Passing the CPA Exam is the most crucial component of becoming a Certified Public Accountant. No stress, right?
Studying for the exam doesn’t necessarily need to be a stressful experience as long as your remember that the CPA Exam is designed to measure and project your ability to excel as a CPA. If you approach your CPA Exam review with the right study tools, you’ll be less stressed during the process and successful in passing the exam.
One major CPA Exam study tip is learning how to use memorization techniques to increase your chances of remembering the material on exam day. Below are four memorization techniques to increase your chances of recalling information the day of the exam.
1. Create Flash Cards – The process of creating and reviewing flashcards helps to burn information into the brain through the process of active recall. Flashcards also help with enhancing long-term retention and are fantastic for on-the-go studying. Now when you’re waiting in line at the post office, hanging out at the park or grabbing a quick bite for dinner, you can continue to test your CPA Exam knowledge.
2. Develop a Memory Aids or Mnemonics Outline – Mnemonics help with recalling larger chunks of information. So, take all of your mnemonics or memory aids and create an outline on a couple of pieces of paper so that you can easily review them the last week before the CPA Exam. This outline, along with the flashcards, will help refresh your memory of important exam topics and concepts.
3. Make a Recording of Yourself – Reading or summarizing your review notes into a recording device will not only help with memorization of the material through repetition of information, but give you a great resource for review when you’re commuting or want to take a break from sitting at your computer.
4. Compile a Quick Study Guide – Want to take your memorization skills to the next level? Summarize any written notes you’ve taken from your CPA Exam review and add them to the Mnemonics Outline (created above) to build a broader CPA Exam review guide. This will become a great memorization resource a couple of days before the exam.
Something to remember: The more senses you tap into while studying for the CPA Exam, the better off you’re going to be when digesting and remembering the exam material. If you see it, read it, hear it, say it aloud, then you’re going to remember it. That is what’s going to help you pass the CPA Exam!