Recommended CPA Exam Order - 2024 CPA Exam - Universal CPA Review (2024)

The 2024 CPA Exam now consists of three Core Exams. All three of the Core CPA Exams are required to pass the Uniform CPA Examination (CPA Exam):

• Auditing and Attestation (AUD):The AUD CPA Exam section will test your knowledge of the entire audit process, as well as compilation, preparation, and review engagements and other non-attestation services.
• Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR): The FAR CPA Exam section willevaluate your understanding of financial reports, statement presentation, and how to conduct business transactions using GAAP.
• Regulation (REG):The REG CPA Exam section will analyze your understanding of three main areas: business law, ethics, and federal taxation.

The biggest change to the 2024 CPA Exam are the new discipline exams. The CPA exam now consists of three discipline sections. In order to complete the licensed CPA exam, you must pass one of the three discipline sections:

• Business Analysis & Reporting (BAR): The BAR CPA Exam section will test your knowledge of advanced financial reporting topics, management accounting, entity analysis, economics, strategy and risk, cost of capital, and valuation topics.
• Information Systems & Controls (ISC): The ISC CPA Exam section will assess your expertise in IT concepts, security, data management, and SOC reporting.
• Tax Compliance Planning (TCP): The TCP CPA Exam section covers advanced taxation concepts such as advanced individual, entity, and property taxation as well as specialty tax areas and financial planning.

At first glance, you might be thinking “wait a minute, now I have to pass six CPA exams?!”

Don’t panic! Technically, there are still only four CPA Exams that you will need to pass. Our recommended CPA Exam order will depend on the discipline section that you decide to take!

If you’ve set your sights on Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR) as your chosen discipline for the CPA exam, here’s a strategic game plan tailored just for you. Begin your journey with the Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) section. Consider FAR as your rigorous training camp, where you’re going to construct a robust foundation in financial reporting. This foundational knowledge is critical; it’s the groundwork that will make advanced financial reporting topics come naturally to you.

With a strong understanding of financial reporting, you’ll find it more intuitive to grasp management accounting topics and distinguish them from external financial reporting. This clarity and depth of knowledge will pave the way for your next challenge: the BAR exam.

After triumphing over FAR, your expertise in financial reporting will significantly streamline your BAR exam preparation. The skills you’ve honed in FAR will simplify your navigation through the complex labyrinth of business concepts and economic strategies that the BAR exam entails.

Choosing Information Systems and Controls (ISC) as your CPA exam discipline? Here’s a straightforward guide to navigating this path efficiently. Begin with the Auditing and Attestation (AUD) section – the gateway to developing a critical mindset. Why start with AUD? It’s simple: this section is like a brain-teaser that primes you to think analytically about IT systems and controls, skills that are indispensable when you transition to ISC.

If you have an auditing background, you’re likely to grasp the ISC concepts more readily. Conversely, for those who started in tax, AUD can seem daunting, almost like learning a new language. However, the knowledge gained in AUD lays the groundwork for ISC, with topics like SOC reporting and IT concepts acting as specialized extensions of auditing principles.

Are you a tax aficionado considering the Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP) as your discipline for the CPA exam? Here’s a straightforward strategy to navigate this route effectively. The first step is to tackle the Regulation (REG) section. Think of REG as your basic training in the tax realm. Starting with REG is like learning to crawl before you sprint—it’s essential. This section lays the groundwork and prepares you for the complexities that TCP will present.

With the REG section conquered, you’re ready to graduate to TCP. Imagine TCP as the advanced level of tax—a tougher and more intricate version of REG. It’s like moving from puzzles to problem-solving; they’re related, but one is definitely more challenging.

Next, you’ll move on to Auditing and Attestation (AUD). It may seem a detour, but it’s unavoidable and invaluable. You might think you can coast through AUD on memory alone, but it’s more about understanding the process than cramming facts. It’s like becoming a sleuth in the financial world, piecing together clues to see the bigger picture.