Tomorrow will mark the end of the CPA exam (unless I don't pass 1 or more of the parts). I'm feeling really good about everything and am the least nervous I've been for any one of the tests.
I'll write how I feel about it tomorrow night or Thursday, but I'm glad I took this summer to at least give these things a shot. It hasn't been easy, but I know if I do have to re-take any of them I'm going to go into each one with a better idea of what I should have mastered!
Showing posts with label CPA Exam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CPA Exam. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Waiting - The Hardest Part
I awoke last night at 3:30 after having a rare nightmare. Going back to my days as a kid, I tried to calm myself down as reality sunk in around me. No monster under the bed, no unusual shadows slinking around. The fears I had as a child don't bother me now, I've discovered grown-up nightmares are entirely different. I'm still undecided as to what's worse.
Getting up, I decided it was time to confront the source of my angst. Flipping over my computer, I waited and yawned as my computer started up. The number 64, as arbitrary as it may seem had been floating around in my head for what seemed like an eternity. Yes, the AICPA released the scores for Business (my first CPA test - 7/2/2009) at 5 am yesterday. Unfortunately, these scores are relayed to NASBA before candidates are able to see them. States that are a part of NASBA usually release scores later that day.
I take a breath, type in my ID number and birthday. After taking a few seconds to load, I see something fill the box.........
"Error: Score not found"
"Rats..." I mumble under my breath. Still not up. I put my computer on hibernate. No use shutting it down, I'll be checking in another hour anyway.
I lay back down, openly accepting that the nightmare will re-run until I get up next time.
I get most of my CPA information from http://www.cpanet.org/, and when word got out that the AICPA released the scores to NASBA (per http://www.another71.com/) the forum exploded with anxious test takers asking questions, fretting openly, and yes - comparing their nightmares.
From about noon Friday until 9pm that night, states began to release scores to candidates and word quickly spread as to what states had released their scores. Despite my constant checking (I must have checked 150 times between 4:00 and midnight last night), Minnesota was not one of the states to release their highly anticipated results. I think Erichsen enjoyed my constant checking, he seemed to be pretty interested whenever I refreshed the page. Eventually, I gave in, told myself my score wouldn't change whether I saw it then or in the next few days, and went to bed.
Soon after though, these peaceful thoughts turned into nightmares of dreaming. For some reason, I kept dreaming of checking my score and seeing a 64. The only thing worse than seeing this score and having to tell everyone I know that I didn't pass was the number of times the dream repeated - and of course each one seemed more real than the one before it.
Fortunately, since 3:30 until now, my nightmare has proved to be the product of my active mind and not a prophecy. I honestly feel really good about the way this test went. I will be very surprised if I don't pass - but no matter how confident one is, there will always be that cloud of doubt (no matter how big or small) until you actually see those big bold numbers.
I must start studying for Audit today, but I will be checking to see if my score has been released throughout the weekend. I've got a feeling I won't know until Monday since historically scores aren't released on the weekend. Maybe I'll get lucky though!
Until then, I'll be reading the cpanet forum and reading about other people's happiness. Almost all the posts right now are from exuberant candidates who passed. You almost never hear from those that didn't pass. At times it seems like everyone passed, but you can be sure there are plenty who don't.
As for my other three tests - well, I likely won't know for another month. I'm sure the nightmares will start around mid-September.
I'll let everyone know how I did when I hear! I'm excited to actually see some results and some closure soon!
Getting up, I decided it was time to confront the source of my angst. Flipping over my computer, I waited and yawned as my computer started up. The number 64, as arbitrary as it may seem had been floating around in my head for what seemed like an eternity. Yes, the AICPA released the scores for Business (my first CPA test - 7/2/2009) at 5 am yesterday. Unfortunately, these scores are relayed to NASBA before candidates are able to see them. States that are a part of NASBA usually release scores later that day.
I take a breath, type in my ID number and birthday. After taking a few seconds to load, I see something fill the box.........
"Error: Score not found"
"Rats..." I mumble under my breath. Still not up. I put my computer on hibernate. No use shutting it down, I'll be checking in another hour anyway.
I lay back down, openly accepting that the nightmare will re-run until I get up next time.
I get most of my CPA information from http://www.cpanet.org/, and when word got out that the AICPA released the scores to NASBA (per http://www.another71.com/) the forum exploded with anxious test takers asking questions, fretting openly, and yes - comparing their nightmares.
From about noon Friday until 9pm that night, states began to release scores to candidates and word quickly spread as to what states had released their scores. Despite my constant checking (I must have checked 150 times between 4:00 and midnight last night), Minnesota was not one of the states to release their highly anticipated results. I think Erichsen enjoyed my constant checking, he seemed to be pretty interested whenever I refreshed the page. Eventually, I gave in, told myself my score wouldn't change whether I saw it then or in the next few days, and went to bed.
Soon after though, these peaceful thoughts turned into nightmares of dreaming. For some reason, I kept dreaming of checking my score and seeing a 64. The only thing worse than seeing this score and having to tell everyone I know that I didn't pass was the number of times the dream repeated - and of course each one seemed more real than the one before it.
Fortunately, since 3:30 until now, my nightmare has proved to be the product of my active mind and not a prophecy. I honestly feel really good about the way this test went. I will be very surprised if I don't pass - but no matter how confident one is, there will always be that cloud of doubt (no matter how big or small) until you actually see those big bold numbers.
I must start studying for Audit today, but I will be checking to see if my score has been released throughout the weekend. I've got a feeling I won't know until Monday since historically scores aren't released on the weekend. Maybe I'll get lucky though!
Until then, I'll be reading the cpanet forum and reading about other people's happiness. Almost all the posts right now are from exuberant candidates who passed. You almost never hear from those that didn't pass. At times it seems like everyone passed, but you can be sure there are plenty who don't.
As for my other three tests - well, I likely won't know for another month. I'm sure the nightmares will start around mid-September.
I'll let everyone know how I did when I hear! I'm excited to actually see some results and some closure soon!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Regulation Tomorrow
Tomorrow I'll be taking my 3rd CPA test - Regulation. It's all federal tax and business law. I'm anxious for it, I want to get it done, but I'm not as worked up about it as I was with my Financial test. Overall, I just feel like the material in Reg isn't as vast and nearly as complex. I'm feeling pretty good, but I can still add a lot in this final day of studying. I took my first practice exam yesterday with decent results, but I made some mistakes that I learned from and hopefully won't do again.
I'll be taking my second practice test sometime later today. This is the 2nd shortest of the 4 tests (3 hours). Looking forward to taking it!
I'll be taking my test tomorrow at noon. My roommate, Adam, just had his MCAT yesterday - on his birthday - and with Chris gone on vacation this week it's safe to say it's been a pretty quiet week in Pinehurst 325.
Oh yea - sounds like Percy Harvin is having a pretty good camp. I hope he can prove my dad wrong :)
I'll be taking my second practice test sometime later today. This is the 2nd shortest of the 4 tests (3 hours). Looking forward to taking it!
I'll be taking my test tomorrow at noon. My roommate, Adam, just had his MCAT yesterday - on his birthday - and with Chris gone on vacation this week it's safe to say it's been a pretty quiet week in Pinehurst 325.
Oh yea - sounds like Percy Harvin is having a pretty good camp. I hope he can prove my dad wrong :)
Monday, July 20, 2009
FAR Tomorrow
I have Financial Accounting & Reporting tomorrow. I've been studying for it nearly the last two weeks so I think I'm ready to give it a go. It's widely regarded as the toughest exam because it covers so many different topics (Government to Pensions to all the Financial Statements), so it's tough to know what's going to be tested the most, you just gotta be prepared for everything. I won't be the first to take "The Beast" and I certainly won't be the last.
I know I've put in the time, now I have to deliver.
In the words of Leroy Jenkins, "Alright guns up, let's do this!"
(if you don't know what I'm talking about click on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkCNJRfSZBU )
Hope all is well with everybody!
I know I've put in the time, now I have to deliver.
In the words of Leroy Jenkins, "Alright guns up, let's do this!"
(if you don't know what I'm talking about click on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkCNJRfSZBU )
Hope all is well with everybody!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
14 hours
In 14 hours, I'll be sitting and taking my first CPA exam ever. I'm experiencing just about every emotion you can with something like this. I'm excited, nervous, anxious, and most of all ready to give my first test a shot. I did one more practice exam tonight (and got an 84 out of 100), so that is VERY good news. I still have 4 or 5 hours I can use tomorrow, but I think I'm about as confident tonight as I have been through the last month.
I won't know my score for 6 weeks or so...
But hopefully tomorrow I'll be 1/4th of the way to my CPA!
I won't know my score for 6 weeks or so...
But hopefully tomorrow I'll be 1/4th of the way to my CPA!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Weekly Update
Technically, it's Sunday and I have 5 days until I take my first section of the CPA test - BEC -Business Environment Concepts. I've been studying for this pretty non-stop, but it's still a little difficult because you really just don't know how to approach something this important when you're going through it your first time. Hopefully, I'm studying effectively and well enough where I will only go through this whole process once. I expected it to be tough and tiring, but I must admit that even with this "accelerated" course I'm dealing with more than I expected. It isn't healthy or productive to dwell on it much, just gotta lower my head and give it my best shot.
I took a trip out to Chicago last week to visit my girlfriend. Instead of driving this time, I took the Megabus - a double decker bus - filled with people from all walks of life going for tons of different reasons. It was $45 dollars round trip to go (which isn't bad at all ) and all in all it was a decent ride. We hit some thunderstorms the way out there and my window was leaky, so that was a bummer, but I made it to Leslie without having the fatigue from driving for 6 hours and paying for gas. When I actually have some income coming in, I'll probably fly out every once in awhile, but for now, this seems to be the best mode of transportation.
I'm also really excited to go home on the 3rd. It will be Mike's 20th birthday (although he has to work for 8 hours) and I still have some clothes to get and bring down. Overall, I'm excited just to be back in Douglas County. I haven't really been home for an extended time since my freshman summer (SJU sophomore, internship junior, and now the real world), and it's made me come to appreciate the simplicity, quietness (well...I guess not always!), and overall comfort of home. I'll only be there for the 3rd, I'm going to Leslie's house on the 4th and my third CPA review course starts on the 6th.
I'm getting into weight lifting again, a passion I haven't really visited since high school (being a runner and all), so I'm excited to add some bulk. Not a lot, but I think it's a shame my kid brother has biceps 2 inches bigger than mine! It doesn't matter, I could still push him around (not), but I might as well try to see if I can narrow that gap. Running has been a bit of challenge as of late - partly because of studying and also because I don't seem to be 100% yet. My IT band is a little inflamed, so I have to try and calm that down.
Biggest regret of the CPA test so far - no time for getting ready for Fantasy Football. I'm pushing to have the draft take place after all my tests are done, I think I can get that accomplished. Ha, I don't mean to make this CPA stuff seem all doom and gloom, I'm really glad I'm doing it and I know it's the best time for me to try and pass it. It's only going to get harder the longer I wait and it is something that will really boost my career...especially if I can get it done before I even start working. I'm excited, nervous, and ready to do this. Most of all, I'm glad I get to take it in 4 parts. Not one big 2.5 day test like the good old days.
5 days!
I took a trip out to Chicago last week to visit my girlfriend. Instead of driving this time, I took the Megabus - a double decker bus - filled with people from all walks of life going for tons of different reasons. It was $45 dollars round trip to go (which isn't bad at all ) and all in all it was a decent ride. We hit some thunderstorms the way out there and my window was leaky, so that was a bummer, but I made it to Leslie without having the fatigue from driving for 6 hours and paying for gas. When I actually have some income coming in, I'll probably fly out every once in awhile, but for now, this seems to be the best mode of transportation.
I'm also really excited to go home on the 3rd. It will be Mike's 20th birthday (although he has to work for 8 hours) and I still have some clothes to get and bring down. Overall, I'm excited just to be back in Douglas County. I haven't really been home for an extended time since my freshman summer (SJU sophomore, internship junior, and now the real world), and it's made me come to appreciate the simplicity, quietness (well...I guess not always!), and overall comfort of home. I'll only be there for the 3rd, I'm going to Leslie's house on the 4th and my third CPA review course starts on the 6th.
I'm getting into weight lifting again, a passion I haven't really visited since high school (being a runner and all), so I'm excited to add some bulk. Not a lot, but I think it's a shame my kid brother has biceps 2 inches bigger than mine! It doesn't matter, I could still push him around (not), but I might as well try to see if I can narrow that gap. Running has been a bit of challenge as of late - partly because of studying and also because I don't seem to be 100% yet. My IT band is a little inflamed, so I have to try and calm that down.
Biggest regret of the CPA test so far - no time for getting ready for Fantasy Football. I'm pushing to have the draft take place after all my tests are done, I think I can get that accomplished. Ha, I don't mean to make this CPA stuff seem all doom and gloom, I'm really glad I'm doing it and I know it's the best time for me to try and pass it. It's only going to get harder the longer I wait and it is something that will really boost my career...especially if I can get it done before I even start working. I'm excited, nervous, and ready to do this. Most of all, I'm glad I get to take it in 4 parts. Not one big 2.5 day test like the good old days.
5 days!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Sleepy
Tomorrow I have my last CPA review course for FAR. It'll be the 9th review class. I don't take this one until July 21st, but I still am getting a little anxious about it. After tomorrow I'll probably stop looking at that stuff until I'm done with my BEC test which is on July 2nd. I figure the best way to go about this is to give myself the best shot I can at passing the tests is to totally immerse myself in that section and not worry about the others.
I'll talk more about this later when I have some more time, but right now I'm just really tired. I'm looking forward to some sleep before midnight for a change!
I'll talk more about this later when I have some more time, but right now I'm just really tired. I'm looking forward to some sleep before midnight for a change!
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