Need credit hours for CPA

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by cpaseattle, Sep 2, 2008.

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  1. cpaseattle

    cpaseattle New Member

    Hi,

    I need at least 30 credit hours to meet the 150 hours requirement in order to sit for the CPA exam. I've checked out the local colleges and it seems that even community colleges are rather expensive. I'm now exploring online courses as an alternative. Could anyone please advise on where I can find the cheaper online courses? The only criteria is that the college has to be accredited but the credit hours could be from any kind of courses. Thanks in advance!
     
  2. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    >>

    Is CLEP testing an option? For under $500 you could earn all 30. (and no books or homework LOL)
     
  3. cpaseattle

    cpaseattle New Member

    Wow.. thanks for your quick reply! It does sound like CLEP will be ok. The requirement is actually:

    To be eligible to take the CPA examination current applicants must have at least 150 semester hour credits of college education.

    For the purpose of meeting the 150 semester-hour credits requirement, the Board accepts credits awarded for the following provided the course is awarded academic credit from an accredited US college or university:

    * Internships,
    * Correspondence courses,
    * 'Life experience' or 'experiential learning' courses toward the general degree requirement or 150 hour requirement only (i.e., not allowed as credit towards the accounting concentration),
    * Credit for successfully challenging a college course,
    * Credits earned on the pass/fail system, and/or
    * Credits earned while participating in a 'running start' program.

    The Board does not accept:

    * Courses taken on an audited course basis (i.e., not for academic credit),
    * Continuing education courses (i.e., courses where college credit is not granted),
    * Duplicate courses (i.e., credit is allowed for only one course), and/or
    * Coursework deemed to be remedial or below college level by the university.

    I'm not familiar with CLEP. Does it sound like it meets the requirement above? Could you let me know where I can find more details on CLEP ie. registration, cost etc
     
  4. cpaseattle

    cpaseattle New Member

    I've read the info the CLEP website. Is it possible for me to get CLEP credit without joining a college?
     
  5. Vinipink

    Vinipink Accounting Monster



    http://www.elearners.com/resources/clep.asp?tsource=it&tid=77033
     
  6. kayausa

    kayausa New Member

    do they need to be an accounting? i found languages a quick and easy way to get credits... i got 16 credit per language from NYU exams...
    another idea are FEMA credits- they are free!... do a search on this site there's TONZ of info here...
     
  7. cpaseattle

    cpaseattle New Member

    I only need 30 credit hours so I will prefer not to do another degree unless it's short and affordable. So now it looks like CLEP is a possibility but I still need to figure out how to get a college to provide me the credit without a degree enrollment.

    Thanks cookderosa & vinipink for the advice!
     
  8. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    CLEP is pass/fail and multiple choice. :D

    you found this site, but for anyone who doesn't have it and might wander onto the thread:

    www.collegeboard.com

    You don't need to join a college to take the exams since they are open to the general public. I took several exams and the scores are transcripted by The College Board. You can save them up to 20 years, and if/when you enroll somewhere, you simply request a transcript ($20) and that's that. The College Board doesn't issue credit, they just provide the exam.

    Now, you do need to make a plan to get them onto a college transcript to verify your credit. For that, you may need to enroll somewhere. Options may include your local community college, an online college, ACE or a credit bank. Since I was enrolled in a college program, I am not the best person to help you with that requirement, but SOMEONE here will certainly be able to help you- especially with ACE since I think that might be the cheapest way.

    For an entire board of CLEP junkies, try googling "Instantcert forum"
     
  9. cpaseattle

    cpaseattle New Member

    They do need 24 hours in accounting and another 24 in business but I already have those and will have to avoid doing the same courses to prevent duplication. It could be anything though, dancing, sports... so long as credit is given and no duplication. I'm really bad in languages so I can't do that. Looking at FEMA now and yes, there're tons of info here in the forum but takes time to go through. I've gone through many threads and will continue to do so.
     
  10. Fortunato

    Fortunato Member

    Chances are the school that granted your undergraduate degree accepts CLEP and/or DSST credit. Since you will already have to send your transcript from this school, call the registrar and see if they will transcript additional CLEP/DSST hours for you.

    Best of luck!
     
  11. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    Best bet - FEMA

    I think that the FEMA courses would be the quickest way to do this. There's a community college that will turn the FEMA credits into college credit for a fee. Someone will have to help me with the name of the school; it escapes me at the moment.
     
  12. friendorfoe

    friendorfoe Active Member

    LSU's certificate in accounting will get you 1/2 way there for about $1,200 for the whole shebang. That and you get to pull for a bad @** football team. :D
     
  13. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member


    At last a reason to use the Excelsior credit bank
     
  14. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    I think is something like Frederick community college. I know it has Frederick in it.

    Abner

    Found it, here is the link:


    http://www.emergencymanagementstudy.com/content/default.asp

    Abner
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 3, 2008
  15. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    I wish someone else would chime in about ACE. Isn't it only $40 and they will transcript everything? Frederick CC to transcript the FEMA isn't cheaper than CLEP unless your enrolled at TESC, and I don't think opening a credit bank is cheaper than ACE.

    1st CLEP suggestion: Analyzing and Interpreting Literature for 6 credits.
     
  16. pugbelly

    pugbelly New Member

    CLEP will be your cheapest option, but FEMA will be faster. You could easily do 30 hours of FEMA in 2 or 3 weeks, less if you really dedictaed some time. To transcript those courses at Frederick Community College will cost you $1800.

    Pug
     
  17. macattack

    macattack New Member

    You might check with Castle Worldwide (who reviews transcripts for WA state for the CPA exam) and or the CPA Board and see if they accept DETC. If so, you could try the "tuition-free" MBA at Andrew Jackson University and earn a masters degree with your 30 or so credits of study.

    University of West Florida offers a AACSB accredited Graduate Certificate in Accounting (12 graduate credits). Graduate credits are worth 1.5x for determining the accounting credit requirements for WA state, not sure if it is also the case for the overall 150 hours or not. You can get in-state tuition for this certificate and it would be a resume enhancer whereas the CLEPY / FEMA stuff is not.

    What are your career plans? You may be able to get employer reimbursement for grad study from your firm.

    Geteducated.com lists MBAs starting at around $7,000. Just saying, if your going to earn the 30 credits you may want to add a grad degree to your resume. Wish I had done that to begin with.
     
  18. kayausa

    kayausa New Member

    they'll only transcript ACE accredited courses and NFA only has 2.
     
  19. cpaseattle

    cpaseattle New Member

    Thanks!

    Looks like LSU certificate in accounting sounds like a good deal at $250 per course and that will take care of 15 credits! Has anyone taken this before? Now I'll have to think of the remaining 15.

    I've just realized I can't do FEMA because I don't have the resident status. So maybe CLEP is the way to go.

    My career plan, I'm still not sure. Most probably in the private sector I guess, financial controller or something along that line.

    Thanks everyone for helping, appreciate it!
     
  20. Fortunato

    Fortunato Member

    I would imagine that an undergrad certificate in accounting would duplicate a lot of credit you already have if your degree is in anyway related to accounting. When one of my friends went for her CPA, she took the 30 easiest credit hours she could find - the proverbial "underwater basket weaving" and "rocks for jocks" classes you hear about. Anything to get to the 150 hours.
     

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