April 2017 Student of the Month: Alany Rodriguez

Why did you take Roger CPA Review?

I decided to go with Roger CPA Review because I had heard a lot about it from my friends and classmates, as well as co-workers who were studying for or had already taken the CPA Exam at work. I decided to watch some of the lectures and navigate through the course with their free trial before making my final decision.

I really liked Roger’s personality because he was energetic and could keep me awake while I was studying. That was the most important thing for me: being able to concentrate because the material was both informational and entertaining at the same time.

What was your favorite aspect of the course?

Definitely the videos. Roger’s personality is very contagious. Other CPA review courses are very monotone and not as engaging as Roger is. His mnemonics and diagrams were also extremely helpful because I’m a visual learner. A lot of the diagrams helped me understand the full concepts more easily. Accounting has many difficult topics and you can get lost in all the details, but Roger is good at making complicated things simpler.

How has passing the exam affected your personal and professional life?

It has made my life less stressful. I see a lot of people at my firm going through busy season who also have to go home and study after a long work day. But now that I’m done with the exam, I have a lot of free time to do things for personal enjoyment as well as focus on my professional career, especially since I just started my full time position a few months ago.

What piece of advice do you have for other CPA Exam candidates?

Take the exam seriously. I know a lot of people who say they put in the hours, but there’s a difference between being dedicated 100% in the 3 hours that you’re studying vs. just 50%.

Additionally, learn how to manage your time efficiently. The exam isn’t just time consuming; it’s financially consuming as well. Everyone has work and a personal life, so the most important thing is learning how to fit your exam studies in. It’s all about balance and rearranging your priorities. Some people might struggle with sacrificing time and energy when they’d rather be doing something else. But when you have the mindset of putting the CPA Exam first, that makes the difference between passing and failing.

Anything else you would like to share?

Make sure you know that going into accounting is what you really want to do. Many students graduate as accounting majors and later question if this profession is indeed where they want to be. I did an internship for about 3 years before I started my full time position and I feel like that was a great way to know if this field was right for me. The internship was much more helpful than what I learned in school, and it is a great way to get exposure to the type of work you can expect to perform as an accountant.

In addition, do other things outside of school to get more knowledge and preparation for the CPA Exam. You’ll be glad you did.

Favorite quote?

“There is no secret to success.” People often ask me how I got to where I am today, and I always tell them that everyone’s road to success is different, but one thing all success stories have in common is hard work and dedication.