Every year, the passing rate for the CPA exam in the United States is around 50%. It is continuously proving to be the toughest professional examination since its inception. Complex syllabus, lengthy learning concepts, and analytical exam questions play their part in failing students and shattering dreams every year. Yet, the student’s attitude, behavior, and efforts also prove critical in their success. On the other hand, passing students prepare differently for the CPA exam and avoid wasting time yearning for good grades. Here are eight tips that’ll help you cross passing criteria in the CPA examination.
Let’s begin!
1. Team Up with Fellow Students
You have a lot of stress and distractions when you study alone. But when you pair up with another student, you internalize the material easily. So, find a fellow student and plan for collaborative study sessions.
By using this approach, you’ll go through the course material at a rapid pace. Also, combined study sessions will help you focus better and learn essential key points without struggle. Moreover, you’ll accumulate a grip on concepts when you teach them to your fellow students. In short, you’ll cover more course material in less amount of time by doing combined study sessions.
Eligibility to take CPA exams varies from state to state. You’ll have to meet different educational, ethical, residential, and graduation requirements in each state. Also, some states require citizens to have citizenship or permanent residency. So, make sure that you qualify for CPA state requirements before enrolling in CPA.
2. Understand the Concepts Without Memorizing and Cramming
Most students fail due to following a rote learning approach that wastes time and effort. They cram the course material without understanding it completely. You’ll think you’ve understood the concepts if you employ this strategy, but you won’t be able to answer analytical questions. So, rather than cramming or memorizing, try to understand everything. For that, read the text slowly and understand the whole meaning. Question everything in your mind and clarify every confusion. When you have clarity of concepts, you can explain them and answer analytical questions around them.
3. Adapt a Methodological Approach
CPAs have to work in a complex business environment to develop accurate solutions in real-time. Any error in calculation and any ambiguity in concepts; can lead to failure for business ventures that’ll lead to huge losses and penalties. That’s why, as a CPA, you have to be diligent to deliver quality work. So, be logical while studying for exams to have error-less clarity in everything. For that, read the text, write the text, and practice assignments. All of it should be done slowly without any haste. So, every concept can be clear as water in your mind.
4. Devote More Study Time After Class
One of the biggest mistakes students make while preparing for CPA is to be casual after classes. They do not study the lecture material after classes. As a result, they waste their ample time on distractions. Senior CPAs suggest that you allocate time for revising lecture notes every day. Also, if you spend one hour in class, you must devote two hours to the lecture notes after the class. Such an approach helps you internalize everything without many struggles. It’s because, after class, ideas are fresh in your mind, and when you revise them, they become consolidated in your mind. Next, you can recall them and use them to solve problems at your will.
5. Seek Help
You will struggle and fail if you don’t seek assistance and guidance from your seniors and teachers. Reach out to every person who can help you. Such an approach will equip you with time-tested tips and tricks that’ll help you succeed. So, ask for help from your seniors and teachers. It’ll help you cover your course material easily and with clarity.
6. Consume Review Courses
Plenty of CPA review courses are available online and in print. There, you’ll find all the essential concepts and practice questions. When you go through a review course, you have more grip on key concepts. Also, the assignment questions will help you to be more proficient. In fact, review courses help you master the necessary elements while removing doubts. So, use a CPA review course if you have time and are willing to go the extra mile for success.
7. Be Observant
Understanding the questions of assignments is vital for you to come up with accurate solutions. However, you’ll also have to deal with many unrelated details in assignment questions that might confuse you. So, you have to be observant while handling questions. Do not let ambiguity sway you. Look out for words like “only,” “except,” and “not” in assignments. These words can change the meaning of everything. If you fail to understand the question, you’ll always produce the wrong solution. So, understand questions with 100% accuracy. So, you can deliver 100% accurate solutions.
8. Create Laser-Sharp Focus
You cannot pass the CPA exams if you spend most of your time in distractions. Social media, Netflix, and YouTube, are not going to help you. They’ll always clutter your mind. So, leave everything that consumes your mind and wastes your time. Instead, create a laser-sharp focus. You must be revising everything and recalling your course material most of the day. So, the CPA course material can become your second nature. If you can’t do it, you’ll have to attempt to pass the CPA exam many times.
Conclusion
These time-tested tips will help you to prepare for the CPA exam. So, take advantage of them and pass the CPA exam on your first try. Also, make sure that you have revised the course material at least four times before sitting in exams. Moreover, practice as much as you can because it is the only way to have top-notch command on core concepts.