Our Student of the Month for April 2016 is Akop D. Balayan. Akop had been out of college for a few years before deciding to take the CPA Exam. Originally, he started out his career as a real estate professional. He then decided to switch careers and go into accounting after realizing it was a much better career choice for him. Even after being away from accounting for several years, he was able to pass the CPA Exam using Roger CPA Review. Congratulations to Akop for passing the CPA Exam and we wish him much success in his future endeavors!
Student: Akop D. Balayan
Exam Sections Passed: AUD, BEC, FAR, REG
University/College: UCLA
Why did you take Roger CPA Review?
I graduated college in 2009, so I hadn’t participated in anything accounting related for awhile. My memory was embarrassingly rusty on all things accounting. I knew a strong, comprehensive CPA Review Course would be an absolute necessity in order to relearn the material and pass the exams.
How did you hear about our review course?
I first heard about Roger CPA Review in college.
What was your favorite aspect of the course?
It’s a tie between Roger’s fun sense of humor and the Interactive Practice Questions. It’s difficult to imagine another instructor who can engage students more effectively than Roger Philipp. This is essential when the accounting topics occasionally get into mind-numbing territory (please see dollar-value LIFO). Roger seemed to always find a way to hold my attention through humor, the importance of which I came to appreciate deeply later on.
The practice questions are a highly effective learning tool because of the instant, detailed feedback. Not only do you know whether you answered correctly, but you see an explanation of why. This accelerated the learning process drastically for me.
How has passing the exam affected your personal and professional life?
Passing the exams was a big milestone for me. I feel much more confident about my decision to switch careers and start working in accounting. I’ve been working in residential real estate sales since graduation and knew I had to find an occupation that better fit my personality. Passing the CPA Exam is the first step toward accomplishing this goal.
What piece of advice do you have for other CPA Exam candidates?
Budget your time, diligently work through the course materials and you will pass.
Favorite quote?
“It’s accrual world out there!” –Roger Philipp
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