Live Course

Where do you teach your live classes?
You teach on the weekends only. Why no weekday classes?
What happens if I miss a class or want to review a class?
How does Roger Philipp, CPA, personally teach all classes in all 4 locations?
How long can I attend live classes?
Can I switch from live to online? Is there a fee?
What do I need to bring to my first class?
I heard that you can come to a free class. How can I do that?
Can I take REG live and online at the same time?
I live close to more than one location. Can I take the classes in different cities?
I don’t understand the sessions. Is AUDIT Session 1 in San Jose different from AUDIT Session 2 in San Jose? Do I have to take both AUDIT classes?
I need to reschedule or “unschedule” classes. Is that okay? Do I have to pay extra for it?
I’m worried the classes are going to fill up. How early do I need to register?

Online Course

How does this work? Do you broadcast from your live classes?
What do I need to run the online classes?
I have a Mac. Will the course work?
I prefer to use Mozilla Firefox, not Internet Explorer. Will the course still run?
How long do I get to watch the classes? How does your repeat policy work?
What happens if I have a question about concepts or homework?
Why am I limited to only 2 viewings per class?
How do I access my classes?

USB External Hard Drive Course

This looks neat. How does it work?
What materials will I receive?
Can I watch the lectures as many times as I want?
On how many computers can I install the external hard drive?
What if something goes wrong with installation, or I crash my computer and need to re-install?
How long do I get access to the course?
What happens if I have a question about concepts or homework?

Cram Course

What is a cram course?
Do you have a live cram?
Why is there such a big price difference between the online cram and the CD-ROM cram?
Should I take the cram course or the regular course?

Materials

Are materials included in the course price? And what exactly is included?
I am a live student. Can I get my books early?
I need a new Roger’s book. Will you send me one?
Has the AICPA released any new questions?
How many multiple-choice questions do the Wiley books have?
How many simulations do the Wiley CD-ROMs have?
Do you include flashcards? Do I need to buy anything else to help me pass the course?

Discounts, Deposits, Product Orders, and Payment Plans

Do you offer any discounts?
What is the “deposit” option?
Do you offer financing or payment plans?
What are your other fees?
I just ordered your online course. When do I get it?
I won a scholarship! How do I redeem it?

The CPA Exam – Qualifying, Studying, and Passing!

How do I become a CPA?
What do I need to sit for the CPA exam?
I went to a quarter school to get my degree and took my extra accounting and business units at a semester school. So I have some of those units in semester units and some in quarter units. Can I still take the CPA exam?
I took Accounting 301. Do you know if that counts as accounting or business?
I heard that I will need my diploma to sit for the exam. Is that true? I go to a big state school where people get their diplomas five months after they graduate!
If I take a Roger Philipp CPA Review course, can I get accounting or business units for the exam?
I did not go to school in the U.S. Can I still take the CPA exam?
When should I take the CPA exam?
I think I have the units to qualify. How can I start my application process?
Will you look at my transcripts before I apply?
How do I send the State Board my transcripts? How long does this take?
I am graduating in mid-May and want to finish the exam by August. How do you recommend I go about doing this?
What part should I take first? I heard that BEC is easy and REG is the hardest.

Live Course

Where do you teach your live classes?
We currently have four locations: San Francisco (Sundays), San Jose (Saturdays), Los Angeles (Sundays), and Orange County (Saturdays). Classes are from 9 AM – 5:45 PM, including breaks.

You teach on the weekends only. Why no weekday classes?
After initially offering weekday and weekend classes, we found that students were able to concentrate and retain material better on weekend classes. A heavy work week coupled with evening classes was a less effective study strategy.

What happens if I miss a class or want to review a class?
Students can make up classes by online access. For $10 per class, a student can reserve up to 2 classes at a time for 2 weeks’ worth of access. Classes are broken up into hour-long lecture segments. By default, students can view each segment up to 2 times.

How does Roger Philipp, CPA, personally teach all classes in all 4 locations?
Our class schedules are staggered so that each of the four parts is offered twice per year in each of our four cities. If Roger is teaching FAR and REG in San Francisco and San Jose, no classes are being held in Los Angeles and Orange County. This staggered schedule allows students in Los Angeles and Orange County to study after a class has ended and prepare to sit for the exam.Students agree that Roger’s energy and passion for teaching manifests itself in every class, in turn motivating them to study for and pass the CPA Exam.

How long can I attend live classes?
You get 18 months from the first day you first come to classes to finish all your classes and all your repeats. You can repeat each class one time for a $50 fee per part. There are no homework or attendance requirements; it is an unconditional repeat. Please remember that only students enrolled in all four parts have the unconditional repeat option!

Can I switch from live to online? Is there a fee?
If you are enrolled in the live course you may mix and match parts. Take some parts live and some parts online. You may take all your classes live and, take your repeat(s) online for example. You will need to mail in your existing ID card for your city and session to the office (to “Attention: Registration”). For classes currently in session, you may attend no more than 1 full day (or the first 2 classes) to switch that part out to online access.

There is no fee to switch. The only cost to you is if you request that materials be mailed to you, in which case our standard shipping/handling rates apply. You are more than welcome to pick up your materials at the classroom locations when class is in session, but please contact the office for arrangements.

For the part(s) you switch to online access, you will have either 9 months to watch all hour-long lecture segments, or until your expiration date, whichever comes first.

What do I need to bring to my first class?
Pen, pencil, and paper. Please bring a photo ID, method of payment if applicable, and any necessary proof (unofficial transcripts).

Please also plan to come no later than 8:30 AM. You need to sign your registration form, pick up materials and ID card, and make payment if applicable. If you are making installment payments by check, you will need to bring additional checks as well.

I heard that you can come to a free class. How can I do that?
We welcome people to come to ANY of our classes, in any city at any time, to attend the first 2 hours free of cost or obligation. You can attend up to 4 classes, one for each of the four parts. We provide book excerpt handouts for each of the first classes of a part so students can follow along. If you are attending any other class, we will hold your driver’s license in exchange for you to follow along with our book. You will be given your license back when you return the book at the first break. If you are interested in coming to visit a live class, come early and fill out a short form. You may also call the office at (415) 346-4272 and make a reservation to attend.

Can I take REG class live and online at the same time?
No. We do not offer concurrent enrollment in live and online courses. But if you miss live classes, or need to see a class again, you may reserve an online class at $10/class. Certain guidelines apply. Please contact us for additional information.

You can, however, be enrolled for a part as a live student (FAR, for example), and concurrently take a different part (AUD, for example) online at the same time.

I live close to more than one location. Can I take the classes in different cities?
Yes, absolutely. Many of our students do so.

I don’t understand the sessions. Is AUDIT Session 1 in San Jose different from AUDIT Session 2 in San Jose? Do I have to take both AUDIT classes?
You do not have to take both classes. Sessions 1 and 2 are merely to differentiate what time of year a class is offered in which city (like Fall and Spring Semester).

I need to reschedule or “unschedule” classes. Is that okay? Do I have to pay extra for it?
You do not have to pay anything to change your class schedule. As long as you are within your 18 months of access, you may change your schedule however you need to. Your student account manager will lock you out of modifying your schedule within 48 hours of a class’s start date. Simply call the office, and we can assist you.

I’m worried the classes are going to fill up. How early do I need to register?
We make every effort to accommodate all students and will accept walk in enrollments even on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th day of instruction. In order for us to bring enough inventory to guarantee materials distribution on the first day of class attendance, you must be enrolled and scheduled at least 48 hours before the class is scheduled to start.  If not, you will still receive materials, but they may have to be distributed to you at the following class.

Online Classes

How does this work? Do you broadcast from your live classes?
We film classes twice a year and make them available via streaming feed on our website so that students can watch the classes completely on demand. You can also view the classes from any PC you use – work or home. Please take a look at a demo to see for yourself.

What do I need to run the online classes?
Please click here http://www.rogercpareview.com/onlinesystemreqs.html and then click on “System Scan” to test your PC.

I have a Mac. Will the course work?
Our online course will work on either Macs or PCs that meet or exceed the minimum system requirements.  We also support all of the most popular modern internet browsers.

In order to view the Online Course you must have Adobe Flash Player 9 or higher installed. We recommend viewing with a LAN or cable connection. We do not support dial-up connections. AOL users may view the course as long as the requirements above are met.

Adobe Flash Player 9 is offered for FREE at http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash&promoid=BIOW

Questions? Contact Support.

I prefer to use Mozilla Firefox, not Internet Explorer. Will the course still run?
Yes, our course works with most popular modern internet browsers, including the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari.

How long do I get to watch the classes? How does your repeat policy work?
You will be able to access your classes for 9 months initially, viewing each hour-long lecture segment up to 2 times by default. Within 4 months of your initial expiration date, you may enroll in your unconditional repeat(s) at $50 per part for whatever parts you need. You will then get another 9 months of access. Should we refilm and update classes, your classes will be automatically refreshed so that you have the most current classes available. Please remember that only students enrolled in all four parts have the unconditional repeat option!

What happens if I have a question about concepts or homework?
We offer message boards and chat rooms to all our students, and you will also be able to e-mail with Roger Philipp directly.

Please also note that Roger Philipp has designed his lectures to preemptively answer student questions. You will find that most of your questions about certain concepts will be answered later on in that same lecture.

Why am I limited to only 2 viewings per class?
Each student begins with the default of 2 viewings. We can certainly reset any individual segments as many times as needed either because of technical difficulties or because students just need to review them again. But please consider a few things: you would not be able to attend live classes three, four, and five times, for example; and the online class is designed to mirror the live class as much as possible. The entire course is 100 hours. Watching it twice is already 200 hours. According to the AICPA, the average successful student spends approximately 2-3 hours of study time for every 1 hour of lecture. That means spending 300-400 hours in total for the entire process.

How do I access my classes?
Please visit our homepage and look for the “Student Login” button in our "Quick Links" on the left hand side of the page. Click there and enter your information. By entering your information, you log into your student account manager. When you are logged in, look to the “View Online Course” on the left-hand side.

USB External Hard Drive Course

This looks neat. How does it work?
The hard drive contains all the lectures, just like the online course. You plug it right into your PC, and open your lectures directly from the hard drive.

What materials will I receive?
The same as the online or live course students – for each part of the course you take, you receive one lecture book, one homework book, and one simulation CD-ROM.

Can I watch the lectures as many times as I want?
Yes.

On how many computers can I install the external hard drive?
Two (work and home, by request.) Please contact our office to request your second installation.

What if something goes wrong with installation, or I crash my computer and need to re-install?
Please contact us by phone at (415) 346-4272, and we will take care of you or fill out a support form at http://www.rogercpareview.com/SupportForm.cfm.

How long do I get access to the course?
You will receive 12 months of access from your date of installation.

Candidates who purchase a full course on USB drive may choose to purchase an extension. Students may purchase a 1 time 6 month extension (at the time of purchase only) for an additional fee. Extensions must be purchased during original order and cannot be added retroactively. Extensions can only be purchased with full course USB purchase and extend the course for an additional 6 months. Students who add the extension to their purchase will have 18 months of viewing following the installation of their course.

What happens if I have a question about concepts or homework?
We offer message boards and chat rooms to all our students, and you will also be able to e-mail with Roger Philipp directly.

Please also note that Roger Philipp has designed his lectures to preemptively answer student questions. You will find that most of your questions about certain concepts will be answered later on in that same lecture.

Cram Course

What is a cram course?
Our cram course is designed as a condensed version of our full-length course. The full-length course is just under 100 hours long; the cram course is 40 hours long.

We offer our cram course in online and CD-ROM formats.

Do you have a live cram?
No. Since the exam’s computerization in 2004 with four testing windows available, students are no longer cramming at the same time, as they usually did when they could take the examination only twice a year prior to 2004. We film our crams at least once a year to ensure that students have the most current information possible.

Why is there such a big price difference between the online cram and the CD-ROM cram?
The online cram lectures can be viewed one time each. Just like the online course’s relationship to the live course, the online cram is designed to mirror a “live cram” scenario as much as possible. You would not attend a live cram repeatedly. The CD-ROM cram lectures can be viewed an unlimited number of times.

Should I take the cram course or the regular course?
The answer depends on a variety of factors. How much time to you have to prepare before your exam, if it is already scheduled? Have you ever taken a CPA review course before? Have you taken the CPA exam before? If so, how comfortable did you feel with the subject matter, and what were your scores?

There is no “magic formula” to figure out what specific course or format to take. Call us at (415) 346-4272, and we would be happy to discuss your circumstances with you and offer our advice.

Materials

Are materials included in the course price? And what exactly is included?
Yes, they are. Materials are distributed as follows:

Live, Online, USB Course
- For each part, a student will receive a Roger’s book, a Wiley book, and a Wiley CD-ROM (up to 4 Roger’s books, 4 Wiley books, and 4 Wiley CD-ROMs).
Cram (Online, CD-ROM) Course:
- For each part, a student will receive a Roger’s Cram Book, which is a condensed version of the full-length Roger’s book. No other materials are included.

The Roger’s book is the lecture accompaniment.
The Wiley book is the source of assigned multiple-choice questions for homework.
The Wiley CD-ROM is the source of assigned simulations for homework.

The Roger’s Cram book does contain some multiple-choice and simulation problems that are covered in lecture as well as additional questions and simulations for more review. The most recently released AICPA questions will also be included with the Roger’s cram book.

I am a live student. Can I get my books early?
If your course is paid for in full, and you are willing to pay applicable shipping charges ($14.95 per part, or $45 for all four parts), yes, you may. But please consider the following things:

You will receive books on the first day of class for any classes scheduled during a session. This way, you always have the latest most up-to-date version.

You will not need to do any pre-studying prior to starting our review course. Furthermore, Roger Philipp will cover all the concepts you need to know during class so that you can focus your study energy properly after class has begun.

We update the “Roger’s books” twice a year, once in January, and once in June. New materials for Wiley are released by January of each year. If you registered in the live course in October and do not intend to start classes until February of the following year, we would strongly discourage you from requesting materials early because you will not have the latest Roger’s book. Books cannot be exchanged for updated versions, because we do not re-sell our old books. It is best to pick up your books for each session at the first class you schedule during that session.

I need a new Roger’s book. Will you send me one?
If you are a past student of Roger Philipp CPA Review, you may opt to buy a new Roger’s book for the parts you have taken with us, but you may not need to. If the year difference is small (ie, your book is from 2007 and it is now 2008), simply e-mail staff@rogercpareview.com and please ask to have updates e-mailed to you in .doc or .pdf format.

If you are trying to study from materials that were published 2 or more years ago, we recommend that you purchase new materials.

Has the AICPA released any new questions?
It depends on the time of year. You can always call us at (415) 346-4272 or e-mail us at staff@rogercpareview.com to inquire. We will gladly provide copies of officially released AICPA questions to all current and past Roger Philipp CPA Review students.

How many multiple-choice questions do the Wiley books have?
Over 3,700 multiple-choice questions are included in the full set. We will also cover several multiple-choice questions in each class.

How many simulations do the Wiley CD-ROMs have?
Over 200 simulations are included in the full set. We will also cover several simulations in each class. The CD-ROMs also contain over 4,000 multiple-choice questions.

Do you include flashcards? Do I need to buy anything else to help me pass the course?
We do not include flashcards in our course. We give you all the materials needed to properly prepare and pass the CPA exam. While helpful for some students, flashcards are not necessary, and many students prefer to make their own study notes. In an effort to keep our prices as low as possible, they are not included in the cost of our course. You will not need to purchase anything else other than what is included in the course, but you are welcome to call the office at (415) 346-4272 with any specific product questions.

Discounts, Deposits, Product Orders, and Payment Plans

Do you offer any discounts?
Yes. We offer discounts to current and full-time undergraduate or graduate students, to past students of other CPA review courses, to past students of Roger Philipp CPA Review, and to employees of some firms and agencies. Restrictions do apply. Please contact us for more details.

Please note that if you are claiming any discounts we will need to see appropriate proof.

For students, proof constitutes unofficial or official transcripts proving you were a full-time student for the term during which you placed your deposit.

For past students of another CPA review course, you must provide documentation from the review course that displays your name, when you took the course, what courses you took, and what you paid for them.

For employees of a participating firm or agency, proof constitutes an offer letter (if you have not yet started), an e-mail from your work e-mail address, an employee badge, etc.

If you are placing a product order (online course, USB external hard drive course, crams) at a discounted price, we must have proof before we can ship your order.

What is the “deposit” option?
The $100 deposit is an option we offer to current college students and serves to lock in the current student discount for an indefinite period of time. This deposit can also be used to lock in firm pricing. The $100 deposit is an outstanding option for students because it allows them to lock in a low price, even if they do not plan to sit for the exam for months or years to come.

Please note that the $100 deposit is fully refundable as well if you do not take our course.
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Do you offer financing or payment plans?
For product orders (online course, USB external hard drive course, crams, other products), you will need to provide payment in full to receive materials and start your course. This is because you have access to all the materials and lectures upon receiving them in shipping.

For the live course, we do offer a monthly payment plan if students purchase all four parts. The first payment is due on or before your first day of class, and the subsequent payments are due each month thereafter on the day you first attended class. For example, if you begin class on January 15th and have a 4-payment plan, your next three payments are due on February 15th, March 15th, and April 15th.

One-time fees for the payment plans are $25 for a two-payment plan, $35 for a three-payment plan, and $45 for a four-payment plan. The correlating total will be added to your balance due and then divided according to the number of payments. The table is presented here: http://www.rogercpareview.com/PaymentPlans.htm

What are your other fees?
A $50 registration administration fee applies to live or online enrollments.

A $50 admin registration fee for each repeated part also applies for the live and online courses.

I just ordered your online course. When do I get it?
As soon as you receive your order confirmation e-mail, you can access your online classes. Please allow 24-48 hours to process and ship your order. We ship via UPS Ground by default, which can take anywhere between 1-5 days within the U.S. from our San Francisco, CA office.

For expedited or international shipping, please contact the office for pricing estimates.

I won a scholarship! How do I redeem it?
Congratulations! If you are using the scholarship for a live course, please enroll on our website. You must either select the “Pay Later” option or the “$100 Deposit” option if you are a current college student locking in student pricing. It is very important that you do NOT pay for the course in full or select payment plans at this time! Then, you must bring the hard copy of your scholarship certificate to the live class. At that time, registration staff will adjust your balance due.

If you are using the scholarship for an online course or a cram, you will need to mail the hard copy of the original certificate to our office at the following address:

Roger Philipp CPA Review
Attn: Registration
1288 Columbus Avenue #278
San Francisco, CA 94133

Please also include your full name, shipping address, telephone number, and e-mail address. We will contact you by phone for any necessary shipping or product charges and set up your student account for you.

The CPA Exam – Qualifying, Studying, and Passing!

How do I become a CPA?
The first step is universal – you must pass the CPA exam! Other professional requirements and some additional educational requirements can apply. See our later question on licensing.

What do I need to sit for the CPA exam?
Requirements vary by state. Most states have adopted the 150 hour rule which requires you to have 150 total semester hours before applying and, included in this total are accounting and business unit requirements. Please email us for more information or click here to view the various state by state requirements.

For the most part, states vary between requiring 24 - 27 semester units (or 36 - 40.5 quarter units) of accounting and, 24-27 semester units (or 36 - 40.5 quarter units) of business in order to qualify to sit for the exam.

These units may be included in your degree, or they may be obtained from any accredited university. They can be upper- or lower-division.

I went to a quarter school to get my degree and took my extra accounting and business units at a semester school. So I have some of those units in semester units and some in quarter units. Can I still take the CPA exam?
Yes. You can see above that the California State Board uses this ratio:

1 semester unit = 1.5 quarter unit

Apply the same ratio to your collective units, converting them to either all quarter or all semester.

I took Accounting 301. Do you know if that counts as accounting or business?
Usually, if accounting is in the title it counts towards the accounting unit requirements, but because our students come from dozens of schools throughout the state and the nation, it is very difficult for us to make this determination based on a class title and number. Please contact the appropriate department office at your campus for more information.

I heard that I will need my diploma to sit for the exam. Is that true? I go to a big state school where people get their diplomas five months after they graduate!
No, you do not need your diploma. You need only final transcripts upon which your degree is posted. This process can take anywhere between 2-4 weeks after you complete your last term, depending on the campus.

Does Roger Philipp CPA Review course qualify as accounting or business units for the exam?
No. Only units from degree-granting institutions qualify. We are a licensed private postsecondary institution, but we are not a university or college. But, we can assist you in finding classes that will fulfill the educational requirements of the exam. If you need advice on where to take classes, please call us at (415) 346-4272, and we will do whatever we can to assist you.

I did not go to school in the U.S. Can I still take the CPA exam?
Yes! Instead of sending your transcripts to the state board, you must have your transcripts be evaluated by one of the board approved agencies. Please visit foreigndegrees1.html for a list of agencies. As long as you have the foreign equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree and the units outlined above, you can qualify to sit for the CPA exam in some states. Other states will require 150 total educational units to be eligible to sit for the exam.

When should I take the CPA exam?
As soon as you possibly can! NASBA statistics show a higher pass rate for recent graduates. The closer you are to graduation, the higher your likelihood of passing.

If you are a recent graduate, an ideal time to begin exam preparation is during the weeks or months between completing your college career and your start date with your new employer.

Employers also encourage their staff to take the exam at the beginning of their career. They cannot advance staff unless they are licensed CPA’s. If you have already begun your accounting career, do not worry. Many CPA exam test-takers are currently employed in accounting and are still able to successfully study for and pass the exam. Since the exam is now computerized, candidates may schedule to take it during the first 2 months of each quarter.

I think I have the units to qualify. How can I start my application process?
For California applicants, please visit the State Board of Accountancy’s website here https://www.cba.ca.gov/cbt_public. You will need to apply online to take the examination. You will also need to pay the $100 first-time CPA Exam Applicant fee at this time. For candidates in other states, please visit www.nasba.org for process in your state.

Will you look at my transcripts before I apply?
We are not authorized to evaluate transcripts. The help we can provide in this arena is limited. Please contact your campus or alma mater’s appropriate department for assistance.

How do I send the State Board my transcripts? How long does this take?
The transcript process varies by campus. Contact your alma mater’s registrar office to learn more. We strongly recommend using rush transcript services. The upgrade fee from regular processing to expedited processing is often negligible. It is worth it!

State Board of Accountancies vary in their time evaluating transcripts depending upon the amount of applicants applying. Contact your state board for estimates. CA state board generally takes between 2-4 weeks depending upon volume of applications.

I am graduating in mid-May and want to finish the exam by August. How do you recommend I go about doing this?
It is not likely that you will be able to pass all four parts by August. We recommend that students take no more than two parts in the same window. The windows are:

January – February    April – May    July – August    October – November

Note that the third month of each quarter – March, June, September, and December – are completely closed to testing.

If you take your last final in the middle of May, assume that your school is able to post final transcripts and have them processed and sent to the State Board by early June. Then assume it takes the state board 4 weeks to approve your transcripts and notify you of this approval, which would be early July.

At this point, you receive an Authorization to Test (ATT). You will then indicate which parts you will take and notify NASBA within 90 days of the ATT, and NASBA issue you a Notice to Schedule (NTS), good for 9 months in California. Once you obtain the NTS, you may then contact the Prometric testing center of your choice to schedule the exam.

To meet your goal of taking and passing all four parts, you would then need to schedule all four parts in the July-August testing window. Also, please remember that our review course is almost 100 hours. Factor in an additional 200-300 hours of study time, which results in a 300-400 hour time commitment. It is in your best interests not to put this type of stress upon yourself and space out your exams into at least two testing windows.

What part should I take first? I heard that BEC is easy and REG is the hardest.
There is no “magic formula” for figuring out which parts to take in what sequence. But we can offer some tips.

If you are a live student, simply start with whichever class is being offered next at your closest city. If you are an online or USB drive student, you have a bit more flexibility. You should begin with the part you think you are the most comfortable with – for example, if you are currently working in tax, it makes sense to take REG first and build your confidence.

Rest assured that you can be successful in passing the CPA Exam regardless of whatever sequence of the four parts you decide upon. The most important factor in deciding upon which part to study for and take at which time will always be your schedule!