How to Pass the CPA Exam

Video Transcript

"In this clip we're going to talk about how to pass the CPA exam, or the exam for Certified Public Accounts. First, I'm going to tell you a little bit about the exam, and then I'll talk about some ways that you can help pass it. I just want to talk a little bit about the CPA exam right now. I'm sure you've heard horror stories from older people you might know about having to take all of the sections at the same time. That's really old school. Now the CPA exam is a computerized exam, with four separate sections that you can take at any time, separately, and you can take one at a time. You do not have to take all four sections at the same time. There are four sections of the exam: Auditing and attestation. Business environments, Financial accounting, and Regulation. There is test taking available at your local test center the first two months of each quarter. In other words you can test take January and February. You have to sign up for a slot. But then in March they release the results for all the exams taken during January and February. Next, we're going to talk about some tips for passing the CPA exam. The first thing that you have to do to successfully pass the CPA exam is to meet your state's educational requirements, and the minimum experience requirements, and get your okay to test, so that you can prepare for the CPA exam. Once you know it's okay for you to test, you can start studying. I recommend that you sign up for a review course. There are lots of different types of review courses. There are online courses. There are CD Rom courses. There are in classroom courses where you actually go to lectures. All of those are great, it just depends on the way that you study. Personally, I took an online review course, and it worked great for me. The third thing I recommend, and I recommend this very highly, is that you get a study partner or a study group. That way, you have people to help motivate you, and someone to study with and bounce ideas off of, and just to help you understand the material. The fourth thing you should do is set a deadline, like, "I want to have two sections, or three sections done by March of next year." Whatever your...your...your goals are, just set a deadline and try to go for it. That way, you really will do it. And the fifth thing is just take the test and pass it. I know that doesn't sound that simple, but it actually really is. You can pass the CPA exam."