CPA Requirements: Know Your Way In

When I am online, I see a lot of requests for the detailed knowledge of all the requirements that need to be fulfilled to be able to sit for the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) exam. These requirements are quite simple to understand but in most cases, the applicants are unable to find them together. Allow me to discuss them in detail.

Let us start with the accounting degree, which is a major player in becoming a CPA. Before, all states used to require only 120 credit hours, reason why a bachelor’s degree would suffice. Certain issues though urged the State Board of Accountancy to raise the credit hour requirement to 150 while colleges and universities remained the same. You wouldn't find an accounting program that offers a 150 credit hour-curriculum, perhaps due to profit issues. Just a thought.

So the only way to complete these credit hours is to earn a Master's degree or complete an MBA program, which will help fill in the 30 credit hour shortage in a nice way. Why? Because it not only qualifies you for the CPA exam, it also supplies you with more than the required credit hours and eventually elevating your market value.

Focusing on Accounting during your Masteral course is a smart way to go as this will give you an upper hand over all the other applicants as a major part of the test paper is comprised of the subject. if you want to have greater edge, start with a good CPA course like Economics or Banking & Finance. The idea is to integrate your studies with the major components of the CPA exam so you can pass on your first attempt. Think three steps ahead. This would be easier to carry out if you are already aware of the criteria to become a CPA even before you graduate from high school.

Passing the exam though is not the end of the journey. You still have to accumulate 2,000 hours of employment experience under the supervision of a licensed CPA (as required by the SBA) and take the Ethics exam. Consider the latter as a wild card. Not to say that it is not necessary but some states like New York and New Jersey do not require a candidate to take this, although it is personally beneficial especially if you want to work on Wall Street. 

Kidding aside, there are so much to learn and so much to accomplish. So many things must be remembered, too so you can conquer the accounting world with pride. If you really want to see for yourself whether accountants do become filthy rich and uber successful, complete the requirements, work in a public accounting firm, and transfer to a huge company. Before you could do these, you will need an awful lot of information. Get it here at www.cparequirementshq.com.