[t_rav_82]

After collage my best job offer was with a firm that did non-traditional accounting. As a result I didn’t need my CPA for advancement so those extra undergrad/grad classes went the way of “if you don’t use it you lose it”.

I’m considering a career shift and having my CPA would be very helpful, but I’m not sure how best to get back into it? I could buy the Ninja program or Becker and spend a lot of time studying. I’m just not sure if this is the best option for someone who is rusty.

Any advice or experience with taking the CPA after having been out of school for several years?

[andjela]

I am in a similar situation. Due to work-related circumstances I started studying 2+ years after I got my degree. I tried Becker, Wiley and Ninja courses. I like Ninja the best and if I need to retake any exams (I'll likely have to redo Reg, will find out in 2 weeks) I will do Ninja notes and MCQ. Read the notes and re-write them, then do corresponding MCQ section and take additional notes as you go through them. Keep going through MCQs until your scores are sufficiently high, then move on to the next section of notes and MCQs. I found this to be the most efficient way of studying. I work full-time and have a family, so I had to make the most of every minute available for studying. Best of luck!

[Anonymous]

*college

[Anonymous]

Forcing myself back into it as soon as I can. I've taken 3 of them now (3 try, 3 miss) and am just starting a new and stressful job. But, I don't want to start forgetting too much stuff so will be back to the grind on retakes and REG later in the month. Right now I am trying to focus on the job, which is actually the first accounting job i've ever had that required me to use my brain for 8 hours a day. You can crunch AP and AR forever and turn into a sloth but I didn't want to do that. I will be using Ninja for the retakes, but still have Roger so need to use the REG on that before doing Ninja. I finished school a few years ago too. I wish I could have started studying for the exam right after finishing but had too much else on my plate. Had I known about the format change in 2015, that was coming in 2017, I'd have done it sooner.

[Small4]

My advice, go for the Wiley + Ninja mcqs. Reason being is that Wiley never expires and Becker is great and all and I used it and it's effective but it's also heavily priced ESP if you aren't going to
Be reimbursed for it. Given its been a while, you don't want to “assume failure” and get the material that doesn't expire. But also being realistic is key too. Wiley is very drawn out / too detailed but you can probably tailor it yourself to your needs. It also has bit sized lectures that makes it easier to digest. Again I used all 3 Becker, Wiley and Ninja. Becker I had years ago and I did fine using them but didn't put enough effort, it's structure is fine but it's too much highlighting for me. Wiley was a “good base” to re learn materials…and ninja mcq is a great enhancer of what you learn to get additional practice questions. Good luck!

BEC - 68,70,72,75 5/15
AUD - 78(expired), 77 8/15
REG - 29,58,65,77 1/16
FAR - 56,68,73 - retake October hopefully (last shot)

Been doing this since 2007 on and off...

[tskits75]

I was in a similar situation too, after graduation I took a finance job for 5 years. By the time I moved back to public and finished my MBA I was out of school for 7 years before I started studying again for the CPA. My undergrad was in accounting but I treated it like I was learning it all over again. I wouldn't assume I would remember the material. I stared with the my best subject and took longer than usual to study, that seemed to work for me.

AUD - 92
BEC - 79
REG - August
FAR - TBD

[Meg267]

I've been out of school for 4 years now. I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do yet. Haha, I still don't know what I want to do. Anyway, I purchased Wiley because I liked the idea of bite size lessons and the fact that it doesn't expire. I also use Ninja as a supplemental tool.

Try out the different review courses, most have a 2 week free trial you can do.

I'm married, work full time, and am studying for the CPA. I'm currently waiting for my FAR score to be released. Praying that I passed the first time. If I did, I'm done!

[t_rav_82]

Thanks for all the responses everyone.

tskits75 what materials did you use, and also did you spend time refreshing before scheduling an exam? I feel like it might be useful to go through a lot of the material at a high level as a refresher, something to help lay the foundation before diving into one subject and scheduling that subject’s exam.

Sounds like the consensus is that Ninja isn't enough by itself and should primarily be used as supplemental material to more robust materials, Wiley/Becker?

[tskits75]

I started with Becker back in 2016 and just jumped rigth in. I work in audit so I started with that. Everyone says to do FAR first, which makes sense to me.

AUD - 92
BEC - 79
REG - August
FAR - TBD

[Jen-J]

I'm 10 years out of a part-time degree (so I took intermediate 15 years ago and started college before Sarbanes-Oxley). I didn't sit earlier because my work experience wouldn't have counted without changing jobs – with the rules change, and having an active CPA in my management chain, now I could get certified. I'm studying over at least 10 months (1 month in so far). I feel like I know almost none of the material and I'm having to learn it all over again – which is fine, but very time consuming. My job and studying is pretty much my life.

[ixlr82day]

I just turned 40 so I am a long way out of school. I went with Becker and it helped. Part of it was the cost which made me more determined to pass the exam due to the amount of money I put into it. I started with Business because that is one of my stronger parts (all the other times I took the CPA exam I passed Business with some studying.) I know people encourage you to take the hardest part first but for me I felt I needed the positive reinforcement of passing parts of it to help encourage me to finish. I knew Audit and Financial would be the hard parts for me and I felt multiple fails would discourage me and I would quit. I passed Business and Reg on my first try, well in the past 2 years. It took me two times to pass Audit and I am now on my second try for FAR. Hoping for a favorable Q3 score release.

It takes a lot of time studying but if you study hard you should be able to get there. Good Luck everyone!

[Author]

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