CPA Exam Guide

Im Bryan. I am a 36 year old father to two beautiful children, Licensed CPA in North Carolina, PwC Alum, Accounting Junky, and Entrepreneur. Help you pass the CPA exam on your FIRST try. Personal Note: I did NOT pass the CPA exam on my first try, in fact I failed SEVEN times before I finally passed! I honestly get tears in my eyes every time I thin... k about all of the rookie mistakes I made when I first began studying ... If I had known what I know now, I would have passed the exam in no more than 6 months and would have saved at least 18 months of my life that I will never get back. Yes you heard right, it took me two+ years to finally figure out how to pass the hardest test known to man! What Did Passing The CPA Exam Do For My Career? I have had a bit of a rollercoaster of an accounting career over the past 6 years. I started working for BKD LLP in August of 2008 making 48K and before I could even get my feet wet, I was laid off at the end of my 1st busy season due to the financial crisis of 2008 and the fact I hadn't passed the CPA exam. Thankfully with the help of my strong accounting network, I was able to get a job in a month or two at Cassidy Turley as an entry level accountant. I worked there for about 1.5 years, but I was only making 40K since the position did not require a CPA. Taking a pay cut is never fun... but desperate times call for desperate measures. After battling with the CPA exam for 2 years, I finally passed and immediately took a job at PwC making 53K as an experienced associate. That was a 13K jump in salary just because I had 3 letters after my name! I worked at PwC for 2 years and put in my time there auditing companies such as Anheuser Busch and Bass Pro. After 2 years, my wife and I decided that it would be best for me to quit PwC and start a career in the private industry. So I quit and took a job as a VP of financial reporting at CitiMortgage making 65K with much room for growth. I am still in disbelief over what passing the CPA exam has done for my career, my family and my life. ...Read More