If you’re preparing to take the CPA exam then you’re probably wondering if you should get a final review cram course as well. Several CPA review courses offer a cram course or some type of final review materials, so how do they all compare?
The best CPA exam cram courses include a condensed set of learning materials that will streamline your final review and help you keep ALL of the most important concepts, rules, formulas and other key information top of mind on exam day.
Keep in mind, a cram course won’t fully prepare you for the CPA exam. Rather, it’s meant to be used AFTER you complete your main CPA review course.
For example, a cram course for the AUD section of the CPA exam will cover the various audit sampling methods, types of audit evidence and internal control concepts you’ll need to know for the exam, but won’t go into detail examples of how each are applied. It’s assumed that you already learned this material by this point and just need to quickly refresh your memory on the topic.
Unfortunately, your CPA exam cram course options come down to which primary CPA review course you’re using. Many cram courses and final review materials are only available to students using the primary review course, so you may only have a few options to choose from.
Let’s look at each of the best CPA exam cram courses and materials available and see which one is best for YOU!
Contents
2023’s Top 3 Best CPA Exam Cram Courses and Final Review Guides:
- Becker CPA Final Review – Best Overall and Best Value
- Yaeger CPA Cram Course – Best for non-Becker Students
- UWorld Roger CPA Cram Course – Best Video Lectures and Best for Auditory Learners
Becker Final Review CPA Exam Cram Course
Becker CPA Review’s Final Review course is as good as it gets. It was a huge boost to my own CPA exam prep and helped me focus on the most important exam content and made my final review much more efficient.
Becker’s Final Review comes with condensed and annotated textbooks (physical & digital), 38+ total hours of unique video lectures and a fresh batch of multiple-choice questions (800+) and task-based simulations (100+). Just like their main review course you can take notes, highlight text and do pretty much everything else you can inside the main course.
Becker’s Final Review course is only available to current Becker students. Becker’s Pro course comes with all 4 Final Review sections, but if you’re using their Premium or Advantage courses then you can purchase each of them separately for $199 each or in a 4-part bundle for $599. This gives Becker students plenty of options.
Becker’s Final Review comes with 24-month access, by far the longest access period you’ll get for a cram course. This is clutch in case you fail an exam but aren’t able to re-take it until a later date.
My Suggestion: If you’re a Becker student or are planning to use Becker then I suggest you pick up Becker Final Review as well, especially for your most challenging sections.
Yaeger CPA Review Cram Course
Yaeger CPA Review’s CRAM course is another great option to consider.
Yaeger’s Final Review includes a total of 40 hours of final review lectures AND a PDF textbook that condenses all of the most critical CPA exam content into a manageable final review deck. Unfortunately Yaeger’s cram course doesn’t come with a fresh set of multiple-choice questions or simulations like Becker’s.
The best part about Yaeger’s final review CRAM course is you can purchase it separately regardless of which primary CPA review course you’re using. This is obviously the best option for folks using other courses that don’t offer a final review, and could be a great supplement to Becker or Roger students.
Yaeger’s Final Review course comes with their BUNDLE+ course package, or you can purchase each section separately for $289 each or in a 4-part bundle.
Yaeger’s Final Review comes with 6-months of access, plenty of time even if you fail an exam section.
My Suggestion: For non-Becker students, Yaeger’s CRAM course is your best (and maybe only) option. Also, Yaeger’s CRAM courses are ideal if you previously failed an exam or are close to your exam date and still struggling with several concepts and need to boost their score from a potential 67 to a 75 (or higher!).
UWorld Roger CPA Review Cram Course
UWorld Roger’s 4-part cram course features a fresh lecture series, condensed digital textbooks and a fresh set of multiple-choice questions and simulations.
All of the content in UWorld Roger’s cram course is distinct from their main CPA review course, so you won’t be going over the same material if you used their primary course. Students often find Roger Phillip’s high-energy lecture style and all of the fresh material to be a huge boost for their exam prep, and UWorld Roger says their cram course can improve your exam score up to 10 points.
The major downside to UWorld Roger’s cram course is the 2 month access period for each exam section. If you happen to fail an exam section then you may lose access to the cram course before you can retake that exam. Ouch! Also, while UWorld Roger’s cram course used to be sold as a standalone product, it’s now only available as part of their Elite CPA review package.
My Suggestion: UWorld Roger’s cram course will get the job done if you have their Elite course, otherwise you should consider the other cram course options.
Is a CPA Exam Cram Course Necessary to Pass the CPA Exam?
No, you probably don’t NEED a final review cram course to pass the exam, but it sure can help and save you LOTS of time.
How will you know if you need a last-minute cram course? Do this: Take a practice exam 2 weeks before your exam date. If you score 80% or higher on it then chances are you’ll do just fine without using a cram course. Otherwise, consider investing in a cram course.
Bottom Line
If you’re very highly organized and take excellent notes then you’ll probably do fine without a final review cram course. Otherwise, I suggest adding a cram course to your CPA review study materials. It’ll save you critical time just before the exam and greatly improve your chances of passing.
I used a cram course during my own final review and it really helped me narrow my focus to the most critical content. After grinding for 6+ weeks with my primary CPA review course I was in no mood to skim through the entire course and spend time refining my notes down to the most critical concepts. For me, my final review cram course was money well spent.
Overall, Becker CPA Final Review is my top pick for the best overall CPA review cram course, but if you’re not a Becker student then go with Yaeger’s CRAM course.
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