HELP!!!! Should I Take The Exam?

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HELP!!!! Should I Take The Exam?

32 posts from 15 voices

Started 3 months ago by MichaelScoon
Latest reply from BaseballCPA

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MichaelScoon

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I don't know what I want to do in life. I don't have any accounting experience. I have an accounting degree from kind of a no-name school. All the accounting professors at my school, other CPAs I've talked to, and others have all told me to get a CPA license, take the exam, etc., etc. That it's really worth it in the long run. So I'm taking AUD in 2 months.

I have the time to study, no expenses, and nothing else to do. Should I go for it and take the exam? Or should I quit now, apply for a job at McDonald's, and move on with my life and forget about the CPA exam altogether?
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Posted 3 months ago #
kevin_bacon

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yes

Posted 3 months ago #
MichaelScoon

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So is that a yes I should take it? Or yes - I should give up?

Posted 3 months ago #
ReneeNC

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I would say to work on the exam, but find a job in accounting of some sort so you can start gaining some experience.

REG - 89
BEC - Waiting on score
FAR - 8/31/12

Using CPAexcel, Wiley Online Practice, and NINJA!

Posted 3 months ago #
kevin_bacon

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I was saying yes to giving up.

Posted 3 months ago #
mla1169

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This is far too much of a commitment and requires too much dedication to do it half heartedly or to do it simply because someone else thought it was a good idea. You have to be in it 150% to even have a remote possibility of passing. Maybe do a bit more research on it and decide if you can throw yourself completely into it.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

If I can do this, YOU can do this! Hang in there :)

Posted 3 months ago #
MichaelScoon

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@kevin_bacon

Why say give up? Isn't a CPA license (assuming I get the work experience eventually) a great thing to have on a resume?

@mla1169

Okay. Let's say I DO pass in within a year if I try. Should I take the exam today? Or should I give up on it altogether?

Posted 3 months ago #
rmm91909

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I am not too sure why people are telling you to give up when you have time to study. I think you should try it if it is something you really want and not something you want because others are telling you to do it. I agree with your teachers and CPAs that you have talked with that the exam is something worth it in the long run. I am not sure why you think you should just give up now? Is it because of not having experience? A lot of people on here don't have experience are just out of school and are studying for the exam and some have years of experience. I think you just have to ask yourself if you are ready to commit to this whole heartedly. It is a very trying process but if you have the time and energy to do it I say go for it!

Posted 3 months ago #
MichaelScoon

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@rmm91909

Thank you :) Yes, I have the will/dedication/determination. Been studying a lot the past couple weeks. When you put so much time into something like this you have to ask yourself if it's worth it. And so this is something I've been wondering. So yea, I don't do stuff like this halfheartedly at all. I think I knew that going into it what it would take.

About giving up... Yes, because I have no experience I was wondering if it was worth passing the exam (i.e. never finding a job after passing). But it seems that eventually I would find a job after passing.

Thank you again for the encouragement. I will post again in this thread in a year or so after I pass :P

Posted 3 months ago #
CPAMan

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The question is.... are you determined to give it everything you got to study for this exam? I mean, REALLY determined?? If you can answer that question with "yes" (a sincere "yes," that is), then yes, go for it.

The key to passing this exam is not how smart you are or how confident you are. The key is how determined you are.

FAR: 52, 66, 73, 61, 89
AUD: 47, 87
BEC: 80
REG: 64, 74, 84

DONE!!!!

Posted 3 months ago #
MichaelScoon

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@CPAMan

Thank you for your input. I've heard before that it 'doesn't matter how smart a person is', etc. Which is good because I'm not that smart hehe. But yea, I've heard it's just a matter of doing the studying. LOTS of material. So takes lots of hours. I'm treating it like a job and studying everyday. So far retention seems pretty good. Good luck on REG.

Posted 3 months ago #
senbi575

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I agree with the posts, this is a process that you can't go into half-heartedly. I was in a similar situation when I graduated with a degree in accounting, I had no real drive to study for the exam and just started to work in the industry. After awhile I realized two things, first I got tired of having to tell people that I am not a CPA, and second that not having those three letters behind your name really makes landing those higher paying jobs an uphill fight. It took me 9 years to finally get my head into this process, and another year to finish it but I can tell you there is no better feeling than openning up that license-approved letter. At the end of the day, it is a personal choice and you don't need the certification to be successful in your career, but it is a fullfilling experience (albeit painful) and in my opinion a personal life achievement.

Posted 3 months ago #
mla1169

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IMHO, first you should get a general idea of what you want to do in life. The way I read your initial post was that you are kind of ho-hum on accounting in general. It can't come down to a toss up between McDonalds and the CPA. (I realize that was sarcastic). You should at least be somewhat convinced that a cpa WILL benefit you in whatever you decide to do.

You don't have to have experience for this to be worthwhile (although depending on where you're sitting for the CPA there may be an experience requirement to get your license). But frankly if you're already registered to sit in 2 months and asking the question if you even should, you don't sound committed to this yet.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

If I can do this, YOU can do this! Hang in there :)

Posted 3 months ago #
MichaelScoon

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Okay, so based on the responses I should do it if I am willing to do the studying required to pass (which I am). While I still don't know exactly what I want to do, I do have a basic idea of what I want to do - work in an air-conditioned office. So passing should help me with that. I've got nothing to lose. If I pass I make a bit more money for the same type of job (a/c office work). If I fail at least I tried. Thanks for all the input. Now on to studying!

Posted 3 months ago #
jenuno01

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I think the fact that you're asking whether or not you should sit for the CPA exam shows how uncommitted you are...as others have mentioned, you have to be more than 100% committed to these exams in order to pass. I suggest you re-evaluate the reasons why want to be a CPA and only buy an NTS when you are absolutely positive you will not only take the exams, but do eveything humanly possible to pass and get your life back! The journey is tough and going through this process is pure agony... is it worth it to me? Absolutely.

FAR - Done | AUD - Done | BEC - Done | REG - ?

Posted 3 months ago #
khum2011

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Be sure to check the experience requirements for your state before applying and studying! If you're planning on working in industry, be careful because a lot of things won't count as experience! (At least in CO anyway, not sure about your state).

FAR - 82
BEC - 77
AUD - 79
REG - Scheduled 7/2

Posted 3 months ago #
CashMoney10

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You don't sound hungry enough.

FAR - Pass 5/10/12, next

Posted 3 months ago #
MichaelScoon

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ffs I shouldn't have even responded about it. Anyone that thinks they can tell crap about a person from 5 posts on some web forum is completely irrational.

EDIT: It's PASSABLE! NOT IMPASSABLE! Quit trying to make it seem it's impossible those who are.

Posted 3 months ago #
mla1169

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So Michael, you admit we can't tell crap about you but still seek our opinions? What do the opinions even matter based on very vague descriptions of your situation? Who exactly is being irrational?

Either you want opinions or you just want to be told what you want to hear. On a public message board, you are bound to get both. So yes everybody who takes the exam passes just because they think they can. There ya go.

Good luck with your exams.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

If I can do this, YOU can do this! Hang in there :)

Posted 3 months ago #
Minimorty

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@michael -

You are actually right. The test is not impossible by any means. Its challenging, but that's about it. If you have a couple months to study audit, that is plenty of time to review the material and pass the exam. Its really not that tough.

That being said, you just seem very ambivalent about the whole thing. Yes, having a CPA license will definitely help your career. Considering you dont know what you want to do yet, I would just take and pass the exam and then start interviewing. After about 6 months with a firm you'll see if you like it or not. If you dont like it, move on to the next one. You'll find something you like sooner or later. The CPA designation will just help you move up the chain once you find something you like.

Posted 3 months ago #
MichaelScoon

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@Minimorty

Thanks. Yea, I'm pretty apathetic about the whole thing and life in general.

@mla1169

Yes, I came here for a consensus. I got it. Accountants are not psychoanalysts for a reason I've learned.

Posted 3 months ago #
aalkukhun

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Take it ... well ... if u want to work in accounting ... on of my professors says that the certificates are like lettuce.. having lettuce is better than not having any ...
In reality it will boost you more than you think it will ... at least give you respect among people, employers and your peers at work.
of course if you dont want a CPA you could always go for a CMA or a CFA ... if ur up to it ...
if u have a cpa, people will not ask you about your undergraduate school .... well they will ... but it wont be as important...
Good luck :)

AUD 94 (10/03/2011)
FAR 78 (10/10/2011) i Promise to give everyone hugs and support
BEC ?? Feb 13th perhaps ? I was dreaming ! maybe in may ... "Probably Not ! "
REG ?? July ? !
2 Exams Left ... Good Luck All ... Remember ... the more we suffer the better off we get out of it.

Posted 3 months ago #
MichaelScoon

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@aalkukhun

hehe that's funny about lettuce. Thank you for your info and encouragement. Good luck to you too. :)

Posted 3 months ago #
Corporation D

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My two cents - I was in a similar situation as you out of undergrad - I had a degree in economics and didn't really know what to do. Eventually, I found myself in corporate finance, where I quickly realized I needed a stronger accounting background. This was my motivation for the exam. Find your motivation and keep in mind it takes more than time to pass. As others have said this exam takes a great commitment. To borrow a quote from the New York football Giants, you need to be "ALL IN"

CMA, 2010

BEC 77
FAR 74, Rematch 77
REG 77
AUD 68,73, Grudge Match Nov 30 - 79
Paperwork submitted!!

Posted 3 months ago #
BaseballCPA

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Haha MLA hit the nail on the head...this dude is just trying to get people to say what he wants to hear. On this forum, you will get a lot of honest answers, and sometimes a lot of sarcastic answers (depending on the question). When you come onto a CPA forum and convey a half-@ssed attitude towards the exam, people tend to get irritated because at the very minimum, we dedicated like 6 months of our lives to this exam, giving it everything we had; some people have been working at this exam for YEARS because of work/family/life constraints. Through this forum, I've come to know a lot of people in this community; I've seen what this exam can do to a person. It can ruin your friendships, your relationships, your body image...I've seen people who cry out of frustration, anger, and sadness when they receive a heart-breaking 74. I've seen this exam take everything in a person's life until they have nothing left, and then ask for more. That's why people are saying that you can do this if you're committed..it's not about being committed to studying...that's only about 40% of it. It's about being committed to giving everything you have and being able to get back up if you get knocked down. It's a little like that song, "Going through hell". So if you do decide to go through with it, good luck! Keep us posted.

REG - PASSED -- 1st Attempt
FAR - PASSED -- 1st Attempt
AUD - PASSED -- 1st Attempt
BEC - PASSED -- 1st Attempt
Ethics - PASSED -- 1st Attempt

Posted 3 months ago #
CPA-Convertible

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@MichaelScoon...I think you have your answer on your own post...should you go ahead and study for the CPA (which comes with air-condition) or forget about it and work for McDonald's? This is the type of life decision question only you can answer. Once you make the choice, everything else will seem clear.

AUD - Passed - 8-31-11
BEC - Passed - 11-29-11
FAR - Passed - 2-29-12
& REG - Scheduled - 5/31/12

Posted 3 months ago #
Minimorty

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Side note: McD's have air conditioning. You COULD just kill two birds with one stone. That way you dont have to make the tough decision!

Posted 3 months ago #
CPAMan

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Working at McDonald's is awesome. You get to eat there everyday for lunch if you want to. There's nothing better than making minimum wage and flipping burgers. Yup, don't take the CPA exam. Go for the job at McDonalds. You'll have the best life ever!!!

Seriously, if you are THAT determined to take the CPA exam, just do it. You don't have to seek advice from people here. Nobody knows what your calling in life is. Only you can decide that. if you enjoy studying for this test and confident that you will pass no matter what it takes, then definitely give it a shot. And I'm not kidding when I say "enjoy studying." I enjoy it. It's stressful, I admit, but overall, I enjoy learning this stuff.

FAR: 52, 66, 73, 61, 89
AUD: 47, 87
BEC: 80
REG: 64, 74, 84

DONE!!!!

Posted 3 months ago #
MichaelScoon

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baseball and mla seem angry. STAY MAD AHAHAHA Thanks to the others for the encouragement, advice and information.

Posted 3 months ago #
mla1169

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Yes, apparently you are the psychoanalyst. LMAO. I am so very mad. Fuming actually, and not only will I stay that way I might even get MORE mad.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

If I can do this, YOU can do this! Hang in there :)

Posted 3 months ago #
CPAMan

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@BaseballCPA- You're so right about that 74 comment. Out of all the failing grades I've ever gotten, 74 is the hardest to get over. I'd rather the AICPA give me a lower grade. A grade of 74 is just very hard to swallow. But thankfully, I'm over it. It took a loooong time to get over, but I'm finally over it and I will pass next time. It is a lot of hard work, but knowing that it will all be worth it is more than enough to keep me going.

Again I say, it's all about determination because this is one exam that easy to just give up if you lack that.

FAR: 52, 66, 73, 61, 89
AUD: 47, 87
BEC: 80
REG: 64, 74, 84

DONE!!!!

Posted 3 months ago #
BaseballCPA

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@MichaelScoon -- Yes, exactly....I'm very mad, as my post clearly conveyed. Grrrrrrrrrr.

@CPAMan -- Yeah, I have friends (outside of this community, lol) who failed with a 73 or 74 and it was pretty difficult for them. I think it speaks volumes about your character; specifically, your determination, tenacity, and unwillingness to give up. I'm sure you'll pass it the next time around. Good luck!

REG - PASSED -- 1st Attempt
FAR - PASSED -- 1st Attempt
AUD - PASSED -- 1st Attempt
BEC - PASSED -- 1st Attempt
Ethics - PASSED -- 1st Attempt

Posted 3 months ago #