The CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant) is the most challenging professional credential in accounting. With passing rates floating around 50%, your approach to preparing for the exam is extremely critical.
The more you know about studying for the CPA Exam, the more prepared you will be on exam day. Make sure you use all these suggestions to get the most out of your time and effort. Here are some incredible things to remember before you buckle up on your path to passing the exam.
Plan Ahead
Knowing your exam date is crucial since it allows you to plan a proper timetable for yourself. Exam dates often follow a pattern, making it easier to prioritize and schedule your preparation time. You can better plan now that you know when your exam is and how much time you have. If you’re working, make sure your superiors and colleagues are up to date on your exam timeline so that they can adjust accordingly. Similarly, inform your family and friends of your exam commitment beforehand to avoid disputes or family mis commitments.
Course Selection
One of the most important decisions is selecting the course preparation material. You should concentrate on a course appropriate for your learning style and cater to difficult areas.A common predicament among candidates is to decide between two of the biggest names in exam preparations, Wiley vs Becker. It would be best to understand that the selection process eventually boils down to weighing each course’s features, quality, support, technology, and value. Wiley offers important features such as‘Ask An Instructor,’‘deep-dive videos,’ teachers with CPA designation.Wiley’s courses are comprehensive and lighter on your pocket as well.
Be Prepared Mentally
You must goall-in if you are serious about starting, studying, and passing the CPA exam on your first attempt. If you are not in it entirely, you will get distracted, lose interest, feel burnout, and eventually skip or failthe exam. Remind yourself why you must become a CPA and your end goal to stay motivated. CPA is no small feat, and not many people even think of taking such a leap, so deciding to go for it should be a big confidence booster for you.Surround yourself with CPA exam peers to keep the positive energy flowing, and consider going through some CPA mentorship videos on YouTube to gain more insights. You might want to check out the YouTube channel Stephie.The channel follows the life of Stephie, who shares tips and advice on CPA exams and shares her lifestyle and journey as a CPA.
Practice regularly
The CPA exam is not just difficult but lengthy as well. You have a limited time frame to read and understand each question and work on the solution. To complete your exam, you will need to sharpen your time management skills. Knowledge without its application may not improve your chances of nailing this exam; hence you’ll have to practice a lot.Do practice questions regularly, as they provide you a feel of what the question paper will be like in the exam. Take multiple mock exams to get a sense of the situation you will be in, or even better, go for mock exams in a live setting.
Have A Dedicated Study Space
Arrange a dedicated study space where you are free from any distractions. Get proper seating, whether a desk and chair or a comfy sofa, whatever environment is conducive to study with focus. It also influences your mind to turn on your study mode as soon as you enter the study space. Keep the area neat and clean, and once your study session is over, tidy up the place each time so you do not feel flustered the next time you walk in. The separate study area is also a powerful signal that you do not wish to be disturbed by other people around you.
Study Breaks
CPA curriculum is extremely lengthy and immersing. Studying hours on hours often leads to a mental breakdown as you’re overwhelmed with the progress. For instance, studying time may feel productive, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you comprehend or retain what you study. It is important to designate breaks in your study sessions to give your mind some rest. Breaks help your mind stay fresh and make your study sessions more productive.
Calculator Selection
For the exam, you should always invest in the right calculator.Some calculators may be preprogrammed with certain calculations; thus, they can be extremely convenient and vastly improve your problem-solving speed. However, before you purchase a calculator, make sure to check with your state board. Each year, the AICPA sends a list of approved calculators to each state board of accountancy. Check with your state board well before your test date to see if your preferred calculator is approved.
Conclusion
The above suggestions are more than just study advice. They are lessons to help you prioritize your learning demeanor to keep you in charge.Although different people study in different ways, these basic strategies work for practically everyone and help pass your CPA examinations.
Krishna Murthy is the senior publisher at Trickyfinance. Krishna Murthy was one of the brilliant students during his college days. He completed his education in MBA (Master of Business Administration), and he is currently managing the all workload for sharing the best banking information over the internet. The main purpose of starting Tricky Finance is to provide all the precious information related to businesses and the banks to his readers.
