<p>I'm a little confused. I'm an accounting major with goals of becoming a CPA. I know you need at least 5 years of school and work experience to even take the test. So what do you accounting grads usually do after you receive your bachelors? Do you go straight to a full-time job and get experience? Or do you stay in school to finish up your 5 years? Or a little of both maybe?</p>
<p>first off, in most states you can sit for the exam at 120 credits, even though you cant actually be licensed until you have 150.</p>
<p>most will get the bachelors, do their internship (if they have one), get a masters, probably take a couple sections of the CPA during that, then start working full time.</p>
<p>You don’t need work experience to take the cpa exam.</p>
<p>Here is the NASBA page for steps to become eligible to take the cpa exam in Washington state.
[Washington</a> | NASBA](<a href=“http://www.nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/washington/]Washington”>Washington | NASBA)</p>
<p>A lot of companies give the new hires three or four months after graduation day before starting work. A lot of new grads take all or a portion of the four sections of the gpa between graduation day and their work start date. You would have to register to take the exam prior to graduation in order to be eligible to take it right after graduation, as the application process takes some time. The NASBA website explains how to do that for each state/jurisdiction.</p>
<p>You don’t need a masters degree to take the cpa in Washington and probably not in most states. The requirements for each state/jurisdiction are available on the NASBA website.</p>
<p>I swear I thought you needed work experience to take the CPA exam. But thanks for the info bthomp1. I’m a little confused with the 150 semester hours requirement. Since my school does does quarters(not semesters) for classes.</p>
<p>It probably takes 225 quarter hour credits to equal 150 semester credits. Here is some more info on Washington state requirements.</p>
<p>[Meeting</a> the Education Requirements | Washington State Board of Accountancy](<a href=“http://www.cpaboard.wa.gov/CertificateLicense/education_requirements.shtml]Meeting”>http://www.cpaboard.wa.gov/CertificateLicense/education_requirements.shtml)</p>
<p>What do they do if they don’t plan to do 150 credits and CPA?</p>
<p>@ajymerced,</p>
<p>You don’t necessarily need work experience to sit for the exam, but you may need it to be licensed.</p>
<p>^ I’m not familiar with all states’ requirements. Some may not require any work experience, but I know mine does.</p>