[12tang]

How many of you feel like the CPA has “changed you” for the worse? Maybe it’s just me but if you look close enough, you’ll find many candidates that work while trying to obtain their CPA go through absolute turmoil in trying to obtain their license. The profession gives zero f’s about how difficult it is and that’s fine.
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I just find myself wondering, where does it all go from here? The exam isn’t getting easier by the day. Many articles speak about how we all work too much in America. Studies show that 25% of college students have abused ADHD medications for academic success. I’m sure many from that 25% are among the STEM fields. I saw some alarming stats about how many people in the financial sector abuse ADHD meds and I can only imagine how high that number is among Wall Street workers. What are we becoming? A youtuber documented his struggles with the CPA exam and he came off as very smart and obtained high scores above 90’s on each exam, yet he admitted to having to see a mental health specialist at the end of it. Does anyone else think about these kind of things?
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You can rap all you want about how it’s suppose to be challenging and how not everyone is meant to be a CPA… Yeah, we all get that. But what about the ones that do get their CPA and feel like their mental health suffered greatly for it. I’m sure many just remain silent on the matter. Our American culture is weird. Driven to madness, not always success. We wear our hard-work like a badge of honor and ironically, that same badge is what puts us in the grave… I’m almost done with my CPA but over this long journey, I feel like it’s been unnecessarily difficult and while it will certainly be rewarding when I’m done, I know a part of me will hold a little resentment probably until my end days. What a freaking gauntlet… I do enjoy a challenge but WOW! Don’t even get me started on public accounting @ large firms… I estimate half the kids that sign for that type of exploitation will hold resentment from that process as well. I’ve seen the souls sucked from former Big 4.

Using Becker self-study
FAR: (82) 175 hours - 1st attempt
BEC: (XX)
AUD: (69) 45hrs of study - 1st attempt
REG: (XX)

[vbmer]

The CPA exam in the US is easier (or at least, tests at a lower average order of thinking) than comparable exams around the world including the CA/ACA in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, etc. or even the ACCA/CIMA. Other countries have higher pass rates for their final exams because the AICPA-equivalent trains candidates directly, and weed out most candidates not capable of passing.

The CPA exam is not inordinately hard or high-pressure. The pass rates are very high among well-trained candidates from traditional backgrounds. There is a place in the market for accountants in industry who are not CPAs, but I expect a minimum level of competence from people who are going to be legally authorized to sign off on audits, and I think the CPA exam is a very fair baseline of knowledge.

Of course, I'm not saying studying for the CPA exam, especially while working full-time, isn't stressful. It is. But it is a necessary sacrifice to fulfill our profession's duty to the public. Try to take care of your physical and mental health during the process. Be open with your support network.

[12tang]

I get it. Just boggles my mind sometimes when I start seeing reports of the drug abuse to remain competitive, the financial burden of numerous retakes and review packages, etc. To protect the public, I fully agree with. I just feel that a larger proportion of candidates are going about it in a different way than their peers a few decades ago, often at their own expense. They resort to methods that I doubt candidates did back in 90's before the profession changed due to the big corporate scandals. I just hope that as we continue forward, the AICPA keeps in mind the overall health of those that represent the profession. Mental health gets swept under the rug unfortunately. It's difficult to fix and for a business, it doesn't make money. “Give me your best and the ones willing to work 70 hours or more week on a fixed salary! And no, I don't give a damn about how they feel, we'll replace them if need be” You say the CPA isn't excessively difficult but not all would agree. And it's a fact that it has been harder since SOX. Jeff, how many pronouncements are we up to? 😉

Using Becker self-study
FAR: (82) 175 hours - 1st attempt
BEC: (XX)
AUD: (69) 45hrs of study - 1st attempt
REG: (XX)

[turo9992000]

It takes all kinds, getting my license was definitely one of the hardest things that I did and it came at a pretty steep cost. The thing is, that it makes me value it more. I don't do stupid stuff and I don't devalue myself because of all the hard work I did in order to get it.

If you have mental health issues, work on that and consider whether you want to be a CPA.

[thunderlips]

everyone has a different experience with the exam. even though i have yet to pass one i have nightmares about the exam like once a week. my latest one was i passed then received a letter in the mail saying they messed up the grading and i have to retake the exam – i had one week to sign up and take it or i lose all credits. this has not been the best experience but i am still trying

[Yahmon]

Just remember its just an exam and not life and death. If you pass/fail life continues. Don’t overthink it because that tends to create unnecessary pressures.

Being a CPA is a great accomplishment but it doesn’t make you a better person (my opinion). I failed a few times before it passed and never got too low or even too high when I passed. Just remind yourself this is just a step on the journey of whatever your goals are

FAR 8/20/15 - Passed 77
AUD 10/10/15 -
BEC TBD
REG TBD

[Skynet]

The Joker once said ” Sacrifice comes before Success even in the Dictionary” .

For someone like the Joker with mental health problems, we all can take a cue from him.

[Biff Tannen]

I believe humans create their own suffering. I worked for a big 4 while studying for the audit section. I ended up passing while working overtime, but it was brutal. I left Public with 1 year of experience and transition to Internal Audit. I now work between 38 and 40 hours per week. I have plenty of time to study for this exam, work out, and have a normal life. Public accounting is not for everyone. Just accept it and move on with your life!!

[jombe]

I lost sleep over the exams, had minor anxiety attack for the first time in my life an hour before FAR, but here's the thing. No one is forcing anyone to get a CPA license. We live in a free country where we get to choose what we want to do with our lives for the most part. If you aren't cut out to pass the CPA exams, you don't have to.
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For instance, I am a terrible public speaker. I will sometimes physically shake before having to give a speech. That's why I didn't explore a career in public speaking. I studied engineering for the first two years in college. A lot of classes I took simply didn't “click” with me and it was stressing me out to a point that I didn't even want to continue college education anymore. So, I looked at other fields and ended up choosing accounting. I am sure you get where I am going with this.
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Moreover, whether we are talking accounting or any other professional fields, I'd trust someone who went through rigorous education & training over a person that passed a half-assed exam you can do in a day or two, wouldn't you? W/ that said, I heard most people finish the exams in 2 years or so. I think that's pretty reasonable.

FAR - 94 (10/4/15), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
AUD - 99 (1/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
REG - 96 (4/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
BEC - 91 (7/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ

581 days of listening to lectures, reading texts & 10,000+ MCQs...

[12tang]

I only wonder where the CPA exam will be in 10 or 20 years. Better get it done now, haha! @Jombe, the shakes you speak of can be solved with a beta blocker. Propranolol is used by people with high blood pressure and when it's consumed in much smaller doses, it can be used for people that get that “flight or fight response” aka the shakes. Or you can quit all caffeine and that will help as well, but maybe not as much as the beta blocker. Worth checking into. Thanks everyone for adding to this forum. I'm good mentally, just speaking out of curiosity.

Using Becker self-study
FAR: (82) 175 hours - 1st attempt
BEC: (XX)
AUD: (69) 45hrs of study - 1st attempt
REG: (XX)

[jombe]

@12tang – really appreciate your advice on the shakes. I had no idea it was something that could potentially be treated. Will definitely look into that. Have a good one!

FAR - 94 (10/4/15), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
AUD - 99 (1/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
REG - 96 (4/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
BEC - 91 (7/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ

581 days of listening to lectures, reading texts & 10,000+ MCQs...

[12tang]

@Jombe – No problemo! Yeah, artists and public speakers will typically use beta blockers so they don't shake. The shakes are caused by adrenaline and the beta blockers will block the adrenaline receptors, so that the adrenaline cannot attach to cells. That's my understanding of it. You can take it 3 times a day so you always have it in your body, or you can take it like I do, and that's on an as-need basis. If I'm under great pressure and have an upcoming meeting, I'll take one an hour before and it works for about 5 hours. I hardly take them anymore since I quit caffeine. I don't have that much adrenaline floating around anymore unless I'm super stressed from something. *Cough* CPA Exam/Work *Cough* 🙂

Using Becker self-study
FAR: (82) 175 hours - 1st attempt
BEC: (XX)
AUD: (69) 45hrs of study - 1st attempt
REG: (XX)

[Author]

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