Whether you are fresh out of your degree program and are attempting the CPA for the first time, or you’ve been in the working world for a little while now and have tried your hand (unsuccessfully) at the CPA exams already, you have come to the right place.
It’s shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone that the CPA qualification exams are difficult. Many people don’t pass their exams the first time (or the second), and, with life getting in the way, completing all 4 sections can take a lot longer than anticipated.
Luckily for you, we are hear to give you all of our insider tips not only on how to pass the CPA, but also on how to win a great job afterwards.
Passing the CPA
Like any exam, the key to passing the CPA is what, and how, you study.
The WHAT
We know, we know – there are dozens of CPA study aid programs available out there, so how on earth are you supposed to choose one? I mean, they all claim to be the best, right?
Realistically, none of the study aids are substantially better than the others, especially when it comes to content. They all provide similar video and lecture content and offer practice questions for you to go through.
What really makes certain study aids stand out, in our opinion, is the accessibility of the material – how long do you have access to the material? Are updates provided automatically? What platforms is the material available on?
If accessibility is what you’re looking for, there is one program that we feel provides the best value and the most options to anyone needing to study for their CPA, and that is CPAexcel.
Why CPAexcel?
There are two main reasons we are recommending CPAexcel to you:
- Unlike many other programs, which are available to you for a limited time only (such as 1 year), CPAexcel offers you a “Use Until You Pass” Guarantee – this means no more paying for updates or extras and no more stressing about having to take the exam (and pass) before your subscription runs out to avoid repurchasing.
- CPAexcel offers a mobile app in addition to their more traditional video lectures and physical study aids. This allows you to study anytime, anywhere – while you’re on the go or before you close your eyes for the night – the mobile app is a great way to consistently get in a few minutes of studying throughout your day.
The online study suite offered through CPAexcel provides numerous tools and outlets to help you prepare for the exam, such as video lectures, practice questions taken from previous CPA exams, lesson specific flashcards, and even discussion forums where you can connect and converse with others studying for the CPA as well.
To top it all off, CPAexcel even offers a free 14-day trial – so you can see if it’s the right program for you before committing to the cost of the program.
The HOW
We are here to break it to you – how you study is just as important as what you study.
Watching hours of video lectures and reading pages upon pages (upon pages) of course material is not going to help you pass the CPA exams – you will get bored and overwhelmed, and burn out before the day is done. The information won’t stick and you will find you are just wasting your time reading and rereading the same things over and over without soaking any of it in.
The answer? Practice questions – all day, every day.
By working through generated practice exams, either on the online suite or with the handy-dandy mobile app, you will get a feel for how the exam will be formatted, how the topics will be proportioned, which areas you need to study more, and which areas you are comfortable and confident with.
This will allow you to tailor your studying to the areas you need to work on – this is when you turn to the videos and reading material.
If you don’t believe us, take it from someone who has experience – from failing to passing all 4 exams in just three short months – all because he changed how he was studying.
Finding Your Dream Job After The Exam
Of course, all of this studying is pointless if you aren’t able to land a job – let’s rephrase that – your dream job – once the exams are all done and over with.
You didn’t put yourself through years of schooling and months of seclusion studying for the exams just to go back to working in the same entry-level position you had before. If you are looking to land your dream job in the world of accounting, you need to ace the interview.
If you can make yourself stand out from the competition, show potential employers the value you can add to the position and the company, and most importantly let them see how passionate you are about what you do – you should have no problem landing the job you’ve always wanted.
So what are you waiting for? Get studying for your CPA exams today!
References
- http://theaccountingpath.org/certified-public-accountant-job-interview-questions-answers/
- https://www.efficientlearning.com/blog/cpa/pass-cpa-exam-3-months/
- https://www.efficientlearning.com/cpa/why-wiley/guarantee/?usource=lc&utm_source=lc&utm_content=118695&lctid=515722
- https://www.efficientlearning.com/cpa/products/free-trial/?int_type=ads&int_campaign=om_ftacquisition_cpa&int_date=201809014
