[Mike]

I have a couple of questions concerning the CPA exam that I am hoping someone can help me with:

1. I sent my credentials (college course work) to the Illinois Board of Examiners back in 2016 and received a letter stating that I met the 150 hour requirement to sit for the CPA exam. My next step would be to start scheduling exams, correct?
2. I currently live in Illinois but plan on moving to Kansas City (not sure if it will be the Missouri or Kansas side yet) in the next year (probably next summer). How does this affect taking the CPA exam? Is it transferable? What happens if I pass a couple of sections in Illinois and then end up moving?
3. I know this is kind of a loaded questionable, but how likely am I to be if I just use the NINJA Review? I’m trying to keep cost at a minimum.

Thanks!

[AGI]

1. Either the exam or get the experience first, or together. Certain state requires you to get the experience within X amount of time after passing the exam. With COVID, use your own judgement if your current office doesn't support the exp.

2. Yes, transferable, however, depends what state you want to get your lice, the requirements might be different.

3. I used NINJA (with a discount price) and Wiley. Think end up spending just a little over $1K. If you want, you can find plenty of resources online on MCQ. Ask around and see if any of your friends have old CPA books or Becker within the last couple of years… or the library. Your pre-existing knowledge and street smart will determine how much study and books you will need. Just get something to start with and add-on as you go when needed.

NY - CPA

New York - NYC
Passed CPA Exam (11/2014)
In search for a position in NYC that will fulfills the license requirement.

[Mike]

Thanks! I have been an accountant for an private engineering firm for the past 12+ years.

[monikernc]

Check the board in the state where you will be working because that is where you will want to be licensed. Make sure you meet the residency and education requirements for that state for both exams and licensing. Most states will accept exam scores from another state but you have to make sure. Some charge a fee to transfer grades and some don’t. Read through the rules and email specific questions to the board that you will need to meet the requirements for. Be sure to get your experience affidavit before you change jobs or supervisors. Good luck! Testing is hard but I think the license is worth it.

Ninja is all you need to pass!

AUD - 93
BEC - 82
FAR - 76
REG - 88

How have you been?
Ninja book and MCQs and the forum, all first try! 2016
Licensed State of Montana April Fool’s Day 2020
State of Colorado June 2020 - AICPA Ethics 93
Experience was the worst part of the journey for me. You?
If you want things to change you have to do something different.

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[AGI]

Hi, you will have to make sure your prior or currently existed experience will actually qualified, and whoever it might be is willing to sign off your experience. In NY, for example, we have a very weird rule where “if you were once a CPA you can keep your title forever even if you don't renew your license, and you can renew it whenever you need it again”.

I have worked as an accountant in an office for 7 years, we have a CPA but he did not renew his license. He cannot sign off for me and he's not willing to renew the license just because of a signature. We have another CPA but he does not work in the field of accounting. He's not willing to sign either because there's no direct supervision. None of my CFO, deputy CFO, administrator or controller is a CPA (nor accounting major at all). The thing is, you don't need to be a CPA to be a manager, or to even know accounting, you just hire a bunch of accountants to do the job.

I did not found the test to be hard at all but I did spend 7 years hunting for that experience, finally end up taking a pay cut and leaving a management position, in a final attempt to gamble on it. (In NY scores never expired but after 10 years you will need to take additional classes to “refresh” yourself.)

NY - CPA

New York - NYC
Passed CPA Exam (11/2014)
In search for a position in NYC that will fulfills the license requirement.

[Author]

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