CPA Exam Review News Blog

You may be studying for the CPA Exam, but most likely, you are simultaneously working in the accounting profession. As tax season approaches, there is undoubtedly a buzz around your office regarding taxes. And even if you are immune to filing tax returns at your job, you cannot escape filing (or at the very least, paying someone else to file) your tax return!

Technology distractions are ubiquitous these days. Studies show that many employees are working a fraction of the time they are on the clock – and technology is not just a distraction in the workplace. This issue begs the question: when you’re studying, what percentage of the time are you productively studying? Have you considered how many times you check your email or answer a text or tap your phone to see if anything popped up? And the problem is not merely the time spent on the device. The constant task-switching itself takes a toll on the effectiveness of your study time because every time you are distracted, it takes additional effort to refocus. 

If you're reading this, you failed a CPA Exam. Right now, you probably feel as though all of your hard work was for nothing. Maybe this isn't your first failure. Maybe you are just sitting there staring at your review material wondering how you can start AGAIN. 

It's not a good feeling, we know. BUT, we're going to remind you of a couple of things.

When talking about the hurdles to obtaining your CPA license, most people know about the three "E's" for licensure - Education, Examination, and Experience. However, since Sarbanes-Oxley in 2002, a fourth "E" has had increasing importance to not only continuing education, but also initial licensure. That fourth "E" is Ethics. 

Welcome to part two of our three-part series on how to get the most from your multiple choice question (MCQ) study time. If you missed part one, head here to catch up. If you’ve already read part one but need a little refresher, keep reading.

Welcome back to the final in our three part series about how to get the most out of your multiple choice (MCQ) study time. After discussing the four general ways to get more out of your study time and how to anchor all of your questions in the general accounting cycle in part one, and how to take that foundation-level knowledge to the next level and deep-dive into recommended topics in part two, for part three we are saying enough with the theory, already… let’s look at an example of how to work through a topic.

Multiple choice questions (MCQs) are the bane of many a CPA candidate’s existence - they will drill them day in and day out, relying on scores from these practice tests as a measure of readiness.  But there is more than one way to study using MCQs, and this three-part series will give you a better way to utilize your test bank and get more bang for your buck when practicing.

In a knowledge economy, having a license to back up your expertise can be the difference between getting the job (or gig, or client) and not. According to NASBA “licensure reassures the client that an individual has kept pace and is, therefore, more capable, reliable, and trustworthy to that client.” (http://tinyurl.com/NASBAlicense)

Can you believe that January is almost over? It seems like every time I blink it's a new month. Time moves so quickly these days, and with so many demands on our time, it’s often hard to carve out the necessary time to GTD, whether that be work or school or studying for the CPA exam. A common complaint amongst candidates is that they just don’t know where they’re going to find that 12-15 hours a week that Yaeger recommends a working professional find to study for the exam. And while we can’t go in and personally adjust the schedule for everyone (unless you call Phil - he will tell you what you need to do… but you may not like his answer), we can give you some guidance on how best to use the time that you have set aside to study. Here are our top tips & tricks to maximize productivity when studying (you’ll notice a theme real quick).

Just in! The new Q3 2019 AICPA blueprints have been released and you can start using them now if you'll be testing this summer. Changes to be aware of this spring as you prepare for your next exam: