Re: Becoming a CPA
I passed the test during my senior year in college using the old paper and pencil method. Up until 2 1/2 weeks before the test, I was inundated with busy season. I studied probably between 5-10 hours per week for a couple of months leading up to the exam, then took off work to study for the entire 2 1/2 weeks between April 15th and the test date in early May.
If you can study on your own, get the books and avoid the review courses. If you need to sit in a classroom to learn, the review will be money well spent.
One recommendation: In '99 when I took the exam, the Wiley books I used had a breakdown of the number of questions asked as a percentage of the test. I used this section religiously to pinpoint my studies. If a certain set of topics only had 1-2 questions on it in the law section, I'd blow it off.
I was a pretty good student and had a good grasp of most of the subject matter, so my study times are probably below the norm. I passed all 4 parts the first shot with scores in the 80's and 90's. (Some, like me, would say this means I studied too hard since I only needed 75's to pass).
To give you opposing viewpoints, one roommate probably studied 20 hours/week for several months and was the gold medalist with two 99's and two 98's. Another studied 2-5 hours per week and only passed two sections.
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