5 Ways to get 150 Credit Hours for CPA Exam
Summary
TLDRThis video offers five strategies for accumulating the 150 credit hours required to sit for the CPA exam without pursuing a master's degree. The presenter debunks the myth that additional education must be in accounting, discusses intensive 4+1 master's programs, highlights the benefits and drawbacks of MAC programs that incorporate the CPA exam, and suggests alternative paths such as double majors, minors, and electives. The video also advises high school students to consider dual enrollment opportunities and emphasizes the importance of understanding state-specific CPA requirements.
Takeaways
- đ The video discusses five ways to acquire the 150 credit hours required to sit for the CPA exam without necessarily pursuing a master's degree.
- đ It's a common misconception that the additional education must be accounting-related; it does not, as long as accounting requirements for the State Board are met.
- đ A popular route is obtaining a master's degree after a bachelor's, with many universities offering 'four plus one' programs that lead to a master's within five years.
- đ« Some CPA candidates choose to do a double major, such as accounting and finance, to fulfill the credit hour requirement, leveraging overlaps in business classes.
- đ Another option is to pick up an additional minor to gain extra credits, which can be beneficial if only a few more credits are needed to reach the 150-hour mark.
- đš The speaker suggests taking random electives as a way to fulfill credit requirements, allowing for exploration of interests outside of the main field of study.
- đ For high school students planning to pursue a CPA license, dual enrollment opportunities can provide a head start by earning college credits while still in high school.
- đ The video emphasizes the importance of checking with the state board and understanding the specific requirements for CPA qualification in the state where one plans to work.
- đ€ The speaker recommends seeking advice from mentors, guidance counselors, or family members who are CPAs to navigate the complex process of CPA qualification.
- đŒ The video shares the speaker's personal journey of obtaining 150 credit hours by taking random classes at a community college after graduation.
- đïž It's crucial to ensure that additional classes taken at different institutions do not overlap or duplicate courses already completed to avoid disqualification by the CPA board.
Q & A
What is the minimum credit hours requirement to sit for the CPA exam?
-The minimum credit hours requirement to sit for the CPA exam is 150 credit hours.
Does the additional education for the CPA exam have to be accounting related?
-No, the additional education for the CPA exam does not have to be accounting related, as long as the accounting requirements for the State Board are fulfilled.
What is a common route to fulfill the CPA exam's education requirement?
-A common route is to pursue a master's degree after the bachelor's degree, often through a 'four plus one' program where an additional year of classes leads to a master's degree within five years.
What is a MAC program and how does it relate to the CPA exam?
-A MAC (Master of Accounting) program is a graduate degree program that often incorporates the CPA exam within its curriculum, allowing students to take the CPA exams alongside their coursework.
What is the drawback of failing a CPA exam while enrolled in a MAC program?
-If a student fails a CPA exam while in a MAC program, they may not graduate with their MAC until they pass the CPA exams, which could delay their graduation.
Can you obtain the 150 credit hours by doing a double major?
-Yes, obtaining a double major, such as in accounting and finance, is a popular way to fulfill the 150 credit hours required for the CPA exam.
What is another way to get the required credit hours besides a double major or a master's degree?
-Another way is to pick up an additional minor, which can provide extra credits, though typically not as many as a double major or a master's degree.
How can taking random electives help in fulfilling the 150 credit hours requirement?
-Taking random electives throughout college can help accumulate the necessary credit hours for the CPA exam, especially if they are outside the major requirements.
What advice is given for high school students who want to pursue the CPA license?
-High school students are advised to take advantage of dual enrollment opportunities to earn college credits while still in high school, which can contribute to the 150 credit hours needed for the CPA exam.
What was the speaker's personal experience in obtaining the 150 credit hours for the CPA exam?
-The speaker graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting and a Bible minor, then took additional random classes at a community college to reach the required 150 credit hours.
Outlines
đ Alternative Paths to 150 Credit Hours for CPA Exam Eligibility
The speaker dispels the myth that additional education for CPA exam eligibility must be accounting-related. They discuss various routes to acquire the necessary 150 credit hours, including obtaining a master's degree, which doesn't have to be in accounting or an MBA, but should fulfill state board requirements. The 'four plus one' program is highlighted as an intensive way to earn both a bachelor's and a master's degree within five years. The video also touches on MAC programs that incorporate the CPA exam into the curriculum, allowing students to take the exam alongside their classes, though the potential drawback is the lack of flexibility if a student fails an exam.
đ Creative Approaches to Achieve 150 Credit Hours
The speaker suggests several strategies to accumulate the 150 credit hours required for the CPA exam, such as pursuing a double major, which can be beneficial due to overlapping business classes. They share personal anecdotes, like a friend who double-majored in accounting and theater, and another in accounting and chemistry. The video also mentions the option of picking up an additional minor for extra credits and the flexibility it provides, as well as taking random electives to fulfill credit requirements while exploring diverse interests.
đ« High School Opportunities and Practical Advice for CPA Aspirants
The speaker advises high school students interested in becoming CPAs to take advantage of dual enrollment opportunities to earn college credits while still in high school. They mention that some high schools offer programs that can lead to an associate's degree or transferable credit hours. Additionally, the speaker encourages students to research and understand the specific requirements of their state's CPA board and to seek guidance from mentors or counselors. They also emphasize the importance of internships and practical experience in shaping one's career path in accounting.
đ Personal Experience with Fulfilling CPA Education Requirements
The speaker shares their personal journey of fulfilling the 150 credit hours required for CPA eligibility. They discuss graduating with a double major in accounting and a Bible minor, and the decision to take additional classes at a community college to meet the credit requirement. The speaker also highlights the importance of ensuring that additional classes do not overlap with previously taken courses to avoid having credits discounted by the CPA board. They conclude with a reminder to be cautious about course selection to avoid potential issues with credit recognition.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄCPA Exam
đĄCredit Hours
đĄMaster's Degree
đĄAccounting Major
đĄState Board
đĄDouble Major
đĄMinor
đĄElectives
đĄCommunity College
đĄDual Enrollment
đĄMacc Program
Highlights
The video discusses five different ways to acquire 150 credit hours for the CPA exam without pursuing a master's degree.
A common misconception is that additional education for the CPA exam must be accounting-related, which is not true.
State Boards have different requirements, but an accredited university accounting major should fulfill the CPA exam's accounting requirements.
A popular route is to pursue a master's degree after a bachelor's, with many universities offering a 'four plus one' program.
The master's degree does not have to be in accounting or business; it can be in any field as long as accounting prerequisites are met.
Some Mac programs incorporate the CPA exam within the curriculum, allowing students to take the exam during specific semesters.
A drawback of Mac programs is that if a student fails a CPA exam, it can delay their master's degree completion.
Double majoring in fields like finance or other business-related areas is a popular way to accumulate the required credit hours.
Double majoring can include unconventional fields like theater or chemistry, depending on the student's interests and CPA exam requirements.
Picking up an additional minor can provide extra credit hours, though it may not significantly extend the time to degree completion.
Taking random electives throughout college can be a fun and flexible way to meet the credit hour requirement.
Dual enrollment opportunities in high school can give students a head start on their college credits and CPA exam preparation.
The speaker shares her personal journey of graduating with a Bible minor and the unique requirements of her university.
The importance of checking with the CPA board to ensure additional classes do not overlap or duplicate existing coursework.
The video emphasizes the value of internships and real-world experience in the accounting field.
The speaker's strategy of taking random classes at a community college to fulfill the remaining credit hours needed for the CPA exam.
A reminder to consult with guidance counselors, mentors, or CPAs to understand the requirements and make informed decisions.
The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to share their own experiences or methods for meeting the CPA exam credit requirements.
Transcripts
hello you guys welcome back to my
channel this video will be centered
around five different ways you can go
about getting a hundred and fifty credit
hours to sit for the uniform CPA exam I
have been asked this a few times also
have been asked to share how I got 150
credit hours because I did not go the
route of getting a master's degree or
any additional education also please
enjoy this Ole Miss dress this braid
just makes it so much worse I feel like
about to go hit the fields cute my turn
smuggler anyways I'm is that weird let's
go ahead and get started a popular
misconception with the idea of getting
your additional education requirements
to sit for the CPA exam is that it has
to be accounting related and it does not
have to
so that is fake news you do not have to
go pursue additional accounting
requirements as long as you do have your
accounting requirements fulfilled for
your State Board so every single state
board is different they require
different things but as long as you go
to an accredited university your
accounting major as long as you majored
in accounting should fulfill the
accounting requirements for the CPA exam
it would be kind of difficult for it not
to but again you need to look at your
state board and read the description and
know ahead of time so you're not having
to stumble upon having to figure out how
the heck you're gonna fulfill this one
additional accounting class that you
didn't end up taking but you still got
your major because your university was
unaware of how things work in the CPA
world but the most popular route that
CPA can is tend to choose is to go forth
with their master's degree after their
bachelor's just to go straight through
and a lot of universities have a four
plus one program or something of that
store that's what ours was called where
you take an additional year of classes
and you end up with your master's degree
within five years that is a very
intensive accelerated way to do it
because you're taking like 15 to 18
credit hours every single semester for
five years it doesn't leave any room in
case you fail a class or you don't like
a class or you want to take a little
break there's just no room for breathing
but it's the quickest way you in five
years you're literally done and you have
a bachelor's and a master's and it's my
university did an MBA but I'm sure my
program would be similar as for getting
your master's degree it does not have to
be a math
or an MBA you can get a masters and
whatever you want to get a master's in
but be aware of the prerequisites
probably required to even get accepted
into that master's program but if you
wanted to do more of a finance route or
something of that sort
I'm sure it's welcome as long as again
that you have your accounting classes
already fulfilled for the CPA exam if
you plan on doing the CPA exam which is
the whole point of doing this video also
in case you're unaware I changed clothes
hours later a lot of the Mac programs
actually incorporate the CPA exam within
them and how that works is let's say you
take your attacks for entities class
there's also like advanced audit in
class or several classes because it's a
whole entire degree program but you will
be taking that related CPA exam during
that semester of class so you'll have
like a tax class let's say it's in the
morning if you're doing a full time Mac
program you may have taxes classroom
like 9 to 12 but then the rest of the
day they tell you to study for the Reg
CPA exam and so that program allows you
as a class your entire program or cohort
however you guys want to consider it
we'll take the CPA exams together you'll
schedule them together and you'll take
them so you'll take like reg then far
when you go into your advanced financial
reporting class and then auditing these
VC all those so you're expecting to have
passed the CPA exam along with getting
your master's degree in accounting kind
of setup really well but the biggest
drawback that I see from that one well
let me start with the pros would be that
you're forced to study for the CPA exam
you have other people with you so you're
in a community of people who are also
studying for the CPA exam and getting
their masters so you're not by yourself
which is kind of a struggle is that I
struggled with studying by myself
because I felt like I was all alone out
here just being miserable when really
all of you guys are my support system so
it worked out really well
you also have professors that know the
CPA exam inside and out or at least they
should if they're willing to frame the
class or how the CPA exam but a big
drawback that I saw that a lot of my
friends are dealing with is when you
take that CPA exam let's say you take
reg first with your tax course you may
fail it it's a very high possibility
that you fail the exam
well you automatically move on to far
next or BGC next and I have two friends
right
that are in a Mac program two different
universities and they have failed their
CPA exams going along and they keep
their they don't have time to retake the
exams until the very end of the Mac
program you do not graduate with your
Mac until you pass the CPA exams so they
will have to retake them at the end kind
of delay their Mac program and then
whenever they pass the CPA exams then
they can become a master of accounting
no spoil only drawback that I see but I
did something to be aware of if you guys
wanted to go that route but make sure
that your Mac program actually does
incorporate the CPA exam if you guys
want that but there are several programs
going down that route that is literally
an entire master's program catered
around the CPA exam and obtaining the
CPA license which is really neat so I
may be for you okay back to the regular
video another way to get your hundred
fifty credit hours is to do a double
major this is very popular at least with
my friends in school a lot of them went
through and got their accounting and
finance major I have co-workers that did
the same this one kind of makes the most
sense because you are gonna have a lot
of overlap classes with the business the
general business classes you have to
take to get your accounting major you
will have already taken so doing the
finance route you have additional
classes but not like too much so it's
not really setting you back a lot of
time so that's a popular way of getting
150 I had a friend in college who got
her accounting major and then she double
majored in theatre she wanted to open up
a real local small acting studio theater
type deal so I was like the perfect
thing for her to do and she had a
hundred 40 credits she ended up
graduating like 160 or something like
that but she was able to sit sit for the
CPA exam during school because she was
still able because she had the credits
that she needed I've also seen a double
major in accounting and chemistry now
that one was a whole other they went
through and did chemistry first and then
realized they didn't want to do
chemistry they went into accounting and
so they ended up just changing their
route in junior year of college and he's
like a super intelligent guy but anyhow
so he there's all kinds of different
ways he's definitely gonna have a
hundred-fifty and he'll have the
accounting credits and set for the CPA
exam but also be able to go over here
and like test molecules on the side I
don't know what chemistry does sorry I'm
done
a third way is to pick up an additional
minor so this will not give you a lot of
credits because I believe in minor is
only either 15 or 18
credits I guess it probably depends on a
minor so depending on where at in your
education if you've taken any additional
classes if you just need 15 more credits
it's it to get the hundred fifty then
picking up additional line it would be
great this was 100 percent going to be
my plan I plan on picking up another
minor we were starting a forensic minor
and it ended up just falling through so
we didn't have that option but I wanted
to do that there was also just finance
that I could have done but I just did
not I did not like finding it so much so
I didn't really want to do anything
extra with that but for me to pick up an
extra minor because I graduated in May
within four years I would have had to
stay through December a whole extra
semester to get that minor and then
graduate in December and I would have
been totally fine whereas I just decided
to graduate in May and pick up
additional classes at the Community
College I'll get more into detail to
that in a minute but that way I was able
to start my career in September and not
have to worry about still fulfilling 150
credits that was my own personal journey
but everybody's different
I did actually graduate with a minor but
my university is a little different
because everyone graduates with the
Bible minor so I had my accounting major
and a Bible minor and we had to graduate
with 130 credits I actually ended up
with 135 just to the fact I had to take
like remedial reading because my reading
comprehension was horrible which makes
sense with CPA exams and be sucking so
bad but that actually just got cut
obviously last graduating class to have
the Bible minor all the students after
me are able to pursue their bobbum honor
but I have to go out of their way
whereas I didn't have a choice I was
like had to take these Bible classes to
get the Bible learner so that's just a
whole little unrelated unless you guys
go to the college that I went to you
won't graduate at the Bob whiner anymore
and you will have 120 credits just like
the rest of the country fourth way of
fulfilling the education requirement
under 50 credits for the CPA exam would
be just to take random electives
throughout your college experience if I
would have known early on in my college
life that I wanted to pursue the CPA
route later on I probably would have
jumped on this random elective idea
because it would be a lot of fun like my
friend she took pottery and ceramics
with her accounting major
she took walking we had exercising
weightlifting bird-watching all these
random classes that you don't need it
all for your major and they're not even
gonna count towards an accounting
elective because accounting electives
are different like I took forensic
accounting
kind of like them but bird-watching is
not gonna go in your accounting degree
on up for you to graduate the bachelors
of accounting but we are in unique
situation a CPA candidates where we're
able to pursue our degree but also we
need these extra credits so why not take
these random classes like improv and
cooking and knife skills and photography
whatever your college offers especially
if you go to a big state university
they've got tons of classes out there
there's so many fun ones you can get
involved in so if you're not really
looking for that additional master's
degree or double major extra education
requires I would definitely suggest
fitting in some random electives if they
fit in your schedule but also if you're
working through college I did the entire
time I was in college it's hard to like
throw in an extra three-hour credit
course when you're already tied down as
it is but it's a lot of fun it's another
option out there for you guys the fifth
and final idea that I have for you guys
for obtain hundred fifty credit
requirement oh this applies for students
that are in high school that several of
you have coming on videos you're like
I'm a sophomore in high school and how
do you even know I'm gonna be a CPA
we're at high spot I know what I was
like
sophomore year junior year of college
before I even heard of what a CPA was I
had no idea I'd never heard of it but
anywho if you're in high school and you
already know you're wanting to pursue
the CPA license I would recommend you're
jumping on all those dual enrollment
credit opportunities while you're in
high school I realize not every high
school offers this but some high schools
offer an entire associate's degree while
you're in high school that you're able
to obtain depending on how advanced your
high school is my high school offered
six credit hours up to six credit hours
that were transferable to Tennessee
State University or Community College I
did not go that route I went to a
Christian college so they didn't accept
any credits like that so that didn't
really apply to me but it was a really
neat option and it kind of gives you a
head start going into college anyhow
also those credits are typically like
either English reading math history and
those are already gonna be part of your
degree audit anyhow with an accounting
major so it may not actually give you
any extra but at least it gives you
extra room in your schedule in college
to take extra electives or whatnot where
you're not having your not pressed for a
college algebra English I'm talking with
my hands so much in this video however
you're signing to you guys okay that's
probably a fence about on the side of it
so those are the five most popular ways
that CP candidates
to get their hundred fifty credit hour
that is not all of them so don't feel
limited by this video definitely get
creative with it you're allowed to but
make sure you go on NASA org their
website you click on your state that you
plan that's another thing we need high
school or even in college you don't
really know what state you may be
working in but you're able to transfer
your CPA license so let's say you're
living in Oklahoma you can test through
Oklahoma and get it Oklahoma CPA license
and then let's say you fly out to LA and
you're starting your career at a big
forward LA your license can transfer now
there may be additional requirements and
then maybe little courses or a little
mini test you have to take to transfer
it but it is an option so feel limited
by your state I would recommend if
you're kind of on the bridge of you
don't really know what to do I was there
you guys I was in your shoes I had no
idea I didn't even know I wanted to be
CPA until later on in lodz life I would
recommend either speaking with a
guidance counselor at your school now
rated there probably I can know in
detail what the requirements are and
they're probably gonna feel super
overwhelmed even try to begin to explain
the requirements to be a CPA because
it's literally so detailed and confusing
and complex and if you have a mentor in
your life or maybe a family member
that's a CPA I would recommend speaking
with them seeing what they would suggest
also just kind of figuring out if you
know ahead of time kind of where you
want to work in accounting like if you
want to work for a big for a regional
firm if you just want to work in private
industry or government because you may
need a master's degree for the position
that you aspire to work for you may not
you don't really wanna be overqualified
spend a lot of money having tons more
student loans but don't feel pressured
on not knowing what you want to do
because I didn't know what I wanted to
do and I ended up with the best job ever
but I took tons and tons and tons and
tons of prayer and patience and me just
trusting the Lord that he was gonna put
me in a job that I really enjoyed and he
did I also went through several
internships some of them I loved some I
hated so I've been through a lot it
wasn't just like planned out for me and
easy going on this little cobblestone
path there were lots of missing bricks
so even detail of how I got my hundred
fifty credits in case you're interested
or not I graduated from a university in
exactly four years I started as a
traditional college student graduating
high school in May started in college in
August and I went in as a business major
and then the second semester of my
freshman year I switched over with
accounting and my friend Laura that I've
mentioned several times they might be
me and her were like tight at the hip
with our education so basically we both
came in this business we both switch to
accounting at the same time we were in
every single class all the way through
college and we sat side by side at
graduation so a very similar situation
and actually she just officially got
licensed with her CPA license last week
she passed the exams a year ago before I
did but she hadn't started working yet
so she just now fulfilled her employment
experience requirement whatever it's
called so we're actually getting license
to the same exact time just we did it
backwards which is really neat but
anyways you guys don't care oh look at
how many birds are my bird feeder this
is why I'm so distracted during this
video I can't stop looking at them
they're so cute they're all like the
same thing with the same family once I
decided that I was going to go the
community college around just take like
random classes and it kind of fit in
with where I was in life because I just
graduated I'm interviewing for different
jobs it kind of just fell into my lap
where I was gonna start working in the
fall at some point dependent like all
the jobs that interviewed for they were
gonna start me in the fall so I'm just
hoping to get the rest of my 15 credits
in the summer and I could have waited
and like started work and then like did
the extra credits throughout work like
online or in the evenings but I didn't
really want to have to do that I wanted
to get them all out of the way so I'm
gonna make a college website found all
these random classes I love I made a
list of every student classes Community
College offered that did not require any
prerequisites and so I had a lot of like
chemistry ones biology ones but a bunch
of random classes I knew I don't want to
take a nap we're gonna be difficult so I
don't want anything really difficult I
did almost end up having to take Spanish
one which have been horrible because I
did horrible things in high school
anyways I ended up with public speaking
aren't you guys look at this
I'm just no public speaking and put
cubed oMG that's a whole other thing
this video is not regular anyways I took
public speaking and because I love
public speaking and I never took that in
college art history drawing secular
ethics which I was super excited for
that was
really fun class and then health and
wellness and health and wellness I had
to make sure it wasn't going to overlap
with my healthy lifestyles I think is
what it was called I'm a university
because that's another thing be careful
if you take additional classes just for
the fun of it that let's say you took
English one in your University and then
you take English one at your Community
College it is very possible and probable
that your CPA board is going to cancel
out one of those and just assume that
you took it as a retake to improve your
grades your letter grade so be very
careful that they have different titles
and that the syllabuses syllabi shows
that they are different classes you
cannot take the same class at two
different colleges and I was going to do
that because there was a forensic
accounting class offered at this
Community College I wanted to take it so
bad but I already took forensic
accounting at the University so I
couldn't do that
so yeah it's at five random classes I
finished in late July and I had a
hundred and fifty credits and then I was
interviewing with the state at the time
I had one three hour long interview I
really liked it felt like that was where
I was being pulled to go ended up
accepting the job offer and then I
started in September and the rest is
history
I probably shared a way more detail than
you guys even care to know but those are
the ways that I have that you guys can
do your hundred fifty credit hours
please comment down below
you guys did anything different if
you're already a CPA or you know
somebody's a CPA that did something
different just abroad in everybody's
perspectives and minds on the different
options available to them and it is hard
because this is a field and so very
specific it's not common knowledge of
what you're able to do and you can't
really just like ask your mom or dad or
your cousin advice because they're not
going to know unless their CPA and you
really don't want to screw yourself up
where you're having to randomly take a
three-hour math class to fulfill a CPA
requirement when you're in your career
you're ready to sit down for these Sam
so you really want to make sure you've
got all your t's dotted in your eyes
crossed or whatever this thing do I
don't know ed I don't know so thank you
guys so much for watching and hopefully
this video was helpful and I will see
you guys next time
in pubic speaking but
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