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Like many professions, accounting allows people to get professional certifications. The CPA Exame Requirements are difficult, but becoming a CPA sets that accountant to a standard that is above others and is sought out to be a professional resource. CPA Requirements are stringent but will provide the accountant with necessary prestige to excel in their field. It will also open greater doors of opportunity such as working in private practice or as a financial executive for a corporation.
Education Requirements
At a bare minimum, a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting is required, but in most cases acceptance will include at least 150 credits towards a Master’s Degree. A Bachelor’s Degree in accounting is preferred but not mandatory, providing that your post-graduate degree is finance related. Most future CPAs will take classes toward their Master’s Degree in conjunction to their preparation for the CPA Exam.
Resource: Top 10 Best Online Masters in Business Administration Degree Programs
Experience
Having at least two years experience as an accountant, bookkeeper, auditor, or accounting clerk will serve test takers well, as the exam takes a real-world approach. The testing may be standardized but the questions involved will ask the test taker to apply real world knowledge in answering the exam questions. These questions will require critical thinking, decision making, and analytic analysis to complete.
State Variances
Many professional occupations require certification that is different from state to state and accounting is no different. Getting your CPA certification in one state may not be transferable to another state. Although the requirements are similar, it is suggested that the state requirements where the accountant wants to practice are well known. Transfer requirements may be more stringent than the originating state.
Study Prep
Although not a requirement for taking the CPA exam, taking a study preparation course will greatly increase the chances of the accountant becoming certified. There are dozens of prep courses out there and choosing the right one may be challenging. It is best to investigate two things when choosing a prep course. First is the success rate of the course and possible guarantees. Most traditional schools don’t offer a guarantee but many private tutors do. The next to check is the accreditation of the instructors. There are a handful of trade groups and societies that provide accreditation for CPA instruction.
Take the Exam
After meeting the requirements to take the exam, an application is required. The window of opportunity to take the exam is limited as well as the frequency that the exam can be taken. There are various places that facilitate the exam taking process. They are usually the learning centers that provide study prep or college campuses. Some businesses, such as financial firms wi,ll offer their employees the opportunity to take the exam and all testing facilities are administrated under the American Institute of CPAs.
Taking the CPA exam is a big step for any accountant or finance clerk. It takes a big commitment and is a signal of dedication to the profession itself. In this, by becoming certified, the accountant has raised their level from the point of being a general employee to that of being a certified professional. Although the CPA Requirements may be somewhat lucid and focused on the passing of the exam, taking the steps necessary to pass the exam only increase the odds of doing so.
