The most common question candidates with a tax background ask when choosing their discipline section is whether TCP is actually easier than REG, or whether the 79% pass rate is misleading them into a false sense of security. The honest answer is that TCP is not simply...

CPA Evolution is the most significant restructuring of the CPA exam since it was computerized in 2004. Launched on January 1, 2024, the initiative replaced the existing four-section model with a new Core plus Discipline structure that fundamentally changed how...

BAR, which stands for Business Analysis and Reporting, is one of three discipline sections introduced under the CPA Evolution model that launched in January 2024. Every CPA candidate must pass one discipline section in addition to the three core sections. BAR is the...

Task-based simulations are the component of the CPA exam that most candidates are least prepared for and most surprised by on exam day. The reason is straightforward: the large majority of most preparation plans is built around multiple-choice questions. MCQs are...

The order you sit for the CPA exam sections is one of the most consequential planning decisions a candidate makes, and one of the least carefully considered. Most candidates default to whatever order feels intuitive or pick a section they feel prepared for first. The...

AUD has a 2025 cumulative pass rate of 48.21% according to AICPA data. That places it firmly in the middle of the six CPA exam sections by difficulty, well above FAR and BAR but below REG, ISC, and TCP. The pass rate suggests a section that is challenging but passable...

REG has the highest pass rate of the three core CPA exam sections at 63.12% cumulative for 2025 according to AICPA data. That figure leads some candidates to treat it as the straightforward section of the exam. It is not straightforward. It is simply more passable...

Governmental accounting sits at the bottom of most FAR study priority lists. It carries the lowest blueprint weight of any FAR content area at 5-15%, it feels unfamiliar compared to the commercial accounting content that fills the rest of the section, and most...

Most candidates who reach out about FAR tutoring have one thing in common: they have already tried the self-study route. They have a review course. They have put in hours. Something is still not working, and they want to understand what a different approach actually...

FAR has more content than any other CPA exam section. A first-time candidate looking at the full list of topics in a review course module library can easily feel overwhelmed before studying a single page. The temptation is to work through every module sequentially and...

FAR has a 2025 cumulative pass rate of 42.12% according to AICPA data. That means more than half of every FAR attempt does not result in a passing score. For a section that every CPA candidate must pass, that is a significant number. The question worth asking is not...

The most common reason working professionals fail the CPA exam is not lack of intelligence or effort. It is a study plan that was either not built around a real schedule, or that started with the right intentions and gradually collapsed under the pressure of a...

Most CPA candidates start with a review course. That is the right first move. Review courses from providers like Becker, Surgent, UWorld, and Gleim are well-built, comprehensive, and work well for a large portion of candidates who use them consistently and...

One of the most common questions candidates ask before registering for the CPA exam is which section is hardest. The answer matters for planning, for sequencing, and for setting realistic study expectations before committing to a schedule. The short answer, backed by...

One of the first questions candidates ask when starting the CPA exam journey is how long the whole process actually takes. The honest answer is that it depends significantly on how many hours per week are available for studying, which section order is chosen, and how...

Most CPA candidates start their exam journey the same way: they purchase a review course, follow the schedule, work through the modules, and trust that enough hours in the material will eventually produce a passing score. For some candidates, that approach works. For...

One of the most consequential decisions a CPA candidate makes under the CPA Evolution model is which discipline section to sit for. Unlike the three core sections, which every candidate must pass, the discipline section gives candidates a choice between Business...

Failing the FAR section of the CPA exam is one of the most discouraging experiences a candidate can face. Weeks or months of study, hundreds of practice questions, and a score that still falls short. It happens to a significant portion of candidates every year, and it...