Knowing How Modern E-learning Allows Persons To Take Up Degrees Online
July 29, 2010 | Leave a Comment
A working adult who has a job in the business world would do well to get a business administration degree. But how could one do this, when the time to commute to campus and sit in class is just not available? The Internet makes it possible, with the option of getting a business administration degree online.
If these people had to attend regular classes it would be an insurmountable conflict. Who has time to work full time and then also attend classes during the day?
Online degrees allow a better overall balance between work, family, and schoolwork. An added plus is the fact that some online business administration degrees are through universities that will finance the coursework. The individual then only pays on an installment basis, instead of needing to pay the whole amount for each term’s schooling up front.
Online students today don’t need to worry that they will be cheated out of the full learning experience either. Today’s e-learning is a comprehensive educational experience that allows full mastery of the course content, to the same extent that someone would receive by attending standard format courses.
In most online business administration programs, the course material focuses on management roles and functions. Regardless of the type of organization, managers’ general functions are going to be the same. Management can be understood using a general framework that takes into account processes and general principles. Overall, there are five functions at the core of business administration - planning, organizing, starting, directing, and controlling.
In business administration, the experience of managers is studied. When these different experiences are considered closely, it is possible to produce a general framework of management and knowledge of appropriate techniques.
The knowledge gleaned this way can then be used by other managers who are struggling with their own decisions and management situations. Essentially, the actual business situation, when used as an example, helps someone practicing business skills in real life to become more skillful.
By considering case-by-case examples of real world business experience, managers learn valuable tools to use in their own business life. In fact, by understanding unique management experiences, a manager can develop the discrimination needed to evaluate what would be a good choice and what would be a bad choice in his or her own experiences.
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Understanding How Banking System Works
July 29, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Did you know that you have to know some financial terms before you can claim that you understand how our banking system works? If you look deeper into the issue, you will find out that ignorance, even over the mere basics, is what leads us to keep pushing all the hard stuff to someone else handle it all. That is why we may not even understand the rudimentary financial terms used in the industry
Probably all you want to know about your banking revolves around simple tasks like making deposits, withdrawing and repeating that all over. It is common to prefer to restrict yourself to simplified versions of banking. Since the whole idea of banking is viewed differently by different people, we can as well say that there are another few who may want to want to learn more
Sometimes, for people to analyze every transaction it can be a demanding process and it may not be as simple a process to identify any errors that may be included in the books. It therefore calls for financial analysts to help and this explains the reason why many are indifferent to that issue.
The banking sector gets new developments every now and then and with these come new terms, which the analyst must gather as part of his job.
All the aspects regarding banking and finance are interrelated. Today, when it comes to futures and forwards, stocks, investment and portfolio theory, analysts are discovering that to understand finance, there is a dire need to interlink financial terms to each field.
Knowledge is one of the most essential tools that you will ever need if you decide that it is about time you had financial freedom. You need it so that you can break onto that next level that you felt you needed to enjoy life.
It is wise to build your non-material reserves by advancing your knowledge, specifically in the field of finance. You should go out of your way to try to understand some of the mainstream financial terms.
When it comes to making sound financial decisions, we would have done this without the need for an expert in the field, if we had known the secrets of how to go about it.
Get various other articles written by this writer dealing with areas such as stair basket and hanging wall baskets.
The Price To Consider When Choosing Your Own Domain Name
July 28, 2010 | Leave a Comment
If you are set on developing your web presence, you will need to put some effort into picking and maintaining a web identity. The first step in this process is deciding on a domain type and a name.
There are so many types of domains to choose from, it’s important to take some things into consideration before settling on a name. Your budget is one of the primary concerns. So is the amount of traffic you hope to pull in.
You will no doubt recognize the top three types of Top Level Domains, or TLDs. Many commercial sites opt for the .com TLD, while nonprofit organizations prefer to go toward the .org name. Then .net domains round out the triad.
There are also country-specific domains. Every country in the world has its own Top Level Domain, with varying rules and regulations governing its use. Obvious domains are: .uk in the United Kingdon, .ca in Canada and .jp in Japan.
If you find yourself running out of options with these domains, there are others to choose from as well. For example, .name and .info have both been available for a number of years. These may not have the cache of the big domain extensions, but they’ll get the job done.
There is one other option available to you: The Sub-Domain. This is the segment usually utilizing the “www” section of the address. You can make it anything you want, with the caveat that this will also make your domain address more complicated and could backfire.
Needless to say, price can become an issue. This is largely dependent on what domain you are reserving under, but it can also be affected by the company you decide to buy from. Prices can range from $6.99 for the cheaper domains to prices in the teens or 20s for some of the country-specific codes.
Of course, domain name registrars are running businesses like any other. And like any other, there will be sales or special deals from time to time. Keep an eye out for deals or special packages that domain name registrars will make available.
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Rapid Online Degree - Is An Accelerated Degree An Unsuitable Option For You?
July 28, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Fast track degrees, or accelerated degree programs have become increasingly more popular over the last couple of years. The capability of technology has made it easy to enroll with an online fast track degree system, letting you to earn your degree in less than half the time that is possible in traditional university programs. However before commencing an accelerated degree it’s vital to know for sure whether or not a fast track degree program is right for you.
Firstly it’s important to understand that a fast online degree does not suggest its an inferior degree. Just because you are moving swiftly through your program does not imply that you aren’t meeting the standards and requirements that other programs instill. You get an equivalent education, you merely cram it into a reduced amount of time.
With this in mind, what sort of person ought to attempt an accelerated degree course load? One common group to select this type of education is parents that have cramped schedules due to their kids but wish to earn a degree. Another group that frequently chooses online courses are professionals looking for career advancement or to move into a new vocation.
Both of these groups and lots of other individuals are choosing these accelerated programs because they let you reach your objective so quickly. Whether you are attempting to land a new, improved job or start a new career waiting four years to obtain your degree is too much time. The ability to slice that time in half, down to just two years is opportunity that’s too good to overlook for most people.
The wonderful news is that the fast track degree is open to virtually anybody. This means that if you have already commenced a degree you can go back and complete it. It also means that if you wish to start a totally new degree you’ll be covered there as well. On top of this, diplomas of all levels are accessible spanning from certificates to masters, PhD and doctoral degrees.
As mentioned however it’s necessary to scrutinize any situation to really resolve if it’s right for you. Are there any negatives or disadvantages to enrolling in an accelerated degree program?
The concern that many individuals mention is that with an accelerated degree you are going to be challenged and kept extremely busy. The layout of the program means that you will take many subjects at one time and you won’t have the luxury of long breaks in between them as is the case with normal students. Nevertheless, the advantage of completing your degree in half the time is way too strong for most people to ignore.
It’s always a good time to return to school, whether you would love to complete a previous degree that you got started or you wish to begin a new journey towards a better job and career. An accelerated degree program will let you get your degree finished in less than half the time, allowing you to get a head start on the rest of the field.
John Maxted is an accelerated education specialist and can help you discover a fast track degree immediately at www.OnlineEducationPlace.com
Credit Improvement May Be Advantageous To Your Financial Daily Life
July 27, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Were you aware that even in the very best of times there aren’t many people who never have a credit problem in their lives. In the current economic times, credit problems are becoming even more prevalent. On the other hand, credit is generally a necessary part of life and most people depend upon credit to make the big purchases such as houses and cars. Thankfully, there are some steps that you could take to improve and even repair your credit.
In order to make improvements on your credit, you need to know exactly what is showing on your credit reports. You can get a free report one time every year. You ought to actually get all three reports from each of the three main reporting bureaus, TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. Needless to say, you will get one copy of each for free one time every year.
After you have a new copy of your report you need to thoroughly check it over. It has been estimated that as many as 75% or more of all credit reports contain mistakes that when removed can improve credit scores. Furthermore, as a consumer you have the right to a report that is fully truthful and accurate. Often even your own credit that seems accurate has mistakes or incongruencies that are hurting your credit rating.
One of the better methods for getting erroneous credit deleted is to challenge the items with the credit bureaus. You need to compose a concise letter outlining the errors and requesting that they investigate. The credit bureaus have 30 days after receipt of your letter in order to investigate. If they cannot prove the validity of their report they must erase the questionable item.
There’s more to improving your credit rating, nevertheless, than just disputing erroneous credit. One of the best things you can do is to reestablish good credit and increase the good items being listed on your report. Also, take into consideration that your debt to available credit ratio is crucial. You can improve this ratio by either paying down your debt or increasing your credit limit.
The length of your credit history is essential also so you need to ensure that you apply your oldest accounts more frequently than your newer accounts. And it bears repeating that all of your current debts and obligations have to be paid on time every time which is smart to avoid further indebtedness. The very best credit scores typically belong to the people who have credit that is accessible but rarely used.
Credit Repair is something that may be completed by yourself. You do not necessarily need professional help, however, the process can be time-consuming and confusing and you’ll benefit from consulting a professional who has the experience and expertise to make the process go smoother. Not surprisingly, for those who have plenty of time and you relish a challenge then it can be done yourself.
It isn’t necessary to have the difficulty of poor credit. You’ll be able to improve it so it is advantageous to look into credit repair remedies for your bad credit. You may want to have good credit anytime and life is always much easier with a good credit rating and high credit ratings.
If you need to repair your credit, stay organized with a to-do list that ensures you won’t forget anything. Don’t let a bad credit score make you swear off purchases you must make. build credit history Do not use one debt to repay another.
Credit Repair As Well As Three Things You Must Avoid
July 27, 2010 | Leave a Comment
The actual term, credit repair gets a number of searches on the net daily Exactly why are people searching on how to repair their credit?
You can find various explanations why people search for things via the internet. Usually there’s something they want, a situation or have to be solved and satisfied. The majority is motivated by 1 of 2 different goals: Pleasure Seeking (looking for gain, profit, pleasure, enlightenment, etc. or Pain Avoidance (seeking to avoid loss, illness, pain, liabilities, problems, etc.)
Whenever somebody searches for credit repair, that person may have either positive or negative motivations. In this post we are dealing just with the negative or pain avoidance motivation side. We will tackle the three actions or errors which a person would want most to avoid.
The introduction and prologue here is how to prevent the pain and problems of having bad credit by finding the right options for your circumstances.
It’s also wise to know numerous specifics. One example is, there are legitimate and reliable credit repair businesses out there which have been in business for years but there are also some scams that you need to be familiar with.
Precisely what exactly do we must avoid here? And, why avoid that?
Because when you experience a good credit repair company on your side, your chance of getting a good result is much better, you’ll need to do your research and due diligence and make sure that you select a legitimate, experienced and reliable credit repair agency.
Therefore next, with that background and analysis, listed below are the three points you must carefully avoid:
To begin with, a legitimate credit repair company will not ask you for a fee prior to completing any work towards your case. While results cannot be guaranteed at least some effort must be put forth prior to you being charged. The primary reason in this is that is is against the law. In 1996, the Credit Repair Organizations Act or CROA was enacted to protect consumers from fraudulent credit repair organizations.
What quantity of avoidance will do? If a company requires a fee upfront before caring for your case, avoid using that company at all costs.
Second, a legitimate credit repair company will never request you to establish a new identity by getting an Employee Identification number or EIN to use for your credit instead of your old SSN. Why? because that again that you will find downloading copyrighted movies. A legitimate and professional credit repair agency will not ask you to break the law. There are legal ways to cope with your bad credit.
And how to know what is enough? Ask the important questions. Find out what their plan may be first and look at references and experience. The Bbb is a good place to look for references and also make sure that the company has been around for awhile. Since more and more people are having credit problems these days, there are some credit repair organizations that have just popped up. So that you can protect yourself read the companies professionalism and experience. Make sure that the credit repair agency that you choose has been in business for years, even before the current recession.
Third and last, although not necessarily least, a reliable and professional credit repair agency will inform you of your rights to complete credit repair yourself and the benefits of using their services. The reason is you can complete credit repair yourself but it’s often beneficial to save time and effort and make use of the experience and expertise offered by a professional credit repair company
O.K. so how do we know when this is being avoided adequately? If you seek information and make sure that you are selecting a professional and experienced credit repair company upfront you can be assured that you earn the best decision to improve your credit and get moving toward a better financial situation.
Via the elimination of these negatives, you accentuate the remaining positives. By avoiding the negative issues that could rob you of success, you guarantee yourself of a better shot at the positive benefits which may be associated with the process of repairing your credit.
Always know your credit score before speaking to lenders. Always know your credit score before speaking to lenders. Always know your credit score before speaking to lenders. how to fix credit fast
Accounting Careers
July 27, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Where do you want to go in the world? In which niche of business do you want to work? The great news is that there is probably a job there waiting for you.
First, let us take a quick look at job titles in the accounting field: Accounting and Financial Operations Job Titles: * Accountant Actuaries * Auditors * Brokerage Clerks * Budget Analysts * Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators * Certified Public Accountants * Debt Counselors * Economists Financial Analysts * Financial Managers * Financial Services Sales Agents * Insurance Sales Agents * Insurance Underwriters * Loan Officers * Personal Financial Securities and Commodities Sales Agents * Tax Inspectors, * Collectors and Revenue Agents
These job titles could pop up in any type of business. Do you think your doctor does his/her own tax preparation? Probably not. A doctor is in solo practice and may hire an outside CPA to keep the books and file the taxes while a doctor in group practice may have an in-house accountant. So if your mom always wanted you to be a doctor, this may be as close as you get because you are doing a doctor’s taxes.
Here are some other scenarios: Are you loathe to leave the ivory towers of academia? Consider a job either working in accounting or financial aid at a college while you pursue additional degrees so that you can teach accounting at a university. A.I.C.P.A. offers scholarships for those aiming at a doctoral degree in accounting who have the goal of college teaching.
Does the music of Mary Carey set your soul to dance? Look at her record label (Island Records) and her management company. Either one may need your skill set.
Are you concerned how quickly the cheetah is disappearing from the planet? Cheetahs were once found on five continents. Now because of loss of habitat, conflicts with humans, and loss of genetic variation, the cheetah population has diminished to 10,000 worldwide. Monique Seurat was so concerned that in 1992, she left her accounting consulting practice in France to join the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia. She uses her skills in accounting and finance to benefit this beautiful animal.
Combine your interests. If you’d like to be a pilot in your spare time, then be around aircraft at work. Aerospace giants such as Boeing and private plane designers such as Cherokee hire accountants. Bell Helicopter in Roanoke, TX has a job posting for a Sr. Accountant on Indeed.com (10/31/09). Add to this list the airlines (Southwest all the way down to the local puddle jumpers), airports, and tour companies which use airplanes to give the tourists a birds’ eye view of Hawaii, and you have quite a list of companies to research-and work for! .
To give you a launching off point, here is a very short list of industries which hire CPA and accountants:
Engineering-Aerospace, Agricultural, Chemical (Brush Well), Mechanical
Agricultural-Conservation/wildlife biologist, farmers/organic farmers, commercial fishing companies (e.g., Star-Kirk Tuna), forestry/logging companies, ranchers,
Non-profits which raise money for medical, conservation issues, or the arts
IT-Hardware, Software, Information Systems, Telecommunications Companies
Construction and Architecture
Creative Jobs-Network TV, theaters (from Broadway to North County Repertory in San Diego County), newspapers/print media, on-line media, book publishing companies, recording companies (hip hop to classical)
Education, K-12, community college, technical college, on-line universities (e.g. Ash Ford), public and private colleges and universities
Health Care–Physicians, hospitals, chiropractors, dentists, orthodontists, home care agencies/private duty nursing registries, hospice, psychologists/psychiatrists, physical therapists, veterinarians, vitamin and food supplement producers
Hospitality, Transportation, Restaurants,
Banking, Finance, Insurance
For accountants, the career path upwards requires becoming a CPA, a Certified Public Accountant. Progressing from being an accountant to becoming a CPA offers greater opportunities for promotion to management and higher salaries.
Interested in a career as a Certified Public Accountant?
Each of the jurisdictions which offers the CPA Exam has its own qualifications for sitting for the exam. The person who might not qualify in New York may qualify to sit for the Colorado exam.
In California, the requirements are: * A bachelor’s degree; * 24 semester units in accounting-related subjects; * 24 semester units in business-related subjects; * 150 semester units (or 225 quarter units) of education; * Passing the Uniform CPA Exam; * One year of general accounting experience supervised by a CPA with an active license; and * Passing an ethics course.
Logging 500 hours of attest or auditing experience will allow you to obtain the authority to sign attest reports.
In many firms having a CPA license is the only way one is promoted into upper management. Becoming a CPA increases your opportunity for promotions and a higher salary.
At CPAexcel, the countdown to 2011 has begun. Because CPAexcel is the only CPA Exam Prep which never expires, you can order it now and study for the current 2010 CPA Exam. If you have not passed all four sections by the end of 2010, you will have access to the new 2011 CBT-e content and functionality for free!
Careers For A CPA In Information Technology (IT)
July 27, 2010 | Leave a Comment
A CPA who is as fluent in accounting as they are in information technology (IT) will find that there are no limits on their careers.
Why? If one sector of IT isn’t booming, another sector usually is.
In at least one case, the location evolved into another area of IT employment. When the PASCAL computer language debuted in 1970, the University of California, San Diego (in La Jolla, a seaside community), recruited professors proficient in PASCAL and built a bustling computer sciences department. As a result, corporations which developed in the PASCAL environment clustered in the Golden Triangle area, east of La Jolla.
Accountants who flourished in an IT environment were highly employable. As quickly as UCSD produced graduates, the surrounding companies hired them. To locals, this area bounded by the 5, 805 and 8 Freeways was dubbed the “PASCAL Valley.” As with all things computerized, other languages eventually supplanted PASCAL and the companies closed or moved.
As computer sciences waned, the biotech department of UCSD blossomed in the 1990’s. Result? Biotech companies developing everything from heart values to veterinary vaccines moved in to the office space recently vacated by the computer science companies.
As the change-over occurred, accountants moved into biotech and remained consistently employable. What had been the PASCAL Valley was now known as the Biotech Triangle, hiring and absorbing every biotechnologist the university minted.
In 2001, when the dotcom bomb hit the computer world from Silicon Valley (CA) to Silicon Alley (NYC) to Silicon Gulch (Austin, TX), the biotech industry continued to boom and is still a major employer in the San Diego market.
If you keep your technical skills on the cutting edge, you will always be employable. Here are a few examples of how you, as a CPA, fit into an IT world. Resource Analyst IV: General Dynamics Information Technology describes itself as “a top-tier IT integrator” in the defense industry. On December 2, 2009, there were 39 accounting jobs in the IT sector of General Dynamics in Chantilly, Virginia.
As a Resource Analyst IV, you’ll use your experience in developing and perfecting strategies to obtain accurate information consistently and comprehensively from even the most intractable or unique sources while creating tools to mine, evaluate, and present data culled from corporate repositories. Your ability to lead the directorate in developing a strategic plan for the budget is requisite. Senior Manager, Tax Provision: Amgen is a biotech leader in developing new therapies to fight illnesses.
Your experience in tax provision and planning for global tax provision combined with your ability to develop new processes to improve business will land you this job. Senior Manager, Corporate Accounting: Microsoft has openings for accounting professionals in nearly every corner of the world, giving you the mobility to move from Redmond, Washington to Singapore.
The corporate culture of Microsoft will encourage you to stretch-in this case, covering both the Equity Accounting Department and the Technical Accounting area. In Equity, you will be managing the team which tracks the accounting and reporting of equity, such as share-based compensation, dividends, and share buy-back.
In Technical Accounting, you will be responsible for managing the teams that oversee GAAP accounting. How do you get there from here? To become a CPA in the IT environment, you should be as fluent in technology as you are in accounting. If you are still in college, consider a double major or a merged program such as the Accounting and Computer Information Systems degree at Ferris State in Michigan or the M.S. Computer and Information Sciences from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
If you have graduated with your BA/BS, consider taking courses in IT to bring your total coursework up to the 150 semester hours required by most states before you sit for the CPA Exam.
CPAexcel students pass the CPA Exam at nearly twice the national average. That power to pass can be yours when you prepare with CPA Exam Review materials from CPAexcel. Because CPAexcel is the only CPA Review materials which does not expire, you can order it now and prepare for the 2010 CPA Exam. If you have not passed all four sections by the end of 2010, you will have the new 2011 features for free.
Are You Effectively Growing And Marketing Your MLM?
July 27, 2010 | Leave a Comment
MLM, network marketing, referral marketing call it what you want, is on fire in today’s economy. In a world with no more job security, massive layoffs and small business closing every day, the world is screaming out for a way to earn money with a low start-up cost and good income potential. MLM is just that. There are no inventory requirements and huge income potential. Many experts refer to it as the last bastion of free society. An average person can make a fortune in their own network marketing business when done right! The key words are when done right.
The problem is that most people fail because they do not know how to attract the distributors to join their MLM teams or generate repeat customers for their products. I have been in MLM for over 27 years. Until I learned to crack the code on generating leads and getting interested prospects to come to me instead of me pestering them, I struggled. I remember on one Thursday night I invited 23 people to come to an opportunity meeting. I was so excited at how my hard work was about to pay off. How many showed? ZERO! My enthusiasm was waning. I quit for a few years and vowed to never attempt an MLM again.
In this business, if you can build a list of people who are open to hearing from you, you can then contact that list and invite them to preview your MLM opportunity. Once I mastered this skill, I was well on my way to success.
Sign-ups happened almost every day and I quickly made it onto the Top Ten Earner List and the Million Dollar Club. I traveled all over the world with all the other top dogs and picked their brains. What I found out was that even though they all had unique ways to build, most of them had some kind of system in place to attract prospects to them instead of selling uninterested people. Most of them comfortably attracted their distributors instead of buying leads or cold calling. This is the way to do it and I can show you how if you stick with me.
Bottom Line: If you are not attracting prospects to you instead of soliciting them, you will probably struggle. Your power and success will totally improve if you can get people coming to you about something that they have decided they want more info on.
The next step is to help 5 or 6 of your team leaders to duplicate this system. When you help them succeed, your income will explode and so will your time freedom. MLM allows you to own your time! You can quit your job or retire your spouse early, travel more, send your kids to good schools, buy new cars, improve your house, buy a vacation house etc…
Now there are many software programs out there that you can use to build a list, establish credibility with that list by introducing them to tools they can use to better build their businesses and possibly introduce them to your primary opportunity. People want to follow leaders who provide value and education to their teams. You will be that leader. Many of these programs help you sell affiliate courses or software programs to help MLM distributors to better automate their businesses.
The buzz word is ATTRACTION MARKETING. Attract your prospects and build your team that way. This is so much more effective than buying unqualified leads, cold calling or begging your friends to come to a hotel presentation.
Okay, your homework assignment is to search the Internet for MLM Marketing Systems. There are now a bunch of them out there. Many will provide you with your own lead capture web page (a place for prospects to arrive at and leave you their name and email address because they would like to learn more about your deal), an auto-responder email follow-up system and training.
Also, search my blog for articles on traffic generation. Once you have your software set up, you will need to implement strategies to get traffic to your pages. There are many of these programs being promoted. Some are cheap and some are expensive. Some are good and some are not so good. Just do your research and follow your intuition.
I tried a bunch of them and then paid a software developer to design my own. Feel free to check it out. I share it with my own team and my readers. You are welcome to use it. It is awesome and has a few capabilities the competition does not offer. The training is very detailed and the system is very user friendly. There are also training calls almost every week on how to use it to market your MLM online. You can very effectively brand yourself online with a system like this one. Before you know it, you will be attracting people left and right to your team and showing your leaders how to duplicate your success.
Expand your vision! Utilize cutting edge tools to draw 50 to 1,000 curious leads to your presentation each week and watch your business explode. Teach your leaders to do the same and really take things to the next level. There is no need to be frustrating in your MLM, with tools like this available.
So, go learn about Online Attraction Marketing Sales Funnels. Come check out my program too, as you do your research. I think you will like it more than most of them.
Buy Mike’s best-selling book: “3 Secrets Of Millionaires” and learn more about marketing your MLM online, then visit Mike Koller’s Blog for more resources to promote your mlm team online for more profit.
The CPA Exam In January 2011
July 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment
AICPA has announced numerous changes to the content, structure, and format of the CPA Exam which will be given on or after January 1, 2011. These changes include:
1. Replacing the one long simulation in the current format with several short Task-Based Simulations (TBS) in Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Regulation (REG); 2. Deleting the testing of written communication from AUD, FAR, and REG; 3. Adding the testing of written communication to the Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) section; 4. Deleting 18 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) from BEC and REG; 5. Reducing the weight of MCQ in AUD, FAR, and REG by 10%; 6. Reducing the weight of MCQ in BEC by 15%; 7. Doubling the simulations in AUD, FAR, and REG; 8. Changing Content and Skill Specification Outlines (CSOs/SSOs); 9. Adding testing content on IFRS; 10. Deleting some of the testing content on IT; 11. Adding testing content on project management.
It was previously decided to add planned authoritative literature release and to introduce a new research task format into the CBT-e schedule.
AICPA has announced numerous changes to the content, structure, and format of the CPA Exam which will be given on or after January 1, 2011. These changes include:
Time Allotment Changes:
A shift between two sections occurred but it will not effect the total time to complete all four sections. While BEC will gain 30 minutes for its allotted time, AUD will decrease by 30 minutes. Total testing time for all four sections will remain at 14 hours.
AICPA allows 14 hours to complete the exams for all four sections: * Auditing and Attestation: 4.5 hours * Financial Accounting and Reporting: 4 hours * Regulation: 3 hours * Business Environment and Concepts: 2.5 hours. In 2011, the time allotments will change: * Auditing and Attestation: 4 hours (minus 30 minutes from 2010.) * Financial Accounting and Reporting: 4 hours * Regulation: 3 hours * Business Environment and Concepts: 3.0 hours (adds 30 min.) If you complete an exam is less time than allotted, you are not allowed to move those minutes to another test. For instance, if it only takes you 4 hours to complete AUD, you may NOT move your 30 minutes to BEC.
How Questions Will Be Weighted and Scored?
New scoring has been approved as follows for multiple-choice questions (MCQs), Task-Based Simulations (TBS) and written communication tasks:
Part Questions 2010 2011 BEC MCQs 100% 85% Simulations N/A N/A Written Comm. N/A 15%
AUD/FAR/REG MCQs 70% 60% Simulations 20% 40% Written Comm. 10% N/A
Simulations are condensed case studies about which you are asked specific questions which showcase how you would apply your skill set to solve a “real-life” situation. Your answers allow you to demonstrate your writing skills because about 30% of your score in 2010 depends on your ability to write out your answers, not simply select option a, b, c or d.
BEC has no simulations, either in 2010 or 2011.
For AUD, FAR and REG, simulations double from 20% of your score in 2010 to 40% of your score in 2011.
In 2010, about 1/3 of your simulation score is based on your writing ability.
Current and 2011 Structure of the CPA Exam
Auditing and Attestation (AUD) Current Structure CBT-e Structure * 3 Multiple Choice Question Remains the same (MCQs) testlets with 30 questions each (total: 90) * 2 Simulations in long format 1 Testlet with 7 short TBS with a research question in new format * 2 written communication tasks None required Current Testing Time: 4.5 hours CBT-e Testing Time: 4 hours
Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) Current Structure CBT-e Structure * 3 Multiple Choice Question 3 Multiple Choice Question (MCQs) testlets with 30 testlets with 72 questions total questions each (total: 90) 3 Written Communication tasks on BEC topics Current Testing Time: 2.5 hours CBT-e Testing Time: 3 hours
Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) Current Structure CBT-e Structure * 3 Multiple Choice Question Remains the same (MCQs) testlets with 30 questions each (total: 90) * 2 Simulations in long format 1 Testlet with 7 short TBS with a research question in new format * 2 written communication tasks None required Current Testing Time: 4 hours CBT-e Testing Time: 4 hours
Regulation (REG)
* 3 Multiple Choice Question 3 Multiple Choice Question (MCQs) testlets with 30 (MCQs) testlets with 72 questions each (total: 90) questions total * 2 Simulations in long format 1 Testlet with 6 short TBS with a research question in new format * 2 written communication tasks None required Current Testing Time: 4 hours CBT-e Testing Time: 4 hours
Changes in Question Distribution (Weight):
Auditing and Attestation (AUD) Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) Regulation (REG)
Type of Question Current Weight CBT-e Weight
Multiple-Choice Question 70% 60% Simulations 20% 40% Written Communications 10% 0%
Business Environment and Concepts (BEC)
Type of Question Current Weight CBT-e Weight
Multiple-Choice Question 100% 85% Simulations 0% 0% Written Communications 0% 15%
The greatest amount of accurate information is from the AICPA itself. For the letter from AICPA detailing the changes, click here:
The letter explores the changes to the structure and the content of the 2011 CPA Exam.
During 2010, a team at AICPA has been creating and testing new questions which will appear on the 2011 exam. For this reason, you may see a question which you have not studied. Don’t panic. In 2010, those new questions will not be added into your score or detract from your score. The writers are testing to see which questions cover the scope of the material and give an accurate picture of whether or not you have mastered the material.
In 2011, these new questions will be graded and will count, either for or against your score.
As an accountant, the career track which progresses upward at a faster rate is labeled “CPA.”
In many firms, you hit the ceiling and progress no further if you do not become a CPA. Progressing from being an accountant to becoming a CPA offers greater opportunities for promotion to management and higher salaries.
Here are three examples of career paths for an accountant and for a CPA with the same education and experience:
Scenario 1: Two people in the same situation Location: Austin, Texas Graduates of/Degree: University of Texas, BA Employer: Public Accounting in Austin Size of firm: 50 Years of work experience: 2 On average, the CPA makes $10,000 more per year than the accountant.
Scenario 2: Two people in the same situation Location: Los Angeles, CA Graduates of/Degree: UCLA, BA Employer: Public Accounting in Westwood, a suburb of Los Angeles, CA Size of firm: 50 Years of work experience: 5 On average, the CPA makes $18,000 more per year than the accountant.
Scenario 3: Two people in the same situation Location: Boston, MA Graduates of/Degree: Harvard, BA Employer: Public Accounting in Boston Managing a team of: 25 Years of work experience: 15 On average, the CPA makes $25,000 more per year than the accountant.
Difference between top salary for CPA and for accountant: $45,000+.
Each of the 54 jurisdictions (including US states and territories) which offers the CPA Exam has its own qualifications for sitting for the exam. In California, the requirements are: * A bachelor’s degree; * 24 semester units in accounting-related subjects; * 24 semester units in business-related subjects; * 150 semester units (or 225 quarter units) of education; * Passing the Uniform CPA Exam; * One year of general accounting experience supervised by a CPA with an active license; and * Passing an ethics course.- * How do you become a CPA? While you could buy books and study on your own, but you’d be missing several key learning modules featured in CPAexcel, a CPA Exam review course.
CPAexcel students pass the CPA Exam at nearly twice the national average. That power to pass can be yours when you study with CPA Exam Prep materials from CPAexcel. Because CPAexcel is the only CPA Review materials which does not expire, you can order it now and study for the 2010 CPA Exam. If you have not passed all four sections by the end of 2010, you will have the new 2011 features for free.