Some of you might remember me from middle of last year, if not I’m not going hold it against you.

I lost track of blogging after entering the world of public accounting and auditing. I’m ready to get back into the swing of things again though and am going to pass this test this year!

I started my CPA exam journey in August 2010 with BEC. I was trying to get that one out of the way in 2010 and the other 3 in 2011 and avoid the writing requirement all together.

As it happened I came out of the test knowing that I had not spent enough time with the material and expecting a failing score.

I did end up failing that one but I wasn’t upset about it because I knew that at least my 18 month credit window hadn’t started yet. You could almost say I was relieved.

After taking BEC I went on to finish my masters and not studying for the CPA exam at all. In February of 2011 I decided to finally get back on track and begin again. I paid NASBA for REG, AUD, and BEC all at once and got my exams scheduled.

I took REG in May and was heartbroken when I got my score, a 71. I almost couldn’t even tell anyone that I had failed because I felt like I had disappointed everyone around me.

But I wasn’t able to dwell on it very long as I was in the middle of studying for AUD, and BEC was just around the corner. I took those two exams in July and August of 2011 and found out I hadn’t passed.

In late July I found my current position as an auditor for a CPA firm and fell into the swing of working long hours and having to travel more than I had ever previously, needless to say after realizing that I hadn’t passed either BEC or AUD I fell out of study mode again and focused on work.

Around Christmas of 2011 I really decided that 2012 would be the year that I PASSED this test! I got off to a great start and was studying for BEC a lot more than I had the two times previously.

I sat for that test on 2/25/12 and felt great about it leaving the testing center. – I failed – for a 3rd time…I was devastated. I was lost, not knowing what I could have possibly done any differently or what I needed to focus on.

The sections I thought were my weakest were the strongest on the score breakdown NASBA sends back.

I’ve decided to move on from BEC since I think I need to come back to it later with a fresh mind. I’m currently studying for REG, which I take mid-April (trying to beat the tax people).

I look forward to keeping everyone up to date, myself included, as I feel it will help me stay on top of what I need to do.

~Kelsey