The recent release of the finalized changes to the 2017 CPA Exam has left many candidates feeling pressured to pass the current exam before the new version launches. Thankfully, with the additional testing days provided by the testing window extension and the official introduction of the 2017 CPA Exam not scheduled until next April, passing before then is completely possible.
How to Pass the CPA Exam Now
Use the number of weeks remaining before the 2017 CPA Exam arrives to draw up your study plan. By the first week in May, you will have about 47 weeks left, and typically, candidates who pass the first time spend 90-100 hours preparing for one CPA Exam section. If you study for 15 hours each week, you will only need 6 weeks to reach the minimum recommended amount of study time. If you begin studying during the first week in May and give yourself approximately 6 weeks to study between each section (more or less depending on your familiarity with the material and when you schedule your exam), you could follow a study schedule like this to pass all four sections in a mere 6 months:
- First section: beginning of June
- Second section: end of July
- Third section: beginning of September
- Fourth section: end of October
If you pass each CPA section on your first attempt, you will have passed with about 5 months to spare!
How to Pass the CPA Exam Soon
To pass all four sections before the 2017 CPA Exam arrives while sitting for only one section per testing window, you should take one section in each window remaining, including the current one.
The registration process may keep you from sitting for a section at the end of May if you have not yet applied to a state board and received your NTS. In this case, factor another four to six weeks into your study plan before you can schedule an exam with Prometric, depending on the state board with which you register.
As you can see on the calendar above, there is quite a bit of wiggle room left because of the January/February testing window that would still be available before the debut of the 2017 CPA Exam. Technically, you could wait until the beginning of October to sit for your first section and sit for your last section at the beginning of March! However, this is cutting it very close. If an unforeseen emergency or event forces you to reschedule a section, you will likely have to take the new 2017 version of that section, and if you do not pass and must retake one of your sections, you will have to do so using the next edition.
How to Develop Your CPA Exam Schedule
A great way to determine a plan that will work for you is to contact the exam experts at Gleim and work with them to create your own customized CPA Exam schedule. Our experts, called Personal Counselors, can help you not only to develop your schedule but also to stick with it by keeping in contact until you pass and providing the guidance and tips that have assisted thousands of CPA candidates!
Remember, if you are not able to complete the CPA Exam in 2016, it doesn’t mean that you won’t pass. Gleim CPA Review’s updated CPA Exam study materials will still be there to acclimate you to the changes and prepare you to pass in 2017!
