<p>And any of the other necessary credentials to become a CPA?</p>
<p>[Let</a> me google that for you](<a href=“http://lmgtfy.com/?q=cpa]Let”>http://lmgtfy.com/?q=cpa)</p>
<p>It’s easier than the CFA exam.</p>
<p>Maxellis, lol nice joke, I actually tried it :). You have to make the same posts for so many people on this board.</p>
<p>CFA > Level 2 > CPA > CFA Level 1. Overall, not very difficult. All speaking from personal experience of course.</p>
<p>I would recommend that you check out the below 2 articles for advise on how difficult the CPA and CFA exams are, how to pass them, how to get the review materials at a steep discount, how to sell the materials once you have passed to recoup most or all of your money, and a lot of other useful information.</p>
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<li><p>[How</a> Hard Is The CPA Exam? - InfoBarrel](<a href=“http://www.infobarrel.com/How_Hard_Is_The_CPA_Exam]How”>http://www.infobarrel.com/How_Hard_Is_The_CPA_Exam)</p></li>
<li><p>[How</a> Hard is the CFA Exam? - InfoBarrel](<a href=“http://www.infobarrel.com/How_Hard_is_the_CFA_Exam_]How”>http://www.infobarrel.com/How_Hard_is_the_CFA_Exam_)</p></li>
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<p>alberttkimm asks,"Does anyone know how hard the CPA exam is? "</p>
<p>Response: I won’t say that the CPA is the hardest licensing exam in the world,but it is VERY hard for several reasons:</p>
<p>1 First unlike other types of licensing exams whose goal is to make sure people are qualified to practice their occupation, the CPA is designed to keep people out! It is, therefore, very tricky and not a straightforward type of exam. Average passing rate is 40- 55% for any one of the four parts. Less than 20% of all test takers pass all the parts on their first try.</p>
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<li>It requires knowledge of a LARGE amount of material. </li>
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<p>3.It isn’t passable by rote memorization. You can study forever and still not encounter most of the questions on the exam. They don’t repeat many question. Moreover, most questions are problem oriented anyway that require application of the knowledge that you have.</p>
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<li><p>Another factor that makes it extra tough is that most people who take the exam are also working full time for accounting firms. Imagine putting in 8-12 hours a day , 5-6 days a week and having to also study at least 3 hours a day to pass the exam. This is what my son did, and it wasn’t easy.</p></li>
<li><p>Although you can retake parts that you failed, you must pass all parts of the exam within 18 months of passing the first part. If you don’t , you lose the parts that you passed that were over 18 months old.</p></li>
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<p>6… This may not be statistically valid, but I know four people who studied for the CPA exam. Two eventually passed it and two failed it enough times to finally give up. If you read Post one found in the thread ,“Everything you wanted to know or should know about accounting,” you would have seen me say that accounting is a weed out profession at each level. This includes the CPA exam.</p>
<p>I just read a great article at: </p>
<p>[How</a> Hard is the CPA Exam?](<a href=“http://personalfinanceinsider.com/how-hard-is-the-cpa-exam/]How”>personalfinanceinsider.com) </p>
<p>It talks about how difficult it is to pass, but also how to pass it. If anything, I now am a little more hopeful that even though the tests are hard, if I have the right approach and prepare for it well, I should pass. This guy passed all of his exams on his first try pretty easily.</p>
<p>I think 1st time pass rates are actually higher than the the typical pass rates that get mentioned (which as you say hover 40-55%). The pass rates get dragged down by the people who fail over and over again. </p>
<p>To the OP: The CPA exam is easier than school, what makes it hard is that your often working while your studying. But if you’d take 10 months to just study fulltime (like you would for one year of school), you’ll pass easily enough within and probably before that time is up.</p>
<p>Whatdidyou, I don’t know if statistics are kept for first time test takers. I can only say that when my son passed a part, the State Board showed the passing rates. They varied between 40-55%, depending on that part of the test at the time.</p>
<p>Yeah, I recall seeing a pdf from a state (Illinois?) for BEC pass rates. I think the overall pass rate (for BEC) was 50-55% and the 1st time pass rate 60%. </p>
<p>I think it makes sense. Now this is speculation, but I imagine out of the 40% who don’t pass, half of them pass on their second try, and so on and so on. The odds are definitely in your favor (to pass eventually) if you keep trying. Some people are weak in all exam areas, so its tough, especially if work/family is barging in on their study time.</p>