How to prepare for CPA Exam from India

Testimony

B Siva Kumar

Becker CPA Student

Hyderabad, Spring, July, 2008

Date of Presentation: 29th March 2009

Caveat

� This presentation is a representation of the

experience of one individual in preparing and

writing the CPA Exams. This experience

may not be relevant to all the students.

� Please make your best judgment in

understanding the relevance of this

presentation to your own preparation.

My academic and professional background

� B. Com – April,1990

� CA – November, 1993

� ICWA-Inter, December, 1993

� CPA - February, 2009

� Post-CA experience about 16 years.

� My current employer: Pragnya Trustee and

Investment Management Company Private

Limited

The Time Lines

� Date of Commencement of classes: 20th July 2008

� Date of Closing of classes: 19th October 2008

� Date of completion of exams: 28th Feb. 09

� Total time taken from start to finish 223 days or 7.43 months.

21-Mar-0928-Feb-09Finance

23-Mar-0923-Feb-09Auditing

26-Mar-0919-Feb-09Regulation

18-Mar-0914-Feb-09Business

Result DateExam DateSubject

The Results

85%Average

78Finance

93Auditing

77Regulation

89Business

ScoreSubject

Business Result

Regulation Result

Auditing Result

Finance Result

Primary Requirements

(All are equally important)

� Dedication

� Hard work

� Time Management

� Family Support and Understanding

� Sacrifices

� No Movies, TV, Long Drives, Avoidable Shopping

� No pleasure trips

About my preparation

� Material Studied – Only Becker Material

� Tools used – Becker Software Tools

and CPA-Exam.org for Simulation

� E-mail support received from Becker

Website

� Very good guidance received from the Becker Counselors and Faculty

Things to do during classes

� Attend all the classes without fail

� Redo any classes offline if required, in consultation with Counselors� Install the Becker Software immediately after the very fist class.

� Finish the first time study of each module immediately during the week following the class.

� Finish all the questions in the Becker CPA PassMaster. While doing this make sure you mark all the difficult and / or time consuming questions. If have surplus time do a second review during the classes itself.

� Within a week of the final class you must have completed the PassMaster completely if you have been prompt in completing the weekly work.

� Note all important points in a separate document.

� Record all your scores and time in PassMaster� Practice all Simulations available in Becker Software.

� Pay the exam fee only after you have obtained 90% in the Final Exams in Becker Software.

Things to do after the Classes but before

the Exams

� Make sure you have reviewed the text

material at least three times.

� Make sure you have worked out the

PassMaster at least three times.

� Make sure you have completed both Final-1

and Final-2 Exams in each of the subjects

(total 4 * 2 = 8 Exams) with 90% score.

� Practice Simulations available on cpa-

exam.org.

Things to do during the Exams

� Space the Exams to suit your budget and level of preparation.

� If possible rework all the difficult questions identified during your earlier preparation.

� If possible do a final review of the text books.

� During the exam sessions, first finish all the questions with answers that are theoretical and then answer the questions with numbers as the answers.

� During the exam sessions, balance a trade-off between the cost and benefit of reviewing the answers.

� While attempting the simulation first make an attempt without referring to research material. Then refer to research material only if you feel it is necessary. This may help you save a lot of time.

Acknowledgements

� The Almighty for the kindness and blessings. � Becker for the excellent software, text books, classes and the support.

� George and Molly for the counseling and moral support.

� Prem, Amit and Praveen the Becker Faculty for all the guidance and encouragement.

� My wife Suhasini and kids Saumya and Sindhuja for bearing with me during the entire period of about 8 months.

� Kalyan, my friend for all the support and encouragement given before, after and during my stay in the US.

� My friend, Paul Wiley, Manager, Untract Early, CPA Firm, USA for all the encouragement.

� Pragnya, my employer for giving me the necessary exam leave and not burdening me with weekend work.

� Fellow students for all the encouragement.

THANKS

&

ALL THE BEST FOR

YOUR PREPERATION

AND EXAMS