[Anonymous]

I cannot believe what the Florida Dept of Accountancy just told me.

I was short 15 credits to get licensed as a CPA in FL. FL has this stupid regulation that you have to have extra 15 credits from an US accredited university (such as North Central Association) if your master’s degree is from a foreign university.

So I chose online classes through APUS because they are accredited by the North Central Association.

Now they are telling me that they do not recognize any courses taken through the graduate program at APUS.

This is soooo ridiculous!!!

The only requirement was that the university has to be accredited by this association, which it is.

They were just telling me that these type of online graduate programs are no “real” classes …. They also told me that other CPA candidates have the same issues and that there was a hearing in April in front of the Board of Accountancy.

Has anyone else been in this situation?

I am sooooo desperate right now, I will have to find another graduate program….all the time and money seems to be wasted.

[ymmit]

That seems a extremely unethical to contradict clear requirements posted on their site online

Licensed CPA!

[Gatorbates]

You may want to “lawyer up” 🙂

Licensed Florida CPA:
B: 71, 73, 79
A: 83
R: 78 (expired), 77
F: 74, 74, 80

It's finally freaking over.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I probably will have to 🙁

The other Candidate who took APUS classes has already one and on April 2nd we will find out if they could convince the Board that online classes are not just a joke…

I thought waiting for the exam results was horrible…but this makes me sick, honestly

[ipasscpa]

Does you degree or transcript say “online” on it? I was about to enroll also but now i am scared too. I am from NY tough.Good Luck

CPA- VA

[Anonymous]

No it does not say online.

I would sent the NYS Dept an email with the courses you want to take and request a written confirmation that these courses are ok.

Before I took Apus I called the FL Dept and they said apus was ok, as long as it is accredited (which it is and was). I thought this was enough….obviously it is not!

[Anonymous]

No it does not say online.

I would sent the NYS Dept an email with the courses you want to take and request a written confirmation that these courses are ok.

Before I took Apus I called the FL Dept and they said apus was ok, as long as it is accredited (which it is and was). I thought this was enough….obviously it is not!

[ipasscpa]

whenever I call the NYS board, either I have to leave a message and if by chance i get connected, no body can help. They will read me everyhting from online which I have already read by myself. I thought passing this exam was a hard part. Never been that stress and disappointed in my life before.

CPA- VA

[ymmit]

I emailed the NJ board asking whether there would be any issue and mentioned another state did not allow it. I asked if there are any restrictions whatsoever about any online school. They replied saying:

“The NJ Board accepts college credit earned from any regionally accredited school. As long as when you complete the courses the school is regionally accredited you would be fine.”

hope this helps, have you thought about being Licensed from a different state other than FL?

Licensed CPA!

[Anonymous]

Yes, I applied for a license in NH yesterday – just in case… I hope they do not have such stupid criteria than in FL.

But this means I can only use my CPA on federal returns and before the IRS, but I cannot use it for FL State returns or before the State Dept. of Revenue.

Also I think I am not even allowed to print it on my business cards or mention it on the website.

Maybe if I add “inactive” (although I am licensed in NH) or “licensed in NH” this would be ok, but I doubt it.

When I want to transfer from another state to FL I would still have to meet all the sitting and licensing requirements of FL.

So this is no option unfortunately

[ymmit]

“Also I think I am not even allowed to print it on my business cards or mention it on the website.”

Are you kidding? lol So you will be a licensed CPA but not have it on your business card or even talk about it? I must be missing something.

Licensed CPA!

[Linda181]

I just finished my masters in accounting at APUS and when I applied to sit for CPA exam in Florida, I got denied citing deficiency for 15 credit hours in graduate level so I contacted APUS and copied them with the denial notice and that's when I was directed to the accreditation officer of APUS. Based on what I was told, the school had provided the syllabi to the Florida Board of Accountancy and the decision at this point is to bring it to the Education Advisory Committee to which the review is originally scheduled for 4/2/14 but I was told that the meeting (thru conference call) is now moved to 4/25/14. When I talked to the board of accountancy, I asked specifically why I was denied and the reason I got is based on school syllabi. I am hopeful that there is a positive resolution on the matter.

Is there anyway I can communicate privately with others having the same issue? Thanks.

[ipasscpa]

By looking at the Master's syllabi, I can tell all of these courses are covered in undergrad program. And especially if you have undergrad degree in accounting, it will be consider duplicate courses which many boards don't allow. I was about to enroll but after looking at these posts,decided not to. Good luck ..i hope Florida is not strict as New York and grant you these courses ..

CPA- VA

[Anonymous]

Linda181!!!!!

I cannot believe I found you!!!!! I just cried out loud!!!

I asked APUS to give you my contact information. I am not sure if I am allowed to give you my email address here, maybe you can ask Diana Guina or Emily Philippe (accreditation dept of APUS) to give you my contact information in case this here will be deleted.

Please, please, please get in contact with me.

Thanks,

Katharine

(my email address is my first name and then [a]gmx.at

[Anonymous]

I looked deeper into the regulations and found this:

“Elementary accounting subjects, or course equivalent to elementary accounting, cannot be used to satisfy the requirements of this rule. Elementary accounting subjects include principles of financial and managerial accounting courses even if they are covered in a three-course sequence, are titled “introductory”, “fundamentals”, or “principles,” even if they are offered at the graduate level.”

This regulation only speaks about Accounting classes, which I would need 6 semester hrs of.

It does not talk about taxation or other graduation courses, so at least my other 9 semester hrs, which I took in taxation and law should be fine because I cannot find a specific regulation for these courses.

And yes, I was serious, I think you are not allowed to name yourself CPA on a website of a Florida business if you are not licensed in FL. Or at least you have to add “inactive” or “licensed out of State”

I applied now for my license in New Hampshire, the State I was sitting for the exam. At least I can sign fed tax returns with “CPA” and represent my clients as a CPA before the IRS once I am licensed. But I am not allowed to use the tile on Florida State returns as far as I researched.

[ymmit]

Thanks for the updates,

@cessna,

when they say, “cannot be used to satisfy the requirements of this rule” What rule are they referring to? do they mean the 150 hour rule? or the specific accounting credits rule?

Licensed CPA!

[Author]

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