About My Book: How to Pass the CPA Exam

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How To Pass The CPA Exam is the companion I wish I had for my own CPA journey.

Through this book I will show you the potential pitfalls in the application process, which state to select and why, what you should expect on the exam day, tips to study efficiently and effectively, overview of the exam content and the parts that you need to focus on in each study module.

What does the Book Cover?

The book is written with international candidates in mind, but the majority of content is relevant to all candidates.

Chapter 3 (How to get qualified) is a detailed guide for those who need help to fulfill the educational and experience requirements, a common issue for international and other “unconventional” candidates, such as non-accounting majors and mature students.

The rest of the book covers everything a candidate needs to know, including:

Chapter 2: What you need to know about the exam coverage, format, design, navigation, scheduling and location

Chapter 4: My sharing on what to bring on exam day, how things work at the test center and what to expect after the exam

Chapter 5: Five simple steps to create a workable study plan: which exam section to take first, and optimal allocation of time for each part

Chapter 6: The trick to study more efficiently and effectively – how to create an extra hour each day

Chapter 7: Latest study tips and exam taking strategies for multiple choice and simulation sections

Chapter 8: How to overcome the anxiety on TBS — the dreaded task-based simulations for FAR, AUD and REG

Chapter 9: Step-by-step guide to secure your points in written communication tasks in BEC

Chapter 10-13: Overview of exam content and analysis on what’s important and what’s not

Chapter 14: Answer to the question you never want to ask: What if I fail? Should I retake?

Countdown plans, list of items to bring on exam day, and more…

How To Pass The CPA Exam is published by Wiley.

Check out the online bookstore in your country:


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Story Behind My Book

Why do I want to write this book? Well, how can I not accept an invitation to share my knowledge through one of the largest publishers in the world! I also want to do something that makes my kids and family proud. In this post I will share with you:

Why I hesitated when signing the deal
Why the need to write a book when everything is available on this site
Why I choose to donate my royalties to charity
How my readers helped me put this book together

Extension of the Book

I would like to make the book more interactive and helpful by providing useful links as an extension to the book. The content in these links is updated regularly:

Chapter 2

NASBA official site
AICPA score release (p.22)

Chapter 3

State Board rule changes since the book’s publication:

Jan 1, 2014: California implements new licensing requirements
Jul 1, 2015: New Hampshire implements new exam and licensing requirements requiring 150 credit hours
Jul 1, 2015: Colorado implements new exam requirements requiring 150 credit hours
Jul 1, 2015: Montana is no longer a two-tier state, i.e. no CPA certificate will be issued
Apr 2016: North Dakota no longer accepts non-CPA to verify the relevant experience

Chapter 6

Marc’s blog on productive living (p.78)

Chapter 7

Top 10 CPA review course comparison (p.88)

Chapter 9

Elements of Style book review (p.111)
University of Chicago writing program and resources (p.111)

Chapter 10-13

Latest CPA exam pass rates
CPA exam financial ratios for FAR and AUD exam sections (p.205)

Chapter 15

p. 220: I’ve merged the “tools” page with this page.

Resources

Other Accounting Certifications

If you are interested in other designations, we have separate websites covering the major certifications:

New Discuss the Book

Ask questions and post feedback in the comment box below or on Facebook. I’d love to hear from you!