[anu]

Hi,

I am in the process of applying for Oregon CPA License. I know it requires me to submit a narrative of work experience. My experience mainly relates to tax in public accounting firms. Can anyone provide me with some guidance on how to write a narrative? I have worked in public accounting firms in Wisconsin and Illinois. So I don’t know of anyone who has applied for Oregon license. I am stuck at the starting point itself!

-Anuja

[runincpa]

I hate how little guidance there is on what to do once you pass the exams, and before you actually get licensed. I will hopefully be in the same boat (also in Oregon), in a few months so I’m also interested in this.

[anu]

Thank you for your interest in my post. You are right, there is so little guidance on this topic. I passed the exam in 2017. I am an international student so I was eligible to take the exam through only 3 states. I picked Oregon. At that time, i did not know this requirement of narrative writing otherwise I would not have picked Oregon! Once you are in that boat, please let me know if you are able to put together the narrative and get your licence. Thanks.

[ally]

Hey! I’m from Oregon and have heard so many “happy” memories from people about this part haha. I had a manager who’d passed all four exams in 2013 and didn’t get licensed for years because he didn’t want to do it…

Anyway, they are looking for certain career skills and development that you can articulate to the board. Scroll down to the “Core Competencies” section here:

https://www.oregon.gov/boa/Pages/Licensing.aspx

Depending on your specialization, you can talk about specific work experiences that helped you build the skills they list out there.

Oregon is a very crazy state for licensing (I’m moving to the Midwest in a couple weeks, fortunately!), so best of luck! Let me know if you’d like any help – I’ve assisted with many a renewal as well 🙂

[anu]

Hi Ally,

Thank you for the reply. I have not started with writing the narratives for the license. Thank you sharing the link for Qregon licensing too! I guess I am at a point where I should start with the narratives and see how it turns out. If I don't get it done now I will never do it.
Hope your move to the Midwest was hassle free. Midwest is awesome!

-Anuja

[Vicky]

Hi Anu, have you finished your narrative yet? Hopefully that you've got the license by now. I am also blown away and lost with the OR requirement. Would you mind sharing a redacted version of your narrative with me so I can use it as a template?
I've heard that so many people have been rejected. This is such a pain.
V

[monikernc]

@Vicky see the article from Oregon board Newsletter below on what they want. Start with a list of your job responsibilities, cross-reference to the competencies posted by the board and start adding the details this article says they want to see. Yes, it will take time, it will require thought, you will have to risk failure one more time, but since you only have 8 years from the time you pass the exams to get it done, you better start now.
https://nasba.org/app/uploads/2019/08/Oregon_Newsletter_AUG.pdf

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[anu]

Hi Vicky,

I have not started on my narrative yet! I had decided to start but then tax season came so did not get a chance. I really need to complete the narrative this summer. Its long overdue.
I hope you got a chance to finish your narrative. I am still stuck!

-Anuja

[monikernc]

Anu, if you are international and do not need your license to be from Oregon I highly recommend transferring your scores to Montana through NASBA. Montana licenses many internationals and is considered substantially equivalent to most other states for reciprocity. Inquire with NASBA licensing to see if education will transfer with scores. So much more sensible than what Oregon requires. Good luck!

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[Chloe]

Hi Anu,

My Oregon license has been just approved. I would like to give you a timeline because no one really explained me how long it would go through the process.
I've passed my exam in March 2020 and submitted my narrative with related docs at the end of April. The Board said that i did not give them enough definition of each competency and rejected my first narrative in mid May. I resubmitted it on May 20th and received the approved email in June 8th. At the first attempt, I wrote about 5 pages and 2nd attempt, I wrote 8 pages.
Unfortunately, I am not able to share my narrative but from my experience you need to include definitions of 7 competencies (like textbook definitions) and give them one or two examples from your work experience but you should not miss any of the competency. you must include every single competency on your narrative. For example, if they ask you “integrity” and “due diligence”, you must explain both of them not just pick integrity and expand on it.
I hope it helps you to start off your narrative. Good luck!

[anu]

Hi Chloe,

Thank you for the information! That is really helpful! I will start working on the narrative asap since it seems that it doesn't get approved in the first instance.

-Anu

[anu]

@Monikernc – transferring scores to Montana won't really help me coz I am based out of Chicago and in the end what I really want is Illinois license. Transferring to Montana and then again transferring to Illinois will be too much effort I guess. But thanks for the suggestion anyway!

-Anuja

[monikernc]

Anu, good luck!

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[Author]

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