tips on studying for the cpa exam?
89630
take one of the review/cram courses.
386577
Each state has its own requirements to become certified.  You can check with your state licensing board for the specifics.\n1.  Education - You need to have a certain number of credit hours of college level accounting courses.  Then you need to pass the exam and have a certain amount of years of experience (1 - 3 depending on the state).\n2.  I took the a prep course.  It was expensive but worth it.  There are a number of different study aids so it really depends on your personal commitment and study habits.\n3. The exam is very comprehensive and difficult.  The pass rate is very low.  When I took it, calculators were not allowed but today they are.  It's an ever changing animal!\n4.  In reality, nothing.  But the perception of the public is that if you are a CPA, you know your stuff.  Today, employers want the CPA designation as a minimum.\n5.  Salary will depend on many things such as geographic location, industry (public or private), employer (large or small) and the position (tax, general).  The potential is great if you are talented and work hard to keep up with the changing atmosphere.\n6.  A CPA specializing in tax will most likely work in a public accounting firm ( and i suggest you get some experience in one...the education is immeasurable.)  Public firms are tough though.  The hours during tax season are long and your social life will be nonexistent.  Some firms specialize in an industry too so your exposure to issues will be concentrated.  If public is not for you, then working for a corporation is possible.  You most likely will be in the HQ office and will have a limited number of issues (unless its a multi national with many lines of business.)  The last is with the government, or specifically, the IRS.  The issues will be wide spread and will be a good learning experience.  The pay is not the tops but the experience will be valuable to take to your next job.\nI've been a CPA for almost 20 years and it's been very rewarding.  I took the exam 4 times and passed all four parts on the 4th time.  Failing it should not be discouraging.  You need to give yourself 5 months of heavy studying and you should be able to pass.\nGood luck.
634758
coupla tips...\n1.prepare a rough booklet of important facts,formulae,tid bits of information-in NO paricular order,include rough diagrams and calculations if any on the side.for last minute prep.\n2.study in the right environment,at a study table.sit for two hours straight then take half hour breaks.\n3.go to your library and take copies from reference books.library books explain it better than the teach's notes.\n4.get plenty of rest before the exam,discuss stratedgies wid your friends and all luck!
265675
The best way is to study at least 12 minutes a day from day one of the class. \n\nTake good notes. Make index cards for vocabulary words. Study the reviews at the end of each chapter.
1141125
If you are thinking of becoming a certified public accountant in California, there are two important goals to focus on -- passing the CPA exam and meeting licensing requirements.\n\nIn order to qualify to take the CPA exam, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, including 10 semester units in accounting and/or auditing, and 35 semester units in other business-related courses. If you do not have a bachelor's degree, you must have at least 120 semester units of coursework, including 10 units in accounting and 35 units in other business-related coursework.\n\nYou may also have the equivalent education from a foreign college or university. Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by board-approved Academic Credential Services, and evaluations must be submitted to the California Board of Accountancy either prior to applying for the CPA exam, or with the exam application.\n\nThe education requirements can also be met by receiving a passing grade in Board-specified preliminary examinations provided by the College Level Examination Program, along with 10 semester units of accounting from an accredited college or university, or by being a member of a Board-recognized foreign accounting society.\n\nCourses that fulfill the 35-unit requirement for business and/or accounting include: \n\n   Economics (no minimum/maximum)  \n Management (no minimum/maximum)  \n Finance (no minimum/maximum)  \n Business administration (no minimum/maximum)  \n Marketing (no minimum/maximum)  \n Computer science (6 units maximum)  \n Commercial law/data processing (6 units maximum)  \n Business communications (3 units maximum)  \n Mathematics of finance (3 units maximum)  \n Statistics (6 units maximum) \n\n\nIn determining accounting/auditing courses, do not include taxation courses, unless the title specifies "accounting" or "auditing." Taxation courses are recognized by the Board under the "business-related" category, and not toward meeting the minimum required 10 semester units of accounting.\n\nIf your college units are in quarters, you must multiply your total units by two-thirds or .666 for the semester equivalent.\n\nThe four-part, two-day CPA exam is given twice a year, in May and November. For detailed information about the test, or requirements to take it, call the California Board of Accountancy's exam division at (916) 263-3955. A brochure titled "Information for Certified Public Accountant Candidates" is available on request.\n\nApplication requests may be obtained by writing, calling or sending a fax request to the Board office. Write the California Board of Accountancy, Examination Unit, 2000 Evergreen St., Suite 250, Sacramento, CA, 95815-3832; or call the Board at (916) 263-3953; or send a fax to (916) 263-3675. Exam applications will be released around Feb. 1 for the May exam, and around Aug. 1 for the November exam.\n\nLicense Requirements\n\nAfter passing the CPA exam, the next step is to apply for a license. CPA candidates must have worked under the direct supervision of a licensed CPA for two, three or four years, depending on their education level. That experience can be gained before or after taking the CPA exam. The California Board of Accountancy also has a guideline that CPA candidates should complete 500 audit hours in order to receive their licenses. Requests for licenses from candidates who do not have 500 audit hours will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the board.\n\nDetailed information about licensing requirements is available from the California Board of Accountancy.   If your last name starts with the letters A through G, call (916) 263-3946; H through Q, call (916) 263-3945; and R through Z, call 3947.
995734
The best advice is to get lots of sleep before going in to the exam.  It's too late to try to learn it now.
163763
Whatever you do, don't stay up all night before the exams. Make sure you get enough sleep. Focus on the things that you do not know but are not too complicated to learn before the exams, and learn those. Try to learn everything, even if you do not feel sure about it. Some tips for studying:\n-invite a friend over and quiz each other.\n-Use flashcards- they never fail.\n-Have somebody (parent, sibling...) quiz you while you exercise.\n-Make (or ask someone else to make) a small quiz for each subject, and take it until you get all of the answers right. If you are feeling nice, make copies and give them to your friends to help them study.
666594
Well study and review right before the test. It sounds to me that you need some improvement in your study skills! Try writing the info down or typing it out, it might help!
635198
Use good test taking skills. Get a good night's rest before the exams. Eat a healthy breakfast (lunch). Go in prepared and confident. Bring the materials you need. Take your time and answer carefully.\n\nAsk your teachers/professors what will be on the exams, and what formats they will use (multiple choice, true-false, matching, short answer, essay). Study carefully. Anticipate what questions will be on the test and what you will be expected to know.\n\nGood luck!
302830
the best way which i always use during my exams is to read out aloud ( not too loud) what ever im reading and then write it atleast 4 times . bleive  me u wont forget it till ur exams finish
703507
1. Have a regular time and location to study.\n\n2. Get ahold of upcoming lessons and read ahead. *The reason for this is important. If you study ahead - when you do take the subject in class it is a review for you. You'll actually be ahead of the class when preparing for your exam.\n\n3. Work with someone who can help you - not distract you. * This is a mastermind technique you'll use in the business world. Get use to it.\n\n4. No TV. ( a little quiet background music is acceptable)\n\n5. Learn memory techniques. Do not rely on rote memory. * Use ridiculous association for subjects where you have alot of facts to remember. Your mind is like a filing cabinet. If you don't have a filing system you won't know how to retrieve the knowledge when you need it.\n\n6. Use colored post its to mark , "must knows, could knows, and should knows. Remember - most of your hard cover books are filler. Focus on what your teacher wants you to know.\n\n7. Eating before study causes blood to go from the brain to the stomach. Watch when you eat.\n\n8. Get plenty of rest. Don't party on school nights.\n\n9. Do "all your assignments!" "Write all your tests!" - falling behind because of missed assignments or classes will make studying difficult. If you have to miss a class - have someone provide you with notes and <ask> the teacher if you're confused. DO NOT FALL BEHIND!!!! Knowing your subject is like building a house. If you miss information your foundation will be weak and your house will not hold up! That's why students who miss class have a bad time of it.\n\n10. Set a goal for yourself in each subject you take and shoot high. That is to say...shoot for an A and you'll most likely get a B. Write your goal in the present tense - I.e. It is Jun 2007 and I have completed Math 30 with an A plus. (Describe the reaction of your teacher/parents/friends and how good you feel about achieving your goal. "Remember - if a goal doesn't have a time limit set on it - your goal is just a dream!"\n\n11. Never get into a tiff with your teacher - show genuine interest and you'll see a higher grade.\n\n12. Keep good notes - no...excellent notes. Notes that refer back to your text book and highlight the must knows! Have a table of contents.
806657
im an A+ student.. here are some tips i use\n\nstudy looongg before the test begins\nwrite notes in class\nstudy with a friend.. its more fun\nsit away from window views\nmake sure there are no distractions\nstudy what u need 2 know\nquiz ur self often\ntake breaks every so often. \ndont take everything out on once\ndont even study using hours \njust study for a bit, take a break,\nand keep going. \nstudy and review what u learn each day\nbefore the test, get at least 8 hours of sleep\nhave a healthy breakfast\nand i hope u get a 100 on that test \ngood luck
164874
For your exam, I think tips would be helpful to you more than the wishes. Please take care of the following things in mind. \n\n 1. Have good sleep on the day before the examination.\n\n 2. Take a light breakfast on the day of examination\n\n 3. Ensure that u have all the stationaries and hall ticket  before leaving your home to examination\n\n 4. Start for the examination earlier than ususal, to avoid last time panics.\n\n 5. Sit and relax yourself in the exam hall before the commencement of examination.\n\n 6. Make sure that u don't have any papers(which may be considered as illegal in most examinations, except few open book exams) in your pockets or purse in the exam hall.\n\n 7. Get the Question paper and answer script and make sure that both are in good condition and there is no misprints or damages.\n\n 8. If possible, read the question paper completely at first quickly. This will give you an idea about which part u know, which u r not feeling confident.\n\n 9. Start answering from the questions which u know very well. This gives a good impression about u to the person who is correcting the paper. (Remember, u don't have second chance to make the first impression).\n\n 10. Write the answers clear and legible. So, that it is easy to read and make the person, who is correcting the paper, comfortable.\n\n 11. Make sure that u will be able to answer all the questions within the limited time.(This u have to plan earlier itself, based on the question pattern and exam).\n\n 12. Atlast, make sure that u have written all the answer and tied (if applicable) all the answer scripts in the orderly way.\n\n 13. Mostly, try to use the full duration of exam time. Don't leave too soon or hurry till the last moment. Adjust ur time, so that u will be using the full duration of the exam.\n\n 14. If time permits, finally revise the answer scripts.\n\n 15. Give the answer scripts (and QP also if applicable) to the invigilator and leave the hall. \n\n 16. Generally, don't discuss about the answers with your friends after exams are over. ( If u feel that ur answers contradict with your friends,this may affect the next exam preparation. U can always discuss these things, after all the exams are over).\n\n \n  These are just guidelines to how to write an exam from my own experience, which i have been following for  more than 10 years. Hope this may help u. All the best for your exams. \n\n\n  Try not to become a man of success, rather try to become a man of value.
116733
try this site, it may be useful\n\n\nhttp://www.futureaccountant.com/accounting-process/study-notes/\n\n\nhttp://www.futureaccountant.com/\nhttp://www.schoolingkids.com/
1160832
go over anything you are most unsure of first.\nwrite out your notes again and reread as many times as you can.\nif you need to know diagrams, practice drawing and labelling them without your books.\ntake a break for ten minutes every hour to let your mind relax.\nsleep when you are tired as overdoing it will not work, you'll be too tired to think in your exam.\ni did this two weeks ago and it worked really well, exam went like a dream!! \nbest of luck, take it in your stride, repeat to yourself "i can do this" positive mental attitude.
980765
Study your intermediate accounting text book.  Also, if you have text books from audit, tax, and business law classes it would be good to review.
716285
1) LOTS OF COFFEE\n2) Often reading aloud can help you remember things more than reading them silently\n3) If you're working on something math or science related, try skipping problems and doing one or two per section, go back, and re-read the sections, paying close attention to definitions and formulas\n4) Get at least a little bit of sleep; remember you need 4 hours just to fuction, and a couple more can't hurt. Honestly a well rested brain will probably be able to piece together enough BS to at least pass the test, as opposed to a tired brain trying to cling to whatever it barely knows in between random shut-downs.