CPA Review | CPA Exam

The 2010 CPA Exam is in full swing and candidates are neck-deep in their CPA Review courses trying to fit in another exam in a shortened testing month.

Dates and news that candidates should know:

February 7, 2010: Traditionally, the 7th is the last day you can sit for a section of the CPA Exam and still be eligible for the Wave 1 score release (if you’re not included in Wave 1, you will have to wait another month until Wave 2, which begins mid-March).

According to my Interview with the AICPA, if your exam had a new simulation, you will automatically be in Wave 2.

The following are predictions based on historical trends:

February 12, 2010: AICPA is expected to start releasing BEC scores per my CPA Exam score release predictions (which historically are 50% spot-on for Wave 1). Once the AICPA starts releasing CPA Exam scores, California, Illinois, Virginia will follow suit.

NASBA usually releases scores within two business days after the AICPA release.

February 15, 2010: NASBA BEC Score Release

February 16, 2010: AICPA AUD Score Release

February 17, 2010: AICPA REG/NASBA AUD Score Releases

February 18, 2010: AICPA FAR/NASBA REG Score Releases

February 19, 2010: NASBA FAR Score Release

As a former CPA Exam candidate, I understand how hard it is to balance work, family life, and the CPA Exam.

I studied for the Exam with three kids.

In addition, I think I have a good feel for the amount of time it takes for each exam and how many weeks it takes to fit it all in.

I have developed a CPA Exam study plan that is customizable according to your schedule.

If you’re not a morning person, you can adjust the sheet and make up for it elsewhere. If weekends are not an option, you can change that too and the sheet will adjust.

I have also allocated one “night off” each weeknight into the plan.

These plans are realistic and represent what it truly takes to pass the Exam – BUT STILL HAVE A LIFE.

Also – if you only have 3 weeks to do a full study program for your section, you can adjust the plan.

It includes a morning, lunch, evening, and weekend study option.

If studying at lunch isn’t feasible, allocate those hours to the evening – or the weekends, wherever they will fit.

Also, each section comes with a topical checklist that allows you to chart your progress for each topic using the Video/Notes/MCQ methodology that I recommend.

This is the study method that I had success with.

Each section is $2.95, or you can buy the complete set for $7.95.

These CPA Exam study plans are now a Club 75 member benefit and people really like them.

To Your Success,

-Jeff

The CPA Exam pass rates for Q4 2009 have been released and as predicted - the fourth quarter passing rates dropped 10% over Q3 2009.

What was not predicted however, was that the fourth quarter pass rates would be the worst of the year.

Typically, Q1 always has the lowest pass rate for the CPA Exam and hovers around 45-46% per section. This is attributed to “busy season” for tax and audit employees.

The lower-than-usual dip in Q4 pass rates could be a result of job stress/job hunting and the “holidays”.

The 2009 CPA Exam Pass Rates are as follows:

Here is the breakdown for 2009:

Auditing and Attestation:
Q1: 47.61%
Q2: 51.79%
Q3: 51.52%
Q4: 47.99%

Business Environment and Concepts:
Q1: 46.23%
Q2: 48.62%
Q3: 52.27%
Q4: 45.65%

Financial Accounting and Reporting:
Q1: 45.54%
Q2: 50.58%
Q3: 51.18%
Q4: 46.15%

Regulation:
Q1: 47.96%
Q2: 52.25%
Q3: 52.41%
Q4: 46.57%

Get the report from cpa-exam.org here.