[jk1282]

Hey guys. I’ve been browsing these forums for awhile now and finally have my own question that I’d like to ask.

I’ll be graduating this May and starting work in September. Between those months I will be able to put as much time as needed into studying for these exams. I was wondering if anyone here was in a similar situation and attempted to pass all 4 sections with just a few months of study…

Those who did- how did you do it? I’d love to hear from as many of you who have advice and insight into this schedule I’m preparing for!

Thanks in advance!

[Meowmix77]

Might be helpful to list what review materials you are using. I passed them in a slightly longer time frame, but I can give you some of my thoughts.

1. Get your pre-exam registration stuff done ASAP. Look at your State Board's website and apply for all the NTS, transcript etc whenever you meet your state's requirement. Processing varies by state and I've heard some states can take up to a month.

2. Keep in mind May is a testing window. Depending on your school work and how far in advance you can study, you might be able to squeeze in a shorter exam there.

3. Progress tests are your best friend. Keep doing sets of those every day to help you retain information from previous sections.

4. Keeping to your schedule and being organized helps tremendously. You know what you have to do to pass. This will help keep you on track. My schedule was like this:

Wake up at 8:30

Eat breakfast and do a set of progress set MCQ + redo all the MCQ I got wrong on the previous day.

Leave for the gym at 10

Eat lunch at 12

Take a nap till 1:30

Watch lectures, followed by the respective MCQ.

End study session with a set of progress test MCQ.

Have dinner with family at 6.

After dinner, if brain = fried (ie: the really tough chapters/sections) then relax by reading a book, watching sports, surfing the web. If no, then just review the sections for the day. I particularly like listening to the lecture problem examples again and following on my own to ensure I retain the information.

Repetition is king.

Becker
AUD: 98 (4/13)
BEC: 84 (5/13)
FAR: 91 (7/13)
REG: 91 (8/13)

[Meowmix77]

Might be helpful to list what review materials you are using. I passed them in a slightly longer time frame, but I can give you some of my thoughts.

1. Get your pre-exam registration stuff done ASAP. Look at your State Board's website and apply for all the NTS, transcript etc whenever you meet your state's requirement. Processing varies by state and I've heard some states can take up to a month.

2. Keep in mind May is a testing window. Depending on your school work and how far in advance you can study, you might be able to squeeze in a shorter exam there.

3. Progress tests are your best friend. Keep doing sets of those every day to help you retain information from previous sections.

4. Keeping to your schedule and being organized helps tremendously. You know what you have to do to pass. This will help keep you on track. My schedule was like this:

Wake up at 8:30

Eat breakfast and do a set of progress set MCQ + redo all the MCQ I got wrong on the previous day.

Leave for the gym at 10

Eat lunch at 12

Take a nap till 1:30

Watch lectures, followed by the respective MCQ.

End study session with a set of progress test MCQ.

Have dinner with family at 6.

After dinner, if brain = fried (ie: the really tough chapters/sections) then relax by reading a book, watching sports, surfing the web. If no, then just review the sections for the day. I particularly like listening to the lecture problem examples again and following on my own to ensure I retain the information.

Repetition is king.

Becker
AUD: 98 (4/13)
BEC: 84 (5/13)
FAR: 91 (7/13)
REG: 91 (8/13)

[Anonymous]

While I haven't done this there are people who have managed. Its doable and the best time to take the CPA exam (after graduating and prior to starting work). Becker Fast Pass is an option you could think of. Classes go for 3 weeks and you take exam on 4th week for each section. I am studying for FAR now and I recall so much material I learnt in my Intermediate Accounting and Advanced Accounting classes in college. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

While I haven't done this there are people who have managed. Its doable and the best time to take the CPA exam (after graduating and prior to starting work). Becker Fast Pass is an option you could think of. Classes go for 3 weeks and you take exam on 4th week for each section. I am studying for FAR now and I recall so much material I learnt in my Intermediate Accounting and Advanced Accounting classes in college. Good luck!

[Mel]

I think it's doable, check this post from barelystayingsane on his/her study plan: https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/barelys-study-plan. I would say try to take an exam at the end of May if you can. Then take one at the begininng of July, then another one around the end of July and then the last one at the end of August. Good luck to you.

[Mel]

I think it's doable, check this post from barelystayingsane on his/her study plan: https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/barelys-study-plan. I would say try to take an exam at the end of May if you can. Then take one at the begininng of July, then another one around the end of July and then the last one at the end of August. Good luck to you.

[jlough]

There definitely are people who have done it. The one piece of advice I would give you is to be realistic about your abilities. Some people are just naturally smart and can study for two weeks and pass a section of the exam. Other people would need 8 weeks to pass that same exam. If you are honest with yourself and create a realistic plan, I think you will be successful.

Also, keep in mind that in your first few months in public (which I'm assuming is what you are doing?), work will be slow. You could knock out two or three exams before you start and finish the last one or two in the fall without much trouble.

F- 7/13- 84
R- 10/13- 79
A- 11/13- 99
B- 1/14- 86

Licensed in PA- 3/20/2014

This exam ALMOST defeated me back in 2006-2008, but I came back and WON!

[jlough]

There definitely are people who have done it. The one piece of advice I would give you is to be realistic about your abilities. Some people are just naturally smart and can study for two weeks and pass a section of the exam. Other people would need 8 weeks to pass that same exam. If you are honest with yourself and create a realistic plan, I think you will be successful.

Also, keep in mind that in your first few months in public (which I'm assuming is what you are doing?), work will be slow. You could knock out two or three exams before you start and finish the last one or two in the fall without much trouble.

F- 7/13- 84
R- 10/13- 79
A- 11/13- 99
B- 1/14- 86

Licensed in PA- 3/20/2014

This exam ALMOST defeated me back in 2006-2008, but I came back and WON!

[thechapman]

I am in the exact same situation with the graduation and work start time. I graduate toward the beginning of May, and right now I plan on the following…

AUD – May 30th

(June is blackout)

FAR – July 1st

BEC – July 30th

REG – August 25th

When are you planning on taking each exam?

Not sure if that's the best schedule or not, but I also have decided to dedicate as much time as possible to studying before I start working full time. I'm not sure what state you're in, but if I were you I would get as much of the application type stuff finished as early as possible. I just sent in my Application of Intent to the Texas board, and I'm sure it could take a month or two for everything to be checked out and approved.

Passed - 2014

[thechapman]

I am in the exact same situation with the graduation and work start time. I graduate toward the beginning of May, and right now I plan on the following…

AUD – May 30th

(June is blackout)

FAR – July 1st

BEC – July 30th

REG – August 25th

When are you planning on taking each exam?

Not sure if that's the best schedule or not, but I also have decided to dedicate as much time as possible to studying before I start working full time. I'm not sure what state you're in, but if I were you I would get as much of the application type stuff finished as early as possible. I just sent in my Application of Intent to the Texas board, and I'm sure it could take a month or two for everything to be checked out and approved.

Passed - 2014

[jk1282]

The only issue I'm running into is that I'm currently taking an online course at a local community college that will need to be transfered over before I officially can graduate. Because it's a 16 week course I don't think I'll be able to apply before everything is finalized in late May, early June. I'll have to talk to an advisor here to see if I can apply earlier but I'm not sure what if any success I'll have with that…

[jk1282]

The only issue I'm running into is that I'm currently taking an online course at a local community college that will need to be transfered over before I officially can graduate. Because it's a 16 week course I don't think I'll be able to apply before everything is finalized in late May, early June. I'll have to talk to an advisor here to see if I can apply earlier but I'm not sure what if any success I'll have with that…

[thechapman]

@jk1282 What state are you in? I know that for Texas you have to complete an Application of Intent with your education credentials, forms of ID, background check authorization, etc. We can do that BEFORE the 150 credit hour requirement has been met, so that it is possible to send all of this in now and simply send your transcript for your final semester in as soon as it is completed. After that, is approved (probably fairly quick if it's just one semester of transcript) you can complete an eligibility application that will be approved within a couple days that allows you to schedule sections of the exam. Your state may be a little different though.

Passed - 2014

[thechapman]

@jk1282 What state are you in? I know that for Texas you have to complete an Application of Intent with your education credentials, forms of ID, background check authorization, etc. We can do that BEFORE the 150 credit hour requirement has been met, so that it is possible to send all of this in now and simply send your transcript for your final semester in as soon as it is completed. After that, is approved (probably fairly quick if it's just one semester of transcript) you can complete an eligibility application that will be approved within a couple days that allows you to schedule sections of the exam. Your state may be a little different though.

Passed - 2014

[Study Monk]

I would not make concrete plans on how much time to give yourself for each exam until you took and passed one. Especially when your planning a rushed schedule. I think the average recent grad would need at least four months of dedicated full time study to pass all four sections. Maybe 3 weeks each for AUD and BEC and 5 weeks for REG and FAR. Even that is to rushed for my capabilities and work ethic.

If you want to be done by your timeline I recommend starting to prepare for FAR now so you can bang out one exam instantly when you get your NTS. Maybe you will have enough time to prepare for two. While having a recent education works in your favor for some of these exams keep in mind that people with audit experience fail audit and people with tax experience fail regulation.

I think a health fear and respect for these exams is an asset when trying to prepare for them. Be super ambitious and you might end up with 2 passes and 2 fails instead of 3 passes when you start your job. Obviously I don't know your capabilities but I am hoping to give you some food for thought anyways.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Author]

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