Sherri shares with us her all-too-common story of losing credit for three parts previously earned due to the 18-Month Rolling Window. We think her perserverance and hopeful attitude will serve as an inspiration to all! Sherri has passed BEC, FAR, and AUD, and now embarks on the REG Exam preparation.
Hi All:
I had a wonderfully productive and entertaining time in NYC last week. The month of March has turned out to be a great month for me. I passed the Audit exam, had a wonderful birthday with friends and family, and went to New York City for a busy and productive, but entertaining work trip.
Although the break from my studies and the month of March is coming to a close, I don’t feel the usual sense of dread at starting the process back up again. I guess the one thing that I learned from taking the last Audit exam is that Roger CPA Review, combined with a confirmed plan and personal dedication, will give me the passing result I am looking for. The most stressful part of any of the CPA exams for me is always about not being sure that I have worked enough problems, watched enough videos, taken enough notes or even experienced the requisite amount of suffering and absence from social activity, in order to be eligible to receive a passing grade. The most important thing I have learned through the process of failing and finally succeeding is that there is a methodology to this CPA madness. I like to think that I am a CPA athlete in training.
I believe that a person’s mind needs training, just like any other body part, to make it do what you want it to do! Runners, tennis players, basketball players, cyclists and even golfers, spend hours and hours in training and subject themselves to incredible physical duress, in order to perfect the ability to be the best at their passion. Why should the CPA exam be any different? We soon to be CPAs also put in hours and hours of study and personal sacrifice so that we can pass the exam and be the best that we can be at our chosen profession. I’m thinking that there is a whole world out there in need of a new type of CPA – someone with business savvy, accounting and financial intellect, compassion, communication skills AND a sense of humor.
Wouldn’t the whole world be shocked to find out that not all CPAs are the closet nerds that most of the universe thinks we are! I’m on a mission to dismiss that stereotype. I hope that y’all understand what I am talking about. (Yes I’m from Texas!)
This week, in the midst of all of this post exam revelry, I got sidelined with a nasty illness where my stomach decided to have a war with the rest of my body. Ill spare you the details. I spent most of the day yesterday at St. Davids Hospital with an IV in my arm. I’m a bit delayed with my weekly post as a result. I’m on the mend though eating saltines and drinking seltzer. I think I will be well enough to work tomorrow. Yay!
The unexpected visit to the hospital, however, did teach me something this week. (In addition to avoiding that last, slightly warmer than room temperature, chicken salad sandwich in the company cafeteria!)
I can’t imagine how I would feel if I had gotten sick right before I was scheduled to take a section of the CPA exam. Of course, its not possible to prepare for all of life’s situations. Unexpected events can bring chaos to a carefully designed study schedule.
I think (and yes.. just my opinion of course), that many of those studying for the CPA exam are cramming absolutely everything that can be crammed into a given day. I know that my days, especially when studying, are scheduled out with meetings, family obligations, videos, homework and work assignments. There is no room for deviation from my very well crafted plan, carefully scheduled right through the last hours before test day.
But. Life is about the deviations from the expected. I’ll end my post this week by encouraging all of you fellow CPA exam studiers and hyper-schedulers to make some time for the unexpected. Remember to give yourself a window period for that crazy last minute work request from your boss, a child’s illness… or even a bad case of food poisoning before you take the exam. A few slush days in the carefully created plan of exam preparation can only help the process. If you are lucky enough that everything in your study window goes according to plan GREAT! You’ve just gained an extra three days or so of studying. If you get a temporary setback though, you will find it much easier to get back on track.
I hope that all of you are gearing up for the start of the new study window in April. Lets raise the average passing percentage and show the AICPA just how smart we are!
Have a great rest of the week.
Sherri