Fastest Way To Recover From Failing The CPA Exam (Follow These Steps!)
What To Do When You Get The Bad News On CPA Score Release Day And What To Fix The Next Time Around To Guarantee A Passing Score
- ➫ by Bryan Kesler, CPA
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bryan Kesler, CPA is a CPA Practice Advisor Top 20 Under 40, Licensed Certified Public Accountant, and founder of Kesler CPA Review, Community and Mentorship Platform.
- ✎ Updated
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How To Recover From A Failed CPA Exam Section & Retake It
The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up about failing the CPA exam. A majority of CPA candidates fail at least one section, so you are not alone. You can still pass the CPA exam, and in fact you just discovered one way to NOT pass the CPA Exam. Your job is to figure out what worked and double down on those study routines. You also need to figure out what didn't work and cut out those study methods.
Don't panic.
Failing the CPA exam is NORMAL.
In fact, it's weird if you don't fail at least one section fo the CPA exam!
You are in the right place to learn step-by-step how to PASS any section of the CPA exam...
...even if you just scored in the 60s, 50s and even 40s and don't know what to do next.
These retake strategies were developed by top CPA exam mentors and coaches and have been used by myself AND thousands of CPA candidates to boost their FAR, REG, AUD, BAR, TCP and ISC scores.
So grab a coffee (or adult beverage) and let's dig into the six core steps to recovering from failing and improving how you study for a retake and beyond.
CPA Review Course Specific Retake Guides If You Failed With...
6 Steps To Recovering From Failing The CPA Exam And Boosting Your Scores
Best Free (And Paid) CPA Exam Retake Tools From Around The Web
1) CPA Exam Retake Study Personality Quiz - (Free)
2) 7-day trial of Kesler CPA Review - (Free)
3) Join a CPA exam retake strategy session - (Free)
4) Apply to join Kesler CPA Review - (Paid)
Step 1) Take a mental break and assess the situation.
Failing the CPA Exam is a normal part of the CPA exam process.
After failing my first section, I was beyond frustrated and felt like it was such a waste of time and money.
If you feel this way... remember that when you use this failure as a learning experience it's going to help you bounce back stronger.
Here's what I did to do just that!
Best advice is to take the next 2-3 days off to remove yourself from the CPA exam process.
Come back fresh and assess what you think went wrong.
Rookie Mistake Alert: A big mistake candidates who fail make is assuming that all they need to do is take the same multiple choice questions over and over to fix what went wrong.
What we recommend is to instead dig into the WHY behind each question you answer.
The biggest risk with studying for a retake is memorizing answers instead of digging into the WHY.
This is important because when you understand the process or the reasoning for the question then that means you can apply that understanding to similar questions you will see on the real exam.
Memorizing answers only helps you answer that one question correctly.
If you need help doing this, Kesler CPA Review has a great free 7 day trial that can help you master the learning process, they also have hundreds of fresh questions that you've never seen before.
After failing a section of the CPA exam you will receive a scorecard from NASBA with a high level assessment of how you performed against your peers. The scorecard covers your results based on the AICPA blueprints and will rate you as weaker, comparable or stronger. They will also assess the same rating system for multiple choice and task-based simulations. The next step in the process is to schedule your retake as soon as possible just like you would scheduling a new section.
Yes, stats show that around 80% of CPA candidates fail at least one section fo the CPA exam. The average pass rate for one section is around 45-55%. FAR being the lowest passed section and BEC being the highest.
There is no limit on the number of times you can fail the CPA exam. It just gets expensive the more you fail. Around $225 per section for a retake after fees. If you fail a section it's highly recommended that you find a coach, someone to teach you HOW to fix what went wrong so you can increase your odds of passing your retake. Kesler CPA Review is the top-rated CPA exam course with a coaching program available.
The best type of CPA exam study supplement for a retake is going to be a platform that includes coaching so you can diagnose what went wrong. You also want fresh questions not used by ANY other course so you don't just invest in more of the same. The obvious #1 recommendation is Kesler CPA Review. My learning platform has hundreds of professor made questions not used by any of the big box courses, access to my mentorship program Ultimate CPA Exam Guide and Adaptive Learning Technology to help you automate finding your weakest areas.
The world financial institutions and stockholders rely on the accounting industry to produce accurate data for pertinent decision making. Citizens rely on accountants to accurately file their taxes. With these serious issues at stake the CPA exam has to be hard by design. The public needs to be able to trust that a CPA is qualified, able to overcome an incredibly difficult task and is someone who is determined and refuses to give up. This is why the CPA exam is so hard. If everyone was a CPA then no one is a CPA.
The hardest section of the CPA exam will depend on the the person and their background and experience. Historically, FAR has been the most failed section and is therefore the most difficult section on paper. That being said, the other sections can be just as difficult so treat them all equally.
Statistically only 20% of CPA candidates pass the CPA exam without failing a single section. Any given section has a 45-55% pass rate which means you have a 1 in 2 shot at passing on your first try and a 1 in 5 shot at passing all 4.
It's not the CPA Review Course you use that matters, but HOW you use it. Having a CPA exam mentor to teach you the HOW will be a critical piece to you passing the CPA exam. The goal you need to focus on is to defeat the "Curve of Forgetting" which can be done by focusing on improving your study methods and review process. There are CPA exam coaches that can teach you how to do this. Our favorite coaching program is Kesler CPA Review. It's the largest CPA exam mentorship and tutoring study supplement with a long track record of getting results for CPA candidates since 2015. It also includes questions not used by any other CPA review course which makes it the perfect study supplement for retakes to give you a big boost to your scores!
Step 2) HOW to study for a retake in 7 steps.
When I first failed the CPA exam, I freaked out.
I was studying for the CPA exam just like I studied for a college exam (aka learning new concepts everyday and just praying that when I crammed the week before that I would remember everything) and it did NOT work.
But some of what I did made a big difference.
So I made a list of things that worked (ie learning from questions explanations).
And things that didn't (ie rewriting the textbook and manually making thousands of flashcards)
Now what worked for me might not work for you.
You also need to consider that studying for a retake is VERY different than studying for a first time section.
Here is a big suggestion for a framework to test for your retake.
When I was researching HOW to study, I discovered a study methodology called Study Funneling.
A Study Funnel Plan is designed to help you funnel out everything you understand so that you focus all your time on what you don't understand.
This is the first step in defeating the Curve of Forgetting for your retake!
Here's how it works.
The 7 Step Process To Implementing an Adaptive Study Funnel Plan For Your Retake
- Step 1) Start with your CPA exam score release card and see where you scored lower. Next, take a look at your analytics in your Big Box Review course. Flag your weakest areas identified.
- Step 2) If you have a CPA Review Course with adaptive learning technology, now is the time to turn it on to automate the process of identifying additional weaknesses.
- Step 3) Next start doing manual practice quizzes over everything to pinpoint additional areas you are struggling!
- Step 4) Dig into the results of each practice quiz/knowledge set and review each question to test your understanding. Then create an additional digital notes/flashcards over the identified weakest areas.
- Step 4a) Dig into our cards over those identified areas and self-assess your confidence.
- Step 5) Repeat step 2-3 as many times as possible until 3-4 days before your exam
- Step 6) Take your mock exam
- Focus not on getting 75% questions correct (the real exam is graded differently than all CPA review course mock exams)
- Instead, focus on re-creating the real Prometric Exam experience
- Time management, test anxiety and testing which breaks to take are most important
- Also make sure to isolate yourself and remove all distractions during your mock exams
Step 7) In your final 24-48 hours of studying dig deep into reviewing everything you can (flashcards/your digital notes etc...) and maintaining your understanding.- Rest easy knowing that you have done everything you can at this point
- Remember, failure isn’t the end of the world and you have a plan regardless of what happens. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
- Finally, leave anxiety to the doctors who deal in life and death situations!
FUN FACT: I've had hundreds of success stories from this process but Emma and Bryce most recently posted this in my private study group and I think you will find their success stories motivating!
Free CPA Exam Retake Quiz
FREE TRAINING: Quickly determine HOW you learn best so you can quickly dig into your weakest areas on your retake.
Step 3) Retake the section again ASAP while the material is fresh in your mind.
The biggest mistake that I made when I failed my first section was not IMMEDIATELY signing up for a retake.
I quickly discovered that the longer you wait, the harder it is to re-learn and re-organize your thought processes on the topics you worked so hard to grasp the first time around.
I ended up wasting 6+ months of my life restudying for sections I failed multiple months prior.
Don't me be!
So how do you sign up for a retake?
Thankfully signing up for a CPA Exam Retake is simple and not as involved as signing up for the CPA exam itself.
If you are wondering how many times you can retake a section, the good news is that there is no limit to the number of times you can sit for a section. The only rule is that once you pass your first section, you must pass your remaining three sections within 30 months.
Follow these three simple steps to sign up and schedule your REG, FAR, AUD, TCP, ISC or BAR retake.
Here Are The Four CPA Exam Retake Scheduling Steps To Follow:
Step 1) Wait 24-72 hours after you receive your score before applying for a retake.
Step 2) Follow NASBA's most up-to-date instructions here on how to apply to receive an NTS here.
Step 3) Once you receive your NTS, schedule your retake as soon as possible
Step 4) Good news, you do NOT need as much time for a retake to study.
How Long Should You Study For A CPA Exam Retake?
This is where CPA Candidates get tripped up.
If you just failed a section of the CPA exam and can sit for it in the next month or two and scored at least a 50 or above.
You only need 2-6 weeks to study for this retake assuming you can put in around 15-20 hours per week of CPA exam study time.
The less time you give yourself and the higher intensity you study the better.
This will help you avoid burnout.
Now if you scored below a 50 then you have a lot of work to do to gain a better understanding of the AICPA Blueprints.
I would recommend spending between 6-10 weeks if you have scored below a 50 OR it's been 4 or more months since you last sat for the section of the CPA exam.
Step 4) Study with a coach, new questions and flashcards (to avoid memorizing answers).
Before we discuss how to tackle your retake, I want to discuss a rookie mistake I see lots of candidates making right after they fail.
They assume that they need to purchase a 2nd, 3rd or even 4th CPA review course.
Let me know if you have made this assumption (or have heard it elsewhere).
The problem is that all these CPA review courses are essentially the same.
They get their questions from the AICPA. The explanations and technology vary in quality but are essentially the same. The levels of support vary in quality but are essentially the same.
Here’s a smarter investment if you don’t think you can pass with your current CPA review course.
Find a CPA exam support system to teach you HOW to pass and make sure you stick to your plan.
If you learn one thing from today, I hope it’s this.
It's not the study materials you use that matters, it's HOW you use them.
You could have the fanciest course available but if you don't know how to use the course, how to cut out busy work or manage your time...
...you are setting yourself up for failure big time!
What is the PERFECT CPA exam support system?
A CPA Exam coaching support system needs to include:
1) A Mentor/coach to guide you and teach you HOW to pass
2) Accountability partners to keep you on track
3) Community of fellow candidates who are in the trenches with you
4) Tutors to help prevent you from getting stuck
When you have this type of support system in place you greatly increase your odds of passing a retake (and having fun while doing it!).
Sadly the big box CPA review courses out there don't provide this level of support, and most of the little guys don't do it right.
If you don't have a support system yet, I'll explain the best way to build this support team on my next CPA Exam Retake Strategy session - click here to claim your spot
Finding The Perfect CPA Exam Study Supplements For Your Retake
Since the majority of CPA Review Courses use the same questions in their test bank, what options do you have to find fresh questions you haven't memorized?
Best advice is to use Kesler CPA Review, we have 1800 professor made questions not used by the big box courses plus 850+ AICPA licensed questions with enhanced explanations that go above and beyond what your big box gives you.
On top of that, we have a built-in retake mode called "Adaptive Study Funnel Plan" which will automate identifying your weaknesses.
There is also an unlimited flashcard generator + 3000 pre-made flashcards to help you dig into your weakest areas.
Best part, all of this is accessible on our mobile and desktop apps for studying on the go.
Obviously, I'm a bit biased since my team and I created this supplement, but you can compare us to the big box courses using the links below.
You can compare the various study supplements HERE
If you use Wiley CPA, here's what I recommend
If you use Becker CPA, here's what I recommend
If you use UWorld Roger CPA, here's what I recommend
If you want to see an example of a CPA exam support system that consistently gets results for folks who have failed and doesn't use the same questions as all the other CPA courses, check out Kesler CPA Review.
Free CPA Exam Retake Quiz
FREE TRAINING: Quickly determine HOW you learn best so you can quickly dig into your weakest areas on your retake.
Step 5) Don't let giving up become an option.
No doubt if you have failed multiple times you have considered giving up on the CPA Exam.
I failed 5 times in a row AND lost my first job due to the great recession so I know those feelings very well.
BUT
It was because I lost my first job due to not being a CPA that opened my eyes to the fact that I am the only one who looks out for me.
This is why the CPA exam is worth it.
It lit a fire under my butt to figure this thing out.
What worked for me was sucking up my ego and admitting to several friends and family members that I had failed.
These were people who had passed the CPA exam and could relate to my situation.
THOSE were the people who picked me up and put me back together.
They taught me HOW to study and what I was doing wrong.
The fact that you are here right now means that you are taking the exact same steps that I did after I failed the CPA exam.
This is a smart move.
Now, tough question.
Do you have a CPA exam mentor?
Anyone you can rely on to bounce ideas off of?
If not, I highly recommend finding a community of fellow CPA candidates and CPAs who can help you.
More on that in a moment towards the end of this article...
Step 6) Understand that failure is a normal part of this journey
Despite what you might think, failing the CPA exam is the most normal thing you can do.
In fact, you just joined a club of around 70-80% of CPA candidates it's estimated who have failed at least one section!
Myself included.
Here's the previous year pass statistics from the AICPA for each INDIVIDUAL CPA section (not cumulative).
| Section | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUD | 46.35% | 49.13% | 48.67% |
| BEC | 57.33% | 61.53% | 59.91% |
| FAR | 44.95% | 45.66% | 44.30% |
| REG | 60.03% | 61.25% | 61.78% |
What does this data tell us?
Stats prove that it would be weird if you didn't fail a section!
BUT, this doesn't change the fact that failing sucks so here's what I did about it.
My 5 step process to mentally recovering from failing the CPA exam
Step 1: Take a step back and breathe
Step 2: Remember WHY you must become a CPA
Step 3: Remember what you won't be able to accomplish if you give up
Step 4: Do something fun!
Step 5: Remember that the CPA exam is NOT an IQ exam and failing does NOT define how smart you are.
Take this step seriously.
I took a day off from work to reflect on all of this and it made a huge difference completely resetting my focus.
How To Stop Failing The CPA Exam
Failing the CPA exam will teach you exactly what you are made of.
NASBA is watching for this.
They want the people who fail and bounce back even stronger to be the ones who pass the CPA exam.
It's what gives the CPA license so much value.
Why obtaining this license will change your life.
However, it requires taking responsibility for your actions.
You can't shift the blame on your CPA Review Course.
YOU are the only one who can take ownership of failure.
When I did this it changed my life fundamentally.
Look at failing a section of the CPA exam as one step back so you can take two steps forward.
If you need help with taking those two steps forward, we have daily free CPA Exam strategy sessions available if you want to get step-by-step guidance on this - click here to claim a spot on our next CPA Exam retake strategy session.
Free CPA Exam Retake Quiz
FREE TRAINING: Quickly determine HOW you learn best so you can quickly dig into your weakest areas on your retake.