Accountant's Musings: CPA Exam & Life Beyond

This is a series in which I am thanking those who helped me pass the CPA exam.

I have been lucky to have met and been taught by some great Professors. At first, I thought I could just thank one Professor (whose name I had forgotten!) because he led me to a student (whose name I had forgotten!) who led me to Gleim! A few weeks ago, as I was preparing to move, I found my old class assignments and notes, and I came across the Professor’s name and the student’s name! What a joy!

This morning, while thinking about this post, I realized you that I cannot limit it to just one Professor. I have great memories of so many of them, and they each played a role in how I thought about business, accounting, life, and God. I suspect that most of them did not intentionally send the message they sent or if they did, they did not know how I would interpret it, or how long I would hold onto it, or what impact it would have. Well, even for me, it is only with hindsight, and with other developments in life that I am able to see their impact.

I think when I was in 6th grade, a certain teacher, Mr. Chavula, happened to mention that the three most important things in Mathematics (Arithmetic) were Accuracy, Speed, and Neatness. For some reason, even though I was 10 or 11 years old, it made a huge impression on me, and I never forgot it. When I prepare(d) for a test, when I fill out forms, when I took tests including the CPA exams, those three things were/are there in my mind. You want to turn in correct/accurate answers, you want to answer as much as you can, and finally, if it is handwritten, you want the marker/grader to be able to read what you wrote. Accuracy, Speed, and Neatness.

In Secondary School (=High School), I had a few great teachers. The one I remember most is Brother Cajetan (sp), a Marist Brother who taught Mathematics. I had sucked at Mathematics for a long time, and I remember my mom got me a tutor when I was in 8th grade to help with my school. I just didn’t car. I just didn’t pay attention. When I went to high school, my brain sort of “opened up” and I started to get it, and then when I was in Form 3 (=junior in High School), and Brother “Cagey” turned Mathematics into my favorite subject. I just got it, and by the end of third year, I knew that I would get “1 point”, the highest distinction, when I took the Form 4/University Entrance exams. Looking back, I can see that I used Brother Cagey’s method to study/prepare for the CPA exam. His method was to do all the problems, and when you were done, to do them over again. You will get a bunch wrong, you will see all the tricks that have been used before, you will get tired, and you will develop discipline in the process. I did not go through the questions twice for the CPA exam, but I went through all the questions in either the Gleim Testprep CD or the Wiley 14.0 CD.

What are the other things I remember about my teachers and professors?

- One Professor of Cost Accounting once told me, as we were saying good byes after the end of the semester, that I had “talent” for accounting! Ha ha! I had not thought of myself as having anything special, or that I had done anything extraordinary in his class to be described as talent. Anyway, it was a huge compliment and it gave me confidence in my other classes.
- One Professor of Intermediate Accounting used to say, “this is a tricky question!”, after he asked as a question. I told my girlfriend about it, and we used to call him “tricky questions”. He is one of my all time favorite Professors. He is the one who started me thinking of Accounting or Financial Statements as a sory, not just a set of numbers.
- One Professor of Accounting Information Systems, and I think she also taught me another class where we did lots of research and financial analysis… I enjoyed her classes; her classes were not difficult, they just took lots of time to do. There was no way around it. For example, part of one class was using SAP, and you had the manual right in front of you with instructions on how to do everything, but there was no way you could get things done without going line by line, familiarizing yourself with the menus and reports, to get the assignment/homework done! Another was researching a bunch of companies at the SEC website… lots of 10Qs and 10Ks, and reviewing restatements. Not difficult, but time consuming. I would like to think that the search functionality was not as user-friendly, but I could be wrong. Through all that, I learned the need for patience, how to effectively search for information, and how to “read Financial Statements.” The search obviously became handy on simulations. The other skills became indispensable at work, which led to taking the CPA exams, …
- One Professor for Tax (Federal Taxation, Tax Research, and another class I cannot remember), did various things that were helpful. For example, for one of the classes, the assignment and exams came from an old book with tons of old CPA exam questions. I want to say it was a Gleim book, but I am not sure. That exposed us to CPA exam questions while in school. He was also very strict in his grading. I got a “B” in one of his class and my score was 89.75 or something like that. I emailed him to say I was “frustrated” by that grade. I don’t think he wrote back! I later found out, my email didn’t ask him if he could round that up to 90 and I would get an “A”. Anyway, when I got 74 in REG and failed that CPA exam, it was like his spirit was hovering over me again! Anyway, the 89.75 is in the past, so is the 74. But he graded for all sorts of things that other professors didn’t grade. He invested a lot of time in his grading, but it made us better students. One last thing I remember about him, he had been a “problem child” – well, even adult. I think he was “born-again” in his 30s and that changed his approach to life. Though younger, I could relate to his transformation. I wanted to know how God can make you tick. That is my life long goal. To be the best I can be, for His glory.

I will cut this post short. Points to take home:
1 – A lot of people play a role in getting us where we get to… sometimes we don’t think about it. In academia, it is hard for me to envision one making it without the help of good teachers and Professors along the way.
2 – I had some luck to meet some very good people along the way. I am lucky that I paid attention to some things that were said and used them as motivation.
3 – I was lucky to go to a good school or a few good schools. They help even if you are not the best student.
4 – “God never wastes an experience.” Sometimes you go through “tough” or unexciting life experiences without knowing what use they are for. Only later on, when you are in the right place, and you take time to look back, can you see/understand/appreciate the importance of those experiences.

Professor, thanks for your help!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you found that helpful.

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This is a series in which I am thanking those who helped me pass the CPA exam.

Next up, my girlfriend, Mwayi!

When we see people who have accomplished something thank their family and friends, or go on an endless litany of how who did what when where, we sometimes don’t appreciate how certain people can make or break a person or his/her dreams. I have read of a few stories where a boyfriend or girlfriend lost “patience” or “love” because the other person was studying all the time. Sometimes they will say hurtful or discouraging things. At a minimum, I think you need somebody who will not “distract” you emotionally, mentally, or physically. Well, that’s my minimum. I was lucky to have somebody who was selfless in her support of my goals. I had alluded to her help in when I was thanking God for His help. I may repeat some of those things here. If I do, it is totally-deserved and I cannot thank her enough.

Her love: I cannot explain it enough. I have heard it said that “love is a verb.” To have somebody whom you have no doubts or questions about her love is a blessing. How am I so sure about her love? I don’t know. Her works, her presence, my feelings,.. and other “unexplainables.”  I am lucky and thankful to have that.

Her goodness: There are some things that she did/does that I know she does them not because it is me or because she loves me as her boyfriend, but because she is just a good person. It is nice and helpful to be surrounded by goodness and love when you are stressed out, and when you are not at your best self. I am sure that when I was preparing for the exams and she was around, I was not the best boyfriend in the world, and the exam may have seemed as first, middle, and last priority. I suspect that her core goodness and the love made her go through those times with grace.

Her spirituality: She has prayed for me/us/others a million times – whether it was on the phone, or in the car, or the couch… Any time is God-time, especially when things are overwhelming. It was nice to pray when we were not stressed, and when we were stressed out. Sometimes I don’t feel like praying… either because I am tired, or I feel sinful, or I am just too stressed to focus, and yet part of me wants a prayer to be said to God. To have somebody who will say that prayer with you or for you, is always great. Even though I don’t act it, I believe that there is nothing more important that one’s spirituality and relationship with God. To have somebody who is a constant reminder of God is a blessing beyond description.

Her encouragement: I am pretty certain that I am smart, that if I invest enough time in something, I will get it, and on any day I can look back to see things I have sought and achieved. But even with that knowledge and proof, there were times when I thought I was missing something to pass the CPA exams. I had doubts before I passed my first exam, and I had doubts after I had passed 3 exams. I read my positive thinking note, I prayed, I listened to positive thinking notes, but doubts could overwhelm me sometimes. To have somebody who knew me so well, and could either laugh at my doubts, or recite my successes, or just find a way to tell me, it was doable, I could do it, I would do it, that was very helpful, and a special blessing.

Her achievements and intellect: she is very smart. Overall, I think she is smarter than me. Even though I was not in competition with her, her achievements (those past, present, and to come) inspired me to make something of the opportunity I had to be a CPA. It was nice to double-check my thinking at times, especially on Economic theory (BEC). I knew she would become a CFA at some point or go to do a Ph.D, so out of love, I could become a CPA! (LOL!)

Her cooking: other than my mom (!), I think she is the best cook I have ever met/loved! I don’t think it is just because I love my mom or I love my girlfriend, or that I have eaten their food the most, I truly believe they cook good food. The sentiment aside, it was nice to not worry about cooking lunch or dinner after spending 12+ hours at work, and then trying to study after that. I cooked a few times when she was around, but it was so rare/few that it should not even count. The difference was so noticeable when she was gone, and I started cooking for myself again. I would usually cook different foods on the weekend, so that I didn’t have to cook during the week. I don’t mind eating the same foods over and over, or reheating foods, but still, I could not help but miss her presence and cooking. [Note: we didn't breakup! ]

Her presence: It was nice to come home and get a hug, to share the happenings of the day, share our thoughts, goals, dreams, etc. Eat together, go for walks, go to the movies, hear the noise, laugh with each other, look in each other’s eyes, talk while cooking, watch “Friends” together… what more can I say?

Some of the things here may seem obvious, small, insignificant… but it is when the bases and fundamentals are sound that you are able to launch, take off, and reach for the skies. The CPA exams was one of the bigger clouds in the sky, and I could not have touched it without Mwayi. It is my prayer that I will be half as good to her as she has been to me and help her reach her goals and be happy.

Thanks, babe! I love you!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you found that helpful.

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This is a series in which I am thanking those who helped me pass the CPA exam.

First and foremost, God!

Where do I begin? I do not know. Even if I try to stick to just the CPA exam, I still see that I could not have gotten to the point of thinking or wanting to take the exam without being born, having the parents that I have, the people I have come across, the good health, the drive, the work experience, the faith, and so on and so forth.

I believe that I am here for a reason even though “the how” and “the what” are not always clear to me. I believe that all I have been, all that I am, and all that I will be is in God’s plans. I am not sure if that means it is predetermined, but I don’t think it is all coincidence or luck or fate or under my control. I can control my thoughts, how I spend my time, how much I study, how much I prepare for things,… but then I cannot control how other people drive on the road, or whether I get up the next day or not, and sometimes, I cannot even control whether I am able to sleep.  Things like that make me feel that somebody else is looking out for me, and that, for me, is God.

I would like to mention that I say lots of prayers for various things. The CPA exam was a huge undertaking, so obviously, I prayed a lot. I prayed quite a few Novenas. I made a few promises to the Saints.  I made a few “sacrifices” as I prayed. Obviously, I think, believe, and know that prayers work. So, even though I am not righteous by any means, I run to God when I need Him, [which is not the best way to maintain a relationship.] For example, I prayed to overcome procrastination; I prayed for determination; I prayed for speed, accuracy, neatness, and clarity of thought, and decision-making; I prayed for restful sleep when I was tired; I prayed for confidence; I prayed for guidance; I prayed for excellent memory; I prayed for peace of mind; I prayed for calm; I prayed for job security. I prayed for many other things that had to do with the exam, and many others that did not have anything to do with the exam. Some days I prayed “hard”, and on other days I did not pray or think about God at all.

Now, let’s fast-forward a little bit, and focus on just the CPA exams to see where I think God intervened. I must confess that whatever I put down is not exhaustive at all.

- Life, health, friends, family, peace, safety, security, money, job, great country (USA), the exam system, girlfriend, support system, another71, cpanet, twitter,  facebook, blogs, [technology], etc

- some stories:

I did not have the motivation to take the exam until 2008/2009. I had tried before, in 2006/2007 and I could not go through it for various reasons even though I had purchased the material. Part of it was because I had not registered or gotten approved, another part was because I didn’t need it at the place I was working at, and nobody in the accounting dept was a CPA, and yet another reason, things were not just right for me to take the exam. There is no perfect time, but sometimes you need a few things to be in place for things to happen. If you are not approved, regardless of how hard you work or how much you want it, you cannot take the exam unless that part is done. In 2008/2009 a few things happened.

First, I changed jobs and happened to work at company where we had a bunch of CPAs and I was encouraged to go for it if I wanted to. The job I got was higher paying than the old one, so I didn’t have to worry too much about footing the bill for books, and examination fees, etc. This job was given to me by God. One would have to know more about my life story to see how unlikely it was for things to work out the way they did.

Second, my girlfriend also moved from St. Louis, MO to Dallas, TX and she was a big help during the time she was around. She provided moral support, she was willing to let me study when I needed/wanted to, she cooked delicious meals and it was nice to come home, after 10, 12 or more hours at work, to eat, talk, and hit the books. She provided excellent relaxation, which on my own, I would not have thought about or considered seriously: we went shopping together, went to the movies a few times, went for walks, prayed together, and we ranted when we needed to. Those are just some of the things. When we look back, and she tells me some of the things I did when I was studying for Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), we crack up at how obsessed I was with studying – and no wonder I burned out! I believe God gave me this girl. I hope we will have a million more days together! Again, one would have to look at my life to see the likelihood that Mwayi and I would have met, where we met, the time we met, and prevailed through thick and thin. God did it and I am thankful for that.

Third, the power of positive thinking, faith, belief,… Where does that come from? What makes you believe that things will work out regardless of how bad it seems? What makes you believe that you are worth it? What makes you believe that you are smart enough? What makes you believe that next time around, you will pass this exam you just failed? What makes you believe that even though your exam is in 3 days, and you need to study tonight, and your work requires you to stay at work until midnight or past midnight or do some work while you are home, you can still make up for the time, or study/review the right stuff? What makes you believe that if you ask God, He will answer your prayer? What gets you to believe in God in the first place? What makes you overcome procrastination? What makes you believe you can sleep 3 hours or not at all and still operate “okay”? What makes you spend a whole day without studying and have faith that what you have done all along, or what you will do after this, will be enough? In my case, I would like to think that God is there somewhere. I needed a lot of belief, positive thinking, faith, inner strength to get through the 10 months or so that it took to pass the CPA exam.

Fourth, my mom. She is a beautiful story. She brought me here, she got me here, she led me to God,… When I consider how hard it is to bear a child, raise him, support him, discipline him, love him, etc – I cannot but believe that one needs God’s intervention. When the child is me, you need God to make the decision that the child should live, that the child should not end up locked up, that a determined mom should work her magic to make sure that dust turns into diamond. I love you mom! Again, I think that the only way I could turn out the way I did, was to have the mom that I had/have. I am broken, but not as bad as I would otherwise be.

One can see that in thanking God for what I have become, I have to look at the people and circumstances that got me here. It appears to me impossible to share about God’s presence, influence, control, intervention, etc without bringing in His creation to illustrate or drive some points home.

Thus, as I write about the other people and things in the comings days, I hope you will be able to see God in them.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you found that helpful.

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