Being a parent is already a full-time job. However, throw your actual 9 to 5 into the mix and any working parent will tell you it’s not easy. Whether you’re a part or full-time working mom, we know that in addition to everything else you’re juggling in life, sitting for the CPA Exam can seem like a daunting task. But you don’t have to sacrifice your career or family. Here are some of our top tips to help you pass the CPA Exam as a working mom.
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1. Know that you can do it. And make the commitment.
One of the most paralyzing fears that can stop any dream from becoming a reality is self-doubt. Self-doubt comes from fear of failing, letting others down, and ultimately letting yourself down. The key is to not allow self-doubt to cripple you. If you’re going to become a CPA, you first and foremost have to know that you can do it and make a formal commitment to do it.
2. Make a CPA Exam game plan. Then stick to it.
Now that you’ve sworn to become a CPA on an old accounting textbook in your living room in front of friends and family, it’s time to make a CPA Exam game plan to achieve this goal. This includes:
- Making sure you’ve met all your state requirements to be eligible to sit for the CPA Exam
- Setting a realistic timeline for when you want to pass the CPA Exam
- Using a daily study planner to carve out enough time during the day to study
3. Build your support group. It’s time to prioritize!
What’s equally important to having a CPA Exam game plan is making sure you have all the support you need to put your game plan into action. This includes:
- Setting expectations with family and friends about your limited time
- Asking family and friends to help you out with your kid(s) and/or other tasks so you can dedicate more time to studying
- Letting your kid(s) know about how things may change for a temporary amount of time as you go through the CPA Exam process
- Talking to your boss and/or colleagues to see if there’s anything they can do to give you a more flexible work/life/study balance
- Having others you can turn to for guidance or support when the going gets tough as you make licensure a priority
4. Study with a CPA Review provider that will serve as your CPA Exam personal trainer.
It’s often said that the CPA Exam isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. And any good marathon runner will tell you that the key to a successful race is proper training.
Enter Roger CPA Review’s SmartPath Predictive Technology™. SmartPath is a data-driven platform that provides targeted recommendations on how to focus your efforts by comparing your progress and performance to those who have passed the CPA Exam. It assesses your strengths and weaknesses, showing you what to study and how much. Students who meet all SmartPath targets have a 94% pass rate, helping candidates pass the CPA Exam faster and more efficiently than ever before. The sooner you’re done with the CPA Exam, the sooner you can move on with your life.
5. Celebrate small milestones and reward yourself.
Avoid burn out by setting small goals and rewarding yourself once you reach them. Because the CPA Exam is a long process, you want to make sure you leave room for breaks and opportunities to enjoy activities on occasion. Use them as a motivator as well as a stress reliever. It’s important to have some sort of balance during this time, and that means patting yourself on the back for a job well done as you progress through your CPA Exam journey.
6. Keep the end goal in sight.
Of course, becoming a CPA isn’t going to happen overnight. It requires time, dedication, sacrifice, and energy. As Roger Philipp, CPA, CGMA states: “It’s not a test of intelligence; it’s a test of discipline.” Passing the CPA Exam is a direct correlation to the amount of effort you’re willing to put into your studies and stick to your overall game plan. Remember that nothing worth having comes easy, and that obtaining licensure is going to open a whole new world of opportunity for you personally and professionally. Increased salary, industry options, promotions, job security, and travel are only a few of the benefits that come with the accounting industry’s gold standard certification.