Am I Too Stupid to Pass the CPA Exam? - Page 3

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #187402
    swimgirl2005
    Member

    Hi Everyone,

    I have been trying to take the CPA exam since May of 2013. After failing both audit and reg the summer after I graduated, I gave up and told myself I needed a “mental break.” I started working in September and started my CPA journey again in May 2014. I took Audit and failed with a 73. I retook Audit in July and just found out I failed with a 73. I was too ashamed to tell my coworkers and now I am starting to feel discouraged with 4 exams left to take and it seems I still haven’t found a study schedule that is effective. Does anyone have any advice. As of right now, here is my plan:

    BEC: 8/28/14

    REG: 73, Redo 10/11/14

    FAR: 11/26/14

    AUD: 71, 73, 73, Redo 1/05/15

    To make matters worse, I live in another state from my parents…they aren’t even calling me anymore because they are so disappointed. Exact quote, “we are in disbelief that you have not been able to pass a single exam. Are you even trying?”

    I honestly haven’t been able to sleep, eat or concentrate (which I know is only making matters worse…but I can’t get out of this slump). I am so upset with myself for not being able to pass an exam. All of my other CPA candidate friends passed on their first try and are about to become CPAs. I CANT EVEN PASS ONE EXAM.

    I have been using Becker’s self-study materials. What I did for my last exam was:

    1. watch the video lecture

    2. read the chapter

    3. do the MCQ until I knew the answer to each question

    4. Try to get 2 sections done a week (repeating above)

    I could really use some advice and encouragement so that I can achieve my goal of becoming a CPA. 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁

    B: 8/28/14
    A:71,73,73 RETAKE 1/5/15
    R: 10/11/14
    F: 11/26/14

Viewing 15 replies - 31 through 45 (of 66 total)
  • Author
    Replies
  • #612964
    Skynet
    Participant

    That's right! You tell em Kricket.

    #612965
    TNCPA16
    Participant

    Don't give up swimgirl! I started taking the exams right after I got out of school and was working full time. I couldn't pass anything to save my life. I think I took 8 or 9 exams before I finally passed one. It was so embarrassing to me, since school was always the one thing I was good at…and here I was failing every CPA exam I took while my coworkers were all passing! I gave myself a nice, loooooong (think – 5 years) mental break (went to grad school and got another certification in the meantime) and am now back at it. This time around, however, only a handful of people know that I am sitting for the exam. I am doing this for ME and not for anyone else, and so far so good. I am 1 for 1 on exams.

    I tried using Becker my first time around, and it just didn't work for me. This time, I only used the Ninja 10 point combo and I scored higher on Audit than I did when I passed it the first go around with Becker.

    You can do this. Keep telling yourself that. You can do this! Don't give up. Don't get discouraged. Don't focus on what others are doing. Focus on what YOU need to do!!

    #612966
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I am a CPA from another country and now I'm working on the certification here in the US. When I took the exam back then, I failed the first time and my parents told me, “don't worry, you can find work even if you're not a CPA”. It's not as bad as what your parents told you but I was expecting something else like “Don't worry, you'll get it next time…”. I knew to myself that I want to become CPA and I know I can do it. But since I knew they won't be supporting me I just pretended that I was looking for a job but at the same time I talked to my siblings if they could let me take another CPA exam (well, I mean financially support me). They have their own families to feed but the saw my eagerness to become CPA so they decided to give me another chance. I did not focus on the negative side (un-supportive parents) but instead I was motivated by the positive thought that somebody else still believes in me (myself and my siblings). And guess what, I passed the CPA exam!

    When I started my review few months ago, the first sentence I wrote was “I WILL BECOME CPA!!!”. I'm hoping your next exams will turn out well! Good luck!

    #612967
    AGI
    Participant

    To everyone and host:

    I came out from typical traditional Chinese family. Here is the lesson you need to learn:

    Some parent were never taught to positively support their kids, but it's okay, you know they care about you.

    When ever they say negative things, it actually mean positive and showing care.

    If they ever say positive things about you, that means they really really really super care. (Or they are crazy.)

    Also, I think everyone need to stop blaming their parents for not supporting. Why do you think they should support you? It's not their test and if they really don't like it, then they don't like it.

    Instead, you should ask yourself —“Why do I care what other people think?”

    Just do what you think is right and move on.

    If you pass it, it's yours, not your parent.

    Also, If your parent don't believe you can do it, then do it and show them!

    It's YOU that is taking the exam. Just take it and get over with it.

    Just STUDY and don't think about anything. Be MOTIONLESS and keep your brain empty.

    New York - NYC
    Passed CPA Exam (11/2014)
    In search for a position in NYC that will fulfills the license requirement.

    #612968
    Skynet
    Participant

    @yellowsugar – I feel the same way too. Most of my family is the old Chinese Traditional types that still have yet to keep up with the times.

    That's why I started to zone them out when they start trying to lecture you. They just don't understand the pressure we have to deal with these days.

    #612969
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    My family is just batcrap crazy so I understand where the OP is coming from. There's no cultural norm in my case. Just that special kind of crazy that comes with being alcoholics for 40 years. But like I said earlier, sometimes you have to cut the toxic crap out of your life. I'm better for it and so is my son.

    Yellowsugar, you are spot on when you said “Do it and show them.” I like that attitude.

    #612970
    Guti
    Participant

    Guys, if everything else fails, and you are sick of failing, you should do like the geniouses of America.

    I mentioned this before, my brother (took all the IQ) went to Georgia tech for his BS and MIT for his masters, and he says that at least 30% of students on both universities use one of the two. There are a couple of individuals who post regularly here, and I read a while back that they also took ritalin after failing many times. I dont want to give names,but they post regularly. If top gifted students are doing it, I might try it some day.

    Oxford students=

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmourobDzqk

    FAR-84
    AUD-
    REG-
    BEC-

    #612971
    Skynet
    Participant

    ^ Unfortunately, my drug of choice is Starbucks coffee and not Ritalin. And if necessary 4 shots with the coffee.

    #612972
    Guti
    Participant

    I have never tried ritalin or Modafinil,but from what I heard, I dont think is like coffee in any way.

    FAR-84
    AUD-
    REG-
    BEC-

    #612973
    NYCaccountant
    Participant

    Coffee is great for studying. I don't drink coffee, but after FAR, I started drinking it – especially on Saturdays when I tried to get in 4-6 hours. I recommend just the coffee. Don't mess with all that other crap.

    FAR - 93
    REG - 87
    BEC - 84!!!!
    AUD - 99!!!!!! CPA exam complete.

    #612974
    CPA2015
    Participant

    Definitely not! These exams are intentionally difficult in order to weed out those individuals who don't want to be a CPA badly enough to push through. I think passing is more a test of endurance and determination than anything else. After all, if the exams were easy everyone would be a CPA.

    #612975
    Guti
    Participant

    CPA2015,

    The CPA exam was not as hard 3 years ago. MC was worth 70% of the grade and you had to write a stupid memo for 10% of the grade. The simulations part was only 20%. I passed FAR,REG, and got a 74 on Audit with that format in 7 months. Now I can’t even pass FAR after 6 months. I think desperate times call for desperate measures. I don’t know why they change the format making it a lot harder.

    FAR-84
    AUD-
    REG-
    BEC-

    #612976
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    While I wouldn't advocate the use of prescription drugs for those not diagnosed, they definitely wouldn't hurt.

    And yes, 4-5 cups of coffee can have you shaking on the edge of your chair teetering on the verge of excitement as you await the next MCQ to pop up.

    #612977
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Ritalin is a Schedule II prescription drug and should only be taken under a doctors care. Purchasing this drug or having it in your system, without a legal prescription, could lead to some major legal problems.

    #612978
    Guti
    Participant

    Kricket, Someone should let the Ivy League students know about this fact. Those same students who will make it to Director or Partner in less than 5 years because they graduated from a top ranked university while on Ritalin or Modafinil. These are the same students who pass all 4 parts of the CPA exam over one summer. I don’t think a top ranked University student was ever diagnosed with ADD when they were a child. And don’t get me wrong, I don’t think these drugs will make you smarter, but I do think they do exactly what steroids do to an already gifted athlete.

    FAR-84
    AUD-
    REG-
    BEC-

Viewing 15 replies - 31 through 45 (of 66 total)
  • The topic ‘Am I Too Stupid to Pass the CPA Exam? - Page 3’ is closed to new replies.