I immediately broke down and cried in the partner’s office after he asked if I passed FAR.
I couldn’t believe I had failed three CPA exams in a row. This time, by two points. I knew something had to change.
In six months, I came back strong and finished the last three parts of my CPA exams.
Avoid these four mistakes I made to pass the CPA exams.
Reason 1: I got overconfident
After passing REG on my first try with a score of 83, I thought it was a decent score and that I didn’t have to study much for BEC. I met a person who studied for two weeks and passed. I figured that could be me, too.
Welp, I was wrong.
I studied the material but didn’t review it to ensure I fully understood it before entering the test. I also thought memorizing the mnemonics without fully understanding the material was enough.
That was the only time I made that mistake.
After you finish the material, make sure you review the material again. A section that was your strong suit last week may need a little boost during review week. Make sure you understand and remember the material going into test day.
Reason 2: Overstudied
After that mistake, I went to the opposite end of the spectrum and overstudied.
I was so nervous I would fail again, so I squeezed in studying every moment.
It led to burnout. Even though I reviewed AUD three times, I could hardly remember what I studied. I was too overwhelmed.
A change in my mindset with an action plan made a difference.
Create a study schedule using the time-blocking method. When it is your time block to study, focus on that. Download my free template to get started.
Studying for the CPA isn’t a race against a clock that has to beat every minute of the day. Consistent daily actions will lead you there.
You can still use your time and squeeze in study sessions while waiting in line or at the doctor’s office. But obsessing over it every moment will cause more harm than good.
Find balance in your life during a time that seems to be chaotic. Doing so led me to pass the CPA exam.
*Related: How to create a study schedule to pass the CPA exams
Reason 3: I didn’t trust the process.
I was on many online CPA exam groups and forums for support.
I got a lot of excellent advice and encouragement. But it came at a cost.
There was advice like…
- Skip over the simulations. They are like the long multiple-choice questions anyway.
- Skip over the reviewing of the material. You learned most of it back in college.
- Skip over the practice exam since you don’t get instant feedback.
Then, people on the opposite side of the spectrum said I failed X number of times.
That scared me sh*tless.
I was easily influenced while testing and changed my study plan based on online advice.
The review course put a lot of time and effort into creating a course for you to pass. U world Roger CPA Review course put in $2 million of research in one of the years I studied alone. Millions of dollars and years of research to create the perfect plan for you to pass. Follow it!
These groups are great for support, but take study advice with precautions.
I decided to leave these support groups, which significantly impacted my mindset. No longer influenced by their advice, I could focus on my goals.
Reason 4: Focused too much on what’s ahead.
I set a goal, a plan, and a deadline.
I felt like I had to meet this personal deadline no matter what.
I started worrying about what was next when I got closer to my exam date.
- What if I fail this one and needed to push back my next exam?
- What if I don’t finish the exam by the date I set?
- What if…?
Worrying about the future that I couldn’t control set my anxiety level to the roof.
Stop focusing on what is ahead. It doesn’t matter at this moment. Focus on the exam right in front of you and what you need to pass.
Add blocks of buffer time in your weekly schedule to know the exact time and date to make it up. It will put your mind at ease because you already have a plan. I would add multiple buffer times in the weeks so it wouldn’t disrupt my plans.
Adding a few extra days or a whole week might benefit you if you are not in a tight time constraint. The additional review time couldn’t hurt if you don’t use it. You might be glad you have it if something unexpected comes up.
Maybe your circumstances changed, like a new job, or your school load was higher than usual this semester. It’s okay to change plans as your journey changes. You now know how to adjust your study schedule based on the changes.
Remember, this is your journey. Claim it.
Now what?
About 20% of CPA candidates pass all four exams on their first try.
That means most of us are going to fail at least one exam. That’s okay. Figure out the reason you failed and learn from your mistakes. The result is your CPA license, but the journey is soo much more.
Part of the journey is persevering through the small bumps.
I knew I was one step closer to passing each time I failed. I knew more material the next time I went to study and learned from my mistakes. Taking the exam was an experience and got me one step closer to passing.
“Had I not been okay with failure, I would not have been a success” -Roger Philipps.
Regardless of my score, I decided to start completely over from scratch when I restudied the material. I came back with a vengeance and a strategy in place to pass.
Learn from my experiences.
Figure out the reason you failed and learn from your mistakes.
If becoming a CPA wasn’t difficult, we wouldn’t have the recognition, pay, and status that comes along with it. It is a challenging journey that you will look at and be proud of yourself. You know you made it through that. You can make it through anything.
It is a difficult time, but remember it’s temporary. The payoff is enormous.
You will pass. Keep going.
Ultimately, passing the CPA exam was much simpler than I thought.
- Find a study material that works for you.
- Create a realistic study schedule.
- Finish the material and review it.
- Finding a balance to avoid over or understudying
Once I eliminated all the noise and focused, I reached my goal.
My favorite moment is excitingly telling my partner I passed the CPA exam.
If you haven’t already, grab the free time-blocking planner to help you create a personalized study planner to pass the CPA exams.
