Bisk CPA Review is part of Bisk Education, one of the largest providers of e-learning programs in the US, including Bisk CPEasy, the best-selling CPE courses for practising CPAs.
The company was founded by Nathan Bisk 1971. Bisk is both an attorney and a CPA with public accounting experience from Ernst & Young and Arthur Anderson. He has been publishing and teaching the CPA exam review books and courses for more than 30 years and has has helped more than 140,000 CPA candidates in tackling the CPA exam.
Bisk CPA Review has been partnering with several universities (e.g. University of South Florida and CUNY-Medgar-Evers) where you can take on-campus courses based on Bisk’s program.
There is a money-back program from Bisk CPA’s online and multimedia software products, but the criteria is very restrictive — I was told from a reader that you have to complete AND spend over 1 minute for each question to get qualified. I will call and find out one day, but in the meantime, you can check with Bisk at 800-404-7231 for details.
Bisk CPA is available in the following format:
- Guided review: online access, audio CDs, DVDs, live review
- Self-study: software CDs and textbooks
And you can ask for 10 free online demo in the Bisk CPA Review website.
How Much Does Bisk CPA Review Cost vs Competitors?
The pricing varies with different products. For example, the practice exam sofware is
pretty affordable at around $30 (if you call them up for discount), but the all-in-one classic package is $1,980, right in the middle of Becker ($2,980 $3,065) and Yaeger ($1,550).
Bisk CPA Review: Pros And Cons
Pros
- Established: Bisk CPA review has almost 40 years of history
- Endorsed By 2 of the Big 4: Both E&Y and KPMG have chosen Bisk as their preferred online CPA review courses (for live courses, the Big 4 are still sticking with Becker)
- One “Magical” Lecturer: One of the main lectureres, Robert “Bob” Monette, is a nationally recognized CPA expert and a favorate among many students. He seems to have the magic to transform complicated accounting into simple concepts
- Cool Features: The Multimedia software (the CD) has some interesting features, such as “Create A Custom Exam” in which you can pick the chapters and questions that you want to focus on. The CD can also tracks your progress and statistically shows your strength and weakness in each chapter.
Cons
- Overall Mixed Review: The Bisk CPA text books have really mixed review — some find them good enough while other believes it underprepares them to the extent that many candidates have to buy an extra review course to supplement Bisk. This is particularly applicable to Bisk’s “classic” review course.
- Duplication: The text book exactly the same as the CD (word by word!), so don’t buy both.
- The Other Lecturers aren’t as good: A note from a few of my readers: the lecturers other than Bob Monette tend to talk too fast and rush through the materials
- Very Restrictive Money-Back Guarantee: If my reader’s information is right I honestly think most of you can’t qualify
- Limitation On CD Features: The Create a Custom Exam feature, while helpful, does not randomize the questions for you, which in a way defeat its purpose if you want to use it as a tool to retake the questions in different formats.
My Recommendations
If you really like Bob Monette and Bisk CPA in general, you can purchase the discounted Bisk CPA review books here, but in my opinion, there are better deals out there…
Still Not Sure? What Should I Do Now?
Please feel free to check out my CPA exam review courses comparison (the most popular article in this site) on the pros and cons of each program. Good luck!
{ 4 comments }
Well I decided to give Bisk a try since I received a discount through my school. I paid $500 for the self study program. However, it’s the campus pro edition and does not come with the lectures…it’s simply the text books and the software that allows you to view chapters online and access questions pertaining to that particular section…I’m afraid that this won’t be enough to prepare me. Do you think pairing this with the Wiley test bank software or Wiley focus notes will be sufficient? Or should I try to get some lecture dvds from somewhere? Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks for your help!
Hi Takia,
I would think that if you want the lectures, then you shouldn’t get Wiley because it’s another publisher that doesn’t provide the lecture. I generally recommend Yaeger CPA and you can take a look. Otherwise, please check out my Top 10 CPA review course comparison for the pros and cons. Good luck!
Try calling philadelphia CPA review. They use the Bisk CPA review and that’s how you can get in contact with Bob Monette.
Hi Brigit,
Great idea — I didn’t know Bob Monette is still teaching there! You have to live close by Philadelphia though… they do seem to have classes held in adjacent cities. Stephanie