subject: Passing the CPA Exam - Increase Your Odds [print this page] Passing the CPA Exam - Increase Your Odds
Passing the CPA exam may be a discouraging project, particularly if you've heard of the vast number of people that have had to sit through several sections several times before ultimately passing the CPA exam. Below are a number of CPA preparation tips that have helped me in the past, and I am certain that they will serve you well too. You will pass the CPA exam, eventually - it is inevitable unless you give up.
1)Obtain the Appropriate Mindset
Nobody said passing the CPA was easy. Passing the CPA is a tremendous undertaking that can need much perseverence and time before you will succeed. Many people fail many sections multiple times before eventually passing all four sections of the CPA. Ready yourself for the possibility that you may fail several sections before you can pass them, and accept that as a typical part of the process of preparing for and passing the CPA. On the other hand, you'd want to remind yourself of past accomplishments that serve as real proof of your capabilities, e.g. getting your university degree. Unnumerable other people have studied for and passed the CPA exam in the end, and you will also.
2)Request Help From People Around You
Attempting the CPA is not an easy project, however you don't have to do it by yourself. You should request help from your friends & family by explaining to them reasons why you want to pass the CPA and how complicated this project is. If they are supportive of what you're doing, they may assist you with some of your current obligations (for example chores such as cooking), and will understand if you can't attend every social gathering.
3)Maintain Good Health
Poor health can cause deleterious results on concentration, which can greatly impact on your capability to think & study. Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and most importantly, sleep for at least six to eight hours every night, taking an afternoon nap if you must. As Well, do not forget to set aside time for regular rest breaks - these will help you to keep from burning out, and will also help you to absorb materials more easily when you return from the break. Studying for the CPA can be quite a battle. If you want to successfully pass the exam, you need to keep both your mind and body in good condition.
4)Get a Solid CPA Exam Review Course
Some of the best CPA exam review courses available on the market today come with lectures in DVD format that teach the material a lot better than books can. The best CPA review courses are even accompanied by lists of practice exam questions to focus on, that are most likely to appear on the actual exam. The best CPA exam review courses offer live support to allow you to call in to ask for further explanation on the study materials, and obtain immediate feedback and detailed explanations from course instructors. Without question, investing in a good CPA review program can considerably shorten your exam preparation time and inflate your chances of passing the CPA exam.
5)Find a Study Buddy - Or Two
Locate people who are also preping for the CPA exam where you live and invite them to study with you. CPAnet.com has a forum where you can find study partners in your area. Set up a strict schedule and get everyone to commit to it by putting studying ahead of other obligations. Studying with others can help you to be more disciplined, and two heads are often better than one when it comes to working out tough questions or problems. When you're feeling discouraged, your study buddies may just give you the support you need to keep going - after all, they're in the same position as you and are in a position to understand how you feel.
6)Concentrate on One Section At a Time
Most people find it overwhelming when trying to study for all 4 sections of the CPA exam at any one time. There's just too much material to familiarize yourself with all at once. A better way would be to only focus on studying for one section at a time, do the exam for that section, take a break, and then start studying for the next section and so on. Another suggestion would be to go for the most difficult section first (the one that is most challenging for you - this will vary from person to person), because once you pass your first section, you only have 18 months to pass the other 3 sections. Getting rid of that most challenging section first will minimize your chances of running out of time and having the 18-month window expire on you.
7)Concentrate on Weak Areas
Reviewing materials you know the best will make you feel good, but it likely won't help your exam scores much in the end. To get the best ROI (rate of return) for your study efforts, spend it on learning materials you have the most trouble with. Look through all of your learning materials, identify your problematic areas, and stay focused on them until you've conquered them.
8)Remember to Take Notes
It is important to take ample notes when you're studying, so that you'll have something to review during the last several days before the actual exam. Because you'll be using mostly your short-term memory during the exam, materials you study during those last several days will be remembered best on your exam day. This small window of time is just not sufficient for you to study all materials from beginning to end, so be sure you have a comprehensive set of study notes that you can cram into your short-term memory during the last few valuable days before your exam.
9)Race Against Time
When doing practice questions during CPA exam prep, pretend you're actually doing the exam by timing yourself. This will condition yourself to work under pressure and better prepare you for the actual exam. Also, by getting used to being timed, you'll be less likely to panic on exam day when you can't come up with the answer to a problem.
10)Practice, Practice, and More Practice
Try to do as many practice problems as you can. By doing this, not only will you know the materials better, but you'll also feel more positive about your odds of passing the exam - both of which will result in increasing your actual exam score!
