[isithardorsomething]

FIRST POST! HEY!
I work at a small accounting firm with about 10 CPAs, the majority which took the exam years ago. Every time I take the exam they feel the need to tell me how much harder it was when it was on paper and when you had to take all 4 parts in 2 days. It’s literally driving me insane. When I told them to take a look at the pass rates over the years they said it’s because this generation is dumb. I really just wanted to vent and know if anyone else has experienced this.

[fsugirl2005]

Hmmmm….if they took the exam 30+ years ago, that means they will be retiring soon. “A wet bar would go great next to that office window overlooking the city on the 20th floor in MY new office.” =)
Don't take it personally. They are bitter because they didn't have the computer age to rely on. They can't help it.

AUD - 10/21/16 (75----07/2010 expired)
FAR - 10/28/16
BEC - 11/2016
REG - 01/2017

Using Gleim CPA Review, Ninja Audio, Ninja Book

[DogMommin]

Yes all the time!! I work full-time while studying and my bosses always question why I'm so tired or why I don't do anything “fun” on weekends. I just took my first exam a couple of weeks ago and one asked me how I felt after being there four hours. I told them the time went by quickly but I felt so exhausted to which they responded, “well imagine taking the entire exam in two days”. It's like they only ask me about my exam so they can remind me that they took the whole thing in two days.

[lurking_CPA]

Those same partners would readily fail today's CPA exam because they were licensed in the pre SOX era. How relevant or useful is the commercial paper questions they had today when nobody signs checks or IOUs in the manner they did? That's why they yanked those topics out of REG. It was pointless memorization.

They are inferring somehow today's exam is easier which is baloney. Today's successful CPA is WAY more technical because the regulatory environment demands it.

I had a partner bash on young kids once and I asked him to recite ASC 605 and 606 basic steps verbatim. He was stunned and fumbled it.

I've been grilled by job interviews on both and had to nearly recite them verbatim.

Partners could use a dose of humble pie. The best minds in accounting are typically not sitting in the partner chairs in my opinion. Dont let their myopic opinions bother them. They'll be sent to the farm by their trust fund kids in due time.

[Kat]

That's interesting. I've worked in two firms so far, both with around 20-30 employees and I have had the opposite experience. The partners and older CPAs have all told me how terribly they feel for us candidates now because of how difficult they are making the exam and the path to licensure. I think just based on logic alone, anyone familiar with accounting would assume the exam is much more difficult now because of Enron/SOX. Also, the partners / older CPAs at my firm know that we now need 150 credits, which is something they did not need.

[Author]

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