Jocelyn Sten, a graduate from the University of Oregon, knew she wanted to obtain her CPA. As an Accounting major, she realized the value of those three little letters. But Jocelyn also knew that for her personally, it was more realistic for her to earn her CMA while she was still in school.

“Once I found out about the CMA,” she said, “ and I realized that I could do that certification while I was still in school, I figured I would get that under my belt.” Then, in her senior year, Jocelyn had a little extra time on her hands while she awaited graduation, so she signed up. “I knew it would be a good extra certification to get,” she said. “So I went ahead and worked through the CMA while I was still in school.”

Was that a challenge? “It was. I started last summer in July. I had a little more time then. In the fall, I had a full load, so studying for the test at the same time was a lot, but manageable.” Jocelyn got into the habit of studying for about an hour every day while in school full time. Then, once the winter term hit, she carried just half the normal academic load and had a chance to finish up her CMA studies.

Her strategy for earning her CMA was generally as a back-up plan. “I’ve been planning all along to get my CPA license,” she admits. “And this summer, I’ll be starting at Grant Thornton, a public accounting firm in Portland, Oregon. I’ve heard that a lot of people don’t always want to stay in public accounting for many, many years. And so I figured that getting the CMA would be good to have. If I want to switch over to corporate accounting at some point, I think the CMA seems more valuable than the CPA for that line of work.”

Jocelyn’s Top 5 Reasons to Choose Wiley CMA

When Jocelyn jumped aboard as a Wiley Ambassador, she didn’t realize just how good the program would be. Once she started studying, though, the advantages became apparent. Here is the University of Oregon grad’s top 5 reasons to choose Wiley as a study partner:

1. Organization

I’m big on organization. I really have to have things laid out properly, and Wiley CMAexcel really did that for me.

2. Exam Planner

I like being organized, but I also like to plan. I’m a planner. Right away, the materials had me pick a test date, how many hours a week I planned to study, and on which days.

3. CMA Video Lectures

I thought the lectures were excellent. Very good quality. Combine that with the quizzes after each lecture, and you’ve got a really good combination to help you absorb the necessary concepts.

4. No Print (if you don’t want it)!

I actually didn’t need the printed version of the book. I’m not much of a book learning person, so Wiley knows that about some people—and they make digital materials all you’ll ever need. I was really happy about that.

5. CMA Exam Practice Tests

Taking the practice test really helped because it was similar to the real test. I made sure to simulate the testing environment I would be in, with no distractions and the full four-hour period available. I think that helped.

Of course, Jocelyn chose Wiley CMA as her study aid. But she was more than just a satisfied customer. Jocelyn was also a Wiley Ambassador on the Oregon campus. “At the end of my sophomore year, I saw a posting to apply to become an ambassador. It seemed like pretty easy work, the application was also easy, and I could get the free review course out of it. And I really wanted to use Wiley as my study partner.” So a fast application and a few emails later, and Jocelyn was a certified Wiley ambassador. “I got on board very quickly and served as an ambassador throughout my junior and senior years.”

It didn’t take long for Jocelyn to experience the advantage of using Wiley. “When I started using it to study for the CMA, I could really see the value in the study materials. I really liked that I could plan everything. I’m big on planning and being organized, and Wiley really suited my style. Right away it had me select when my test was going to be and then select how many hours a week I had available and on which days. Then it just laid out the study map for me. It was genius!”

The 5 Win-Win Aspects of Being a Wiley Campus Ambassador

Jocelyn heard about the advantages of being a Wiley Campus Ambassador and made it happen.

1. Free CMA Study Material:

Your commitment to Wiley as a marketing assistant and a company advocate pays off with the free use of Wiley study materials.

2. Networking Opportunities:

There are a lot of opportunities to meet influential people in and around your business school, many of which are making things happen in their own world. Why not take the opportunity to meet them while spreading the word about one of the industry’s most trusted brands?

3. Inside View:

You have a direct line of communication with Wiley and even the ability to influence how Wiley marketing and promotion that happens on the outside.

4. It’s Easy! And it’s all good.

Not only do you get to meet a wide range of people in the world of accounting, you don’t have to go crazy in terms of what Wiley asks of you. Every month or so, they’ll send you materials, and you distribute it and talk it up when the opportunity arises. You already love the company, so that last part is easy.

And it’s just as easy to get started. Jocelyn filled out an online application asking her a little bit about herself and about the accounting department at her school. The toughest question? “They asked me how I could spread the word about Wiley!” Once she submitted the application, she received an email from Wiley’s regional director telling her she was hired. “I was psyched. It was a pretty easy process.”

“Every term, Wiley would mail me a box with a whole bunch of promotional materials, like brochures, posters, pens, and stuff like that,” she says. “I would hang the posters around the business school and give out the rest of the stuff. If I had the chance, I’d talk about Wiley with other students in the business school.” Jocelyn also communicated with Wiley’s regional director about potential speaking opportunities, accounting events, Beta Alpha Psi meetings, and other similar opportunities. “We just stayed in touch about opportunities to promote Wiley,” she says. “I really enjoyed the personal connection with my regional director. It was through that connection that I first began to understand the true value of Wiley as a company.” Jocelyn also took full advantage of using Wiley’s CMAexcel. “When I started using it to study for the CMA, I could really see how the study materials would help. I really liked that I could plan out my studying. I’m big on planning and being organized and Wiley really suited my style. “Plus,” she continues,

“The content itself was excellent and really reflected what was on the test. That made me feel really good, and I’m more confident now heading into the CPA exam.”

Learn more about what it’s like to be a Campus Ambassador and how you can join the Wiley Team, too.