Despite full-time work and family responsibilities, you’ve likely already spent countless late nights preparing for the CPA Exam. If effort were measured in lamplight and coffee cups, you’d already be certified. Still, you may not feel like it’s been enough. While solo study time is crucial, don’t overlook a powerful tool to boost your motivation, sharpen your understanding, and increase your accountability: CPA Exam study groups.
Let’s explore how these groups (both in-person and online) can help you study more effectively, keep you on track, and build the confidence you need to pass the CPA Exam.
Why Study Alone When You Can Multiply Your Strength?
Will a study group truly help or just turn into yet another meme-sharing session? That doubt may cause you to be a lone learner, especially if you’re more introverted. But let’s face it: The CPA Exam is one of the toughest professional exams. Study groups or forums allow you to tap into the collective strength, insights, and experiences of others walking the same path.
Here’s a breakdown of 6 key ways a CPA study group can transform your prep — and why it’s worth stepping out of solo mode.
#1 Stay Accountable
Accountability becomes a must when a streaming service screams for your attention louder than your notebook. Fortunately, study groups create a shared sense of commitment. Knowing others are counting on you helps you stick to deadlines.1
#2 Study Smarter
By now, you’re locked into a study routine that works for you (which is great!), but consider switching things up. Why? Mixing subjects and topics (a technique called interleaving) helps your brain distinguish concepts more effectively. Study groups promote shared expertise, structured variety, and exposure to new perspectives — all of which make interleaving easier.
What else makes studying easier? Our CPA Exam course — with a robust QBank, smart flashcards, video lectures, and other resources — gives you a well-rounded study experience.2
#3 Fill Knowledge Gaps
If you don’t know something, chances are somebody in your study group or forum does. Maybe you’re solid on REG, but you keep tripping over FAR and its overwhelming content volume. By working together, you can lean on your peers to help clarify tricky topics. You may even come across that “aha” moment when that lightbulb finally turns on.
#4 Boost Motivation
Studying for the CPA Exam is often a lonely experience. Hours of reviewing practice questions and watching lectures can be isolating. That’s where a study group can make a huge difference. Simply engaging with peers will help you re-energize, avoid burnout, and remind yourself why you’re on the CPA path.3
#5 Practice Teaching
One of the most powerful and often overlooked ways to strengthen your understanding is by teaching concepts to others. Explaining material out loud forces you to organize your thoughts, identify gaps in your knowledge, and translate ideas into clear, simple terms. Study groups provide natural opportunities to do this.
#6 Combat Test Anxiety
There’s a reason why CPA candidates jump on forum-style platforms such as Reddit when their heartbeat races and palms sweat. Sometimes you just need to know you’re not alone. The pressure of the CPA Exam is real — so is test anxiety. It’s easy to spiral into self-doubt when you’re studying in isolation. With study groups and forums, you have a built-in support network to help when the numbers are crunching you.4
How to Find (or Build) the Right Study Group
Not all study groups are created equal. A good one can elevate your prep, while a disorganized or mismatched group can waste valuable time. Here’s how to establish a group that works:
- Look for Shared Goals: Work toward the same exam section(s) and timeline. Having FAR, AUD, and REG candidates in the same group can lead to confusion and a lack of focus — and we don’t want that!
- Keep It Small and Focused: Aim for 3-5 people. Larger groups often struggle with scheduling and staying on topic.
- Set Clear Expectations: Decide upfront how often you’ll meet, how long sessions will last, and what material you’ll cover. Will you quiz each other? Review practice exams? Share summaries? Setting a structure keeps meetings productive. You might also consider selecting a group leader who makes sure the group covers all the topics.5
Making the Most of Your Study Group Time
Once your group is in place, here’s how you can make it shine:
- Prepare Individually First: Group time works best when everyone comes prepared. If applicable, do the readings and watch the lectures before meetings so you’re ready to discuss and problem-solve.
- Use Active Learning: Don’t just passively review material together. Tackle practice questions, debate tricky concepts, and quiz each other.
- Keep Sessions Focused: Stay disciplined about your agenda. Chatting and connecting are fine (that social bond helps!), but make sure you’re also getting down to brass tacks.6
Online vs. In-Person CPA Study Groups
Consider what format fits your schedule and learning style best:
- In-Person Groups: ideal if you value face-to-face interaction and can coordinate meetups nearby at libraries, cafés, or campus spaces.
- Online CPA Study Groups: great for busy professionals or those in rural areas. Zoom, Slack, and dedicated CPA forums allow you to meet virtually, share resources, and stay connected.
Passing the notoriously difficult CPA Exam takes more than memorizing key principles. You’ll need to master complex material that tests you in unfamiliar ways. This requires you to stay resilient and push through when things get tough. And just how do you do that all on your own? You don’t! You rely on your support system through CPA Exam study groups and forums.
Still on the hunt for one of those groups? You can start with our Elite Unlimited CPA review course package, which gives you access to our private Facebook community. It’s your go-to space for peer support and shared success! Join thousands of CPA candidates who’ve passed with us — we can’t wait to welcome you to the community!
References
- Professional Programs, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. (n.d.). The benefits of study groups. https://professionalprograms.umbc.edu/blog/the-benefits-of-study-groups
- The University of Arizona. (n.d.). L2L strategy: Interleaving. https://academicaffairs.arizona.edu/l2l-strategy-interleaving
- Zhou, X., Li, Q., Xu, D., Holton, A., & Sato, B. (2023). The promise of using study-together groups to promote engagement and performance in online courses: Experimental evidence on academic and non-cognitive outcomes. Learning and Individual Differences, 104, Article 102271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2023.102271
- Learning Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (n.d.). Tackling test anxiety. https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/tackling-test-anxiety
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. (2022). Make learning a team sport: CPA Exam study group guide. AICPA. https://www.aicpa.org/resources/article/make-learning-a-team-sport-cpa-exam-study-group-guide
- University of Colorado Boulder. (n.d.). Create a fun, productive study group. https://www.colorado.edu/artssciences-advising/resource-library/academic-skills/create-fun-productive-study-group
