[texassigma10]

Luckily, I’m towards the end of my school work; however, this means everything is starting to pile up! Finals are coming up, and I am starting to study for the CPA Exam. Does anyone know how to balance this? I’m taking full-time classes, and one of them is just kicking me and my friends’ butts.

Can someone tell me what I can do? I’m at a real loss right now, and I don’t think I’m doing a good job. I’m trying to get all my assignments out of the way right now, so I can give myself more room to study for the CPA. I know this is nothing compared to people who are doing school, work AND the CPA (MAJOR MAJOR PROPS YOU GUYS!!!), but I’m stressed out like crazy.

Thanks so much!

[Anonymous]

If it were me, I would wait until I were finished with finals. It's just too much. These exams are very demanding and you will find out that you can't study for them the way you studied for your classes in college. You already said one of your classes is kicking your butt, if you try to study for the exams on top of that then you are definitely going to be overwhelmed.

Are you graduating this semester? Have you applied to take the exams and received your NTS yet? I know when I was in school I couldn't even apply until I finished all my requirements so I didn't bother starting to study for it until I had applied.

Good luck to you!

[Anonymous]

I agree with what bnrhilton says. Wait until you are finished with school to start studying. These exams are no joke. I currently work about 45 hrs a week and study 30 hours a week. There is no way I could have fit school in the mix too. I barely have any time for social life as it is.

With that said, I would enjoy your last few weeks in school and wait to start studying until you can really dedicate yourself to studying for this exam.

[SammyJ]

I dont know what your situation is that you are still taking finals, but for a lot of states you can't even sit for the exam until you've had your bacelor degree processed by your college and mailed to the accounting board. So it is really not wise to start studying if you want to get a good grade on your finals. I highly suggest putting it off and focus solely on work and studying for your finals. And I dont know if you work full time or like a coffeeshop or something part-time, but if so you should consider reducing your hours.

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[texassigma10]

Thanks for your suggestions guys!

In the state of Texas, we are allowed to apply to the CPA exam a semester before we finish our requirements. We just have to show proof of our “nearly completed transcripts”. It helps facilitate their process faster. Once my classes are finished, I just have to submit my final transcripts and they will immediately allow me to sit for the exam.

If I don't start studying now, I feel like I won't have enough time to sit for the end of week for May. If I start studying after finals (after the 2nd week of May), do you think I still would have time to sit for the exam? Originally, I plan to sit for REG. But I guess I could change it to AUD or BEC?

[SammyJ]

Actually and I dont know your time frame that you feel you have to get it done by, but I would suggest waiting and really preparing for FAR first and take it on the first available date in July. It may seem a lot farther down the road, but these CPA exams are no sloutch and the FAR exam is typically considered the hardest and filled with the most material. Its gonna be super hard for you to pass FAR during late May.

FAR-81!!
AUD-69, Retake: 84!!
REG-86!!
BEC-81!!
Education- Done
Ethics- August 2013
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[mla1169]

As I said to someone else about trying to do AUD in 10 days, I'm sure its entirely possible to do what you're looking to do, but why would you subject yourself to that if you didn't absolutely have to?

But to answer your question, if you are adament about doing your finals and studying for the CPA at the same time, you have to make a schedule and stick to it like you have a job. If you decide you're going to start studying at 7am you have to be up, showered, dressed and ready to start your day by 7am. You can't give yourself the luxury of “later” and you certainly can't fall behind schedule. Figure about 120 hours of studying before FAR and also figure that you're really only going to be attentive to it for 3 or so hours per day, tops.

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[Anonymous]

I started studying at the beginning of this semester and sat for my first exam on Feb. 27th. I am a senior in college, and my course loads have always been terrible but I feel like prioritizing my studies has helped me achieve success. For me, if I have measurable goals and a lot to accomplish I tend to work harder and generally have better results. I know that I have been putting school second rate to the exam. I feel like its more important for me to pass the exam than get straight A's this semester so I think your on the right track to knocking this thing out!

Keep it up!

[Anonymous]

I would suggest you finish finals then start studying. Take the first exam at the beginning of July and then take another around mid to end of August. Then tackle the other two exams in the October/November window. You didn't say what time frame you were looking to complete the exams in. I started studying FAR right after I got out of school and took it towards the end of July. I only waited that long because I had to wait on my NTS. In Louisiana we had to wait to apply after we received our final transcripts.

[acamp]

Does your degree need to show up on the transcripts in order to sit for the exam? If so, I would inquire with your school on when the degree will appear on your transcripts, otherwise you might be making this hard push only to have your degree appear on your transcripts during the off month (June). I know mine took at least a month, the grades for the final semester appear quickly, but the actual degree on the transcripts took a month or so.

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[Anonymous]

texassigma10, I forgot to mention above that I actually started for exams after I completed all requirements but I had one more semester to go to get my second degree. That last semester I was also studying for exams, working full time and taking care of my family. I took twocpa exams during that last semester (only taking two classes) and failed them both. That is one of the reasons that I stress to you that you shouldn't try to do them both at the same time, especially if you are working also.

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