Keep your eye on the prize with these simple but powerful CPA exam study tips. They will help you prepare for the CPA exam much more efficiently as well as increase your focus and motivation.
1. Keep It Fresh
Studying for the CPA exam is like learning a language. Consuming just a little bit each day is crucial to re-enforce what you have already studied as well as develop a solid study routine. Keep it fresh in your brain on a daily basis and you will retain much more information.
2. Screw the Media
Ditch the background music, log off your Facebook and Twitter accounts, and put your cell phone on airplane mode. Every time your phone vibrates or you get a new email notification the temptation to get sucked into the social media black hole becomes too strong. In fact, just close your internet browser altogether. Did you really sacrifice an hour of sleep so you could catch up on the latest celebrity dating gossip? Absolutely not.
3. Jam Out
Download a CPA review audio course and turn otherwise wasted hours into a high quality study session. Listen on your commute to and from work and suddenly you just came up with an extra 5-10 hours of studying each week!
Don’t drive? You’re not off the hook that easy. Here’s a list of other activities where an audio CPA review course can transform your idle time:
-Doing Laundry
-Working out at the gym
-On your lunch break
-While Jogging
-At the car wash
-Riding the bus, subway, taxi
-Airplane Flight
4. Work Hard, Play Hard
Plan one day a week to not even think about studying for the CPA exam. You deserve a break so make plans to see a movie with a friend, go watch sports with your bros, or have a shopping spree with your BFF. This “recharging day” will be something you look forward to all week long, especially when things become stressful.
5. Remind Yourself Why
I’m going to extend a challenge to you that will take less than a minute and provide you with an insane amount of motivation. Ready? One rule, you must do this right NOW so grab a piece of paper and a pen. Got it?
No seriously, I’ll wait.
Okay, now write down in as few words as possible why you want to pass the CPA exam. For me personally it was 2 things: #1 To get a $5,000 bonus and #2, to prove everyone wrong who told me there was no way I could pass all 4 sections in 9 months with a full-time job.
Go post this somewhere in your room where you will see it everyday. Mine was on a white board right next to my door so every time I left I would see in it big bold red letters. This little reminder helped me to stay motivated at times when I felt like giving up and kept me in check by reminding me everyday that there is in fact a light at the end of the tunnel.
Got any useful tricks up your sleeve?!
If you have any tips or tricks of your own that helped you pass the CPA exam we want to know about it! Please share in the comment box below and help others who are going through the same struggles as you.
Bryce Welker is a regular contributor to Forbes, Inc.com, YEC and Business Insider. After graduating from San Diego State University he went on to earn his Certified Public Accountant license and created CrushTheCPAexam.com to share his knowledge and experience to help other accountants become CPAs too. Bryce was named one of Accounting Today’s “Accountants To Watch” among other accolades. As Seen On Forbes
