How to Pass the CPA Exam - Choose a Suitable CPA Review Course

Many accountants studying for the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exam make use of a CPA review course to help prepare. The hardest choice to make with a review course is which one increases the likelihood of success the most. Below are some of the factors to be considered when choosing a CPA exam review course.

1) Course Materials

Each course covers the same subjects expected to appear in the exam, however teachers use their own methods. The best courses use experienced instructors who can teach complex ideas while making sure students understand them. Qualified lecturers will make sure simple ideas do not waste teaching time. Top CPA review courses normally make sample lessons available for free so you can get a glimpse of how the course is planned out. The feedback provided on those sites will definitely help you make the best choice.

High quality courses also make their lessons available through different platforms, including DVD, CDs and live webcasts. The portability of how the media and course materials are available should be taken into consideration when evaluating a review course.

Some courses only allow access for a set period before denying access completely. Access expiration is normally only relevant when you access online materials, but the material can become redundant as topics may change. If you opt for a course with no access expiration, you need to make sure to make use of the material before it becomes obsolete.

2) Practice Questions

They help make it easy to retain through use of practical examples in case studies.

Each of the CPA review courses take varying approaches with practice questions. A lot of courses aim to cover every conceivable question likely to show up in the CPA exam. While this may be the safest approach, it can also be quite time-consuming. It is not unusual for students to run out of time and fail to cover some of the critical questions. This impacts on their exam preparation and chance to pass.

Again, this situation is far from ideal.

This can be done by checking previous exams to identify questions which appear frequently. This method ensures students use their time more efficiently and have a better chance of learning questions most likely to appear in an exam.

3) Student Support

Many CPA review courses provide different levels of customer support. If ask questions and prefer to talk to tutors over the phone, then be sure to choose a review course with that service. On the other end of the spectrum are courses that have limited support, and somwhere in the middle are courses that want students to email queries to the lecturers. Obviously, you need to check whichever course you decide to buy offers the right type of support suitable for your requirements.

CPA exam materials are regularly updated due to changes in accounting procedures. The update frequency of course materials can impact on whether or not you are successful as courses that neglect regular updates may teach outdated techniques.

However, price is only an issue if you do not pass the exam. As the average pass rate for the CPA exam is only 47.49-49.10% (pass rate for Uniform CPA Examination in 2008), failing one or more sections is not uncommon. The cost of failure the first time is normally due to choosing a lower quality review course or lack of effort from the student.

Passing the CPA exam does not need to be difficult. Visit David Bryant's CPA Exam Blog for tips on passing the cpa exam.