5 Simple Tricks To Increase Your CPA Exam Score

Bryce Welker, from Crush the CPA Exam, has developed 5 simple tricks to help you increase your CPA Exam score. In this article, Bryce emphasizes that what matters is that you score a 75 on your exam. Adding 2 or 3 points to your score could mean the difference between failing and spending another 2 months studying or passing and feeling confident as you enter the next exam.

For a more in-depth look at how the CPA exam is scored, including a breakdown of exam structure and weight allocations, view our article on How the CPA Exam Scored and Graded.

Below is the breakdown of increasing your test scores:

#1 Monday = Game day

If at all possible take your exam on Monday. This gives you three full days to do your final review and cram as much information as possible. Many of the exam questions have a short-term memory aspect to them and having a fresh 25-30 hours of studying in your brain is a HUGE advantage. This is especially true for the BEC and Audit sections where much of the exam is about memorization rather than concepts.

#2 Cheat Sheets ARE allowed

As soon as you get your ”noteboards” and the clock starts, write down as much important information and mnemonics you may have created before you answer any questions. Also, be sure to jot down any of the basic formulas or ratios you may need (notice how I said basic, you do not need to remember all 30 ratios given in your textbook!)

This will shield you from any brain farts or “my mind went blank” moments later on and gives you an entire resource of information to refer back to. If you’re not currently using mnemonics, I highly recommend creating some since this is an easy way to add a few points to your test score.

#3 Short Term Memory Boost

Bring your notes to the exam site and arrive 30 minutes early to review them. This is also a great way to refresh any vital information you want to copy down on your “noteboards” as discussed in tip #2. If it’s not in your mind at the last minute, you may not remember it in the exam room.

#4 Find the Odd Man Out

When doing the multiple-choice questions, usually three of the answers will all have something in common. The fourth is the odd man out, always pick this one if you come across a question that you are unsure of.

#5 Don’t Jump the Gun

Completely read through the A, B, C, and D answers before selecting one. Often, you will come across a question with multiple correct answers, so do not just pick the first one that sounds right and move on. Some questions DO have multiple correct answers, an example of this would be an answer like “D: Both A and B are correct”. Tricky, tricky.

One last piece of advice I don’t want to leave out is to be sure and budget your time beforehand for all 3 MCQ sections and the SIMS. Write down how much time you have planned for each part on your ”noteboard,” and stick to your schedule!

These simple tips will positively impact your exam scores and could be the difference between receiving a failing or passing grade.