Top Ten Tips for Passing the CPA Exam

By:
Debra R. Hopkins, CPA, CIA
CPA Auditing Faculty
Director of NIU CPA Review Courses

July 23, 2001 (SmartPros) — The CPA Exam is notoriously difficult, and in order to pass you need to be well prepared. Debra Hopkins shares tips on how to make your experience with the exam a successful one.

1. Plan ahead. Apply early, at least five to six months before your scheduled exam date, in the state where you plan to sit.

If you have earned credits in a foreign country, allow extra time for a foreign transcript evaluation. Obtain CPA Exam applications from your state Board of Accountancy. For a complete listing of state Boards, and sample exam questions, visit the AICPA Web site.

2. Believe in yourself. Think about it—if you believe you can pass the CPA Exam you have a much better chance of passing. The better prepared you are, the easier it will be to remain confident. Don't devalue your abilities.

3. Use up-to-date materials. Why spend time studying old material or taking a CPA Review course that is not current? Did you know your textbooks may already be out of date by the time you take the exam? Tax, auditing, and accounting changes are usually testable six months after the issuance date. Study what's tested and increase your chances of passing.

4. Develop a study schedule and stick to it. You can find time to study. Spend 45 minutes of every lunch hour studying. If you stick to your plan, reward yourself. Be honest about your habits. Design and personalize your plan. Divide the materials into bite-size chunks and study whenever you have a free moment.

5. Communicate your goal to family, friends, and colleagues. Communication is key. If people understand the time commitment you must make, they often will assist you.

6. Practice, practice, practice. The best way to learn is by doing. Practice questions and learn from your mistakes. Test your working knowledge of the material.

7. Keep on smiling. Overwhelmed with the amount of material or too stressed to study? Give yourself a break and go to a funny movie or play. Take a few minutes to laugh. Then get back to the study plan. Keep the goal in mind but also keep it in perspective.

8. Understand the grading process. The CPA Exam is graded using a positive approach. Most college professors graded you by deducting points from a perfect scale of say 100 points. For each section of the exam you begin with zero points. The points are for you to earn, not to lose. Your job is to know the material, not the questions.

9. Fight, scratch, crawl. At the real exam, you must never give-up. No matter what material is tested, no matter how difficult the questions are, you must continue to do your best. A 75% is all it takes and sometimes less than that since the exam is curved.

10. Continue to believe in yourself. If you can't believe in yourself, how can you convince someone else to? Do your best. Let the graders do their job. You can pass the exam, others have.