No matter why or when you intend to pass the CPA Exam, the best way to maintain your motivation is to establish a CPA Exam study schedule. The benefits of creating a CPA Exam study schedule are numerous, and the process is simple, so use this information from Gleim CPA Review to make yours.
The Benefits of a CPA Exam Study Schedule
If you want to pass the CPA Exam but never devise a plan of action, you are more likely to delay your passing with procrastination. A CPA Exam study schedule gives you the direction you need to pass sooner rather than later.
The benefits of a CPA Exam study schedule include:
- Evidence of your commitment to take and pass the CPA Exam
- A definitive beginning to your CPA Exam studies
- A finish line on which to focus your study efforts
- Firm calendar dates that hold you accountable for your study progress
- A manageable means by which to work through all of the testable content
- The opportunity to secure your preferred test dates
- The most efficient route to the goal of CPA certification
If you desire to pass the CPA Exam by a certain deadline, then creating a CPA exam schedule is essential. Here is how to do so.
The Development of Your CPA Exam Study Schedule
- Examine your current schedule.
To confirm how much and when you can study, you need to audit your 168 hours a week. Tally up the number of hours you spend on each major activity that demands your time. How many hours a week do you work? How many hours a week are you in class? How many hours do you spend sleeping, eating, exercising, cleaning, relaxing, or socializing? Once you determine where your time goes, you can decide how you can take it back and use it for studying.
- Set up a study schedule with the time remaining.
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- Add up any spare hours or time periods you can re-purpose. Don’t be afraid to cut back on fun now for the sake of passing later. The sacrifices you make for exam preparation will be only temporary and well worthwhile.
- Aim to achieve 1-2 hours of study per day for a total of 90-100 hours of preparation time per exam section. Do not risk the struggle to start up again by skipping a day of study. Instead, stay steady by completing short blocks of study time every day rather than one or two large blocks of time every week.
- Make sure that your CPA Exam study schedule accommodates your learning preferences. Whether you like to break your daily study time into different sessions or take down the entire two hours at once, do whatever works for you.
- Study during your most productive hours of the day. You want to be wide awake and capable of retaining what you are learning, so collaborate with your body’s natural rhythm to choose the best time.
- Figure out when you can finish your preparations.
Once you know how you can fit several hours of study time into your week, map out how many weeks it will take you to be ready for each section. Studying for 15 hours each week allows you to be ready for 1 section of the CPA Exam in 6 weeks. You should stagger each exam section with equal time between each testing appointment.
- Schedule your testing dates immediately.
Giving yourself approximately six weeks to study per exam section, determine which dates are convenient for you, then schedule your appointment with Prometric right away to guarantee your ideal test date.
Though sticking to this schedule will be difficult at times, an effective way to follow through is to commit to concluding one Gleim study unit every two days if you are attempting to take four sections within six months. This strategy ensures that you cover everything and move through the material at a productive pace.
Help with Your CPA Exam Study Schedule
If working through this process with an experienced CPA Exam expert sounds wonderful to you, then contact the Personal Counselors of Gleim CPA Review for help developing your personal CPA Exam study schedule. For constant access to our Personal Counselors and our interactive study planner, learn more about the Gleim CPA Review system today!
