Gleim CPA Review - Our complete CPA Exam Scheduling Tips (2024)

FAQs

Gleim CPA Review - Our complete CPA Exam Scheduling Tips? ›

Passing the CPA Exam in 1 year

You must schedule your exam at least five days in advance, but the AICPA recommends scheduling the CPA Exam at least 45 days in advance.

In general, it is important to remember that there are four parts to the CPA exam that you will need to prepare for, and each should have a total of 80-160 minutes dedicated to that one specific area. Therefore, a rough estimate of your overall study time should amount between 350-450 hours in total.

The FAR section of the CPA exam is hard because it's the most comprehensive of the 4 exam sections, and it has a lot of math questions that are mentally taxing to get through. It has the lowest pass rate of all 4 exam sections and is considered the hardest CPA exam section.

The legacy CPA Exam included four mandatory exams that all candidates took: AUD, BEC, FAR and REG. In 2024, the CPA Evolution Exam will include three core exams (AUD, FAR and REG) and one discipline exam of your choosing (either BAR, ISC or TCP). No longer will each candidate take the same four exams.

Depending on the Discipline you choose, you can expect your CPA Exam study time to be between 320 and 420 hours, or between 80 and 120 hours per section. But with a smart study strategy and the right materials, you can keep from getting overwhelmed while making sure you're ready to walk into the exam with confidence.

Students, recent graduates, and people with plenty of time to study should aim to sit for and pass 4 sections of the CPA Exam in about 6 months. This would have you taking an exam every 6-7 weeks and studying about 22-26 hours each week.

If the 18 months goes by and you haven't passed all 4 CPA exam parts, you lose credit for each section passed outside the 18-month period, and you will have to retake them within 18 months of your other exams. Master key topics you need to know to pass the CPA exam with the help of Wiley's popular CPA Study Guides.

How long does it take to pass the CPA Exam? The average CPA candidate may need 6-12 months to pass the entire CPA Exam. This could vary depending on: How familiar you are with the material.

Yes, the CPA Exam is harder than the Bar Exam.

Both the CPA Exam and the Bar exam are notoriously difficult exams that require months of rigorous study and cover very different material. However, if you look at just the exam pass rate for first-time takers, then the CPA exam is harder, with only a 14 - 20% pass rate.

Which state is easiest to get CPA? ›

Colorado's (CO) CPA exam requirements are possibly the most advantageous of all the states. It does not require 150 hours to sit. With no requirement to be a US Citizen, a resident of CO, or a certain age, it makes Colorado one of the easiest states to sit for the CPA exam and become licensed.

The overall pass rate for each section of the CPA exam hovers around 50%, but how many people manage to pass all four sections on the first try? About 20%. Around 1 in 2 people will pass a specific section of the exam, and about 1 in 5 people will pass each section on their first try.

What has changed in the 2024 CPA Exam? The 2024 CPA Exam has moved to a Core-Plus-Discipline Model which requires candidates to be skilled in a strong core based on accounting, auditing, and tax, as well as one discipline.

Join a CPA study group

If you like group work and can find other serious CPA candidates, form or join a study group that meets once a week or so. Not only can your peers help you work through difficult areas but explaining concepts to others can help you better understand those concepts yourself.

Many states charge a flat registration fee for all exam sections, so applying for multiple exams at the same time can help reduce your costs. On the other hand, scheduling too many sections at once could be overwhelming.

We recommend that you spend approximately 150 hours studying for the Financial section, 120 hours studying for the Regulation section, 90 hours studying for the Auditing section and 90 hours studying for the Business section. Here are tips for stress while studying for the CPA Exam.

2023 CPA Exam Changes

The AICPA updates the CPA Exam annually to amend sections, add new topics and remove older topics. Listed below are the content changes that became testable on the CPA Exam effective January 1, 2023. There are minor revisions in each of the 4 exam sections as noted below.

Option C- Early Entry to CPA Exam. You may be eligible to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination (CPA Exam) if you are currently enrolled in a college or university and are within 180 days of completing all examination educational requirements.