Kinjal Patel was eager to reap the benefits of the CPA designation as soon as possible; that’s why she did not take long breaks between her CPA PEP modules. Kinjal passed the September 2021 CFE and is currently completing her practical experience requirements at Ecopest Inc., where she is an Accounting Associate.
In part one of Kinjal’s two-part blog post, she provides her perspective on making sacrifices to focus fully on her CPA PEP studies. Stay tuned for part two.
I finished my bachelor’s degree in 2016, and although I always wanted to be a CPA, I did not start the program immediately; I was reluctant to go back to studying again. While working in industry, I was able to resolve financial statement issues and develop efficient processes. However, being in an assistant role and not having my CPA designation prevented me from moving up or taking on interesting new tasks. This marked a turning point and fueled my desire to start my CPA journey.
I wanted to finish CPA PEP as soon as possible so I could move into the next phase of my career, so I started taking modules back to back.
Immersing myself again in full-time studies after a few years off was a bit challenging, but once I got into that zone, I was prepared to overcome all the obstacles in my way to get through the program. That meant sometimes I missed a party, vacation, or family gathering because of my studies, but it was worth it.
I believe CPA candidates need to make many sacrifices and changes to their day-to-day lives in order to succeed in CPA PEP. That looks a bit different for everyone. During my time in CPA PEP, I met many candidates who preferred to complete a module and take a break before enrolling in the next one. Others preferred to only study in the winter and take the summers off. Of course, everyone’s circumstances are different. Personally, I felt these approaches would delay my progress, so I decided the best thing for me was to go straight through the program.
That said, immersing yourself in the program doesn’t mean sacrificing self-care. If anything, I needed to ensure self-care was a focus. When I took the modules back to back, I always had at least a 15- to 20-day break before starting the next module. During this time, I did not think about CPA PEP at all and enjoyed that time to the fullest; I basically rejuvenated myself so I could give a hundred percent in the upcoming module.
The views expressed in this post are those of the guest writer, Kinjal Patel. Please refer to cpawsb.ca for the latest guidelines from the CPA Western School of Business.
