“Error: Score not found. Please verify Section ID Number and Date of Birth format and re-submit”

“Error: Score not found. Please verify Section ID Number and Date of Birth format and re-submit”

I can’t take it anymore…

https://www.another71.com > CPA Exam Forum >

“Anyone in NY get their scores?”

“Have you tried the loophole?”

“Nothing here in Texas, how about anyone else?”

“F5 F5 F5, but nothing!”

:::Random troll exclaiming that the CPA exam is easy and all accountants have to do is put numbers in the calculator:::

“Anyone know when the scores are being released?”

F5 F5 F5 > page is loading! This is it this time!! This time the page takes 10 minutes to load.

“If everyone stops refreshing the site would go so much faster!! Come on!”

“Error: Score not found. Please verify Section ID Number and Date of Birth format and re-submit”

The clock now reads 11:00 PM and my eyes are getting heavier and heavier. It’s okay, I can wait just a little longer though – I have to know or I definitely won’t be able to sleep

F5 F5 F5 F5 > 77.

My heart suddenly falls out of my chest and I scream. There was no loading screen, it just spontaneously bursted onto the screen. I wasn’t ready!!! But wait… Oh god I passed!! I passed!! Now there’s no way I can sleep I have to call everyone in my contacts list. I have to post it on Another71.com!!

“I passed!! NY scores are out”

“85 here in Illinois!!”

“Mine isn’t out yet, wtf!”

“Congrats guys!”

/end daydream

---

So that raises the question:

What do you plan on doing when you finally finish the exam and have your lives back? What have you put on hold for the past 3, 6, 9, 12, xx months that you can’t wait to pick back up again? What has studying for the exam inspired you to want to start doing?

I’ll start it off:

I haven’t had the chance to really do anything the last 9 months except study and work, so I can’t wait to start playing / writing music again and having BBQs with my girlfriend and friends on the weekends. I suppose I’ll have to go back to the gym too, since I will no longer have a valid excuse not to go (well, I’m sure I can come up with another excuse). I also want to start using some of the vacation time I’ve accrued over the year to travel, since I haven’t even had the opportunity to use any.

Share your thoughts!

Becker Review Course - Done!!

BEC - 77, REG - 88, AUD - 90, FAR - 83

[Anonymous]

lawl

[SeanM]

I plan on working towards another license once I have the CPA Exam done with: My USPA “A” License (Skydiving license; one that I wont mind studying for/practicing at all!!!!!)

I also plan on buying a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, and enjoying some world-class scotch while sitting by the pool.

FAR-87; AUD-89; BEC-85; BEC-84
DONE!

[laschndr]

I'm going on a week-long vacation. Not sure where yet.

BEC 84, AUD 90, REG 74,83 FAR 81

[The GaJone]

Awesome post!

This is going to sound horrible but I'll say it anyway:

When I was studying for my first section (FAR) I continuosly thought about how miserable this process is, and how I wasn't even close to being done. Every day I thought about how I'd completely lose it once I got that final passing grade. I was going to throw a big party for myself and invite anyone I've ever known, and just go crazy.

But I haven't studied in about a month, and have gone on a couple vacations and really partied it up since I took BEC on 5/20, so I've already had fun and almost completely forgotten about how much time and work I put into this thing. I'm not even that excited anymore; if I pass, it'll be more of a relief that I won't have to go back to studying than anything else.

Granted I'll still be thrilled, just not nearly as thrilled as I thought I'd be 6 months ago when I was knee-deep in reporting standards and had all the exams to look forward to.

FAR: 81 (1/20) AUD: 88 (2/27) REG: 91 (4/19) BEC: 75 (5/20)

[Anonymous]

yankees,

You are too funny!!!!

I was just telling someone I plan to sit around and watch the Food Network for an entire weekend.

[Anonymous]

I'm basically on the same page as GaJone. Since taking FAR on May 25th, I haven't studied. I enjoyed Memorial Day weekend, started working out again, finally got around to redoing all of the files in my house this past weekend, and I've been enjoying sleeping in on the weekends and watching tv or doing absolutely nothing at night after work.

I have always said that I would go and get a massage after passing, but I think I'll just be so relieved that I don't have to study any more that it won't really matter either way. I want to have my dining room back completely (my FAR study material is still sprawled all over the table as a “just in case” so I don't have to pull it all out again). If I pass, I'm also thinking about burning my Becker textbooks in the campfire when I go camping in August. Now, that would definitely be a celebration! And I look forward to updating my resume to stating all parts passed, license pending experience. That will feel good! 🙂

Best of luck to everybody in the next two weeks. Let's hope for those passing scores!

[Anonymous]

Yankees – Your post is too much, but how very true. Still can not stop laughing. I wondering how many candidates have done exactly what you said. Probably in the hundreds if not thousands every release. The F5 button sure gets worn out every release window. Having actually finished last window, I now can watch tv shows that are not recorded and can start exercising to lose all that weight I gained actually it is not very much but I have started exercising now that I have time.

Great Post, I am sure candidates need some humor right before a release starts.

[FARbehind]

YANKEES, you've got some real talent here. Forget about the cpa exam, why don't you write a novel. cpa is a waste of your talent:)

aud,bec,reg-passed
far-->75 Done!!!!!
ethics-100

[Anonymous]

This is an excellent topic!! I can't wait to start brewing beer again! Oh and I'm taking a trip with the fellas to tunica!

[Anonymous]

start studying for GMAT… masochist I am.

[luckypenny786]

@Anna, the GMAT will be a piece of cake after the CPA!

As for me, I'm going camping in a few weeks and definitely have plenty of kindling to use for the fire! I went to NYC right after my last exam and I have a few other road trips planned too. Also need to get back to the gym!

I reeeeally hope I passed because I'm not sure I have the energy to study any more….. This wait is killing me!

D O N E !

[Numberguy]

I'm waiting on my last section; Auditing and I will be done. This journey has taken me almost 2 years, so it has been a long road. I told my 3 year-old daughter that after I pass my CPA exams, and I get that raise…I will buy a house and she can get a puppy dog and a kitty cat. She has also add a swing set in the back yard and a fort…The list seems to keep growing. She lives with her mother in FL and I'm in TX and every time I talk to her she will ask me if I have passed my test yet and if she can get her puppy dog and kitty cat. I can't let her down…As for me, there will be the celebration parties, getting back to the gym…and I'm thinking a trip would be nice.

BEC 81 expired, 74, Oct 80
FAR 79
REG 70, 70, 82
AUD 74, 65, Nov

[yankees144]

Haha, thanks guys – glad to provide a little relief from the CPA woes.

Keep the ideas coming! I might even steal a few of these ideas for myself.

Becker Review Course - Done!!

BEC - 77, REG - 88, AUD - 90, FAR - 83

[Anonymous]

LOL I loved this post!!!! Talk about a day in the life of a CPA exam candidate! You hit it right on the head. 🙂

Being the girly girl that I am, I have a feeling that I have a Burberry purse in my future….followed by an after tax season trip somewhere…hopefully with a swim-up bar.

[AICPA_Tea_Party]

I am going to buy a 52″ LCD HD Flat Screen TV with my bonus money. Then have a party (and probably get drunk) on a Friday night with my friends that I have been neglecting for the past 6 months. Then all weekend I will lay in front of my huge new tv and ‘get better.'

FAR 75, REG 65 81, BEC 83, AUD 66 Retook 7/28/2010
AICPA Tea Party Member

[Author]

Replies