Studying for the CPA exam is very different from studying for an exam in college. For starters, the material is much broader and far more comprehensive than any of your previous accounting exams. On top of this, you’ll likely be studying around other major commitments like a job, a family, and more.
Success on the CPA Exam is all about making efficient use of your study time and maximizing how much you learn. That’s why we’ve compiled the top CPA exam study tips that will truly make a difference for you on exam day.
Contents
- 1 Top 7 CPA Exam Study Tips
- 1.1 CPA Study Tip #1: Study (Almost) Every Day
- 1.2 CPA Study Tip #2: Team Up
- 1.3 Study Tip #3: Keep Things Fresh
- 1.4 Study Tip #4: Get Yourself an Awesome CPA Review Course
- 1.5 Study Tip #5: Make Your Own Flashcards
- 1.6 Study Tip #6: Keep Social Media in Check
- 1.7 Study Tip #7: Don’t be Afraid to Reschedule an Exam
- 2 CPA Study Tips Don’t Work on Their Own!
Top 7 CPA Exam Study Tips
CPA Study Tip #1: Study (Almost) Every Day
It sounds cliche, but slow and steady wins the CPA Exam race.
Consistent daily studying cuts down the amount of studying you’ll need to do in each session and lets you avoid 12-hour marathon sessions on the weekend, allowing you to retain more information as you make your way through the material.
With that being said, we all need some balance and have lives to live as well, so don’t go too crazy. Make sure you schedule at least 1 day a week to put the books down to recharge and reward yourself for all the hard work you’re putting in.
CPA Study Tip #2: Team Up
Having a friend or two going through the exam at the same time can offer a huge boost. You’ll have a partner who understands what you’re going through and can hold you accountable. You’ll also have someone to chat through any topics you’re stuck on.
Still, the biggest benefit to having a study partner or may be the boost you’ll get by helping them.
Research shows that learning by teaching actively teaching others is a highly effective way to learn and retain information. It requires you to know the material at a deep enough level to explain it to someone else.
Don’t just memorize and recite passages from the text or lectures either. The more you can explain the material logically and in your own words, the better you’ll recall the information later on exam day.
Don’t have a study partner or group? Try recalling and explaining the material out loud to yourself (or your dog or lamp!). I tried this a few times during my own exam prep and it actually worked, although I’m pretty sure my parents thought I was going crazy!
Study Tip #3: Keep Things Fresh
It’s easy to confuse high scores on your knowledge checks with thinking you’ve mastered that material and you’re done with that topic or chapter, but don’t get too overconfident. Each exam covers A TON of ground and lots of details.
Don’t be surprised if you score 20-30% points lower on knowledge checks over material that you aced just a few weeks earlier.
Most of us learn best from repeated exposure to topics. Forcing yourself to recall information just as it’s beginning to slip out of your recent memory is an excellent way to reinforce all of the studying you’ve done and save you time down the road.
Pro-Tip:
Generate a practice quiz after completing each chapter so you don’t let any earlier knowledge go stale.
For example, after Chapter 2, generate a quiz covering Chapters 1 & 2. After completing Chapter 3, take a quiz covering Chapters 1-3, and so on.
Slight drops in performance is normal, but identifying and brushing up on them along the way is much easier than cramming everything in at the end.
Study Tip #4: Get Yourself an Awesome CPA Review Course
We live in an amazing time where you can practically teach yourself almost anything online for free. Unfortunately, CPA exam prep is NOT one of those things you can just DIY with some YouTube videos.
Make sure you do your research to find the best CPA review course that fits your needs.
Also, be sure to take advantage of all the resources your course provides so you can find what tool(s) work best for you and maximize your learning.
Study Tip #5: Make Your Own Flashcards
Most of the top CPA review courses include pre-made flashcards as part of their course materials, but there are two main downsides to using pre-made flashcards:
- You usually have to pay extra for them (up to $200+ for all 4 sections) or the cost is baked into the cost of the course
- They’re likely not designed or written in a way that will optimize your retention and recall as you study.
The main purpose of flashcards is to quickly cycle through and test yourself on a wide range of topics. Since everyone learns and remembers information a little bit differently, the best flashcards are the ones you make for yourself.
Pro-Tip:
To save time, only develop flashcards over the topics / material that are most challenging for you as you go through the course. That way you maximize your focus on the topics you most need to improve on.
Study Tip #6: Keep Social Media in Check
You’ve probably already heard this a million times, but you know it’s true. Social media offers an endless supply of distraction, and is the ultimate rabbit hole.
Studying for the CPA exam is not something that can be multi-tasked. To make the most efficient use of your study time, you should be committing 110% of your attention to your CPA review course during your study sessions.
That being said, you don’t need to go into a complete social media blackout. Instead, incorporate it into your overall study schedule and treat it as a reward. For example, 45-50 minutes of intense studying could be followed by a short break to walk around, refill your coffee and check your socials. This will give your brain a healthy break and help cut control the temptation of more frequent dopamine hits.
Study Tip #7: Don’t be Afraid to Reschedule an Exam
Rescheduling an exam might sound like a small failure. But trust me, it’s nothing compared to going into an exam unprepared.
The only thing worse than failing a CPA exam section is failing when you could literally buy yourself more time!
You can usually reschedule an exam section for a small fee (~$35).
If you could use the extra study time then this will be money well spent. Not only will this help you avoid paying additional exam fees for a retake, you’ll also probably sleep much better at night as you wait for your exam score.
Pro-Tip:
Take stock of how well you know the material 1-2 weeks before exam day. If you could really benefit from an extra week or two of study time then do yourself a favor and pay the rescheduling fee.
CPA Study Tips Don’t Work on Their Own!
Now that you’ve learned how to study for the CPA exam, the only thing left is to put these tips into action!
Remember, studying for the CPA exam won’t be a linear process, and you’ll experience ups and downs. The most important thing is to remain focused on the ultimate goal and trust the process. Garbage in, garbage out.
Have any other tips or suggestions? Feel free to leave a comment below or message me and I’ll include them in this post. Best of luck on the exam!
