5 Online Resources for CPA Exam Preparation

Earning the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is an important step for accountants who want the best career opportunities, and taking advantage of at least one of the many online resources for CPA exam preparation can help those accountants to achieve that important professional milestone.

While accountants also need education and experience to gain their CPA licenses, it is the CPA exam that tests the competency of new accountants to work in the public accountancy sector. The 14-hour test covers standard accounting topics such as auditing, the business environment, regulatory compliance and financial accounting and reporting.

The CPA exam is developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the organization periodically updates the test’s format and content to meet the evolving needs of the industry.

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Here are five online resources that can help accountants to master any challenge that they will encounter while taking the CPA exam.

#1 I Pass The CPA Exam

Since CPA licenses are administered by 55 jurisdictions that represent all 50 states and territories in the United States, the requirements for sitting for the CPA exam differ throughout the country. The I Pass The CPA Exam website gives prospective CPAs information about the exam application requirements for each jurisdiction. The site’s administrators understand that each CPA candidate has varying personal and professional goals, and some states may have CPA licensing and exam requirements that better match their preferences. The website uses traditional content and multimedia videos to highlight the states that have the most flexible CPA exam requirements for non-conventional CPA candidates. These candidates include those who are non-accounting majors, citizens of foreign countries or who have limited accounting work experience.

#2 National Association of State Boards of Accountancy

Once accountants determine that they qualify to take the CPA exam for their chosen state, they can visit the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) website to learn how to submit their qualifications for formal review. The NASBA website is one of the online resources for CPA exam preparation that provides information about the application processes for each of the boards of accountancy.

Recommended link: Top 10 Best Online Accounting Degree Programs 2015

#3 Roger CPA Review Blog

The Roger CPA Review blog is an informational resource that offers exam preparation courses, news about test updates and test-taking tips from subject matter experts. Although there are costs associated with most of the exam review course materials that are offered on the website, some of the site’s review resources are free. For instance, Roger Phillip, who is the blog’s author and main course developer, delivers presentations that teach aspiring CPA exam candidates how to create strategies for exam success. He also provides some free resources for professors who want to guide their students toward CPA exam success.

#4 CPA Review for Free

The CPA Review for Free website was created by an award-winning accounting professor to help accounting students and new graduates to pass the CPA exam. The site consists of helpful articles, a forum and over 1,000 practice questions. The questions mimic the types that are seen on the actual exam, and many students have written testimonials about the effectiveness of the materials. The site also allows students to connect with their peers and form study groups. The website’s resources are completely free as its name implies.

#5 CPA Exam Academy

The CPA Exam Academy is another online resource that provides great insight about the CPA exam requirements, test content and format. The blog’s author offers both free and paid study resources. For example, the site’s comprehensive study guide is for sale, but the author’s notes for each section of the CPA exam are provided without charge.

Conclusion

Getting ready for the CPA exam involves more than just answering a series of practice test questions. True test preparation includes understanding the state-specific requirements for the exam, knowing the application procedures for the test and fine tuning accounting knowledge that relates to the four test categories. The described online resources for CPA exam preparation assist CPA candidates throughout the entire process.