Jimmy is a new NINJA CPA Blogger.
Hello, fellow aspiring CPAs,
My name is Jimmy Lau and I am currently a Masters of Accountancy student at SFSU. I am currently a financial analyst for a non-profit in the city.
I will be 150 units compliant for upcoming Californias requirement by the end of 2013.
I passed BEC, REG and AUD this year. FAR is coming up at the end of November. School has been keeping me busy and I balance time between friends, relationship, work, and the occasional trip to the archery range.
Here is a little of my background:
I worked for a large retail company as a financial analyst for several years before deciding to go back to school for my MBA. As fate would have it, the economy went south in 2009, but new opportunities emerged.
It was during my MBA program that I found the reason to get the CPA licensure. I loved working with small businesses for my projects, but I realized they lacked the information to complete a thorough analysis without performing initial accounting work.
I made the first try at the CPA exam during my first year of the MBA program. I can attest that working full time, studying for a completely different topic, and preparing for the CPA exam at the same time was not a good idea.
I decided take licensure seriously by devoting time every day to studying for each exam. I applied to the MSA program at SFSU to fulfill the new CA requirements that will go into effect in 2014.
Developing a solid and reasonable plan made all the difference in passing the first three exams. It has been an amazing and rewarding experience so far.
Below are some things that helped me during the journey:
Consistent studying for a set period of time. Whether I was tired from work, school, or slightly buzzed from happy hour, I stuck to the plan. A clear goal and a structured path to get there worked wonders.
Tell my close friends you are preparing for the exam. I was fortunate to be surrounded by friends and classmates studying for the CPA, CFA, Oracle certifications, civil engineering, medical board, and BAR exams. I was surprised by the positive responses, support, and awesome study advice I received.
Until next time, happy studying!
Jimmy
