[Anonymous]

How many attempts should a person take at passing before they give up?

[See Pee A]

Well, I may not be the best to advise here since I didn't struggle a whole lot through this process, but here's my advice. Taking and passing the CPA is less about being smart/gifted as it is about working hard and learning to take the exam. Memory is probably the greatest gift when it comes to the CPA and makes the entire process a whole lot easier. There are some like myself who try to understand, but will memorize when that doesn't work for the material left over. Others have to really understand the material otherwise it turns into hieroglyphs in their mind after memorizing.

My advice, learn from your mistakes. Your study methods must be just that, YOUR study methods. You cannot expect to repeat anyone's process and still pass. Find out what it takes for you personally to recall information (memorize, mnemonics, insane repetition, etc) and apply it when asked in a slightly different way. Given even an average level of intelligence/gift, you can pass the CPA. The material is not particularly difficult (as I would consider things like financial derivatives, trading algorithms, etc), but is voluminous! Take your time, but don't go too slow. The CPA significantly favors short-term memory over long-term, so spreading out your studying too much will require that you spend a lot of time simply redoing work just to keep things fresh.

Short answer, re-examine your study methods to find out what works for you and what doesn't. Change those things. Pass a part. Lather, rinse, repeat.

BEC 86 (08/30/11)
FAR 84 (10/13/11)
REG 88 (11/08/11)
AUD 86 (11/29/11)

Exam prep - Becker self-study

[Anonymous]

I've already quit 🙂 The CPA certificate looks nice 🙂

[tbstew]

This is a good thread – it identifies some of the things that hold back many candidates from passing the exam. If I had to rank the following aspects of passing the CPA exam in order of importance, it would go like this:

1. Choose to PASS the exam. Too many people choose only to take it, and then only ‘hope' they pass. That's why they have thoughts of giving up.

2. Serious dedication, hard work, and sacrifice

3. Take responsibility for the outcome of your exam (i.e. don't make excuses for yourself while preparing, or after failing)

4. Learn how to STUDY for the exam (i.e. what works best for you)

5. Learn how to TAKE the exam (how it works, what to expect, what topics to cover, time management, etc…)

6. Train your short-term memory, and pad it with solid long-term memory/prior knowledge/experience

There are lots of other important things, and other people may certainly rearrange the order, but that's my take on things.

AUD - 79
BEC - 88
REG - 87
FAR - 86 - Woot, all done!
Ethics - 100

[yankeeaccountant]

I think there are alot of really good posts here. I really like #1 on Tbstew's list. Number 4 was a pisser for me since what worked for one exam didn't necessarily work for another.

[jomarie]

I'm on my 37th attempt and haven't given up yet!!!

Started sitting in May 2002, on and off. But since 2008 I've been nonstop and my scores are....
AUD - 39, 48, 56, 65, 68, 73, 76!!! (Finally passed in Oct 2011!!!) Becker, NINJA, & Wiley
REG - 75 (Lost Credit) 72, 68, 73, 75 (Passed again in Aug 2011) Becker, NINJA, & Wiley
FAR - 65, 68, 75 (Lost Credit) 68, 73, 73, 80 (Passed again in May 2012) Roger, NINJA, & Wiley
BEC - 65, 68, 71, 72, 72, 71, 76 (Lost Credit)- 70, 76!!!! I AM DONE!!! - Roger, NINJA, & Wiley
After 10 long years of studying, I AM DONE!!!! Finally a Licensed CPA in the State of New York!!

[yankeeaccountant]

Gooooo JoMarie !!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Honestly, as soon as I would lose credit for an exam I would quit. I'd be damaged psychologically. That is me personally though.

[Anonymous]

The only way to fail is to quit.

@bcc624 – Losing a test score is definitely psychologically damaging but you get up the next morning after crying yourself to sleep and get mad! You study harder than you have ever studied. For me losing my FAR credit was like being slapped in the face. It only strengthened my resolve to be done. I was a woman on a mission for the entire month of March.

[nextstopCPA]

Don't quit…it's not worth it!

FAR Passed
REG Passed
AUD Passed
BEC Passed

All aboard, this train's leaving. Next stop, TBD!

[nolifecpa]

i failed 12 exams before my first pass. everyone knows the rules to the cpa game…NEVER GIVE UP!!!

don't think of your performance on mcq as the actual exam, they are only a study tool to help you learn. i know its a confidence killer but better to get it wrong now then on exam day

the exams don't get any easier the more times you take them, it is a completely different exam everytime. that is why it is recommended that you start from page 1 when studying for a retake and don't move on to another section until you passed (wish i knew this in my earlier years)

my 18 month window is coming up and i still need to pass REG and FAR by end of august or i lose AUD. hope it don't happen but i'd rather restudy for AUD than BEC…i never want to see BEC ever again!!

REG-65,71,74,73,70,74,79
BEC-60's,60's,69,71,76*,78
FAR-67,66,65,79
AUD-54,60's,65,83*,69,80
*expired

DONE

[Anonymous]

See Pee and tbstew make great points about about adjusting/adapting your study habits/strategy to make it work. I've been doing that exact thing and now I'm more confident than I was this time yesterday. I'm basically going over right away what doesn't stick (when reading) that what I think is actually going to be tested. Then once I go over the practice questions I will be more prepared and score higher the 1st time I do the practice questions. Going through the practice questions prior to today has helped me anticipate or understand how the study material relates to the actual exam questions.

[Anonymous]

“don't think of your performance on mcq as the actual exam, they are only a study tool to help you learn. “

Very true. I'm making sure now to really reread and fully understand something when I get a question wrong (and take notes) before continuing to the next mcq. And I think the examples in the texts are also great for that too. I make sure to understand the examples too.

Just curious, all the posters with numerous retakes all work full-time or worked full-time when preparing for the exam, right?

[Anonymous]

@Aaron55 – every one of us posters with numerous retakes have different walks in life. Majority are working full-time. I work a different kind of full-time. After 5 years as a Senior Accountant, my full-time job now is being a stay-at-home mom of two toddlers who also home-schooling them. I started sitting for the exam in September 2010 because I'm planning to go back to work in a year. I try to squeeze in whatever time I have to study and so far only passed 2 (1 about to loose credit). A few days ago I was about to “throw in the towel.” But after hearing what some of the other moms out there also going through or been through, I decided to keep going…Hang in there Aaron55. We will one day be a CPA!

[UnderemployedCPA]

i think, and i would have done it if it came to that, that when it get's to the point that you lose a credit, you are throwing good money after bad and that's time to call it.

[Veronica75]

It's hard to decide when you start losing credits. I passed audit twice now, and I'm waiting to hear back from REG. If I pass, I'm done. If I don't pass, I have one more attempt before I lose my FAR credit. I made a 74 on REG… I'm literally one stinkin' point away from being a CPA. I thought I would quit if it comes to losing FAR, but I may go to extreme circumstances, even leaving my job to study fulltiime until I put the entire CPA exam behind me!

Everyone's situation is different. If I hadn't been working fulltime, I'm confident I would have pulled my stuff together and passed. I commend those who passed the first attempt while working, with kids, etc. I'm terribly envious!

FAR - 79 (2x)
AUD - 81 (expired), 77!
REG - 74! omg (3x) 87!!!!!!! I'm done! OMG!
BEC - 81 (4x)

[Author]

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