32CPA
offlineMember
I don't know what it is, but I can tell you I'm going to skew the numbers... I'm 32... But I also didn't start until I was very late 31. (during my 10 years of tax experience, I kept putting it off, hasn't affected my career, but this is a personal goal).
Be glad all of you 23-27 year olds are doing this now... doing with full time job, kids, spouse... very difficult. Kicking myself everyday for not doing it when I was in the Big 5 (yeah, it was 5 when I was in it)
FARbehind
offlineMember
I am 40. 2 kids. Full time job. MBA degree, master's degree from Europe... Chances are, at 40 you have to catch up with something...
I am glad the CPA exam is what I am catching up with. It would be much harder to catch up with children at this age...
Let us know what the statistics is when you collect all the data:)
LSU_BR
offlineMember
I'm 30 with a full-time job. No kids, but I have a very needy puppy, lol. I have a degree in Gen Business with a pre-law concentration. No MBA. I tried the test when I was 24 but I wasn't ready for the commitment it takes. I'm glad I'm getting it out of the way now, so I can focus on other things, like life :)
michelle119
offlineMember
22: full-time job in public accounting, taking 2 grad school classes, and studying this part-time, have a Bachelors in Accounting. living on my own with my boyfriend, who sometimes acts like a child!
kobebryant168
offlineMember
I'm 26, but I guess my hero is Florida_candidate...I wish I can go back to age 21, and have plenty of time to do this...
No kids, no girlfriend because peter olinto said he's my only family during this period...lol
But great, everyone is fulfilling his/her dream here so lets run down this cpa exam obstacle together!
suzzette1
offlineMember
Aiming to get my second CPA license at 46! (got the other one in the Philippines at age 20). Full-time housewife with a very supportive husband so it helps a lot!
CA_CPA
offlineMember
I'm 31 and technically doing this for the second time.... I'm a chartered accountant (UK qualified with Big 4 firm). I kept arguing that my CA was at least equivalent (and relevant as my FAR exam was based on IFRS).
But in the end I decided that the CPA was necessary as I would never get promoted without it. Now I am in between jobs so a great time to do it. And thanks to a very supportive husband!
FARbehind
offlineMember
whitesox,
you've been watching too much tv!!! your scores are going down! JK
I thought you guys would be impressed with us, "old" folks and you are admiring the young ones!!! JK
It would be interesting to know the national origin of everybody to make a racial/national profile of the cpa candidates... JK
Jeff - another71.com
offlineadmin
From interacting with thousands of candidates, the avg CPA Exam candidate age is 25-28, just shooting from the hip.
I will really skew the numbers, I started at 48 finished at 49. Married, 6 kids, full time job, very supported wife. BS (1990) Information System Management, MS (2009) in Accounting and Information Technology. I am Retired U.S. Army and the CPA was a necessity for this second career of mine in governmental accounting working for the Department of Defense. So it is never to late to do the CPA exam.
Liz317
offlineMember
So I'm 24. So I guess group me in with the "average." BS in Math, MS in Accounting. I'm not married, I don't have any kids, and I don't have a life until after this thing is passed haha!
kobebryant168
offlineMember
Haha, thanks guys for supporting this topic
Liz317, same happening here...no life candidate here
and wow, I see a lot of ladies here
Good luck everyone and hopefully we can haf more people respond so that we can really have a rough idea what the avg is
Cheers
First attempt I was 23 back on the paper exam.
This round I started at 31 and finished 6 months later at 32.
hazeyCPA
offlineMember
im 22, i finished masters in accounting in august, but not starting with big 4 until new years so i had time to pound out last 2 sections (waiting for reg) before i started
italianCPA
offlineMember
I'm 34, Bachelor and MBA from Europe, came to the US at 26, 8 years of experience as Financial Controller/CFO in industry, unemployed since last June so I finally decided to take the exam since I remember being passed on for jobs in the past because I wasn't a CPA. Hopefully by Thanksgiving I will have my REG score, hopefully the last one.
IWantThisOver
offlineMember
Thought I would blow the curve. I am in my 50's. I got laid off from a job I thought I would have till retirement. When I talked to the state board of accountancy, they said they had lots of older people who are starting to sit for the exam because of the economy.
I hope to finish mid 2011 and go back to work.
I do have a question. Do you think CPA firms tend not to hire older workers? Will older workers have a tougher time making it in a CPA firm?
kobebryant168
offlineMember
tableleg, if I were you, I would open my own firm after passing all the exam
since you have many years work experience, getting a license should be pretty easy
I think you can find some partners to open up a firm and be a boss! hire yourself!
HazeEastwood
offlineMember
I'm 32, no kids, no wife Plant Controller at a manufacturing plant in Atlanta. I have a undergrad in accounting & a Masters in Economics (FSU). I had absolutely no intensions on taking the CPA until I was challenged by a former coworker and from reading statistics.
potatogun
offlineMember
The CPA is really being pushed by firms and universities so it isn't too surprising to see a lot of young 20-something year olds pursuing the exam now.
I am most impressed by those who have a lot of life responsibilities (marriage, kids, etc). I consider young candidates smart planners!
Antarctica
offlineMember
I'm 43, married (supportive husband thankfully!), 2 kids, MBA, and full-time job. Taking the CPA exam has been a long-time goal and I'm finally getting around to doing something about it (it's never too late!).
@FreshStart- Happy Birthday and congrats on your graduation!
KERI0323
offlineMember
I'm 28, active 2 year old and supportive husband at home. I've been working in corporate accounting since I graduated from undergrad in 2004, love it and have no intention of going to a firm. I've been determined to be a CPA since I was 8 years old so this is more of a personal goal for me then work related. Finished my MS last December and am trying to knock out the CPA before next summer so I can take my family to Disney!
Antarctica
offlineMember
@KERI0323 - I read my 8-year old a section of my Becker FAR book the other day. Based on her response, I can pretty much guarantee that 20 years from now she won't say that she's been determined to be a CPA since she was 8. Great idea about Disney...I think I'll do that too when I pass all the sections.
kobebryant168
offlineMember
Guys, thanks for participating
I have computed the mean age for completing the CPA based on the ones who reported their ages on this thread:
The MEAN AGE for completing or writing the Uniform CPA Exam is................
dhuffman
offlineMember
I'm 47, was in telecom until being laid off. Already had an MBA but my BS is Public Admin with a Law minor. We live on a ranch so I have animals to care for. Youngest is in first year of college. I did get a job with a small CPA firm doing govt. auditing and absolutely love it. Decided to get my CPA just in case we move (it's transportabe) and to be able to help out more at work.
kandisjoy
offlineMember
25, working full time in private accounting, buying a house (escrow ends 5/20), engaged (putting off planning of the wedding until June when I'm done testing), taking care of three kitties with the help of my fiance, who occasionally takes care of me too. Thank goodness for him or I may have given up on this test a long time ago.
I can't wait to pass. I want to plan my wedding, have time to work on my new home, and have little adorable half CPA half IT nerd babies. It'll be glorious.
Study Chair
offlineMember
What a great mix of comments - I'm 59. Passed BEC & FAR last year and REG this year. Praying that I'll receive a passing AUDIT score. Worked in corporate accounting, started a business & sold it. I didn't have to work any more but this is a life-long goal. How funny...for some of you it would be like your grandmother taking the exam at the same time you do!
I wish the very best luck to everyone...you are all super for taking on this challenge.
Accounting Pilot
offlineMember
22, almost 23, married, no kids. Finished by BS in Accounting, Finance, and Economics and my MBA last May. Full time internal audit position and I volunteer my time as treasurer at a local 501(c)(3). Hoping to take my last test in May so I can say I passed before I turned 23. But since it is REG, you should put me down at 23 to be conservative ;)
alahens
offlineMember
Hi, i'm 29 worked on Big 4 for 5 yrs and kept putting it off. took the exam when i was 21... FAIL.... Now i'm in the private sector, and i have AUD this week. Hopefully passing it and on to REG.
Good luck!!!
as my Becker prof. & college teacher used to say... "this is not a race of who gets there first, it's actually about having the resistance and getting there"
alahens
offlineMember
Hi, i'm 29 worked on Big 4 for 5 yrs and kept putting it off. took the exam when i was 21... FAIL.... Now i'm in the private sector, and i have AUD this week. Hopefully passing it and on to REG.
Good luck!!!
as my Becker prof. & college teacher used to say... "this is not a race of who gets there first, it's actually about having the resistance and getting there"
kb24
offlineModerator
I'm 53. Was a stay-at-home mom who went back to school. Got my masters 5 years ago but had to delay getting a job because of my mother's health which was a full time job for me at times. Thought I'd at least be able to take the exam during this time even if I didn't have a job, but there was a crisis every week or two that completely got me off track. Am now in position to get job, but thought I should take the exam first because it would refresh my knowledge and make me a more attractive employee prospect even if I didn't pass. So I'm taking all the exams in this text window. Took FAR on 4/1 and AUD on 4/15 and am scheduled to take REG on 4/29 and BEC on 5/13. Think I did OK on FAR and AUD but am really concerned about REG. Fortunately I have a supportive husband who doesn't mind that I'm studying all day every day and unable to converse on much outside accounting. Am nervous about finding a job because of my age but just trying to focus on the exam right now and worry about the job until next month when I start looking.
wantmylifeback
offlineMember
37 years old with wife and no kids yet. I have a BA & MA in Econ, and just finished my MA in Acctg about a year ago. The switch to the acctg field and getting CPA license is my second career after I got bored in economics.
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