Tips for Taking the CPA Exam

The following important tips are presented by the AICPA.

For more details, check out the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of the CPA exam Web site, www.cpa-exam.org.

Before the Examination

Be sure you are comfortable with the use of a computer keyboard, mouse, and common word processing and spreadsheet functions. Note, however, that the word processor and spreadsheet applications in the examination are NOT identical to Word or Excel features.
Take the tutorial and sample test (several times, if necessary) available at www.cpa-exam.org. Pay special attention to the software features that are unique to this examination:
Authoritative literature
- History button - use this to find the last page visited. (A Back button is not available.) By clicking on History, you will be able to obtain a list of up to 20 last page visits, in reverse order.
- Copy/paste - you will be able to copy/paste only ONE paragraph at a time; you will be able to highlight only a block of text (NOT separate lines or words) at a time.
- Search - you will have to scroll down to view all topics returned by a search; if you spell words incorrectly, you will not receive any search results.
Calculator - you will be able to enter numbers on the online calculator using the keyboard or the keypad with the NumLock feature turned on. Be sure you understand how to move the calculator on the screen.
Remember that the examination consists of several sections (groups of multiple choice questions called testlets or simulations). You will be able to review questions within any testlet/simulation but you will NOT be able to go back to a testlet/simulation once you have exited from it.

Schedule through www.prometric.com/cpa. This web site is available 24 hours a day and can also be used to cancel or reschedule appointments.
Schedule early. It is recommended that you schedule 45 days in advance of your preferred date.
Be mindful that your appointment time (on your schedule confirmation) is thirty minutes longer than your exam time to allow you to complete the sign-in process and survey. This extra time is independent of the exam. Completing the sign-in activities quickly will NOT give you extra time on the examination.

Bring your NTS (Notice to Schedule) to the testing center! You may not test without it.
Bring two valid forms of ID to the testing center. Information on your two forms of ID must match the candidate information on the NTS with exactness.
Arrive at least 30 minutes early and be sure to have your Exam Section ID on hand (it's provided on your Notice to Schedule) when you are seated at the workstation. You have a limited amount of time available to enter your examination password.
Be sure to follow research problem directions. (If you are having difficulty entering a response in the space provided, you may not be using the expected response format.)
Report any functionality problems to the Test Center Administrator (TCA). If possible, wait until the end of the session. If you encounter a problem in a simulation, be sure to identify the TAB in which it occurred.
Don't be distracted by any issue as long as you are able to continue testing. For example, if your responses do not generate the expected color changes in pencil icons, continue testing. Report this matter to the TCA at the end of the session so that a report can be filed. The system will verify the capture of your responses.