Megan is a new Another71 Facebook blogger as she documents her journey through the CPA Exam.

Hello! My name is Megan, and I’m studying to become a CPA. About a month ago, I received my first passing score, and it has given me even more drive and confidence to push through this licensure process.

My first exam was FAR, and with the help of Roger CPA Review, I was able to cover the overwhelming material (much of it new to me) in eleven weeks. I’ll tell you more about that in the weeks to come!

Unlike most CPAs I know, I did not go to college for Accounting. My B.S. is in Business Administration with concentrations in Management and Communications. I graduated from Elizabethtown College, (Elizabethtown, PA) with intentions of finding ANY job and working my way up the ladder.

I worked in the Operations department of a manufacturing facility for about two and a half years before I decided I needed more from life. I wanted to be challenged. There had to be a better career for me, one where I could utilize my strengths while enjoying my work.

I brought my love for numbers, structure, and analysis (yes, I’m a nerd) to the local community college. My mission was to pick up the courses necessary to meet the CPA requirements. It wasn’t easy juggling full-time work and classes while looking for another job, so I decided to quit my job. I studied full-time and completed an Associate’s Degree in Accounting in under a year.

Today, I’m working in accounting for a private manufacturing company. It’s a good stepping stone that affords me the paycheck I need to live and the accounting experience I need on my resume to gain entry into a public accounting firm since Pennsylvania has a work experience requirement.

It’s not easy to find time to study after long hours at work, commuting, spending time with my wonderful boyfriend, and maintaining my personal health initiatives. I just participated in the Philadelphia 3-day, 60 mile walk to end breast cancer.

Notice, I didn’t say, “making time for friends.” I pretty much told all my friends I’d see them in a few months. Okay, that’s a little dramatic – I do see my friends every now and then, but I made a point of expressing to them how devoted I am to my goals so that they would not take it personally when I frequently turn down plans.

I won’t pretend there aren’t challenges to overcome – time constraints, personal obligations, and that urge to get some much-needed SLEEP! I often wonder if the accounting courses I took to supplement my business degree provided me with enough of a knowledge base to conquer the exams.

The good news is, all these challenges are manageable with persistence and the right CPA review program. The key to my success, I learned from Roger. He reminds me frequently that you don’t have to be a genius to pass the CPAs – you just need to be dedicated, confident, and stick to a plan!

The goal right now is to pass AUD. I’m two weeks from my test date. I just finished covering the material in Roger CPA Review AUD course over the weekend. This week, I will prepare by taking practice tests followed by the CRAM course this weekend! Time to make it count…