Purchase the study material and enroll in a CPA preparation course. Usually it is done in one step. There are three major companies that sell CPA preparation materials. Typically, the materials include CD-ROMs, books and access to online materials. Becker is arguably the leading firm. This company has helped more than 400,000 candidates achieve their CPA designation in the past 50 years. A full course costs $3,065 (2011 prices) and includes all the study materials. Becker also sells additional study materials, such as flashcards. Another company offering CPA preparation material is Wiley, a well-known British publisher of finance books. Wiley CPA Examination Review books sell in the range of $50 to $200. Wiley also offers online CPA practice for $259.00 for a one-year subscription. Gleim, another company, offers a CPA study material package for about $1,000.
Develop a CPA exam study plan. First, determine how much time you can spend on studying for the exam. The more time you can spend on it, the better. Cancel all non-essential activities, such as watching television or taking naps or engaging in volunteer work. After calculating how much time you can spend, come up with an estimate of how many hours a week, on average and including weekends, you can assign to studying. Then break down the CPA exam into topics. Subdivide those topics further into smaller topics. For example, break down Business Environment and Concepts into topics such as, "Items often found on financial statements," or "Types of specific events and transactions." After that is done, estimate the time you need to learn each topic -- your estimate will depend on the date you scheduled your CPA exam as well as on the amount of information you already know. After that, write down a plan what you need to learn when. Be as specific as possible.
Start studying according to your CPA exam study plan. If you study faster, go ahead, but make sure you have learned the topics thoroughly. Do not be tempted to postpone or cancel studying when you don't feel like it. If you want to be successful in life, you have to work hard -- at least until you pass your CPA exam.
Prepare your own flashcards for information you do not know. While purchased flashcards may look better, they are no substitute for preparing your own. Buy colored index cards. Pick a different color for each major section within an area.
Link theoretical concepts to real-life situations. Such illustrations will make it easier for you to generalize and remember the many abstract concepts in accounting. For example, when learning the topic of taxation, recall the tax returns you might have prepared for your clients or yourself.