Success with no intermediate accounting…? - Page 2

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  • #174137
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hello All,

    I found this forum in my research, once I decided to go down the path of becoming a CPA. It has been very informative, inspirational and a great resource even at the point where I am at. Even now, I would greatly value some opinions…

    I am currently taking classes this semester to fill up the gap to get to 150 units from the 130 I attained with my Finance degree over a decade ago as well as to fill the gap to meet the 24 accounting units required to sit for the exams. I am taking Financial, Corporate Financial/Managerial, Cost, and Auditing. These along with the 2 semesters of Financial and 1 semester of Managerial I took in the late 90s will get me the units I need, but for basic knowledge, will these be enough (without Intermediate, Tax, Government, etc.)? Can I get everything I need from prep materials/review?

    I would like to think that I am not the dullest tool in the shed…I passed my brokerage exams (Series 7 and 63) with about 2-3 weeks and 1 week of reviewing prep books and MCQs years ago when I first got out of school, though I know this is different.

    My biggest concern is spending another semester in school (time, money, etc.) when I could be studying for and starting to take exams in the spring if I can get transcripts processed in January or February.

    I would greatly appreciate any and all input/feedback. Thanks.

    (Also…I am working full time through all of this too.)

Viewing 7 replies - 16 through 22 (of 22 total)
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  • #378683
    Whatdidyou
    Member

    I know we are going off topic a bit, and maybe I'm a little old-fashioned, but I think that if you are going into accounting you should take intermediate accounting. It's the main core of the accounting major.

    I know a finance guy who got a great job at a bank, and the bank called him before his start date to ask him if he'd taken intermediate accounting. Even though he had taken quite a few other accounting classes, they made him (and paid for him) to take the intermediate accounting series during his starting months.

    IMO: You'll learn far more about US GAAP by taking the intermediate accounting series than you would in a review course.

    REG - Passed!!
    BEC - Passed
    FAR - Passed
    AUD - Passed

    Study Materials: Becker basic course

    #378684
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    It very much depends on the quality of the class. I've taken only Intermediate Accounting I and barely remember anything because the “professor” was a joke. My whole academic accounting knowledge, prior to studying for the CPA, consisted of two different levels Financial / Managerial Accounting classes (not counting audit, tax, etc).

    You can definitely do it without this class, but I would advise to plan 4 months of studying for FAR, find a good review course, and take it first.

    #378685
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I really appreciate the responses/opinions, that's why I love this forum and I'm so glad I found it this early in my journey.

    I forgot to mention, all the Accounting classes I am taking now are online, from multiple schools (there was no other way to squeeze in 16 units working full time and it is barely doable now). If I can at least get Intermediate 1 and maybe a tax or something else in winter session, those will be online as well, so the classroom/lecture benefit are out of the equation. Since I wouldn't have transcripts for this semester by the Jan/Feb window, I think I will try to get what I can in winter session and just hit the reviews/exam prep hard for my first two in the second window in the Spring.

    #378686
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    On top of Intermediate 1, would you take either State & Fed Tax or Governmental Accounting if it was your last class before exams?

    #378687
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I would vote for the Tax class. Governmental is just one module in FAR, while tax is a huge portion of the REG exam (the AICPA claims 60%, but I thought it was more like 80%). Also I had never had any exposure to Governmental, and I thought it was one of the easier sections of FAR.

    #378688
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Nice, thanks apbandj.

    #378689
    leafs43
    Member

    You're generally not allowed to take the higher level classes without intermediate.

    Intermediate is not even that bad.

    Well okay, the 2nd semester is bad, but the first is generally pretty easy as long as you have a good teacher that explains why the class is presented the way it is.

    And honestly, intermediate is a huge plus for understanding accounting. I couldn't imagine myself trying for a cpa without intermediate.

Viewing 7 replies - 16 through 22 (of 22 total)
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