Comments on: Ready, Set, Sit! http://cpatrendlines.com/2008/08/04/ready-set-sit/ Actionable Intelligence for the Tax, Accounting and Finance Community from Bay Street Group LLC Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:21:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lynda M. Dennis http://cpatrendlines.com/2008/08/04/ready-set-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-537559 Lynda M. Dennis Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:07:43 +0000 http://cpatrendlines.com/?p=1393#comment-537559 I agree with Warren that many faculty are not connected with practitioners or the "real world". Unfortunately, many of them spent little or no time working in public accounting or private industry. Many faculty are also not CPAs or have not kept their licenses active which is a real shame. To get accounting faculty engaged, perhaps firms and companies could create learning opportunities for faculty via on campus student organizations such as Beta Alpha Psi or the Student Accounting Society. Other options might be to get state societies involved in reaching out to and educating the academic community. For example, in Florida, the FICPA volunteer leadership has made it a priority this year to reach out to the academic community in an effort to have them more involved in FICPA activities and committees. I agree with Warren that many faculty are not connected with practitioners or the “real world”. Unfortunately, many of them spent little or no time working in public accounting or private industry. Many faculty are also not CPAs or have not kept their licenses active which is a real shame. To get accounting faculty engaged, perhaps firms and companies could create learning opportunities for faculty via on campus student organizations such as Beta Alpha Psi or the Student Accounting Society. Other options might be to get state societies involved in reaching out to and educating the academic community. For example, in Florida, the FICPA volunteer leadership has made it a priority this year to reach out to the academic community in an effort to have them more involved in FICPA activities and committees.

]]> By: Warren http://cpatrendlines.com/2008/08/04/ready-set-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-537553 Warren Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:36:22 +0000 http://cpatrendlines.com/?p=1393#comment-537553 Lynda: And how, exactly, do you expect CPA firms to get college professors on board? As far as I'm concerned, accounting professors are the biggest waste of time I've ever seen. IMHO. Lynda: And how, exactly, do you expect CPA firms to get college professors on board? As far as I’m concerned, accounting professors are the biggest waste of time I’ve ever seen. IMHO.

]]> By: Lynda M. Dennis http://cpatrendlines.com/2008/08/04/ready-set-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-537465 Lynda M. Dennis Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:16:03 +0000 http://cpatrendlines.com/?p=1393#comment-537465 To get exam candidates motivated and on track to sit for the exam, you have to begin in the undergraduate classroom. Many faculty are probably more unaware of the exam process today than the partners/managers and executives in public accounting and the private sector, respectively. An emphasis in the classroom of the importance of the CPA brand is crucial in helping students differentiate between an "accounting degree" and the "accounting profession". Helping students understand the importance of accounting as a profession will motivate them to seek the CPA brand. Once motivated, candidates will be eager to take on the "exam" phase of our professional credentialing process. In turn, they will demand prospective and ultimate employers provide them the resources they need to be successful in this endeavor. To get exam candidates motivated and on track to sit for the exam, you have to begin in the undergraduate classroom. Many faculty are probably more unaware of the exam process today than the partners/managers and executives in public accounting and the private sector, respectively. An emphasis in the classroom of the importance of the CPA brand is crucial in helping students differentiate between an “accounting degree” and the “accounting profession”. Helping students understand the importance of accounting as a profession will motivate them to seek the CPA brand. Once motivated, candidates will be eager to take on the “exam” phase of our professional credentialing process. In turn, they will demand prospective and ultimate employers provide them the resources they need to be successful in this endeavor.

]]> By: Donald Meyer http://cpatrendlines.com/2008/08/04/ready-set-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-533934 Donald Meyer Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:57:51 +0000 http://cpatrendlines.com/?p=1393#comment-533934 Rick, Thanks for your post about keeping CPA Exam candidates on track. I agree with Tom that the best way to encourage these young professionals is simply by talking to them. Asking an exam candidate "when are you sitting" may be the best way to motivate them to take the next step. By the way, here's a link to NJ's CPA Exam Cram blog that Rick mentioned in his post - http://njscpa.typepad.com/examcram/. 20,000 page visits and counting. Rick,

Thanks for your post about keeping CPA Exam candidates on track. I agree with Tom that the best way to encourage these young professionals is simply by talking to them. Asking an exam candidate “when are you sitting” may be the best way to motivate them to take the next step.

By the way, here’s a link to NJ’s CPA Exam Cram blog that Rick mentioned in his post – http://njscpa.typepad.com/examcram/. 20,000 page visits and counting.

]]> By: Linda Wedul http://cpatrendlines.com/2008/08/04/ready-set-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-533559 Linda Wedul Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:34:24 +0000 http://cpatrendlines.com/?p=1393#comment-533559 Hi Rick, Read your post titled Ready, Set, Sit. Thanks for mentioning state societies that are helping CPA candidates navigate the exam process. I couldn't help passing on to you that the Minnesota Society of CPAs has a Web based tool to help the exam candidates and their employers track their progress. It is called ExamTracker. http://www.mncpa.org/career/ExamTracker/login.asp We have had it for 2 years now and have had 455 accounts set-up since we launched it. Besides helping the candidate track their progress, there is also firm administrator component built into ExamTracker. A firm administrator can see the employees of their firm who have an ExamTracker account, view the scheduled test dates, and score expiration dates. Besides helping the candidate, we felt it was equally important to help the employer be supportive during the exam process. lw Linda Wedul, CAE Director of Member Relations and Marketing Minnesota Society of CPAs Bloomington, MN http://www.mncpa.org Hi Rick,

Read your post titled Ready, Set, Sit. Thanks for mentioning state societies that are helping CPA candidates navigate the exam process. I couldn’t help passing on to you that the Minnesota Society of CPAs has a Web based tool to help the exam candidates and their employers track their progress. It is called ExamTracker.

http://www.mncpa.org/career/ExamTracker/login.asp

We have had it for 2 years now and have had 455 accounts set-up since we launched it. Besides helping the candidate track their progress, there is also firm administrator component built into ExamTracker. A firm administrator can see the employees of their firm who have an ExamTracker account, view the scheduled test dates, and score expiration dates. Besides helping the candidate, we felt it was equally important to help the employer be supportive during the exam process.

lw

Linda Wedul, CAE Director of Member Relations and Marketing
Minnesota Society of CPAs
Bloomington, MN

http://www.mncpa.org

]]> By: Tim Bowman, CPA http://cpatrendlines.com/2008/08/04/ready-set-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-531864 Tim Bowman, CPA Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:33:14 +0000 http://cpatrendlines.com/?p=1393#comment-531864 Rick, A forty percent pass rate? Are we dumbing down the requirements to alleviate the shortage? Tim Bowman, CPA Controller Biltmore Construction Rick,

A forty percent pass rate? Are we dumbing down the requirements to alleviate the shortage?

Tim Bowman, CPA
Controller
Biltmore Construction

]]> By: Tom Hood http://cpatrendlines.com/2008/08/04/ready-set-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-531857 Tom Hood Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:51:49 +0000 http://cpatrendlines.com/?p=1393#comment-531857 Rick, I agree with Warren and would like to add to his comments - What seems to be missing is the rituals and culture that we had developed in the old paper-based world of May & November. Remember when partners and even CPAs in Indusry would come around and ask who is sitting? That does not happen much if any now. In fact we are now a Profession where most of our senior members adn leaders (partners & CFOs) do not know the new rules and procedures to advise young people on how to become a CPA. Think about what impact that must have on young candidates? We need a stronger sens of stewardship and a commitment to reinstitute new rituals and celebrations that will make the CPA exam special again. Rick,

I agree with Warren and would like to add to his comments – What seems to be missing is the rituals and culture that we had developed in the old paper-based world of May & November. Remember when partners and even CPAs in Indusry would come around and ask who is sitting? That does not happen much if any now. In fact we are now a Profession where most of our senior members adn leaders (partners & CFOs) do not know the new rules and procedures to advise young people on how to become a CPA.

Think about what impact that must have on young candidates?

We need a stronger sens of stewardship and a commitment to reinstitute new rituals and celebrations that will make the CPA exam special again.

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