To become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the US, a candidate must pass a set of professional exams administered by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). These demanding and thorough tests are meant to make sure people have the information and abilities needed to succeed in the accounting field. Let’s talk more in-depth about these tests:
Contents
Uniform CPA Exam:
The Uniform CPA Exam is a four-part examination that assesses a candidate’s knowledge in the areas of Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Business Environment and Concepts (BEC), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Regulation (REG). Each part focuses on different aspects of accounting and business, and candidates must pass all four sections to become a CPA.
- Auditing and Attestation (AUD): This section covers auditing procedures, attestation, and the preparation, compilation, and review of financial statements.
Business Environment and Concepts (BEC): BEC evaluates a candidate’s knowledge of business concepts, economic concepts, financial management, information technology, and operations management.
Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR): This section deals with financial accounting and reporting, including topics related to the preparation of financial statements and accounting for various business transactions.
Regulation (REG): REG assesses a candidate’s knowledge of federal taxation, business law, and professional responsibilities and ethics.
Ethics Exam:
Many states and jurisdictions require candidates to pass an Ethics Exam in addition to completing the Uniform CPA Exam. The AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and the relevant ethical and professional standards for CPAs are usually covered in this exam.
Experience Requirement:
Candidates must also fulfill this requirement in order to become CPAs. This usually entails obtaining practical experience in accounting, auditing, or other related fields while working for a predetermined number of hours under the supervision of a registered CPA.
Exam Date
If you take the CPA Exam on or before: | Your target CPA score release date is: |
July 23 | August 8 |
August 15 | August 23 |
September 7 | September 15 |
September 30 | October 10 |
October 19 | November 3 |
October 31 | November 8 |
November 26 | December 5 |
December 15 | December 27 |
In order to guarantee that the CPA exam and certification criteria meet the highest professional standards, the AICPA maintains close collaboration with state boards of accountancy. Each U.S. state or jurisdiction establishes its own extra requirements for license, such as qualifications for education and experience, even though the AICPA develops and administers the Uniform CPA Exam. Candidates frequently dedicate months to their preparation for the CPA exam, which is regarded as one of the most difficult professional exams. A lot of applicants decide to employ study aids and review courses in order to ace the test.
AICPA Strategies for Preparation
- Don’t just cram and memorize: Memorization by rote is no longer enough. Read your material ahead of time in class so you’ll be ready with questions. Additionally, maintain your reading pace throughout the course, as opposed to cramming just before a session or test. Jamie O’Brien, J.D., an accounting professor and assistant chairman of the Department of Accountancy at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, the state of Indiana, gave advice to students, saying, “Don’t skip class, and don’t skip chapters.”
- Be methodical: Among other more complicated tasks, newly certified CPAs are expected to comprehend concepts, assess content, and spot faults. Due to the ever-evolving business landscape and the ongoing development of technology, CPAs are now expected to participate in increasingly sophisticated projects at an earlier stage of their careers. Judy Bickel, a former college accounting tutor who currently works as an editor, proofreader, and tutor at MDS CPA Review in Columbus, Ohio, advised students to “slow down” when studying for the exam. Go over it. Type it out. Practice it.
- Team up: Waldrup reminded out that learning alone is the first error pupils make. “At Loyola we say that studying should be a team sport,” he stated. So, partner up with a study partner. Compared to learning anything on your own, he said, “you are three times as likely to remember material” when you teach it to someone else.
- Don’t undervalue the value of study time: Waldrup recommended allocating two hours outside of the classroom for each hour spent in class. If your lesson is three hours long, study for six hours prior to the next one. And they “expect to spend a solid 120 hours for each of the four parts of the [CPA] Exam,” he stated.
- Ask for help: If you are having trouble in your studies, get help as soon as possible. It’s common for students to “wait until they are failing to reach out,” according to Bickel. “We need to honestly evaluate our strengths and weaknesses and be willing to ask for help.”
- Accept setbacks: Because you might fail a section of the CPA Exam, focus on studying the areas that you find the most challenging first. This will help you plan ahead for any more attempts you might need, just in case you stumble. “Statistics show that almost everyone will fail one portion [of the exam] and many will fail many times before they pass,” Bickel stated. “Build that into your plan of attack.”
- Stay focused: Set up a particular date and time for your coursework, then devote all of your attention to it. “Don’t plan to study watching the USC game, as you won’t get much done,” said O’Brien. Be diligent and turn off your phone so that you may study without distractions. “There are no questions from Twitter that are on the CPA Exam,” Waldrup stated.
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Conclusion
In order to become a Certified Public Accountant in the United States, candidates must pass the rigorous and thorough AICPA (American Institute of CPAs) Exams, especially the Uniform CPA Exam. These tests make sure that applicants have the know-how to maintain the highest standards of professionalism in finance, accounting, and auditing. Achieving exam success is an important achievement in the accounting field that can lead to a number of options for career advancement and professional development. These tests are essential in determining the future of certified public accountants in the United States, and they show the AICPA’s commitment to upholding integrity and ethical behavior in the accounting profession.