[LSNYC]

This morning I called my dad to ask for a little advise about a situation at work (mistake one). So I’m explaining everything and I said “….and when I finish my exam”. He said what exam. I said my CPA exam. His response I thought you were done you’ve been working on that for like 20 years!… Ok 5 years, and I stopped for a while but thanks for the support dad!

Ugh! Now I remember why I don’t tell him about the exam, about my job or anything relating to it!

Thanks for listening!

A - 61, 91!!
B - 78!
F - 76!!!
R - 71, 73, 74, 69, 77!!!!

Finally done!

This is my 2nd attempt at the exam, I had two parts passed (failed many) and I stupidly quit, big mistake. Now I'm back and with a vengeance!

[neika822]

I hear ya. I stopped 2 years ago, and I think some of my family's response was, “Oh… so you're going to try THAT again.”

And no matter what I try to explain to my sister, she doesn't understand that I can't do things anymore. The other day she was hounding me, asking me why I haven't booked this certain hotel yet for our one-night trip next month. There's no other way to explain to her that I just don't have the TIME to look into hotels. I don't know how else to tell my family: I wake up at 5am to study, I work, I use my lunch break to study, I come home to make dinner, and then study the rest of the night. If I give myself I break, I usually nap, haha.

It's very frustrating to deal with people who just don't understand what it takes to pass these exams. They assume it's “just a test.” “Why do you study so much, you'll do fine!”

Good luck, LSNYC! Try not to take it personally 🙁

R - *77*(02/'13)-Becker & NINJA
A - 71('11); *87*(04/'13)-Becker & NINJA
F - *76*(08/'13)-Becker & NINJA - "server upgrade" survivor
B - 60('11); *82*(10/'13) -Becker & NINA

DONE, DONE, AND DONE.

CPA in Massachusetts; issued 01/24/14

[Anonymous]

OMG! I could tell you horror stories of how my family has negatively affected my exams with all their drama! It wasn't until my mom passed away in July 2012 that I could finally give my siblings the proverbial finger and hunker down. Thank Heavens for my wonderful husband! Put on a thick skin and push through! Can't wait to see your passing score in July!

[supervisor]

@Lysnc, I think everyone on here has at least that “one” person (or many) in their life that just doesnt understand our situation. Take it like a grain of salt and use his words as motivation. You can do it! We will all pass this exam one day and look back at it and say I effen did it!!

My sister was talking about her one friend who studied just using the books and passed all parts on the first try. She told me that she said, damn, my sister is taking it again. I want to so badly say, you go effen take the exam. Just effen try it but I didn't want to send bad energy for the score release. At the end of the day, its you and your career. No one else will understand this journey but us so we have to keep going at it. Good Luck and keep your chin up!

BEC 10/13 PASSED 77
AUD 04/12 PASSED 83
FAR 08/12 PASSED 76
REG 02/13 PASSED 76

Licensed in PA on 12/23/13. Yea boy!!

[Freyer002]

Eventhough I haven't taken a test yet I can agree that pressures from friends and family can make you stress more. I appreciate all of the stories and this post LSNYC! Im working part-time right now (2 days a week) and will start with my firm at the end of NOV. Just graduated and am taking FAR on July 1. Most of my friends and family are like oh you're all set its just a review of what you learned in college… yeah not quite. My ultimate goal is to get all 4 parts done before I start working for my firm. That would be amazing, but who knows as of now if that's possible. My family and friends all say I will do it, let's hope… Good luck to everyone!

FAR 66 (07/01/13), 75! (10/01/13)
AUD 64 (08/12/13), 80! (11/23/13)
BEC 84! (05/22/14)
REG 77! (08/28/14)
DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Failure is only the opportunity to more intelligently begin again"

[foreseeableCPA]

Sorry to hear about your situation Lsync. I've come to the conclusion that A71 and my friends, who are also taking the CPA exams, are a better support system than family members. My family just doesn't seem to understand. When I found out I passed my last exam this past week, my parents did not seem to be as happy as I thought they would be. No one, other than yourself, knows how hard the exams are and how much time/effort you have put in. Studying for the exams is already depressing enough. Having outside pressure and no support system makes the CPA journey even more unbearable.

CPA - Class of 2013
CIA - Class of 2016

[missjones513]

I haven't had any negative comments from family members, just questions because they don't really know all the requirments to get a CPA license.

After failing like the 5th or 6th time my mom asked me did I need a tutor. For the CPA exam? Really?

REG - 5/29/12 (64), 10/1/12 (74), 5/20/13 (75, expires 12/31/14)
FAR - 8/14/12 (64), 8/5/14 (75)
BEC - 11/19/12 (70), 2/25/13 (72), 11/21/13 (73), 1/21/14 (73), 8/30/14 (72), 11/24/14 (75)
AUD - 4/22/13 (65), 10/12/13 (79)

I'm done!!!

Ethics - Pass

[mypetmeatball]

I understand both sides. Taking the CPA exam makes me irritable and I'm only a few months in — if it's something you've been working on a long time, and someone says something insensitive, I'm sure it's tempting to choke them. On the other hand, to the outside world you've been working on this as long as they can remember. I can't speak for everyone, but it's hard for me to sympathize with someone for such a length of time. Like if someone asks you a favor, and you're too busy studying and you've been taking it for two years, the first instinct is to be like “Jesus…seriously?!?!” It's hard to reach a common understanding when it comes to stuff like this.

[Jennifer241]

I had a friend who asked me how many more times that she would need to “pick me up” after I have failed an exam. I was utterly dumbfounded because I would NEVER have expected a loved one to not support me in this incredibly hellish experience of passing these exams. After the pause of silence on the phone, she said “I just want to know how many more times I need to be there for you” to which I responded “Until I pass or die”.

I have been on this journey for 3+ years, I have taken this exam over 15 times with only 1 pass. The point is, you are not alone, it is common for many people to not pass multiple times and drag this out over several years time.

You have a goal, and when you finish it will not matter how long it took you to get there. Once you are a CPA, no one can take that away from you, and no one can belittle that accomplishment. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, ignore daddy dearest as he probably was not aware of how badly those words stung, and keep going!

AUD - Jan 9,13 Pass
REG - Aug 30,13 Pass
BEC - Oct 26,13 Pass
FAR - Dec 4,13 Pass

Licensed CPA in the state of Oregon

[mypetmeatball]

Wow @Jen…I think my response would have been “Zero. The obligations of being my friend are over.”

[LSNYC]

Thanks everyone!!! You all really helped make me feel better! I try not to talk about the exam with people outside of my husband, A71 and a few friends taking the exam for this exact reason. Their comments just end up making me mad/upset.

Thanks for always being so supportive! I appreciate all of you and your support!

Happy studying!

A - 61, 91!!
B - 78!
F - 76!!!
R - 71, 73, 74, 69, 77!!!!

Finally done!

This is my 2nd attempt at the exam, I had two parts passed (failed many) and I stupidly quit, big mistake. Now I'm back and with a vengeance!

[K]

I have to vent too. After I passed my second exam, my friend told me that I passed because I am a good test taker. It's called STUDYING! I study my butt off. Taking and passing CPA exam has not been easy. I have put a lot of effort into preparing for these exams (as I'm sure everyone else on this site has). I didn't even bother telling my friend that I passed Reg this past week. Ok.. vent over.

BEC 80
AUD 86
REG 84
FAR 80

DONE!

[memmy29]

I ran into my former supervisor (who has since become a CEO) when I was about halfway done with the exam. She said, “aren't you tired of studying? don't you want to just quit and live your life?”. I used her negative questions as fuel (and anger) to finish. Should I call her and tell her that I'll be making more than her in a few years and she's more than twice my age?

People don't understand. It's worth it, and you know it. You can do it!

AUD - 84
BEC - 84
FAR - 77
REG - 75

So glad to be done!

"If you're going through hell, keep going." - Sir Winston Churchill

AUD-84, REG-75, BEC-84, FAR-77

Licensed CPA

CIA Exam
Part 1 - Passed
Part 2 - Passed
Part 3 - Passed

[Missy13]

Totally get you! They don't know how hard this exam is, but it's okay. You keep doing what you know it's going to benefit your career.

I've been at it since 2009 (after I graduated) and gave up 3 years later. It's now 2013 and I'm at it once again! Took REG 5/31 and failed with a 66! Was so disappointed, but I know it can be done. Not giving up this time. I like to keep my exam dates a secret because if I don't pass, I don't have to explain myself to people lol, but there are times when I have to because friends or family want to hang out and I have to tell them that I can't every time because I'm studying. I've been saying this for years now, they actually think I'm lying because I can't possibility be studying so much!

[Liss, Master of Coin]

My Dad thinks I've been a CPA for years; because in his mind when you're an accountant you're automatically a CPA (which is unfortunate because he thinks his bookkeeper is a CPA too, I've tried explaining it to him but he doesn't get it.)

I think he and my Mom thought that by getting my MBA it meant I'd be a CPA; I tried telling them it's part of my path (CA pathway 2) but they don't seem to understand that there is still a lot more work to be done.

The sad thing is I always thought my Dad was supportive of me going to school, but just last week he told me that he “hates people with too much education.”

CPA (MA, Non Reporting) since Oct. 2015

 

B – 33, 71, 79

A – 32, 61, 70, 83

R – 33, 58, 73, 69, 81

F – 47, 78

1st test 01/19/2013

Last test 05/26/2015

 

CPA (MA, Non-Reporting)

The difference in winning & losing is most often, not quitting - Walt Disney

B - 33, 71, 79!
A - 32, 61, 70, 83!
R - 33, 58, 73, 69, 81!
F - 47, 78! 🙂
After 3 long years, I'm finally DONE!
I could not have done it without NINJA MCQs.

Used: Roger for his Videos, WTB, and NINJA Audio, Notes and Test Bank.

[Anonymous]

I have to agree that the A71 crew are the best support out there. I was afraid to confide in my family. Both my parents died a long time ago and I didn't talk about it to any that remain. The only time I did was to tell them I wasn't coming to Thanksgiving so that I could study. I wonder if they thought I was making it up to get out of it, no clue.

Actually, when it came time to get my last score, my husband didn't even consider the fact that I would want to go out and celebrate. I was like really!? I think passing the CPA Exam should be treated just like graduation day. It's huge! Good grief this exam is hard.

Yeah, they don't get it. Sorry about your dad. I'd put him on the “doesn't get it” list and try someone else.

[Author]

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