[punkndisorderly]

I’ve been studying for a few weeks and my first test (AUD) is coming up the beginning of May. I’m churning through the CPAExcel, listening to the Ninja audio on the way to/from work, and going through the Wiley book at lunch. I feel pretty good about my study plan.

The one thing I can’t seem to do is get a positive attitude about the test. I just can’t seem to get in the frame of mind I’ve had when tackling professional exams. I’ve done the CFE, CGFM and FLMI exams and had a great attitude during the process. I enjoyed the material and felt like I was picking up things that would help me beyond adding a few letters behind my name.

With the CPA, I can’t help but feel I’m jumping through hoops for the sake of jumping through hoops. I’m a governmental accountant. I work for a school district now and did governmental audits before that (city, county, utility districts, etc.). I can’t seem to get past the fact that 90% of the CPA material has zero application to what I do. I’m looking at hundreds of hours learning taxation, Sox, SEC regulation, and most of the rest of the exam material solely for the test and will (hopefully) never, ever see again. That’s hundreds of hours I could be spending becoming a better governmental accountant. The only reason I’m even considering the exam is because all those folks that draw up job postings for Finance Directors and CFO’s want a CPA. While I did the other designations to better myself, the CPA I’m doing to check off a box for someone else. I find myself more pissed than positive about the process.

I’m afraid my attitude is going to hurt me in the long run. Doubly so if I start hitting the 71, 73, 65 experience so many have.

Any words of wisdom to help me turn my attitude into something positive?

AUD: scheduled 5/3/14 (so far to go)
FAR:
BEC:
REG:

Completed: CFE, CGFM

[wildrain7777]

If you feel like you're studying useless information, wait till you get to BEC.

[RedSoxFan77]

^ I logged in just to “Hi Ya!” wildrain7777 LOL

FAR 75
AUD 74, 82
REG 58, 74, 83
BEC 68, 75
Licensed 7.1.14!!!

[RedSoxFan77]

^ I logged in just to “Hi Ya!” wildrain7777 LOL

FAR 75
AUD 74, 82
REG 58, 74, 83
BEC 68, 75
Licensed 7.1.14!!!

[Anonymous]

I've worked the past six years as a governmental auditor.

Got hired on after my associates as “cheap labor” and worked on my degree part-time through online classes. After putting in 5+ years and basically doing the job of a Senior, my bosses still refused to give me a promotion until I finished the degree. I watched people who did god-awful work get promoted ahead of me because I didn't have the stinkin' piece of paper.

Then I got angry.

Whipped through the rest of school (graduated in September) and immediately dove into the CPA exam. Despite my office employing 20 auditors, there are only 2 CPAs (the owner and the part-time QC person). When I got my first score (91), you better believe it opened some eyes. 6 months later I'm done with all 4 and have shot way up the ranks (figuratively and literally).

Moral of the Story: Get angry, work your butt off, and get a high score that'll embarrass your boss for thinking less of you!

[Anonymous]

I've worked the past six years as a governmental auditor.

Got hired on after my associates as “cheap labor” and worked on my degree part-time through online classes. After putting in 5+ years and basically doing the job of a Senior, my bosses still refused to give me a promotion until I finished the degree. I watched people who did god-awful work get promoted ahead of me because I didn't have the stinkin' piece of paper.

Then I got angry.

Whipped through the rest of school (graduated in September) and immediately dove into the CPA exam. Despite my office employing 20 auditors, there are only 2 CPAs (the owner and the part-time QC person). When I got my first score (91), you better believe it opened some eyes. 6 months later I'm done with all 4 and have shot way up the ranks (figuratively and literally).

Moral of the Story: Get angry, work your butt off, and get a high score that'll embarrass your boss for thinking less of you!

[Anonymous]

You guys are scaring me too much with BEC horror stories…

@punkndisorderly

Do it for yourself, not to impress someone else. Though I understand how you feel, I have been in the same situation A LOT. Now I found a different/ positive reason to be a CPA, I am much more motivated…

You seem like you have gotten a quite few under your belts already.

CPA exam is not only testing your knowledge, they are testing your endurance/patience.

We can do this!

I like your username, by the way.

[Anonymous]

You guys are scaring me too much with BEC horror stories…

@punkndisorderly

Do it for yourself, not to impress someone else. Though I understand how you feel, I have been in the same situation A LOT. Now I found a different/ positive reason to be a CPA, I am much more motivated…

You seem like you have gotten a quite few under your belts already.

CPA exam is not only testing your knowledge, they are testing your endurance/patience.

We can do this!

I like your username, by the way.

[Quinacridone]

I'm a governmental auditor as well and the CPA has NOTHING to do with my job….especially since I audit the Department of Defense. The first time I had a commander questioning my ability to audit because I didn't have CPA behind my name was when I vowed to myself to do it. I hate this process, I hate giving up every spare moment to passing these exams.

But what motivates me is that I know this is the next best step. I enjoy learning and seeing how all the pieces fit together. Someday I may need (or want) to step into public accounting, or even be able to help someone (or myself) with tax questions.

I'm jealous you have the CFE done already. That is another one of my goals. I've gotten to work quite a bit with the FBI and absolutely love the more investigative side of accounting.

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[Quinacridone]

I'm a governmental auditor as well and the CPA has NOTHING to do with my job….especially since I audit the Department of Defense. The first time I had a commander questioning my ability to audit because I didn't have CPA behind my name was when I vowed to myself to do it. I hate this process, I hate giving up every spare moment to passing these exams.

But what motivates me is that I know this is the next best step. I enjoy learning and seeing how all the pieces fit together. Someday I may need (or want) to step into public accounting, or even be able to help someone (or myself) with tax questions.

I'm jealous you have the CFE done already. That is another one of my goals. I've gotten to work quite a bit with the FBI and absolutely love the more investigative side of accounting.

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[MintsRGood]

Yes, the majority of the exam content will not enhance or improve the quality of your day to day work like. It's frustrating but the value of a CPA is that we are knowledgeable about everything! You said so yourself that the better jobs require the CPA…you really do want to be a baller! 😉

I work in tax and I despise audit. My firm doesn't do audits. My auditing classes in grad school were horrible for me. I hate all of the flow charts, testing, controls, opinions, and everything else that goes along with that miserable art. Guess what? None of that mattered and it wasn't helping me pass!!!! When I decided to let go off all that crap and fully immerse myself in the material, I killed it. You just have to get through certain sections. The comment about BEC was spot on!!!!

Get angry and stay focused so this exam doesn't take any more time away from you than it has to! Tap into that grit and determination you used to get through basic training, show this exam that YOU are a boss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[MintsRGood]

Yes, the majority of the exam content will not enhance or improve the quality of your day to day work like. It's frustrating but the value of a CPA is that we are knowledgeable about everything! You said so yourself that the better jobs require the CPA…you really do want to be a baller! 😉

I work in tax and I despise audit. My firm doesn't do audits. My auditing classes in grad school were horrible for me. I hate all of the flow charts, testing, controls, opinions, and everything else that goes along with that miserable art. Guess what? None of that mattered and it wasn't helping me pass!!!! When I decided to let go off all that crap and fully immerse myself in the material, I killed it. You just have to get through certain sections. The comment about BEC was spot on!!!!

Get angry and stay focused so this exam doesn't take any more time away from you than it has to! Tap into that grit and determination you used to get through basic training, show this exam that YOU are a boss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[Anonymous]

I see it as a necessary evil. I'm not in public accounting, and I specifically didn't go into it because it's not what I want to do. But, the CPA is the only accounting designation the average person recognizes. Having my license will not make me better at my job, but it will lend credibility to me and will make me easier to promote.

My approach to getting through this stuff is to be like Tim Robbins escaping from Shawshank by crawling through 500 yards of raw sewage. Just hold your nose and keep moving.

[Anonymous]

I see it as a necessary evil. I'm not in public accounting, and I specifically didn't go into it because it's not what I want to do. But, the CPA is the only accounting designation the average person recognizes. Having my license will not make me better at my job, but it will lend credibility to me and will make me easier to promote.

My approach to getting through this stuff is to be like Tim Robbins escaping from Shawshank by crawling through 500 yards of raw sewage. Just hold your nose and keep moving.

[MintsRGood]

^^^^^^^^^^^^CPA90x speaks the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[MintsRGood]

^^^^^^^^^^^^CPA90x speaks the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[Author]

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