What follows are 10 CPA exam tips that have helped me to pass the CPA, and I am quite certain that they will help you also. You will pass the CPA exam, finally ¨C unless you give up, it is inevitable.
1)Obtain the Right Mindset
Passing the CPA exam is a large project that may take lots of perseverence and time before you will succeed. Numerous people fail several sections several times before ultimately passing all 4 sections of the CPA. Prepare yourself for the possibility that you may fail several sections before you can pass them, and accept that as a normal part of the journey of getting your CPA. But then, remind yourself of earlier accomplishments that serve as real validation of your capabilities, for example having a college degree. Attempting the CPA is not an easy project, however you don't need to go about it alone. If they're supportive of what you're trying to achieve, they may assist you with some of your present responsibilities (for example chores such as cleaning & cooking), and will understand if you can't make it to every social gathering.
3)Remain Healthy
Studying for the CPA can be quite exhausting. Some of the better CPA review courses on the market today are equipped with lecture DVDs that teach hard-to-understand concepts a lot better than printed words do. In conclusion, investing in a good CPA exam review course can drastically cut your exam studying time and improve your chances of passing the CPA exam.
5)Find a Study Buddy Or Two
Find people who are also preparing 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. Studying with others can help you to be more disciplined, and two (or three) heads are often better than one when it comes to working out challenging questions or concepts. When you're feeling discouraged or frustrated, your study buddies may just be able to give you the emotional support you need to continue - after all, they're in the same boat as you and are in a position to understand what you're going through.
6)Only Study One Section At a Time
Most people find it overwhelming when trying to tackle all 4 sections of the CPA exam at the same time. There's just too much material to cover at the same time. Another piece of advice would be to try for the most challenging section first (the one that is hardest for you - this will vary from person to person), because as soon as you pass your first section, you only have 18 months to pass your other three sections. Getting that most difficult section out of the way first will minimize your chances of running out of time and having the eighteen-month window expire on you.
7)Focus on Difficult Areas
To get the best ROI for your time and effort, spend it on materials you have the most trouble with. Browse through all of your learning materials, identify your problematic areas, and study them one by one until you have conquered them.
It is important to take ample notes when you're studying, so that you'll have something to review during the last few days before the actual exam. Since your short-term memory is, well, short-term, materials you review during those last several days will be remembered best on your exam day. This small window of time is simply not enough for you to go over all study materials from start to finish, so be sure you have a complete set of study notes that you can refresh your memory with during the last few valuable days before your exam.
9)Race Against Time
When you're doing practice questions, time yourself like you're actually doing the exam. This will train yourself to work under pressure and better prepare you for the actual exam. 10)Practice Makes Perfect
Try to do as many practice problems as you have time for. By doing this, not only will you understand the materials better, but you'll also feel more self-assured about your odds of passing the exam - both of which will help to increase your exam score!
Find out about how Dave Bryant's finally managed to pass three previously failed CPA sections in 10 months, with impressive scores, in his CPA Exam Blog.
