[Anonymous]

CPA exam is tougher than the NCLEX and bar exams haha.

Me: I can’t go out this weekend I have to study for my exam.

Her: Ah what exam?

Me: CPA exam, it succcks

Her: Really? It can’t be that bad. I had to take an exam like that for nursing.

Me (smirks): …well, it’s not exactly the same…

[reallytired]

It is frustrating because I do the same thing and people respond with “oh you don't need to study that much!” Yes I do… Which is another reason I don't like telling people I am taking the exam because if I tell them I failed a part, they don't understand how hard it is to pass the exam in the first place! I find out my first grade on Tuesday and there are maybe a handful of people who know that!

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[sancasuki]

I've heard that NCLEX isn't that hard. Getting into public university nursing programs is extremely competitive (at least in California). Like if the college has 25 spots, 800 people will apply. And only those who have taken the prerequisite classes can even apply. Getting into accounting programs is pretty easy. At my university, the accounting program became impacted shortly after I graduated though.

[Just3Letters]

So true. My mom is the head of nursing at a large state school and she told me about 80% of nursing students pass the RN exam the first time.

However, it's also equally annoying when people who took the CPA exam previously studied each section for 30 hours and passed and then they tell you, “dude, come out with me tonight, trust me… you don't need to study very much”

Everybody is different…

FAR- 81
REG- 81
BEC- Aug 22, 2016
AUD- TBD

[jdhcoca]

Someone at work just got PHR certified. She studied for a week, took a test, and knew results the same day.

I'm lucky. My family and direct manager at work understands the process so they know it isn't a walk in the park.

@reallytired. I find out about my second section (REG) on Tuesday. Good luck on your results!

BEC - 90
REG - July 24th
AUD - Sept 5th
FAR - ???

[patelhj1]

I can go on for hours how I hated to tell people how the CPA is different and the test is an adaptive test. Meaning me and you could be taking the same test and have completely different questions. How I have to wait 20 days to get my score … the whole process is a nightmare but then I tell them to go google “hardest professional exam”

BEC 78 08/2015
REG 71 11/2015, RETAKE 83 01/2016
FAR 75! 5/2016
AUD ? 8/2016

Becker with Nonstop NINJA MCQ
Google most difficult professional exam

[Missy]

Its really all relative. I giggle when people taking the cpa exam now groan about having to wait 20+ days for their score. Only 4 years ago (not “back in the day”, same exam format for the most part, same topics tested) there was one score release per window so if you took the exam at the beginning of the window you could be waiting about 3 MONTHS for score release. You don't get or appreciate how short your wait is (nor SHOULD you, it should be right away like the PHR exam which I've also taken) because most of you never waited 11 weeks.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Bear-Bear]

The best response I've had before is someone telling me that he “knows about all that studying” because his wife's online community college classes are really difficult.

Sure thing, scooter.

[Skynet]

Are you guys crazy!?

The OKCupid Dating Site Personality is harder than the CPA exam.

Took the 200 plus question test and my results came back “Stalker, No Match”. WTF!?

[reallytired]

@jdhcoca, Hey good luck to you as well! My fingers are crossed for you! I took FAR so I have been praying to the accounting gods to just let me pass this one!

@skynet, Ok I actually laughed out loud at this, thanks for bringing a good joke! 🙂

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[suzieemac]

@patelhj1… love your response. I may need to google “hardest professional exam” myself when I feel discouraged. But its a lot easier than trying to explain the process to an outsider.

AUD - 8/12/16
REG - 10/7/16
BEC - 11/18/16
FAR - TBD

#300before30 - Pass the CPA exam before my 30th Birthday.

[ShutUp]

The tests are definitely hard, but I'm not convinced that any other test has the same quality of exam materials – and support group as the CPA exam. There's no way i would be passing these things if i had to do problems in a book and check the answers. My attention span would get me thru maybe 3 questions

FAR - May 23rd (24th, Prometric power outage) - 89 ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)>⌐■-■
AUD - July 18th - 88 ┴┬┴┤( ͡° ͜ʖ├┬┴┬
BEC - August 29th (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞
REG - TBD ಠ_ಠ

"You better cut the pizza into 4 pieces because im not hungry enough to eat 6!"

[Anonymous]

It goes the other way too, I have coworkers who have been working on the actuarial exams for a decade. It's all relative.

[Waluigi]

I agree that it can be hard for people outside the process to understand how difficult it is. My friends who were Nursing Majors took a three day cram course and all passed their NCLEX's. But they had a much harder college experience overall

@ShutUpStupidGetBacktoTeachin Great profile pic! Steve Brule is one of my heroes haha

FAR 2/29-66 :/ Retake 11/30
REG 5/31 76!!
BEC 7/31
AUD 10/01

Roger + Cram + Ninja Notes, Audio, and MCQ's

WALUIGI TIME!!

[mtaylo24]

I can remember that one weekend that my wife studied for her NCLEX. She came home crying that Monday and found out she passed the next morning. Meanwhile, I have been studying for this stupid exam for almost 4 years, sitting through 8 2+ week waiting periods 🙁

AUD - 1st - 60 (12/12), 61 (2/13), 61 (8/13), 78! (11/15)
REG - 55 (2/16) 69 (5/16) Retake(8/16)
BEC - 71(5/16) Retake (9/16)
FAR - (8/16)

[TheHoundThatRides]

It's wrong of people to think that we don't have to study that hard, but why do we have to go put down other exams? Seems like a really low move to build up self-esteem.

Based on time required to study, CPA doesn't come close to CFA so the CPA isn't even the “hardest professional designation” in business.

BEC - 78 (August 2015)
FAR - 80 (November 2015)
AUD - 73, 67. (Ok I gotta confess I was even more lazy this time around)
REG - August 27th, 2016

[Author]

Replies