Passing the CPA exam may be a discouraging task, particularly if you've heard of the multitudes of people who have had to sit through more than one section a number of times before finally passing the CPA exam. What follows are several tips for CPA preparation that have helped me to pass the CPA exam, and I am certain that they'll serve you well too. You will pass the CPA exam, ultimately - it is inevitable unless you give up.
1)Obtain the Appropriate Outlook It's never easy to pass the CPA. Passing the CPA is a large undertaking that can require lots of tenacity and time before you will accomplish. Some people fail several sections several times before ultimately passing all 4 sections of the exam. Ready yourself for the possibility that you may fail several sections before passing all sections, and accept that as a normal part of the journey of preparing for and passing the CPA. But then, you'd want to remind yourself of past achievements that serve as concrete validation of your mental capabilities, e.g. having a university degree. Multitudinous other people have studied for and passed the CPA exam at last, and you will also.
2)Ask for Help From Friends & Family Passing the CPA is not an easy project, fortunately you won't have to attempt it by yourself. You should request assistance from your family members & friends by explaining to them reasons why you want to pass your CPA and how complicated this task is. If they're supportive of you, they may help you out with some of your current responsibilities (for example chores such as cooking), and will understand if you can't make it to every social gathering.
3)Remain Healthy Poor health can have detrimental results on mental acumen, which can greatly impact on your ability to study & think. Eat a well-balanced diet, get adequate exercise, and most especially, sleep for at least six to eight hours each night, and take a 15-30 minute nap in the afternoon if you have to. As Well, do not forget to set aside time for regular study breaks - these will assistance you to stay refreshed and focused, and as well help you to absorb knowledge better when you resume after the study break. Preparing for the CPA exam can be quite exhausting. If you want to pass the exam, you need to keep your mind and body in great shape.
4)Invest in a Useful CPA Exam Review Program Some of the better CPA review programs on the market come with lectures in DVD format that teach difficult concepts a lot better than printed words do. The best CPA exam review courses are even accompanied by lists of practice exam problems for you to spend time on, that have the highest likelihood of being found on the actual exam. The best of these CPA review programs offer live support to allow you to call in to ask for clarification on study materials, and obtain immediate feedback and detailed explanations from course instructors. In conclusion, investing in a good CPA review program can considerably reduce your exam prep time and inflate your chances of passing the CPA exam.
5)Find a Study Buddy - Or Two Locate people who are also studying for CPA exams where you live and invite them to study with you. CPAnet.com has a forum where you can find study partners in your area. Create a strict study schedule and request for everyone to commit to it by putting studying ahead of other obligations. Studying with others can help you to stay focused, and oftentimes two (or three) heads are better than one when it comes to figuring out difficult concepts or problems. When you're feeling frustrated, your study buddies may just give you the emotional support you need to keep at it - after all, they're in the same boat you are and should understand what you're going through.
6)Only Take On One Section At a Time Many people find it overwhelming when trying to tackle all 4 CPA sections at any one time. There's simply too much material to cover all at once. A better way would be to focus only 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 hardest for you - this will vary from person to person), because once you pass your first section, you only have 18 months to pass your remaining three sections. Getting rid of that most difficult section first will minimize your chances of running out of time and having the eighteen-month window expire on you.
7)Concentrate on Problem Areas Reviewing materials you know well will give you that good feeling, but it likely won't help your exam scores by much finally. To get the best ROI for your study time, 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've conquered them.
8)Taking Notes is Important It is crucial 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. Because you'll be using mostly your short-term memory during the exam, materials you review during those last few days will be remembered the most clearly on your exam day. This small window is just not sufficient for you to review all study materials from start to finish, so be sure you have a complete set of study notes that you can commit to memory during the last few precious days before your exam.
9)Get Out That Stopwatch When doing practice problems, time yourself as if you're actually doing the exam. This will condition your brain to perform under pressure and prepare you more effectively for the actual exam. Also, by training yourself in this way, you'll be less likely to panic on exam day when you have trouble answering a question.
10)Practice Makes Perfect Do as many practice questions as you can. By doing so, you will understand the material better, and also feel more positive about passing the exam - both of which will help to increase your exam score!
For tips on how to pass the CPA exam please visit http://www.PassTheCPAExam.org.
