[lmross]

By the time my final semester rolls around I will have all the credits necessary to sit my CPA exam (it is also allowed in NC if you are about to graduate). My question is should I try to start taking it in the spring semester? I will only have 3 classes and have just come out of my auditing class. I feel like this would give me a head start and make me more marketable (I have decided on grad school yet) but am worried since most people don’t take the exam until they graduate. Thoughts?

Thanks! I’ve been a lurker on here for a while and have learned a lot already! 🙂

[Anonymous]

@Imross if I were you, given that you only will have 3 courses next Spring semester and coming off of an Auditing class, I would study for audit first and take it around the time you graduate. It is very doable to have 3 undergraduate courses and study for Audit.

Do you have a job line up for graduation? If your deciding on grad school first instead of work you can take a couple more exams during the summer months before work/grad school. Leaving you with one exam either for school break or if your in public accounting the non-busy season is a great time to finish it off. That is my two cents, hope I helped out.

[Anonymous]

@Imross if I were you, given that you only will have 3 courses next Spring semester and coming off of an Auditing class, I would study for audit first and take it around the time you graduate. It is very doable to have 3 undergraduate courses and study for Audit.

Do you have a job line up for graduation? If your deciding on grad school first instead of work you can take a couple more exams during the summer months before work/grad school. Leaving you with one exam either for school break or if your in public accounting the non-busy season is a great time to finish it off. That is my two cents, hope I helped out.

[masa_inn]

As soon as you are eligible.

FAR
AUD 02/10/14 passed
BEC
REG

Roger, WTB, Ninja materials

[masa_inn]

As soon as you are eligible.

FAR
AUD 02/10/14 passed
BEC
REG

Roger, WTB, Ninja materials

[tomq04]

Definitely asap, and you would be correct to knock out audit right after taking a class!

Go get 'em! I would dare call you a lucky duck.

REG- (1) 76
FAR- (2) 64, (5)74, (7)83 (Over achiever!)
AUD- (3) 70, (4) 75
BEC- (6) 75

[tomq04]

Definitely asap, and you would be correct to knock out audit right after taking a class!

Go get 'em! I would dare call you a lucky duck.

REG- (1) 76
FAR- (2) 64, (5)74, (7)83 (Over achiever!)
AUD- (3) 70, (4) 75
BEC- (6) 75

[Anonymous]

We've got you under our wing, Aflac!

LOL

[Anonymous]

We've got you under our wing, Aflac!

LOL

[Kimboroni]

I studied for and took AUD in my month off between fall and winter quarters, and that worked well for me! Our advanced audit professor really encouraged us to take AUD right after finishing his class, so I went with it.

I only take one class at a time, but I work full time. I'm taking my last class and studying for FAR, and it keeps me pretty busy outside of work, but it's manageable.

So I'd say go for it.

AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

[Kimboroni]

I studied for and took AUD in my month off between fall and winter quarters, and that worked well for me! Our advanced audit professor really encouraged us to take AUD right after finishing his class, so I went with it.

I only take one class at a time, but I work full time. I'm taking my last class and studying for FAR, and it keeps me pretty busy outside of work, but it's manageable.

So I'd say go for it.

AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

[GSU-CPA]

Here in Georgia they wanted proof of graduation before they would accept me to sit for exam.

If you are sure in NC you can do it you should give it a try. At the very least your can start studying for a section and when you graduate you will be ready to sit for one of the exams right away.

REG-77
BEC -Waiting on score May 5th
AUD - May 30
FAR - Q3 depending on if i pass above two in Q2

[GSU-CPA]

Here in Georgia they wanted proof of graduation before they would accept me to sit for exam.

If you are sure in NC you can do it you should give it a try. At the very least your can start studying for a section and when you graduate you will be ready to sit for one of the exams right away.

REG-77
BEC -Waiting on score May 5th
AUD - May 30
FAR - Q3 depending on if i pass above two in Q2

[Anonymous]

Hi, I am in MA. I am confused as to the eligibility requirements to sit for the exam. I have a bachelor's degree in a non-related field. I am done with my 30-credit hours in accounting, but will have yet to take classes in business. My understanding was, as soon as I have at least 9-credit hours in business, I can sit for the exam. The requirement for the 24-credit hours will be required for the licensing, but not for the exam. Anybody here in Massachusetts? I emailed a coordinator and looks like he is verifying too as I have not gotten a reply. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Hi, I am in MA. I am confused as to the eligibility requirements to sit for the exam. I have a bachelor's degree in a non-related field. I am done with my 30-credit hours in accounting, but will have yet to take classes in business. My understanding was, as soon as I have at least 9-credit hours in business, I can sit for the exam. The requirement for the 24-credit hours will be required for the licensing, but not for the exam. Anybody here in Massachusetts? I emailed a coordinator and looks like he is verifying too as I have not gotten a reply. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

@imross – I mainly agree with the advice here. How I did it, is I had accepted a job offer in the fall of '11 to start in the fall of '12. I took one exam in my final quarter (BEC), two in the summer (REG & FAR – the harder ones that cover more material) and one after I had started working (AUD). Since I was working in Audit – the actual training & work I was doing combined with my studying helped.

You were not too specific with your post, so I'll try to cover the different alternatives:

1. Are you going to try to get a job/internship after the spring semester but don't have one already? If so, then that should be your focus this semester and I wouldn't worry about the exam quite yet.

2. Figure out if you are going to grad school. If that is the case AND you are already eligible to sit, then you have the summer and at least 1+ years to take the exams. There is no real rush at this point if you want to focus on school (to keep your grades high) and extracurriculars/jobs (to build your resume for recruiting season next year).

3. If you do have a job offer lined up already – and are not going to grad school – then absolutely start taking them now. It is so much easier to get them out of the way prior to starting work. And I was able to pass BEC with an 89 while going to school no problem, so it is possible.

[Author]

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