[Anonymous]

in studying for this exam, my hair started to look like an electrocuted version version of Einstein’s Afro. During the last week before I took FAR, i forgot to brush my teeth and fell asleep on the toilet, and found my self dreaming about financial statements chasing me with calculators… no just kidding about the falling asleep one, but my point is, this process is stressing me out, and its killing me socially gradually.

Should I even continue with this??? I mean, I work as an accountant right now for a public company. I haven’t and probably will NOT do auditing. And, I probably won’t get into Public accounting (big 4; but that’s just maybe, can’t predict the future…)

But I do intend to stay in the field of accounting or something related, like finance.

My co workers, most of them have inactive CPAs, and the accounting boss, who’s done like years and years of auditing at a big 4 (but DOES NOT have a CPA license) is making way over 100k… maybe like 150k or something..

and then there’s me, stressing my butt off for this exam… do I even need it?? i mean, look at everyone else, they’re making WAY more than me, and they don’t have their CPA, or its inactive. Should I even continue to pursue it? it’s literally killing me slowly, i’m missing meals, i forgot the combo to my lock at 24 hour fitness, and had to get it cut b/c the exam i took was so intense, i think my memory got wiped out for temporally.

can someone list the benefits in getting the CPA? well i mean of course its obvious.. CPA is MUCH MUCH MUCh better than non cpa..

[quittingcpa2013]

Passing the CPA Exam is only an investment. You don't need it to become successful (I'm going to assume your definition of success is making a lot of money judging from your post).

If you think doing something else with your time would be more beneficial to get you to where you want to be, then spend your time doing that thing. Ask your co-workers if their CPA license (even if it is inactive) helped them to get to where they are now. No one said you had to have a CPA to make a lot of money; but more likely than not, it can help you get to that spot.

Becoming a CPA is not for everyone & that's a good thing, because otherwise it would be a phenomenal waste of time.

[SeattleAccountant]

@Mints “At least at my recent events I can enthusiastically respond to the dreaded question that I'm taking my final section at the end of August and that I am almost there.”

I'm signing under each of those words. So tired explaining myself that i'm not a CPA YET (graduated from MAcc last June and been working hard to pass this exam but people still think that I'm somehow behind).

Guys & girls, keep studying and taking and we will be there!!!

Becker Class of Jan - Aug 2013: FARB DONE!!!!
CPA license pending 🙂

[Anonymous]

Hi ALL, Thank you so much for all your answers.. I had no idea there were so many responses since I don't know how to get email notifications, or any alerts that people had responded. I finally decided to check and look around the site, and found this..

Thank you all again.. I guess I will keep on going. I will tackle this son of a B. FAR. I hate FAR so much.. but I will try and keep going. Serious… Thanks again all!

[Anonymous]

If you still have friends and hair at the end of this process, you haven't studied hard enough. =)

[mrogovitz]

My FAR instructor for the Becker live course told a really good story about having the CPA. He earned his CPA during his days as an accountant and then moved on to a related field, but by no means did it require the CPA credential. However, he kept up with his CPE credits to maintain an active license. Years down the road, he was working on a project as a consultant and another consultant working for the same company approached my instructor. Somehow, he had caught wind that the instructor had his CPA license and asked if he wanted to work on a consulting project on the west coast (he worked on the east coast). My instructor was caught by surprise and he asked the other consultant why him. The consultant's response was “because you have your CPA and these guys will listen to you.” The instructor took the offer. The moral of the story – YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!”

AUD: Attempt 1: 60; Attempt 2: 78
BEC: Attempt 1: 75 (lost credit); Attempt 2: 80
FAR: Attempt 1: 74; Attempt 2: 74; Attempt 3: 78
REG: Attempt 1: 76 (lost credit); Attempt 2: 68; Attempt 3: 80

Finished 11/01/2013!!!

[Gatorbates]

Yes, yes and yes. I made the decision right out of school to start my career and get my CPA license along the way … bad move. 13 years later I'm finally back in the groove in getting it. If you happen to lose your job, the CPA license is CRUCIAL in getting a new position. Most employers throw away resumes that don't include CPA licensed. If they were looking at two people for a position, one with the license and one without (salary requirements aside), it's a no brainer for them.

Licensed Florida CPA:
B: 71, 73, 79
A: 83
R: 78 (expired), 77
F: 74, 74, 80

It's finally freaking over.

[momto5]

I agree. Passed the exam last year working as an accounting clerk. Needing the one year of experience that Wisconsin requires and wondering whether anyone would hire a 50-something for an accountant position when they have no real accountant experience. Recently applied for a county government position as an accountant and got it! I have to believe that having passed the CPA, even though it is not needed, is what helped me get this position! A co-worker that has been an accountant for 15 years had also applied for it and did not even get an interview! Don't give up! You will never regret it!

FAR - 92 (4/27/12)
AUD - 96 (7/17/12)
BEC - 92 (8/30/12)
REG - 91 (11/12/12)

[Anonymous]

after listening to all these stories… I think the one that caught me the most was from

@isauditforme

Really got me wondering… What if I got laid off??? hmmm, ok.. Having a CPA license will definitely help.

[Author]

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