Next Stop: CPA

This timely episode addresses many of the frequently asked questions candidates have had related to test center openings and the Exam process. For the latest updates, visit the following sites: Planned test center openings: https://www.prometric.com/site-openings Social distancing guidelines at Prometric: https://www.prometric.com/covid-19-update/social-distancing-policies NASBA's testing FAQs: ht...

Michael Kimble, CPA is an Elijah Watt Sells Award winner. That means he obtain a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the Exam, passed all four sections on his first attempt and completed testing in 2018. No easy feat. We sat down with Michael to better understand what his strategy for tackling the CPA Exam was and what tips he has for our listeners to feel better prepa...

What does continuous testing mean and how will it add convenience and flexibility for test takers? Get the details from NASBA's Pat Hartman, Director of Examination Services, and James Polite, Director of Program Management in this short but informative episode. For the latest update on continuous testing, visit https://nasba.org/exams/continuous-testing/

ThisWaytoCPA, an AICPA parnter, is a great free resource for college students and young professionals to research Exam eligibility requirements, check out Exam candidate recommendations for review courses, discover scholarship opportunities, read young CPA career profiles, and so much more. Get the lowdown on why ThisWaytoCPA and Beta Alpha Psi are essential resources for aspiring CPAs. For more i...

CPA state society membership is not just for practicing CPAs. In fact, many offer a range of services and programs targeted specifically to aspiring CPAs, with each state offering its own unique advantages to its members. In this episode, we speak with the CEO of the New Jersey Society of CPAs, Ralph Albert Thomas, CPA, as he discusses the many benefits of becoming a state society student or candi...

How early should you plan to arrive? What if you need special accommodations? What should you do if your computer stops working mid-test? These are just a few of the questions we cover in our latest episode that focuses on top tips and most frequently asked questions when it comes to a candidate's Prometric test center experience. Featuring a discussion with Prometric's Client Success Manager, Che...

While the AICPA is a main source of information related to the CPA Exam, sometimes feedback from your fellow candidate can be of great value as well. In this special episode hosted by Lauren and Mike, we discuss some of the insights shared by candidates with one another on various online discussion forums. Topics include tips for a great Exam strategy, how many hours to study for each section, is...

Understanding what goes into the development of a CPA Exam question may provide extra insight for test day. In this episode, we speak with AICPA Exam Team members Dr. Timothy Habick, Ph. D. and Renee Warias who share some of the behind-the-scenes considerations from creation to approval, fairness in the wording, as well as knowing with certainty that each multiple-choice question has only one righ...

If you're listening to this podcast, you probably know the vital role NASBA plays in the CPA Exam administration process. From eligibility determination to score releases, NASBA is an essential part of any Exam candidate's journey. We sat down with Pat Hartman, Director of Examination Services with NASBA, as she tackles some of the more frequently asked questions she receives from candidates on a...

Long hailed by many candidates as the most challenging of the four Exam sections, Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) can seem pretty intimidating to many candidates. AICPA Exams team members Lori Kelly, CPA and Randi Lockhart, CPA, are here to reassure listeners that passing FAR is very doable with the right preparation. They'll share details about the section's content as well as recommenda...

There's a number of ways an employer can support its employees on their path to the CPA. In this episode, we speak with the AICPA's Senior Manager of Firm Services, Kari Hipsak, CPA, on why employer support is so crucial for CPA candidates, how to find out during the interview stage what kind of support an employer offers, and recommendations for how to discuss your CPA career path with your emplo...

In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain and giving you a glimpse into the assembly-line-like process it takes to create an Exam question, or item, from start to finish. We speak with AICPA Exams Team members Jessica Lucas and Jeff West, who share with us the journey an Exam item goes through before you see it on test day, and why understanding this process can be beneficial to an Exam cand...

Someone says Reguation (REG) and many candidates automatically think taxation. But there's more to learn about this section as host Mike Horan is joined by AICPA Exams team members Debbi Luhman, CPA, and Ann Avallone, CPA. They'll get you up to speed on REG content and offer a personalized view into what this section's all about. Get the REG Blueprints at https://www.aicpa.org/becomeacpa/cpaexam/e...

Would you purchase a car before test driving it? Generally, no. The same goes for the CPA Exam. Before test day, you'll ideally want to familiarize yourself with the format and functionality of the Exam. In this episode, we're joined by Henrietta Eve, AICPA's Lead Manager of Product Development, who will focus on the difference between a sample test and practice, what you can expect from the CPA E...

In this episode, we talk with longtime friends and CPAs, Sarah Sullivan of BDO and Jessica Gray of the AICPA Exams team about how they supported each other along their CPA journey, the strategies they used, what order they felt was right for taking each section, and how having those three "magic" letters after their names have boosted their careers.

The Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) section entails a little bit of everything important to a CPA, which can be somewhat intimidating. But AICPA Exams team members and BEC section leaders Rob Tangen, CPA, and Cathy Miskiv, CPA, aim to bring some clarity to the section as well as some helpful tips as they discuss BEC's content and format with Mike. Get the BEC Blueprints at https://www.aicp...

Take a deep dive into all things AUD as host Mike Horan speaks with Kevin Gouldey, CPA and Jennifer Bukowski, CPA, two AICPA Exams team members who develop and maintain the Auditing and Attestation (AUD) section of the Exam. They'll discuss content covered by the section along with other information helpful to candidates tackling this section. Get the AUD Blueprints at https://www.aicpa.org/become...