Here is my analysis on the pros and cons of the CPA Exam review courses based on my own experience, sharing of friends working in Big 4, and comments from participants in all major accounting forums.
Let Me Find The Best Course For You
I don’t believe in people who say their course is the absolute best, because different courses cater different needs. But I am confident that you will find one that suit you the best here.
Becker | Bisk | Wiley | Gleim | Yaeger | Lambers | Roger | Kaplan | CPAExcel | CPA Review For Free
You can also go straight to My Recommendation here
Becker CPA Review
Strengths
- Excellent lecture notes, MCs and software. The materials are comprehensive and user-friendly.
- Big 4 endorsement. The live lectures are recommended by the Big 4.
- Materials constantly kept updated. Becker has a professional team to update the materials on a very regular basis. Their proof-reading is also done well so there are few typos and errors. If there are errors, Becker does a good job in posting in their website and letting everyone to see.
Weaknesses
- Overpriced. If you are paying full price on your own you are subsidizing those who get deep discounts from their employers through Becker’s partner program. Not Fair!
- Live classes way overrated. They show you a DVD in a classroom, tell you to “circle this, highlight that” for 8 hours straight. Quality of “lecturers” (whose main job is to turn on and off the DVD) is really mixed. Check out my experience at the Becker CPA Review Course.
- Expensive re-take. Software license expires in 12 months and this is often not enough time for many candidates. Re-take of classes costs $1,000+ (50% of retail price) with harsh attendance rate which I find ridiculous.
Recommendation
SKIP Becker. They do have great notes, but so do Yaeger (for lectures) and Wiley / Gleim (practice tests). Live classes are a waste of time, for me at least.
Bisk CPA Review
Strengths
- Recommended by Big 4. Recommended by 2 of the Big 4 for self-study courses.
- Bob Monette, one of the instructors, is legendary and is a nationally recognized CPA expert.
- Money-back guarantee is available for the software products — if you complete the course and fail the exam, you can get all the money back (see limitation below).
- Interesting features on CD on exam test customization and diagnostics.
Weakness
- Really mixed reviews: especially on Bisk CPA’s classic series. Many students believe Bisk is not enough to prepare for the exam and that the materials are not updated as frequently as other competitors (notably Becker and Wiley).
- The text book is exactly the same as the CD — so make sure you don’t buy both (CD is better)
- The other lecturers aren’t as good
- The money-back gurarantee is very restrictive — so restrictive that I don’t think many of us can ever qualify
Recommendation
- Can’t think of a reason to pick Bisk when competitors are offering more at a better price — make sure you read the pros and cons of all programs below.
- Check out my evaluation on Bisk CPA Review
Wiley CPA Review
Strengths
- Authority in practice tests. The homework and simulations are very popular and proved to be useful for many CPA candidates. Even competitors (Yaeger and Roger) choose Wiley to bundle-sell as supplementary material.
- It’s cheap! The software costs ~$79 (all 4 costs $229) — a good bargain in the world of CPA exam prep course.
Weaknesses
- Book is overwhelming. Especially when there is no guided review, it is very discouraging to go over the entire guide. Too much material in my opinion.
Recommendation
- Get the software, not the book.
- If you are an accounting major you may be tempted to get yourself only a Wiley book. But in order to pass the CPA exam, you need both knowledge AND tactics. The tactics covered in the Wiley book is too general in my opinion.
- Check out my evaluation on Wiley CPA Review
Gleim CPA Review
Strengths
- Great practice tests. Practice tests being very organized. Good supplementary to lecture-heavy courses.
- Thoughfully designed. Some readers find the Gleim Online merely a voice over a powerpoint presentation, but I can see that as long as you understand how the Gleim “system” works, it’s really not an issue at all. I really like the way that Gleim teaches student how to self-study for the exam.
- Affordable. The full 4-part CPA Review System costs below $1,000 — cheapest among the major providers.
Weaknesses
- No lecture — the Gleim online is an audio-visual presentation instead of a video featuring a lecturer. I am fine but I understand that many students need to “see a face” to learn a concept.
- Books can be over whelming – it’s very detailed. While some of my readers really like the comprehensiveness, others seem to think it’s too lengthy. You will need to pick and choose what is necessary for you to study.
Recommendation
- Great choice for the disciplined and those who are good at self-study.
- You can choose to get only the practice test software as supplementary material, if Wiley is not (or not enough) for you.
- Check out my evaluation on Gleim CPA Review
Yaeger CPA Review
Strengths
- Champion of the old-school approach. If you like someone who writes on the board and explains concept to you in the old-fashioned way, you’d appreciate Yaeger. I personally like the way they “hold your hand” and explain the multiple choice questions and possible tricks.
- Live phone support. This is quite unique, and you can often reach and talk to the owner (Phil Yaeger) himself.
- Good value for money. One of the most affordable guided review courses out there.
Weaknesses
- Old school. Obviously this can be a turn-off for some people.
- Somewhat disorganized. There are times when you would expect the team to retape the video (e.g. a typo on the white board, or the guy accidentally talked to his wife…) but Yaeger just let it go live. The ones I spotted did not affect the quality of the course itself but I can see some candidates find it annoying.
Recommendation
- Great for people who need help in accounting concepts, or a “real person” that can explain things to you (by phone).
- Check out the demo to see if you are fine with the old-school teaching style. No worries on lecture notes etc because everyone says it’s good. They also provide quality supplementary materials from Wiley.
- Check out my evaluation on Yaeger CPA Review
Lambers CPA Review
Strengths
- The ipod format is a “must-buy” if you are busy and want to utilize all your “dead time” during commute and between meetings and children’s naps.
Weaknesses
- Low key or not good? You don’t see a lot of past students actively promoting their products other than the ipod format, but it could be a reason of its low-key approach. Afterall, 200,000+ CPA candidates have picked Lambers for the past 43 years.
Recommendations
- Get Lambers if you like the ipod idea.
- Check out my evaluation on Lambers CPA Review
Roger CPA Review
Strengths
- Entertaining lectures: Roger Philipp (the founder) is passionate in teaching his students. His style is so unique that many of his students are die-hard fans.
- Quality Is Guaranteed. Roger writes his own notes. He also lectures for every class so you know for sure who is teaching you.
- Free Sit-In Allowed For Live Classes. Prospective students are allowed to sit in class for the first 2 hours for free, which I think is long enough for you to understand whether the teaching fits your needs.
Weaknesses
- Some access restrictions. 12 months access for online format and no viewing restrictions. 5 pre-programmed viewings, but you can call and have them reset at any time.
- Relatively slow response in message forum (main help channel) and no live phone help.
- Is it a one-man band? You may wonder if Roger can keep up with the expansion and quality. At one point it was a one-man band, but has since grown to become a 30+ strong team.
Recommendations
- If you like a passionate instructor that can even make accounting somewhat interesting, then give Roger CPA a try.
- Check out my evaluation on Roger CPA Review
Kaplan CPA Review
Strengths
- Established name: Kaplan is well known for standardized test preparation, and its Schewser brand is an authority in CFA exam preparation.
Weaknesses
- Too comprehensive: If Wiley / Gleim book is a dictionary, Kaplan is an encyclopedia.
- No one talks about Kaplan CPA: If you are good, people talk about it. But it is difficult to find any discussion at all on Kaplan CPA…
Recommendations
- Can’t think of a reason to recommend Kaplan, at least for now.
- Check out my evaluation on Kaplan CPA Review
CPAExcel
Strengths
- Bite-sized lectures: This is a god-send for those who hate long lectures as much as I do. The lecture length ranges from a couple of minutes to ~ 30 minutes. A more efficient way to learn in my opinion.
- Unlimited upgrade: Most generous in the industry — a real, no-gimmick no-nonsense offer. No more pressure of not finishing within 12 months and have to pay an extra $1,000 for a retake!
- State-of-the-art technology: CPAexcel fully utilizes the online capability and churns out personalized exam plan and a collection of diagnostic charts and analysis for you, which I (as a financial analyst by profession) finds very attractive.
Weaknesses
- A Bit Confusing At First… candidates can pick and choose the offering and I find it quite intimidating when I first visited the site. But then when you think about it, the fact that they give you a choice could be a good thing, if you are willing to spend some time to navigate around and learn about the various offers.
- Better Suited For The PC-based learner. Since everything is delivered online or DVD, if you are a type of learner who needs “live support” (a real person to explain something to you, either in person or by phone); or if you are accustomed to highlighting, circling and dropping notes on the side of the textbooks, then CPAexcel may not fit your learning style.
- Lower Profile. Given how unique and efficient the program seems to be, I am surprised that not many people talk about CPAexcel. At the same time, I recently realize that some forums are baised towards a few CPA courses they like. So while it is hard to get second-opinions through forums I don’t think this is a big deal.
Recommendations
- Another highly recommended program – users achieve 87% passing rate and the course is endorsed by one of the Big 4.
- Especially suitable for busy candidates juggling with work/family commitments.
- Feel free to check out my evaluation on CPAexcel
CPA Review For Free
Strengths
- The questions are quite comprehensive and signing up is easy. There is no string attached (they may promote an ebook or something but they aren’t annoying)
- Some of the practice questions e.g. Information Technology within BEC are very helpful.
Weaknesses
- You can’t work on the questions in the Exam Mode: that is, do all the questions, time it, and get a score.
- I may not have spent enough time to make a firm conclusion, but I think the overall “usefulness” or relevancy of the questions is not as high as the other paid providers. Afterall, it does take a lot of resources to keep the materials updated.
Recommendation
Definitely a site that you want to bookmark to get some extra MCs to work on in the future, but I personally wouldn’t rely solely on CPA Review For Free for my study.
You can check out my evaluation on CPA Review For Free here.
My General Recommendations
OK. I try to keep this list as objective as I can, but since many of you are asking which provider I generally prefer (and I have a hard time keeping it with responding to comments, let alone emails), here you go…
Go For Yaeger CPA If You Want To:
- Have an instructor to walk through hundreds of multiple choices with you
- Get an excellent value for money (good lecture, unlimited access, live phone help, quality homework)
- Learn from someone with an impressive record (88% passing rate)
Go For CPAexcel If You Want To:
- Study in short intervals by watching the bite-sized lectures
- Track how much you study and how well you study using CPAexcel’s robust system
- Have no worries about any extra cost if you decide to take some time off or need a retake
OK! Thanks for going through this long post with me. I hope you will be able to make a decision today with this information. Let me know how it goes. Good luck!
If you have a quick question, comment or if you would like to share your experience in any of the review courses above, please go over to our Facebook page. See you there!
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Thanks, your recommendations are very helpful.
Glad to hear that Joelle, and good luck to the exam! Stephanie
Very helpful! Thank you for the outlines,…this is just the information I was looking for!
Carrie, thanks for the encouraging words. All the best! Stephanie
This is exactly what I was looking for!! I wish I read this article before I started studying. But lucky for me I didn’t purchase all 4 courses. Thank you very much!
Emma, I am glad you find the info helpful. Feel free to list here (or send me a private email) the pros and cons of your program. I’d love to include everyone’s opinion here! Stephanie
Thank you so much for your reviews on the CPA review courses. It’s been nearly a year and a half since my last accounting course, and I was very tentative about which review to choose. Your advice makes me feel beyond relieved about investing thousands of my very hard earned dollars on the right study material. Thanks again.
Hi Frank, I have taken only one basic accounting course in college and I managed to pass. So you will be all right! I hope you can find a review course that best suits your need. If you have further questions on individual review course please feel free to post and I (and fellow readers) will try the best to help.
Cheers, Stephanie
Another fast growing CPA review source: http://www.cpareviewforfree.com.
Pro: TOTALLY FREE FOR MORE THAN 2100 questions, save your hard-earned money. very good explanation and very inspiring partner with you.
Cons: No Books, only online questions and PDF version questions plus explanation. But not matter because it is FREE!
Thanks Elton for your personal view of CPA review for free. I actually have a page dedicated to this — I might try to move your comment to that page later, just that it will be more helpful to people who are specifically looking for their info. Cheers, stephanie
Hey Stephanie, this helped a lot. I found Yaeger a couple of months ago and was interested in taking it, anyone who answers cpa questions over the phone wins hands down.
A question, though: For some reason I seem to still have all my textbooks from accounting. Audit from 2008, Tax 2009, Cost 2009, FAR books are the oldest from 2006, also Business law 2008. I know the CPA review tests recent updates, but it seems silly to say they’re useless for the CPA exam. Went to FSU, if that’s relevant, had a 3.5 gpa. Prefer the study solo appr0ach, with the ability to call or email someone with occasional questions. What would you recommend for someone who still has their textbooks, and can still remember most of the material somewhat? Thanks
Hi Will,
If this is the case, why don’t you get a Gleim software for one section first (cheap, around $30 I think?). Study the section as if you are preparing for the exam, and hit the MC questions right away.
If you can get say 70% of them right for the first time, then I would think you don’t need any review courses. Just keep doing it until you get a 100% correct and for the right reason.
The alternative is to get a Wiley software; but in case you get a lower score and you sign up for Yaeger, they will give you a Wiley software so it’s kind of a waste.
As far as I know, I don’t think there is a “tutor” who only answers questions on the CPA exam without selling the CPA review books… I guess it doesn’t make business sense
Anyway, let me know how it goes!
Stephanie
Does Becker’s CPA review courses count toward total credit hours and accounting hours?
Hi Kary,
Nope. Most states do count the credit hours of CPA review courses if they are offered by an accredited educational institution. Becker is a private business and not accredited. Same for other commercial courses I mentioned above.
But in my opinion these courses are better than the average review course offered in the local colleges though…
Hope it helps!
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
Thank you for this wonderful website. I got a lot of good information about the CPA Review materials from you.
Today is July 28, 2010 already. Is it too late for me to apply CPA exam (I’m in California.)? I mean I’m just thinking about the exam these two days that maybe I should take the exam before all the changes on Jan. 1st, 2011 starts to affect. (I thought I would wait and work first to get hands on experience before taking the CPA. But, California’s unemployement rate is quite high. I can’t get a full-time job, not even an internship. So I have some free time right now).
I think it makes good sense to take FAR first. But, I’m concerned I won’t be able to pass it in 2010 since there are only a few months left. Then, I’ll have to prepare for the new material in 2011 with extra workload/new materials. What do you think? Should I take other subjects first in 2010 or postpone the entire exam to 2011?
My second question is: the “18 months” starts to click ONLY after the first subject is passed? Does it mean if it takes me twice to pass the very first subject I choose to take, the “18 months” starts to count from the date I pass(the second try)? I am a little bit confused by this rule.
I just graduated in May, 2010. I think I’m just an average “B” student in accounting courses(however, I got “A” in auditing class after lots of time investment on studying. It’s just pure memorization. Maybe that’s why I got “A”). I think I’m lack of confidence to take the CPA exam. But, my accouting professor encourages students to take it once no matter what. He said if we don’t try at least once, we might be regret someday.
Are those who passed the CPA exam usually the top accounting students ( the first half of the “A” students)?
Even though I just graduated in May 2010, I finished all my accounting courses in Fall 2009. So it’s been a while. Does Yaeger’s material really teach us from the basic?
Is Becker’s lecture notes a part of its product bundle or is it distributed in a live classroom setting only? I’m just thinking about to purchase an used one on ebay if I can find it. Yesterday I saw its 2010 CPA Review materialwas $699 down from $2800. But, today I can’t find it.
Thank you very much in advance for your time and patience to read my post. I really appreciate your suggention. Hope to hear from you soon.
Hi Sab,
Thanks a lot for your kind note on my site! responding to your questions…
(1) whether to take the CPA exam in 2010: yes, this is one of the FAQs. My personal opinion is to get rid of as many of the sections as possible given the uncertainty that you are a recent accounting graduate (while memory still sort of fresh…)
If in case you don’t pass FAR, my understanding from various CPA review courses (notably Yaeger, Becker and Roger) is that the 2011 syllabus is more like an addition of materials rather than a change of materials, so at least your study won’t get “wasted” and all you need is to study the IFRS (international financial reporting) bit, which of course is annoying but is doable.
So in short, yes I would encourage you to take FAR and try your best to get it passed within 2010, but if you need a retake it’s not a huge deal.
(2) the 18-month window: yes it starts to count once you PASS your first section. In other words, if you fail it doesn’t count. So it makes sense to get rid of the toughest one first which in my opinion is FAR.
(3) Whether only A student can pass CPA exam: oh no don’t worry CPA exam is a very different animal than the regular accounting exams in colleges. It covers a very board range of topics but it doesn’t go deep at all in most of these topics.
(4) Yaeger only teaches the stuff required for the CPa exam, so it’s hard to say whether it is basic or not, because it’s not complete in my opinion. But it’s similar case for all the major CPA exam review courses.
(5) Becker: I think they have an online version so you don’t need to attend live courses to get the notes. But self-study/online version costs the same I think… so you can consider the notes themselves costing $2800. For second hand notes, yes it is much cheaper but you will have the pressure to get it passed within this year because next year the stuff could be quite different and as a second-hand purchaser you won’t have any discount to buy the extra new materials you might need for the 2011 format. So it is something you need to consider.
hope it helps! Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
Thank you so much for your thorough response! Your interpersonal site could really encourage and comfort the people like me. I feel you do care. Thank you!
Sincerely, Sab
Hi Sab,
I am glad you find the site helpful. Yes, I do care because I have been there and I know it’s difficult any way you look at it. Anyway, all the best to you Sab! Stephanie
What is your opinion on Beckers Final review?
I am planning to buy Gleim’s prep test, cause they are cheaper
then get Beckers Final review two weeks before the exam. Thank you
Hi Ruby,
Stephanie
Yes much cheaper!
My personal opinion is that you get Gleim first (especially the software). If you can get all the practice questions right after a few times, then there isn’t really a need to get Becker. The best thing about Becker is the lecture notes. So if you get the final review you kind of miss the best part of Becker. Just my 2 cents…
Hey Stephanie this is amazing thanks for all the tips…my question is can you elaborate you mentioned “they don’t go very deep at all in most of these topics.” in an earlier post…so if a student was still in college and taking an exam on 3 chapters of tax, a student taking the cpa would be tested on more or less half of that same material, content-wise (say you were assigned 100 pages of the textbook, the cpa exam would cut down what you’re responsible for to 75 pages or so??
Also do you have any comment on why there is a disconnect between accounting in college and cpa exam? Why cant we just take the cpa exam after college and do away with all these review companies we should be ready then…iguess because they want us to work for a while before we actually get the license+??
Hi John,
Glad you find the site useful for you!
I have no affiliation with the CPA exam at all, but my guess would be that since they have to cram everything they want to test you in one big exam, they have to randomly pick a little bit here and there to make sure at least you have some understanding on the important topics.
I would think that if they are given the “luxury” to test you in multiple of exams, the format would probably be much closer to the ones we experience in college.
Another of my guess is that since the test is now computerized, the format has to be one that can be easily graded by computers. That’s why the majority is multiple choice with the remaining a “simulation” questions (which essentially is also MCs). There is a written communication tab but it counts for only 10%.
Because of the multiple choice format the tactics become very different from say a midterm/exam handgraded by the professor and the TA. That’s why I said it is quite a different animal than the ones we have in the college days.
Having said that, if you spend time in college learning accounting and business you will have a much easier time tackling the CPA exam than someone like myself who has only taken accounting 101. Hope it helps!
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
Many thanks for such a wonderfull site u have prepared for all the CPA aspirants and CPAs. and Thanks to you as an individual for helping and encouraging others.
I would like to ask about course material of all the four papers. Is it going to be provided by the Colorado board (if i choose that state for CPA) or i will have to arrange seperately. In case they dont provide the course material then from whom i should purchase the material and how much it will cost me approximatey. If you have any other suggestion on this then please tell me.
Thanks.
Vipula
Hi Vipula,
Do you mean the CPA review course that teaches you how to tackle the exam itself, or the accounting courses used to fulfill the educational requirements?
The above is the CPA review course for the sole purpose of preparing for the exam and does not contribute to fulfilling the exam requirements. For this you will have to take a course at any accredited college/university and you can do it either online or offline.
I’ve got a lot of questions on this recently so I plan to write something about it. Stay tuned! (I will make an announcement in the mini course, and probably to say something on the side bar)
Stephanie
Hi Everyone, there is this website http://www.cpareviewforfree.com which provides free CPA questions and all you need is just register with your email. I have been using it for a while and it is very helpful. I think, anyone who is planning to take CPA exam might benefit greatly from this site. Good luck everyone and thanks Stephanie.
Thanks Chod! Yes I keep forgetting to add cpareviewforfree here. Glad you find them usefu!
Here is my review of cpareviewforfree… please feel free to contribute in the comment section as well.
Cheers
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
i mean to say the course materail or study material. for example in US CFA the CFA instutute send you the entire course material once you are registered. they send this in printed version. in the same way does CPA state borad also send any study materail or not; which consist all the topics, contents of the 4 papers.
I hope u got my point.
Thanks
Vipula
Hi Vipula,
No CPA Examination Services doesn’t do anything like that. You’ll need to rely on the CPA exam prep courses and I have outlined the pros and cons of the major course providers above. Stephanie
Thank God I found your site. I am still in school and planning on taking the CPA sometime next year and I am truly overwhelmed and discouraged. I am currently researching review/prep courses and it is overwhelming.
My professors seem to always recommend the Gleim books, and although its cheap I find it, (the books at least) boring and yes too comprehensive. For awhile I thought Becker was the only (besides Gleim) review course out there, (they’re heavily represented on my campus). I am now leaning towards Roger and Yaeger,( the latter I am now researching).
Thanks for your recommendation Stephanie.
Sorry, first post had errors.
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks very much for all your recommendations!! I am thinking of using Rigos review (textbooks only) with the Wiley software for the exam. Do you think it is good enough for the exam preparation? Any comments on the Rigos review? Also, do you think the new CPA exam in 2011 will be significantly more difficult than the current one?
Thanks,
Mike
Hi Mike,
You are most welcome!
On Rigos, actually my boss took their courses way back (like 15 years ago, and it was a live class) and got 4 parts passed on her first try. But she was the only one or two who managed to do that in her class…
This is the only information I get on Rigos (I tried to search the term on major CPA exam forums, but not much luck). Somehow they are no longer as popular but if you can gather some good reviews from a few others, go ahead.
As for the 2011 CPA exam, I guess my honest answer is I have no idea. In fact, I don’t think anyone has a clue including the examiners. But what I know from them is that they may adjust the passing score accordingly in the first few months of 2011 such that the CPA exam pass rate remains more or less the same (at round 50%). They promise that they will be very transparent in terms of the pass rate, passing score adjustment and so on by publishing the data on their site at cpa-exam.org.
If you haven’t already, please take a look my writeup on the CPA exam changes in 2011.
Cheers,
Stephanie
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for your comment for the site and I am really happy that you find the info helpful. Isn’t it amazing that professors around the country seem to stick with Gleim…? But I guess Gleim is very academic and that back then when they were candidates themselves there weren’t that many review course providers around.
Anyway, either Roger or Yaeger will be good! Roger is a bit more expensive starting from this year (I haven’t updated my Roger CPA page yet, but they had a pretty big price increase for the live classes) but Roger has his unique way of teaching which can be quite appealing. And of course I like Yaeger as you can see all over this site
Don’t worry once you pick one CPA review provider and focus on it, things won’t be as overwhelming. Best of luck to the exam next year!
Cheers, Stephanie
Stephanie,
You’re doing a great job of maintaining this site. As a CPA aspirant, I am in the phase of choosing a review program and am confused. Becker, with all the negatives, on the face of it looks to me as the most prepared as regards the new changes in 2011. Besides, they are still the big name in the business. Having said that, I’m not someone who can cram and study for an exam using mnemonics. And reading these comments tell me that Becker does exactly that – plus I have bought Becker books and attended 2 classes in India in2007 (though I didn’t study anything and moved on to other things in life soon). Yaeger, on the other hand, is cheaper and carries your recommendation and thats what is making me consider this. But I’m scared – (1) its not a program heard by many people – even those in the accounting academic profession. (2) Not sure of their preparedness for changes in 2011. So, I have a question – in your review, you state that handouts are very good. Does that mean that they cover all that Becker does – in terms of content and quality of questions? Also, I would love to hear from anybody who has actually used this review course and has benefitted – yup, I read the testimonials, but we all know testimonials on the webpage of the provider may be no good. I was also wondering why there is no ‘comments’ section at the end of your evaluation on Yaeger’s review. I was hoping to find some comments from other users.
One last question, I have Becker’s 2007 materials. Do you think I could use those in conjunction with Wiley’s & Yaeger’s notes – or you think I could just throw the becker old notes (in case I sign up for yaeger or roger or something else).
Thanks so much for your responses in the past. You’ve been really quick. You’ve been very inspiring!
Thanks
Ramya
Stephanie,
If Becker isn’t as good, why is that they carry the Big 4 recommendation?
I’m sorry – am gonna bother you with another question. I just want to make a really calculated decision before I put the money
Thanks
Ramya
Hi Ramya,
Thanks for your note and I am happy you are spending time to pick the right course for you.
On Becker, yes I agree with what you said…
On Yaeger, I totally understand your concern as well, because I haven’t heard of them before as well.
Here is what you can do:
1. Go to the various CPA exam forum and search “yaeger” and you can get a collective of the program (actually, any program). Depending on how much thread you want to read, it could take a while but you can certainly get the feel from past users.
2. Watch the demo on their site and see if you like their teaching style.
Yes from the last time I looked at the DVDs, they should be covering the stuff you need to pass the exam.
On 2011, honestly I think every course provider can only try their best based on the new course guideline provided by AICPA. I would think they are pretty much the same in this aspect. I will keep an eye on people’s comment though at the beginning of the year.
Lastly, on the endorsement of Big 4 on Becker, I think there are lots of reason… part of it is that they endorse the program way before there are any choices (so there is a relationship); then, I am just blind guessing, but I am willing to bet that Becker gives a big discount to them to maintain this relationship… Becker does say they have “partnerships” with 1,500 institution. My interpretation of this is discount offers.
Anyway, Becker’s lecture notes is still excellent as I mention above. So in the eyes of the Big 4, why not.
Just my guesstimate and 2 cents
Best of luck in searching the right review course for you!
Stephanie
P.S. By the way, I have no idea why there is no comment on the Yaeger page. I wonder myself but this is something out of my control.
I did ask some readers who used the Yaeger review to give me comments, but they always just reply to the email instead of posting here… I will try again!
Hi Stephanie,
I think with your reviews I’ve decided on getting at least the Wiley software, but what about books? I have an extremely irregular schedule, so it’s impossible for me to ever attend a class. Also, I’d prefer to have some sort of books to review before I sleep in bed
Out of the review courses…which one has the best books?
Thanks!
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Understand that you have irregular schedule, but is it possible for you to say watch a DVD or something? The only concern with just the Wiley books is that it can’t be integrated with other study approach so it is typically less effective.
If you can at least watch some DVD at home, then Yaeger is a good complement to Wiley. If you can only spend say half an hour each time on the study, then CPAexcel could be good because of the bite-sized lectures. Otherwise, Lambers has a ipod course which could be handy…
Sorry it might sound even more confusing for you… anyway my recommendation is Yaeger CPA if you want a direct answer.
Cheers, Stephanie
Hello,
First and foremost, I must mention that you have complied much-needed, value-adding information in this webpage! It looks like you have put into words what most people like me have only given a cursory look at or, have thought about, but have not been able to break down into directly comparable bullet points. Really good stuff!
I am composing this post to ask you about your experiences with the AICPA Ethics Exam. I plan on taking my final section of the CPA Exam, the Auditing and Attestation Section, next week. After this, the only remaining barrier left would be the (not so dreaded?) Ethics Exam.
I understand that you can purchase either the TEXT version or the CD version from the AICPA webpage. Then you can take the exam online and see you score immediately. Could you please tell me which form you would recommend and why? I guess for me, whichever form that is easier to navigate during the open book exam seems to be the better choice, and I would also like to be able to take my exam ONLINE. At this point, I don’t even know how I should approach this exam. Should I study A LOT first then take the exam, or just skim through the material first and then answer each question while taking advantage of the open book aspect of the exam?
I would greatly appreciate your reply. Thanks!
p.s.
I don’t understand why they let us take the Ethics Exam online privately; I bet the most UNethical people are loving this leeway (as they are getting together with their friends and family – just joking of course)
Hello Russell, thanks a lot for your kind note! I am glad you find the site helpful.
There is more discussion on the CPA Ethics Exam here, but I would think taking it online is more convenient. It’s only 40 questions now (back then when I took it it was 75 questions) and it’s really not that bad.
If you go through the comment section of that page a reader mentioned that you can sort of skim through the material and hit the questions immediately. So don’t worry it’s not that difficult at all, and you can have 3 attempts (and if you contact AICPA, they will let you try again).
Congrats on being almost done with the exam! Stephanie
Stephanie, I noticed in one of your post said that you can not use the Becker courses for credit. Actually you can. You will take the Becker course through Keller. It cost more, but you get credit that can count towards your MBA and your CPA. Four of the credits I needed to sit came from the Becker classes. Thanks for your review, good stuff!
Hi Brian,
You are absolutely right – Becker (and other CPA exam review courses) can be counted if they are offered in accredited colleges. I guess what I meant is their “normal” programs that are offered in their centers, i.e. a commercial setting.
This is a good point – I will find a way to explain it better above. Thanks again! Stephanie
Hi Stephanie:
Lots of information here, will definitely help me in deciding which CPA review I should go with.
I am going to attempt to take FAR in the middle of November and REG at then end of November. I’m going to start studying now for FAR and then plan on studying for REG at the end of September. Do you think this is a realistic amount of studying time to successfully pass both of these tests?
Hi Vicki,
How is your schedule and commitment? If you have a relatively “easy” job and not much family commitment, then yes you should give it a try. But if you have to take care of kids and work >50 hours per week with occasional overtime then it would be tough…
It also depends on whether you are familiar with the concepts. If let’s say you are not an accounting major and both financial accounting and tax are totally new to you, then you might want to postpone either one.
An alternative is to exchange one with BEC which *generally* is easier for candidates.
And in any case please make a study plan and stick with it!
Hope it helps, Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
I am planning to buy Yeager review course (Bundle Buy) for preparing for CPA exam. I would like to know do i need to buy anything from any other review course or Yeager would be sufficient to pass the CPA exam.
I would like to apprear for all the 4 paper in one shot so based on your experience can u guide me how much time it will take to prepare for all the four papers. Currenly i m at Home and can spare alomst 5 hours a day for preparation. I m an average student in study with accouting backround.
Thanks in Advance.
Hi Vipula,
Based on the feedback of my readers, it seems like Yaeger is sufficient as long as you do as many practice questions from the Wiley book as possible. If you are super diligent you can consider getting Gleim as well (but let’s do it later, only when you think you have the extra time)
Again, if you are very disciplined, you can probably get prepared within 6 months to sit for the 4 parts in one go. Generally you might need up to 1 year to study for that… so it really depends how motivated you are. Given you have the accounting background it should be easier for you.
Hope it helps? Stephanie
How does your advice and suggestions change for someone that has been out of school for sometime (15+), working in CPA firm, mostly auditing, want/need CPA, so took becker review and rec’d a 68 on AU..just took BE..not sure?
Hi Mike,
Hmm… on AUD, do you think it’s because of lack of study time, lack of motivation or you simply get tricked by the questions? (if you work in the CPA firm, you must be very familiar with the concepts so this should be the issue).
I would think that if you get a Wiley book, work on your weakest areas (based on the report) and see whether you are able to get them all right (and for the right reason) after a few attempts. If somehow you still can’t get it, then it’s worthwhile to get Yaeger because they explain the MC questions in detail and where the tricky areas are etc.
Best of luck to your next attempt! Stephanie
HI
would you mind telling us how flashpointcpareview.com program is ? what are pros and cons? i ‘d appreciate a lot
Hi Farhan,
Never heard of it, but I have just taken a quick look with a bit of research in the CPA forums.
I did find a couple of people talking about flashpointcpareview.com and it’s quite positive – easier to digest compared to Becker. They especially like the notecards. While this is great I haven’t got enough data points to give an opinion on this review program — if you do decide to get it, I’d greatly appreciate if you let me know what you think about it. Thanks!
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
It is really great to see someone helping the people in such a way. I would request your advice on whether to go ahead with CPA or not? I live in Pakistan and have done CA and ACCA. I plan to move to the US in near future. What is the condition of the job market in the US/Canada for people having passed the CPA exam? Your reply will be a great help for me as I have to make a decision.
Hi Numan,
Theoretically, CPA is a title most applicable for public accounting (i.e. auditing) firms, but from what I heard from my readers recently, many corporations are looking for a CPA title among the candidates. So it is definitely useful. Having said that, many accountants can secure a job without the title so the CPA qualification is not like “mandatory” in order to get an accounting/finance job in the US.
Is it a big hassle for you to go to the US and take the exam? Also, do you think you can qualify for CPA exam requirements from any state? This would be 2 important questions for you to consider whether to start your CPA journey. You may also find this page for international CPA candidates useful.
Hope it helps – just come back if I can be helpful. Cheers, Stephanie
well Nauman, if you want to remain being an accountant and also moving to USA, then i would suggest you go for the CPA exam.With your background, i don’t think you will have much difficulty passing the exam. Remember much of accounting doesn’t change and the only thing that will be new to you would be US Taxation.
Thanks Farhan – and good point on the US taxation! Stephanie
Dear Farhan,
Bundle of thanks for the guidance. I hope I am able to pass. And what are the chances of getting a job in the Big 4, or any other good organization in the US, once you pass the CPA? How much time it takes approximately to find one? I want to be on my own soon after landing. Can you please tell me about some good recruitment firms too.
Thanks again,
Numan
Hi Numan,
Thanks for your kind note! Well it has been enjoyable (and a good break from my day job and kids) running this site
And on the general note of using the CPA title to find a job in the state… I would think while it definitely helps, it is not a guaranteed ticket if you know what I mean. Is it possible for you to work in Big 4 in Pakistan (not sure if they have presence there)? It would be much easier for you to arrange a transfer or something like that within the organization. Alternatively, any US-based corporations in Pakistan might work.
Anyway, if you are aiming for the Big 4, you can check out my recommendation on this book — the steps and tips to break into Big 4 / big accounting firms.
Cheers, Stephanie
Dear Stephanie,
Thanks for the information. It is really amazing to see how you could spare time for people, besides doing a job and looking after 2 kids. Thank you for this. I get almost eaten up by just one kid of mine.
Coming to US is not a problem. I have got a business visa (5 year; multiple). So I can come and go anytime for the exam. Also, i can study day and night for the exam and that is not a major problem. My concern was just that if i take the step towards attempting the CPA, will it help me getting a sponsoring employer in the US? With my current visa, I can only visit for business purpose, and not for work. I want to move to the US with my family. I hope CPA will help me in that, because my current qualifications i.e. CA and ACCA do not seem to be very useful in US.
Nauman,
you can sit for the exam under Colorado Board, if you are a CA from another country, they would allow you to sit for the CPA exam. Also , NASBA will be allowing candidates to take the exam outside of the US in near future. I am not sure when they will include Pakistan. But i have heard they have included Japan so far. I live in Canada but since i live at the border, for me travelling to the States is easy so i am not too concerned.
Stephanie, i am struggling with FAR and forgetting whatever i have learned in last two weeks. I haven’t bought the Flashpoint CPA stuff yet . Since i spent thousands of dollars on material already, i feel guilty spending more on the stuff.
Hi Farhan,
Thanks for your help for Nauman. Much appreciated! Also, it’s good that you remind me of the new CPA exam sites in Japan. I have done a quick writeup for those who are interested.
Yes FAR is the most overwhelming of all! Why don’t you tackle one sub-section at a time — after reading/listening to the lecture, work on the practice questions for the concepts to sink in. This tactic works for me pretty well. Yeah don’t worry about getting extra materials if you have existing ones already.
Keep working hard! Stephanie
Hi Farhan,
Thanks for the information that NASA is considering to take exams outside of USA also. I live in Canada (Toronto) and its difficult to go to US to give exams.
I just hope that they include Canada also to take exams.
In case you hear anything related to this, it will be great if you can let me know.
Thanks
Vipula
Hi Vipula,
So far no news on Canada as far as I know… Actually Toronto shouldn’t be too bad if you can drive or take the Amtrak there? At least it’s much better than India and other Asian countries…
Stephanie
Vipula,
Sure , i would let you and everyone know here . Look at the bright side, it is still easier for us to go to the states to take the exam compare to people from other countries, where they have to come specially to take the exam. I am in Windsor and the prometric site is 20 minutes drive from me. Logically speaking, Canada would be included in very near future cus we are neighbors lol
Stephanie:
Is the clearance sale for $799 at CPA Passmaster genuine? I am not sure if that website, CPA Passmaster, that is selling Becker products for half the price is genuine. Can you help me here? My Becker software is expired but Becker is asking a huge amount of money plus a registration fee before they will renew the software for me as a former Becker student which, I think, is unfair. The CPA Passmaster website is offering to renew my software for $100. Is that genuine and do you know of anyone who who has done business with them? Has any of your forumers tried them? I have all the 2009 Becker Notes and the CD, the only thing I need is the MC and the simulation in the Passmaster. I am only interested in the extension of the software.
Thank you also for the info on Wiley and Gleim. I took the live fastpass class with Becker and it’s a complete waste of time.
Please advise me on that CPA Passmaster website and their products.
Thank you.
Kontopia
Hi Kontopia,
You are dropping me a note at the *perfect time* because I am in the final stage of due diligence on CPA Passmaster. I don’t want to give my recommendation (or the lack of) before my full investigation but I promise to have it done by next week. So please wait for a few more days.
If I do recommend this Becker reseller I will feature it prominently in the header at the top of my website. I’m sure you won’t miss it
Please come back next week and have a look! Stephanie
P.S. Sorry to hear about your experience at Becker live class. I can totally hear you. I set up this site mainly to tell people there are other options…
Stephanie:
I love your website. It’s the only place I have found that gives honest, thoughtful reviews of different CPA review options. Others seem to be too biased.
I am a recent grad, again (undergrad in accounting in Dec 08 and a MBA Aug 10). I now want to go after the CPA certification and am pretty motivated to get it. I am very disciplined … I took my entire MBA program online and graduated with a 3.9 gpa (and it was a very good, accredited university). I am unsure of which review program to go after. Everyone I have talked to has used Becker, but they took the exam 5+ or 10+ years ago and got it discounted. I know Becker is great, I am impressed with their website but they are also extremely expensive and are really out of my budget. I can not seem to find another program that strikes me as much as Becker does though. I do not want to do live classes, or online for that matter. I am better at self-study. I do not mind reading or watching lecturers at home (as long as they aren’t boring and long). Do you have any suggestions on review courses that have good self-study programs and they won’t break my poor bank account?? Maybe ones that have a good mixture of text and software even? (If there is such a thing out there for me).
Thank you for any advice you give
Hi Zachary,
Thanks for your kind note! I am honored that this site is seen as “honest and thoughtful” because this is the goal I am trying to achieve for this site.
I would say you can focus on the following 3 CPA study material:
If you are very disciplined and self-motivated (sounds like you are!), then Wiley should be good for you and you can get the discounted Wiley CPA books + software here.
If you are looking for a more integrated approach, CPAexcel has bite-sized classes and you can sign up for a free trial and see if you like it. Their program has just been endorsed by 1 of the big 4, and they are considerably cheaper than Becker.
Lastly, Yaeger is always good if you are looking for lots of explanation on the actual multiple choice questions you are working on. The lectures are presented in DVD that you can watch at home. The filming is a bit “unpolished” but that’s why you get it at a much cheaper price than Becker.
Hope it helps! Would be interested to see which course/materials you end up choosing. And all the best to your exam! Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
I appreciate all the information here in your website it’s a big help for a person like me. I found http://www.accountingcoach.com and they’re selling such accounting materials in a very low cost. Do you think it’s a good supplement materials to prepare CPA exam?
Hi Greeze,
I also heard from a few of my readers that they are quite good and I like the “free” materials on their site. In fact, Accounting Coach is under my list of recommendations on my newly setup Facebook page.
If you find it necessary to clarify the accounting concepts, I would think it’s helpful. Do let me know what you think if you decide to purchase so I can let other readers know in the future. This site is helpful because of helpful readers like you!
Regards,
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie;
I am very impressed with your website and am grateful that you took the time to put it together. I was a chief accountant of smb’s in Russia. I was planning to sign up for Yaeger, but they told me that I need to take several US tax courses first. ( I have taken financial and business accounting at a community college but nothing specifically on taxes.) Do you know what courses are either required by NASBA or the California Board of Accountancy or recommended before taking the CPA exam?
Hi Stephanie,
Just wanted to drop a quick note about CPAexcel. My story isn’t entirely unique, but somewhat different. I’ve worked as an accountant for 40 years – I’m 58 years old. I’m actually working part time and could retire.
As a personal goal, I decided in late April (2010) to sit for the CPA exam. It’s, obviously, tough for someone with an MBA which was received 10 years ago.
Using CPAexcel and the Wiley software, I passed BEC the first try, taken July 1, 2010 – Score 86.
I’m so excited I can’t believe it!! CPAexcel is absolutely great. Wiley was a supplemental study tool only. The folks behind CPAexcel are intelligent and always there to help.
Thanks for the forum.
Noreen
Hi Noreen,
Thanks a lot for your note. That’s excellent! Mind if I quote you in my CPAexcel review page?
Stephanie
Please feel free to use my comment(s). CPAexcel is great and the 2011 updates are terrific.
Noreen
Thank you Noreen. And congratulations again! Stephanie
Hi, Stephanie,
I was too worried about whether I was qualified to sit for the exam, so I only visited your CPA requirement page, and left questions for you few mins ago. Now I found a even better source you are sharing with us. I cannot thank you enough for helping us save time on the CPA. Hope that more people can benefit from you web and get their licenses. ( Also hope I will be one of them
)
Hi Alex,
I am very glad you find the site helpful! If you need anything else just drop a note and I’ll try my best to help. Good luck to your application and exam! Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
I took your recommendation and have been using Yaeger since the end of August. I’m in the middle of studying for FAR.
I believe there are 3 teachers for this course. Cindy (who mainly teaches FAR) is excellent. She has a great sense of humor and she hammers points home so you won’t forget. On a multiple choice problem, she will go over the wrong choices and explain why they are wrong. She will also tell you for said MC question, what other questions the CPA could ask based on the topic. She really knows her stuff backwards and forwards and tries her bast to get you to her level of understanding accounting.
HOWEVER, the other teachers SUCK. Phil is so monotone and boring. And it’s more than that. He doesn’t go into nearly the detail that Cindy does. Not only is Cindy more entertaining, but she’s a better teacher: plain and simple. Phil does not go over the wrong MC questions, which really bothers me because on the CPA exam there are often at least 2 answers that seem reasonably correct. Phil also say “all right” every 5 seconds. It’s like when a teenager says “like” all the time. Maybe not that bad but almost. He probably says “all right” as much as one of those dumb athletes say “you know” before every sentence.
The 3rd guy I haven’t taken instruction from yet but I saw the beginning of one of his lectures and he seems worse than Phil.
So, not having taken the other courses yet, I would recommend only taking Yaeger for FAR (Cindy mostly teaches FAR but occasionally you will get the brutal Phil and the other guy).
Hi Dan,
Thanks very much for your comment. It is interesting because many readers told me they like Phil… but I can see what you mean by the “monotone”… I will mention your comment in the Yaeger page so at least ask the prospective buyers to check out Phil’s demo and see if they find him ok.
Again, thanks for taking the time to let us know your opinion. I am sure it is helpful to other aspiring CPAs.
Regards, Stephanie
I haven’t experienced too much of Phil’s teaching so any reader can take my comments with that in mind. I just finished Phil’s lecture on pensions. He did a decent job explaining the material prior to going into examples but I don’t like the way he covers the multiple choice. The other teacher also seem to do a better job of teaching test taking techniques. I guess I haven’t listened to enough lectures from Phil to completely comment on his style but I definitely feel confident saying Cindy is the superior teacher.
Now the 3rd guy I just got done listening to his lecture on leases. He is actually not bad. He also does Auditing apparently. He is pretty dry and deadpan but he is good at emphasizing certain points of emphasis.
Does Phil only teach REG? That would be good because I think that is the section I feel most confident.
Hi Dan,
Again thanks for your comments and the lively desription! I think Phil Yaeger also teaches in other parts, but they may have changed from year to year and so I can’t say for sure for the latest edition… but maybe you can come back and let us know after you have viewed everything? That would be immensely helpful. Thanks!
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
I’m coming from Hong Kong, and I’ve been struggle for choosing Becker and Yaeger.
With confirmation with Becker, there will be no live classes offered in HK starting from 2011, but we can still buy their material in HK, the cost is similar to United States. It’s no doubt that Becker is most expensive one, I don’t know is it worth or not.
For Yaeger, I’m not sure the video lectures offer by them is update or not, as you know there are some changes for 2011 exam. And I’ve no idea about the CRAM series though I’ve read their website info.
Hi Kenneth,
I personally don’t like Becker live classes anyway so it’s good that you’ll be choosing Becker self-study vs Yaeger.
I have written a page specially on becker vs yaeger CPA review. Please see if it’s helpful for you?
By the way, your experience will be able to count if your work experience is supervised / verified by CPA from US, and possibly from Canada and Australia (depend on which state). Whether it has to be supervised or not will also be dependent on the state you apply to.
Just let me know if you have further questions! stephanie
Hi Stephanie!
So… I’m scheduled to take REG on October 29. Using the Yeager CPA review materials, I’ve already managed to get through a significant amount of material.
However, I’m kind of worried because Prof Yaeger seems to skip a lot of things in the Wiley Book. From my experience, I managed to pass FAR and AUD (with a reasonable margins – 94, 89) because of fine details that I studied from the Wiley Book and CPAExcel.
Do you have any knowledge of how much dependable Yaeger is? I mean, if he says to skip that section, then is there really a “reasonable probability” that the section won’t be in the test?
I bought the Yaeger course because of the efficiency it offers, but am worried on it’s effectiveness and scope…
I appreciate any help or guidance!
Thank you very much,
Nico
Hello Nico,
Nice to hear from you again!
Yes your concern is certainly understandable. I understand Dr. Yaeger specifically skips those parts that has lower importance in the exam. This is the way to do it for people with limited time. So I would recommend that you follow the direction and get the basic done first; then if you have more time, you can still work on the rest of Wiley, but at least for time management wise this makes the most sense and you can feel more comfortable because the most important things got covered.
An industry expert (who works for another CPA review course) told me Yaeger is among his favorites. That’s why I feel comfortable recommending the course to my readers. If you have any other thoughts on Yaeger (good or bad) please let me know so I can get a more comprehensive view on this course. Thanks!
And all the best to the studying and passing of REG!
Stephanie
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