[hellohellowelcome]

Hi, I am only 20 and a junior getting a BS in Accounting/Finance. I was wondering would the best option for me be to start studying say spring of my senior year, then begin taking the tests a month or two after graduation and try to complete all the parts by Thanksgiving. How many of you guys have gone this route?

[hellohellowelcome]

By the way, I will be graduating undergrad with 150 credits.

[jimboace88]

If you can do it, it would make your life a lot happier. Having said that, it depends on your class schedule and if you have any work commitments.

I definitely could NOT have studied for the CPA exam while taking six classes and working part-time. If your schedule is less demanding, you might be able to pull it off.

Keep in mind that applying for your NTS will take some time–it was about 4-6 weeks for me to get my NTS after I applied for it. You have to send them a transcript and the transcript has to say that you were awarded a degree, so that could give you a bit of a timing problem.

Also, if you're studying for FAR first and you haven't taken Advanced accounting yet, there will be parts of FAR that will be brand new to you, and they are somewhat complicated parts.

It's not impossible to do what you're thinking–there are just a lot of obstacles to get around. I remember underestimating how much time studying was going to take only to have a rude awakening when I got into it.

FAR 07/27/11 - 87
AUD 10/01/11 - 85
BEC 11/15/11 - 87
REG 01/03/12 - 92

[Anonymous]

@hellowelcome depending on the school you go to some will offer a FastPass program, which is one month of class and two months of self study during the summer. If you have a job offer from a firm, you will be eligible to have all your study materials and first-time test fees reimbursed.

This was the path that I took this summer after my senior year. It is impossible to do this while having a job, as you will literally be studying for 6-8+ hours per day all summer. While in this process I told myself that I would never recommend the program to anyone who asked as it is mentally exhausting and ruins a perfectly good summer, but getting the exam out of the way before you start full-time seems like a huge advantage based on what I have heard on this site and from people I know working for the firms. I wouldn't really recommend starting to study before you can officially sit for the exam, as you will need AT LEAST 120 credit hours to sit (and most states require 150 to sit).

Good luck when you start!

[hellohellowelcome]

I will have 150 credit hour the spring of my senior year when I begin studying

[Anonymous]

I would implore you to study either AUD or BEC — knock one of them out early.

[Johnny Drama]

I would enjoy your last year of college with your friends… it only comes once… best of luck whenever you do start though

FAR: Passed (10/25/2010)
BEC: Passed (1/10/2011)
AUD: Passed (2/26/2011)
REG: Passed (5/28/2011)

[mla1169]

Best preparing you can do in my opinion (if the bulk of your classes are accounting) take LOTS of notes and save them until you are a CPA.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mnCPAwannabe]

@hellohellowelcome

It's what I did. Started with FAR Apr 4 of my senior spring semester. Took AUD Apr 30. Reg May 31. and BEC Jul 7. It was a definite crunch and I had a relatively easy class-load. I wouldn't recommend trying to do it much faster than that. Good luck!

FAR: 84
AUD: 95
REG: 78
BEC: 88
ETHICS: 100

[Author]

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