[75 CPA]

College was a piece of cake. I can teach anyone to be a 4.0 student. These CPA exams are something that I have never faced, however. I am teaching myself 50% of the material and with good review materials, learning the material is not a problem. The problem is the volume of material to learn. It just never ends.

Do not think for a moment that college prepared you for these CPA exams. The CPA exams cover twice the material that I had in college, but not in the same depth. I literally needed three cost accounting texts to cover all of the variance analysis questions on the business exam. Additionally, I have four intermediate accounting texts for the financial exam. If you just waltz into these professional exams like this was college, you will limp out of these exams with a failing grade.

All of the CPA candidates who took Becker with me have failed. They failed because they used the same study habits that they used in college. They crammed with Becker. That will not work. The CPA exams are not about short-term memory. These professional exams are about long-term memory on more subjects than Becker covers.

Short-term memory will not work with these exams. Only long-term memory will work. One of the major points of long-term memory is to study a little every day, even if it is only for 10 minutes. It is better to study 10 minutes for six days than it is to study once for 60 minutes. Additionally, I am using more than one review program. After I finish one program I go into another review program.

Pick your review materials carefully. You will not pass the CPA exams without good review materials! If I had to pick the best review course, I would pick Yaeger. No one matches his personal help. If it were not for Yeager, I would have failed the REG using Becker and Gleim. Yaeger is a teaching course. Becker is a fast paced review program for students who have a solid academic foundation. Gleim does not have a teacher; however, I use their multiple choice questions and simulations.

No review course can cover all of the subjects tested. Therefore, I am now using the strengths of each review program to help me pass. I would rather spend the money now then have to retake these CPA exams!

Those three initials, CPA, do not come cheaply! I have no friends, no family and no life. That is the price that I have to pay to pass each of these exams the first time. Each of these CPA exams is a monster. Studying for these exams is a full-time job. Good review materials and serious study equals success

[75 CPA]

CPAWannaBe

Welcome to the FAR 68-69 club. School is just a game, and the CPA exams are a new and very important game. I passed FAR on my second try, and so will you!

I do not cry. I do not whine. I do not give up. Failure is just a learning experience. Making a 68 on FAR did not bother me one bit! I learned that I had to change my study methodology and review materials. Failure is a better teacher than success.

Accounting is a new career for me. Ten years ago I did not know a debit from a credit.

There is a down side to being 64 years old. No one will give me a job. Getting that one year experience for the CPA license may be more difficult than passing the CPA exams! I am praying for an employer (mentor) with a kind and generous heart. However, there is also an upside to being 64 years old. We old guys are very focused!

[Anonymous]

75 CPA

I agree on all your post from this form. Like anyone out there, I didn't know there are other prep courses material out there and I only study the material from my review course. I quit my job just try to pass the CPA exams and study every day as a full time student. I took all 4 exams and failed all 4 within last year. Sometime, I will think why other people can pass this exam at first try and I can’t even pass after many hours of study and many attempts of the exams. After I visit this website, I find out most of the CPA candidate are use more than 1 study materials. I borrow my friend’s study material MC as my supplemental study material. I passed 3 exams and waiting for FAR result which I will find out the result next week. I hope I got lucky 75 and put this exam behind my life.

[75 CPA]

Free0911

You sound just like me. I also quit my job to study for these exams. My sugar momma (my wife) is paying the bills. It's time for me to become a CPA in order to pay the bills and support our hobbies. I am now waiting for the results of my last exam, AUD.

[The GaJone]

This thread has been a very interesting read to say the least!

First of all 75 CPA, I totally agree with your post about how college does not prepare you for the CPA exam. That's why I disagree with the people who say you should sit for the CPA exam immediately after finishing college and before getting a job. My 3+ years of public accounting experience have helped prepare me for the exam a thousand times more than my 4 years of college did.

Also, I find it extremely interesting that people who graduated with cum-laude honors and 4.0 GPA's who have used multiple review programs and put in tons of hours studying have struggled with this exam. I graduated from a school with an average at best accounting program with a whopping 3.0 GPA, have only used Becker's review program and studied about 75 hours for FAR and passed with an 81 on my first try. And if I had to put money on it I'd say I passed AUD too while putting in about 60 study hours for that part. I'm not saying this to rub it in by any means (because the way my REG studying is going I'm not feeling good at all about that part, and God almighty I'm already dreading BEC); I just find it interesting how different the exam goes for different people.

FAR: 81 (1/20) AUD: 88 (2/27) REG: 91 (4/19) BEC: 75 (5/20)

[Anonymous]

Amen to college & this exam having nothing to do with each other. Very glad to see I am not the only one who thought that. I was starting to feel like a fraud thinking that I am passing so far but I really don't know a thing. I read some questions people have & realize I either forgot it already or never knew it when I took that section. If I was a doctor & this was medical board exams, I wouldn't allow myself to touch a human – you shouldn't get a second chance & third chance to find an appendix if the first couple tries aren't in the multiple choice answers.

My tax classes in college were complete jokes not to mention over 10 years ago. I had to learn and re-learn everything. A good friend who made 3.8 in college & grad school can't get out the 60's on this exam on 6 sittings now. Other people I know were marginal at best & got all 80's & 90's. This test has nothing to do with your intelligence, that's an IQ test. This has to do with how do you understand concepts, how do you take tests, how well you do under pressure & how lucky are you to get questions & sims on topics you know. .

[Anonymous]

brla,

Amen! I am a terrible standardized test taker, but I am a good student. Some people are gifted when it comes to exams: breeze over the material and pass with flying colors. I really have to work at it.

The advantage of taking it right out of school isn't so much what you learned in school, but the other things you have going on later in life. Once you have a family, it's not always about the exam 24/7. Those with spouses that support you during this time are so fortunate. Count your blessings! My husband was laid off in Septmeber, so I am under double pressure to pass this exam.

75 CPA,

This is my second career too. You said, “Failure is a better teacher than success” and that is so true. I am focused on passing the exam now and the experience requirement can come later. I'm not sure about your state, but SC reduced the experience hours from 2000 to 1000 recently. I really hope you find someone lucky enough to get a seasoned and focused professional like yourself.

[75 CPA]

There is a learning curve for the average CPA candidate. I have a good attitude about the whole process. All of my failures are temporary and a learning experience. I just wish that I could have learned from the mistakes of others instead of my own mistakes! I am convinced that we will all become CPAs if we do not quit.

The will to prepare is vital. Studying for the CPA is my cross and my prayer.

[Soanxious]

I am really glad I found this forum and others that have struggled with this. I was never good at standardized tests, but I was always a good student. I have a bachelor's majoring in accounting, a master's in accounting and finance (both from private schools), made the dean's list numerous times, but I just can't get passed this exam.

It is heart wrenching to find out that you didn't pass, but it only made me more determined to do so. I have never failed at anything so doing so a number of times was horrible. I am not in the position to stay home from work so I spend 60 hours of my week working / traveling, and my spare time is studying (my second job as a CPA candidate). My poor husband is so sick of it, but still hanging in there with me.

I don't think any part of these exams are easy because of the volume of material that you need to know and you need to know it well. I know looking back I did not study enough in all my previuos attempts. I also learned that I needed the more comprehensive course to fill in some of the blanks for me. I like detail so an overview of the material just doesn't cut it in my case. So I think different programs work for different people based on the individual and their needs.

By us all being here and dedicating ourselves to this we have already made progress, and our way to passing. Let's all hope for score releases this week. I don't think I can take another two weeks of waiting.

AUD 1/5 – IL

IL - 11/24 AUD

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

[fsucpa]

I don't mean to be harsh, but I have to wonder about the quality of your education if you don't think that college prepared you for the exam. I get that some people may not be fantastic test takers, but none of this material should be foreign to anyone. There's a lot of it, yes, but it's not new. I think maybe you need to reevaluate the way that you study.

BEC 89, REG 78, AUD 76, FAR 7/6

[financeguy]

I think a lot of people give too much credit to college. Basicaly, anyone can go to college…the only thing keeping anyone out is money. A majority of our population is barely intelligent at all…so they have to kind of curve the level of difficulty of college down some. I am definitely not trying to take anything away from anyone who got straight A's in college, but I just want to say this: I went to a pretty good school. I hate studying, and would just about rather do anything over studying, and therefore I was an extreme slacker in college as far as studying goes. Now I didn't get straight A's, but mostly B's and a couple of A's. The amount of effort that I put in was barely anything outside of attending class. Granted, I paid good attention in class, but I don't think I ever actually read the actual accounting text books, other than 2 or 3 classes. My point is, college is not at all hard. This test being hard is a good thing. It gives the CPA title much more value. A regular Bachelors degree hardly even has any value anymore because so many people have them.

AUD - 81, BEC - 74, 80, FAR - 82, REG - 81
Done!

[75 CPA]

fsucpa

It is called grade inflation. The rigor of the courses is not what it was 40 years ago when I got my first degree, or even what it was 10 years ago. My wife is a professor at a state college. Talk to some of the university professors All of the professors that I talk to say the same thing. They have reduced the rigor of their courses over the years.

Public education is a complete failure from grades k-12! SAT scores have been going down since 1963.

https://www.edchoice.org/schoolchoice/

[fsucpa]

That may be, but I was refering to what is presented in college, not the grades. I haven't encountered anything on the exams, BEC, REG or AUD that I haven't seen before. You said that the CPA exam covers twice the material you learned in college…even if you were exaggerating some, that's a problem. I don't think the exam is easy, but your study program of choice shouldn't be the first time you have seen any of the material. I didn't go to an Ivy League school, but I can't complain about being unprepared for the exam.

BEC 89

REG 78

AUD 3/8

FAR April/May

BEC 89, REG 78, AUD 76, FAR 7/6

[Soanxious]

I think the review classes touch on a lot more in depth information than what the college level did. It is not that we didn't learn any of this in college. Actually I have had CPA professors say that different subjects are taught different ways depending where you went and what book you used (such as business combos).

Plus the examiners expect a professional level, and we all are stronger in different areas. We all had to meet our hours to get to this point so we are all familiar with the content, but the trick is to get through the exam without the use of the book or the internet that we became reliant upon (although in a professional job you would use those things if need be and have a senior member most likely overlooking you work).

IL - 11/24 AUD

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

[75 CPA]

Soanxious

Hang in there. Cut yourself some slack. You are doing more than one full time job. My wife compares the CPA exams to getting her doctorate. If you just keep putting one foot in front of another, you will become a CPA! Unfortunately, our spouses have to suffer along with us.

If I passed AUD, I am finished! If not, I am going to miss Spring, again.

[75 CPA]

fsucpa

Most college textbooks have everything in them, including the kitchen sink. Are you telling me that your professors covered every chapter in the book? Did you have a college course in estate taxes? Government accounting was an elective that I elected not to take. Even if you did take government accounting, did your professor cover not-for-profit organizations? These CPA exams are a mile wide, unlike college.

Additionally, my auditing professor told me on the first day of class that her course would not help me on the CPA AUD exam. She was right!

[Author]

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