[kennethc524]

Can anyone tell me why people don’t flock into those states which have a lower standard to take the CPA exam? California for example requires only 120 hrs, while the requirement of accounting course is 24 hours. Given the fact that all CPA certificate can be transferred to other state, why there are still so many people spending so much money on those MAC program merely because they want to sit for the exam?

[limey]

B/c there's differences with:

1) initial application – each state has different education requirements to sit for the exam, 120, 150, conditional, etc. The educational credits, especially the undergrad ones, aren't always easy to transfer, b/c another state's accountancy board may not understand them, i.e. California may not understand courses from a school in Indiana. Each state accountancy board (usually) understands the courses that schools in its own state offers, b/c it has often reviewed the accounting curriculum and programs for accreditation purposes, and for exam-sitting purposes. It often works closely with the school's accounting departments and faculty.

Undergrad courses are a little harder to understand, but Master's (MAC) programs tend not to be. People sign up for MAC programs b/c there it helps (somewhat) in career prospects, with having more education and also b/c some of the larger accounting firms recruit from some of the more prestigious MAC programs.

2) license by reciprocation – this is relatively easier than initial application, b/c the one state will usually just check to see that there's no civil/criminal proceedings going on against you in another state. It's a much faster process than going through someone's school transcripts.

I really can't pass again!

[Author]

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