Your CPA Exam FAQ

Roger CPA Review receives questions from accounting students that range from how does one prepare for Meet the Firms and other career events, to what is the best strategy to use in order to pass the CPA Exam.  Even though every accounting student is unique, overall the questions are all very similar.

So, we decided to come up with the most frequently asked questions from accounting students who are considering sitting for the CPA Exam and answered them below.

1. I will be graduating this spring, and starting to work in the fall. If I want to get a few parts of the CPA Exam out of the way before I start my new job, how much time should I spend studying on each section?

With graduation and your new employment underway, it is important to come up with a plan to ensure you give yourself enough time to study for the CPA Exam. Even if you havent secured a full time position after graduation, beginning the CPA Exam studying process is a great way to get ahead. The amount of time you have to dedicate to each part of the exam will depend on how soon you would like to sit for the CPA Exam and pass all four parts.

For instance, if you would like to take the exam at a slower pace, you should allot one to two months of study time per section. An example is if you graduate in May and start studying for the exam in June, you will be able to sit for the exam towards the end of July or beginning of August. The benefit to sticking to a study plan is knowing how long it will take for you to study for each section.  So, if life gets in the way, you are able to stick to your plan and pass all four sections of the CPA Exam in 18 months! Need help planning ? Try one of our 3, 6, 9 or 12 month study planners.

2. If I do not pass a particular part of the CPA Exam, what is the process to sit for the exam again? Can I sit for it again in the same testing window?

If youre very anxious after the exam and feel like you didn’t perform to the best of your ability, don’t worry – that’s a normal feeling! The CPA Exam is a very intense experience, but don’t stress because you dont know your score until you actually receive it! Something to remember is that you shouldnt automatically schedule to retake the exam until you receive your score.

While candidates can sit for multiple parts of the CPA Exam in the same testing window, it is not possible for you to sit for the same part of the exam more than once in the same testing window. If you need to retake part of the exam, your states Board of Accountancy will provide instructions on how to do so after you receive your score. To retake the exam, you will need to pay a re-examination fee to your states Board of Accountancy or to NASBA and then reschedule, but always check with your states Board of Accountancy prior to doing so.

3. In order to get my CPA license, I know I need to meet a work requirement. Is there a time frame on when I need to complete work experience?

If you are like most other accounting students, you are searching for an internship at an accounting firm, already interning or searching for a full-time position.  When applying for your CPA license, you will need to fulfill a work requirement.  The amount of time required is dependent upon in which state you are applying for your license.  The work requirement can be fulfilled prior to, during or after you take the CPA exam. Just be sure that you are being supervised by a licensed active CPA so your work hours count towards the work requirement.

Some states want work experience to be completed within a certain amount of time. For example, Virginia requires a minimum of 2,000 hours of work experience obtained within the 3 years immediately preceding application for licensure; fulfilled before, during or after passing the CPA Exam. Click here for information on your particular state’s requirements.

4. How is a CPA review course going to properly prepare me for the CPA Exam?

Studying with a review course will ensure that you are covering all of the topics tested on the CPA Exam, as well as demonstrating how the questions will be asked on the exam. In addition, there are several topics that will be tested on the exam that may not have been covered in your courses at school. With the Roger CPA Review course, you can be sure that you are receiving the most up-to-date information in a format that mimics the CPA Exam. Its highly beneficial and stress relieving to be familiar with the format of the CPA Exam prior to sitting for the exam.

You also want to make sure that you choose an instructor who delivers the material in a way that you understand. Roger Philipp, CPA, combines a dynamic and motivational teaching approach to foster a full-service solution to the CPA Exam. Using the Roger Method of instruction, Roger breaks down and teaches difficult concepts using helpful memory aids and real life scenarios to help his students best learn. And, to ensure the most streamlined study experience, he also writes Roger CPA Review Course Textbooks with a team of expert editors. As one of his current students claimed, “I learned more from Roger’s course than I did in every college accounting course. Combined.”

Have other questions that you really need answers to? Ask in the comments below!

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