[Anonymous]

I know this is a rather silly question because I, myself, can jump up and immediately vote: CPA exam. But I’m just curious to see if anyone or most people agree with me. The reason I ask is because all of my college instructors told me that the CPA exam is no different than a college exam. I believe I may have read a few posts here or on another forum where people have said that the CPA exam is just like taking another college exam.

I wholeheartedly disagree. While college was no joke, the amount of material to study was significantly less and the exams never required you to be so proficient in your knowledge like the CPA exam does. Anyone else agree with me that the CPA exam is harder than a college exam?

[yankeeaccountant]

I totally agree! I am studying like I never have before! I took a graduate level Stats class that was insane, but then again I still managed a “B”, so CPA exam IMO is tougher!!

[jomarie]

CPA Exam!!! Totally, never studied like I have the past 6 to 8 months!!

Started sitting in May 2002, on and off. But since 2008 I've been nonstop and my scores are....
AUD - 39, 48, 56, 65, 68, 73, 76!!! (Finally passed in Oct 2011!!!) Becker, NINJA, & Wiley
REG - 75 (Lost Credit) 72, 68, 73, 75 (Passed again in Aug 2011) Becker, NINJA, & Wiley
FAR - 65, 68, 75 (Lost Credit) 68, 73, 73, 80 (Passed again in May 2012) Roger, NINJA, & Wiley
BEC - 65, 68, 71, 72, 72, 71, 76 (Lost Credit)- 70, 76!!!! I AM DONE!!! - Roger, NINJA, & Wiley
After 10 long years of studying, I AM DONE!!!! Finally a Licensed CPA in the State of New York!!

[Youngbizman]

Nah this is honestly not even a question. One section of the CPA Exam is harder than any five tests combined in college. FAR, for example, consisted of all the material that was covered on 3 quarters and 9 exams at my college. Having to study that much information all for just one exam was ten times harder than any exam in my Intermediate accounting courses and I 4.0 all three of those.

[Hut-Hut]

You can almost always cram for a college exam (a week at most is sufficient). You can't do that for the CPA exam.

On a sidenote, you can be unprepared for a college exam and find a way to cheat.

BEC - 67, 79 - (expires 5/24)
REG - 74, 72, 77 - Key to Passing: RTFQ
FAR - 77 - Chance favors the prepared mind.
AUD - 64, (5/14) - FREEDOM!! (i hope)

[Herbieherb]

From the time I started taking exams, the only exam I studied for more than 1 night was the cpa exam. I didn't study for SAT, everything in hs and college was a one night session…got thru with a 3.3 ? My first attempt at cpa I studied lightly for 2 weeks for lapr and audit failed both Haha…and I thought I over studied. Can't even compare.

NEW YORK- DONE

[joshuaohchocinco]

yeah its just like a college exam if the college exam was given Dean Wormer from Animal House, Injected with steroids and then shoved down your throat 1 page at a time…..is that going too far?

FAR 11/18
AUD
REG
BEC
....this of course assumes the world doesnt end prior to.

[Anonymous]

Glad to know it's just not me, lol. I don't know why some people would say they're the same.

If i studied hard and found a test difficult in college, I would get in the low 80 or high 70s. But in the CPA exam, if I study hard and find the exam difficult, I would get in the 50s and 60s.

It was so easy to get a 75 in college without studying. But since I wanted to maintain a 3.5 GPA, I always studied hard. But with the CPA exam, all I need is a 75, but it is the hardest 75 I ever tried to get. Getting a 75 on the CPA exam is like trying to get a 95 on a cumulative final exam in college…. possibly harder.

[killaking]

They are both hard because College while its spread out it will ask tricky questions on 3 chapters while the CPA exam is harder because it covers way more but ask simpler questions.

CPA exam FAR and REG is basically 2-4 college classes in one test

College exam what was 2 pages in becker is a whole class in college which gets very detailed and specific.

FAR: 7/17/10 missed exam FML reschedule 8/29/10-77 EPIC!
REG: 5/31/11-73 SMH, 8/31/11-85
BEC: 4/15/10-72 : retake 10/3/10-80
AUD: 11/28/10-74, 02/27/11-71 FML, 8/1/11-80
Ethics 10/22/22-80, retake 11/28/11 - 88

[Anonymous]

CPA, CPA is like a big 4 years of college exam, the quantity of materials is just ridiculous IMO.

[See Pee A]

@jomarie: Just noticed all your exams, you must have been working on the CPA for at least a year and a half now. Bravo! I have nothing but respect for someone with your will power. Keep up the hard work and it will all be worthwhile. Best of luck to you!

BEC 86 (08/30/11)
FAR 84 (10/13/11)
REG 88 (11/08/11)
AUD 86 (11/29/11)

Exam prep - Becker self-study

[Anonymous]

Not even close….each SECTION of the CPA exam is like 5 college / grad school final exams put together

[Anonymous]

Depends on what exam you take in school but I would say the CPA exam is harder because you really don't how it is graded and which questions you need improvement on. Oh and it's cost money to retake an exam which is always bad.

[Anonymous]

Before I started studying for CPA exam, I never thought it would be such a long process. Many of my friends (non-accountants) frequently asked me what's the exam format is like. They often gave me a suprised look like “what?! you are still studying for the exam!!” Kind of tired of explaining to people what I am doing. I am so glad that I found this blog to get the support I need. Thank you all!

[Author]

Replies