[oneFREAKINGpoint]

So I’m about halfway through studying for FAR and I hit a topic that I’ve always had issues with. Back as an undergrad I remember visiting an old accounting professor in office hours to try to figure it out and all I remember him saying is that I was a hopeless case and “I wouldn’t even try to sit for the CPA if I were you.” And then my confidence gets shot. I don’t even remember what he said about the topic I asked him about.

FAR is my last exam. I KNOW I have a shot at passing if I can get through all the material and don’t fall behind on my study schedule. I’m so afraid, though, that I’ll go in to the exam super confident, get a question on NOLs, remember what my professor said, and suddenly lose all the confidence I’ve been building over all this time.

How do you deal with unsupportive people in this process? Or demotivating memories? 🙁

[yankeeaccountant]

I had a Cost Accounting class with a professor who passed all parts back in the old days on her first try. She knew how I struggled with the multiple choice questions–always good at second guessing myself (that ole test anxiety rearing its head!) and since I knew that this was my last class before starting to take the CPA, I decided to get her .02 Bad Idea, she said straight out, I have my doubts.

Well, like MLA said, I dug my heels in too! I am happy to say I am now done. Will I ever go back and tell her I passed? NAH. Don't need to. At least for me, knowing that I finished what I set out to do, is all the satisfaction I need.

good luck onefreakingpoint!!

[Givemesleep]

My intermediate accounting professor told me the world

Doesn't need B level accountants! Now I make 5 times as much

Cash as that B…. Don't listen to people, except your mommy.

My mom told me years ago, just do it already. She was right.

Reg 11/15/2011 - 80
Aud 02/28/2012 - 81
Bec 05/31/2012 - 78
Far 08/31/2012 - 83 Do you believe in Miracles, YES !!!

CPA License received 10/2012 !!
CFE License received 04/2013 !!
EA License received

Givemesleep

[Anonymous]

What is worse than a professor who discourages you?

How about one who doesn't bother teaching you well enough to do well in the CPA or whatever subject you're supposed to learn. You get an A in the class thinking you're awesome and then you take a sample test and get crushed by the teeny tiny embarrassing score.

Or how about the teacher who completely bores you to tears? I've had that decades ago at university, and it turned me completely off of accounting. Until I went back recently, started taking classes at my local community college and had interesting professors who got me on my CPA track. My #1 favorite was Summer School Prof who taught 2 classes and she rocked big time. She was a Roger clone 🙂

[Anonymous]

Luckily I didn't have a prof that was not encouraging – but I worked for someone for 2+ years who holds a CPA certificate and according to the rules of his home state (which is not where we are located) he doesn't need to take CPE as long as he is not in “public practice”. He's quite proud of taking the test way back when it was on paper and not taking one credit of CPE since. Anyway, when I asked him about whether I should pursue the CPA, I didn't get much of an answer. Thursday was my last day at the job (I found out two weeks ago I passed the final beast – FAR) and there was no “congrats” or anything, just a …”don't be a stranger”. Well, eff you too! I'm told he pulls in about 90k, but you couldn't get me to compromise my ethics (the way I think he does) for only 90k. Glad to be done, now that I'm unemployed I need to figure out what I want to do when I grow up!

[Anonymous]

Funny…I went to GA State and took an upper level accounting course from a real dolt of a guy. He too questioned whether accounting was for me. It wasn't that it wasn't for me, it was that I was taking four classes in the Summer quarter and working full time plus. I was burnt out and should have taken the quarter off.

Since his prediction:

I earned my MBA and graduated in the top five in my graduating class.

I passed the SEE Enrolled Agent exam

I now have two parts under my belt.

I now have to deal with the people at work who are taking the exam and failed two sections (or more) that I can just tell are rooting against me. Not anything personal but if the new guy comes in and dominates on a section that they failed, it just hurts (I know I have been there). You can tell because they come slinking around about grade time acting all interested and when you tell them “Yeah, I passed” their mood changes. When they ask the grade and I tell them “88” it gets even more different. The conviction in their voice that they are happy for me isn't really genuine.

When I watched others pass, I took them out to lunch and was genuinely happy for them. I don't possess the jealousy gene.

I also have to deal with them because since joining the company mid last year I've been recognized several times by Executive Leadership and despite really wanting to hang in the background behind the curtain pulling levers and making magic happen (until I am done with the exam), I keep getting pushed out front. Now I am getting comments like ‘favored son' and ‘chosen one'. I don't let it get me down, I use it as a barometer to know if I am doing well. The more comments I get, the better I am doing.

People, forget 'em! Do great things consistently and great things will happen for you.

[Author]

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