[Vagrant]

I am currently aiming for pathway 2 for CPA licensure in California, which requires “1 year of general accounting work experience supervised by an active licensed CPA.” The problem is that this require sounds very vague to me. What qualifies as “general accounting experience?” Does working part-time qualify or does it have to be full-time? Or both? Also, I had a friend that told me that his friend was working an excessive 12 hours a day to fulfill the 1 year experience requirement in half the time, but I don’t know if that’s legit. Does anyone know of anyone who has done this or know if this is even possible? I ask because I am currently taking prep courses for the CPA exam, but I have 0 accounting work experience. Since it’s almost the end of the year, I fear that I may not find a job in time to meet the 1 year experience requirement before January 1, 2014. I have been constantly looking for internships and even offered to work for free just so I can meet the experience requirement, but no luck. I have to finish all of my requirements before Jan 1, 2014 because my units will no longer qualify once the new licensure requirements are approved.

Can anyone shed some light on this situation?

FAR - 65,84
AUD - 71,74,74
REG - 64
BEC - 74

[Minimorty]

What do you mean your units will no longer qualify? If you have 150 units, all you need is one year of experience. That doesn't change with the new rule. The new rule impacts people with less than 150 units, who could still get certified with 2 years experience. How many units do you have?

My understanding is that part-time work counts, but that you probably can't work “faster” than full-time. I actually tried to do with that my ASA designation. I had 5 years of full time experience after 4 years of working more than full time. They said no. I even appealed to the Board of Directors but was shot down. So I had to wait another year and got the designation then. Anyway, not sure what the CBA would do, but thought I would share anyway.

[littlenumberrobot]

@Vagrant is probably talking about the ethics requirement. But other courses can be used to fulfill that until 2017. I have poured over the new licensing requirement more than any study material! I encourage the OP to read it also, if he/she hasnt already. Just in case the clock runs out.

CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

(Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

Ethics 90%

[MeaDebitum]

California only requires one year of experience? That's insane.

[littlenumberrobot]

@MeaDebitum – yes but with 150 units completed. Before we were allowed to get licensed with less units but 2 years experience. I believe most other states require the 150 already.

CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

(Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

Ethics 90%

[Vagrant]

What I meant by my 150 units not qualifying is that some of the units I have taken to achieve the 150 units requirement were “filler” units or non-accounting-related courses. By Jan 1,2014, those “filler” units won't qualify and I will be below the 150 units requirement.

FAR - 65,84
AUD - 71,74,74
REG - 64
BEC - 74

[littlenumberrobot]

Private accounting also counts but must be signed by acitve CPA. Also I read as long as you have your application in to the board by 12/31/13 with no missing documents you will count under old pathway. That is all the info I have. Good luck

CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

(Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

Ethics 90%

[Minimorty]

@Vagrant – I'm not sure that is accurate either. My understanding was 24 business and 24 accounting to sit for the exam. 150 can be whatever, as long as you have the 24 and 24.

@Mea – EXACTLY! It is way too easy to get your license. Test should be harder, experience should be harder, etc. That is when you start seeing value.

[mmcgrad1]

@Mini

I think the value of the CPA license is more complicated than make the test and experience requirements more difficult. The demand for CPAs is high but the credential won't bring in big bucks. It will lead to opportunities and potential to make good money. Therefore, to meet the demand for CPAs and encourage individuals to pursue the license the exam needs to require studying and have moderate difficulty. The level of difficulty is supposed to be at the level of an individual with about a year of experience.

I think the bigger issue is the devaluing of education as a whole. Forty years ago a college degree used to mean something. Today it is expected for most professional jobs. Personally, I think there are many jobs out there that unnecessarily require a college degree. This has diluted the value of a college education. Let's face it, there are people in college who do not belong there. It's not personal; it's not to be demeaning. They can live good lives without college.

University was originally intended to help shape a person to be an intellectual. It wasn't about acquiring credits to qualify for a career path. It was for those who wanted to learn about mathematics, science, philosophy, art, etc. The focus on credentials for a career field watered down education. This also applies to Masters programs as well. Twenty years ago an MBA really meant something. Today I just received a letter from my Alma mater for their MBA program and I don't even have to take the GMAT because of my GPA at that school. Not to mention the plethora of schools and online colleges offering MBAs.

I think this is a big problem with this country. As a whole, we believe certain jobs and lifestyles are beneath us. So we obtain all kinds of credentials to prove our value and worth. Companies require these credentials because they have no other way of weeding out individuals because the candidate pools are so large and impersonal due to our reliance on technology. Not everyone can be a CEO, CFO, or partner of the Big4 just like not everyone can be a Major League Baseball player. There's nothing wrong with working in a field people look down upon. I wish people would wake up and realize their sh!t does stink just like everyone else. Maybe then we'd focus on doing our best to better society based on our talents rather than focus on becoming what society tells us is valuable.

NIU CPA Review Correspondence is awesome!

I passed all four sections on the first attempt

[Vagrant]

False alarm. I just reviewed all of my classes again and realized that my college shaped the accounting major requirements in such a way that requires all accounting majors to take enough accounting/business/ethics units to automatically fulfill the Jan 1,2014 requirements. Thank you to those who replied.

FAR - 65,84
AUD - 71,74,74
REG - 64
BEC - 74

[Minimorty]

“The level of difficulty is supposed to be at the level of an individual with about a year of experience.”

How can this possibly be good? The level of difficulty of the exam should really be equivalent to about five years experience, minimum. In the end, the cream always rises to the top.

[mmcgrad1]

“How can this possibly be good? The level of difficulty of the exam should really be equivalent to about five years experience, minimum. In the end, the cream always rises to the top. “

The argument could be made that the level of difficulty should be 10 years minimum. Five years isn't that much at all. You're most likely a Sr or a new manager at 5 years. A CPA should have some management experience since they are supposed to be the cream of the crop. Why is 5 years your cutoff date?

Like I said in my post, the problem is bigger than the CPA exam. It is a devaluing of education.

NIU CPA Review Correspondence is awesome!

I passed all four sections on the first attempt

[Minimorty]

@mmc – Ten is even better! lol. I just used five because it was a lot better than one!

Also, I dont understand the problem with our education system. A bachelors degree is the new high school diploma and a masters is the new bachelors. No biggie, right?

[mmcgrad1]

“Also, I dont understand the problem with our education system. A bachelors degree is the new high school diploma and a masters is the new bachelors. No biggie, right?”

I think it's a big problem and I think the CPA exam reflects this problem. Why has the bachelors degree replaced the high school diploma?

I believe it's for two reasons:

1. $$$ (Schools like all the ridiculous tuition and businesses want to minimize time and money spent training employees)

2. Employers are requiring college degrees for positions when that time could be better spent on job specific training

I believe some individuals would be better suited not to attend college. However, they are told they need to go unless they want to take a terrible job for very low pay. The value of a college degree means very little since it is expected. Even an MBA holds significantly less value than it did years ago.

You believe the CPA license should hold more value than it currently does. You propose more stringent requirements. That wont happen because of the money generated by increased candidates taking the exam and the fact that the CPA is unnecessarily sought after even in some corporate roles.

If you want the CPA to be valued more, then I believe the way we approach education and careers needs to change. Personally, I think the exam should be much more difficult. The whole reason I was hesitant to take the exam was because I was afraid. I wish I hadn't have been so scared and just taken it 3 years ago. However, our opinions may not be the norm and we need to realize what the industry expects CPAs to know.

NIU CPA Review Correspondence is awesome!

I passed all four sections on the first attempt

[MeaDebitum]

Maybe I need to look at other state requirements. My state's aren't ridiculously difficult, but its more than the one year “general accounting work”.

[Author]

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