updated: June 2020

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “living paycheck to paycheck”, and if you’re like me in college, you might be living it right now. In my role as a coach, I have the pleasure of working with people to help them pass the CPA Exam. I’m living my own version of paycheck to paycheck…score release to score release. I count the days to score release right alongside the candidates I’m working with, and I can’t wait to celebrate with them when they pass their exams.
But that isn’t always the outcome. Sometimes, we come up short. You may experience this along the way on your journey to CPA, too. This recent quarter, I had two clients receive what is- in my opinion- one of the hardest pills to swallow…the dreaded 74. That experience inspired me to write this blog post and share with you how I help my clients bounce back from a 74 and answer the question “Where do I go from here?”
A part of me wishes that the CPA exam would just do away with the 74. I think to myself “Really? One point away? If It’s not a 75 it might as well be a 70, at least it would sting less”. You might be thinking the same thing. My goal here is not to say something profound and magically make you feel better in an instant. Nothing I say will take the sting away, believe me…I’ve tried!
You’re allowed to be angry/ irritated/ annoyed/ pissed off/ sad/ mad or all of the above. In fact, that’s normal. One of the first suggestions I make to my clients who get bad news is to find a safe, healthy way to express their feelings. For many, that means hitting the gym for a good sweat-sesh, some prefer kickboxing or getting out in nature, journaling or a fun night out with friends to get their mind off of it, at least temporarily.
Believe it or not, there is good news in your 74. It means you’re extremely close to a passing score and closing the gap between a 74 and a 75 is easier than you may think. Step 1: Shift your focus to the positive.
Here are my recommended next steps if you’re in this boat. The general approach is to reapply and schedule a retake of that exam as soon as possible. In some cases, I even recommend dropping the exam you’re currently studying for and picking up where you left off with the failed exam. Now that the testing window restrictions have been removed, this is easier to do than ever, but you still have choices.
Scenario 1: Drop what you’re doing, reapply for this same exam, reschedule it as soon as possible or approximately 2 weeks out and start reviewing.
Scenario 2: If you’ve already started studying for your next exam and feel you’re too invested to switch gears, you can choose to carry on and come back to your “74” exam immediately afterwards. I think this is best suited to situations where you’re studying for a shorter exam, i.e. BEC where the time between your “74” exam and your retake isn’t too far removed. The focus is still to get back to your retake ASAP.
Studying for a retake:
Treat this time between the score release and your retake exam as deep-dive review time, not a cram session over everything. Take practice exams to evaluate where you’re struggling with the material- these areas are also where your biggest opportunity lies. Dig into those areas to improve your understanding and raise your scores.
Don’t fall into the trap of only studying specific things that threw you off on your original exam. From one exam to the next, the content can be wildly different. If there were particular themes that you struggled with, do invest some time into those areas in case they do show up on your retake, but that shouldn’t be your sole focus.
Ask yourself “What am I hoping doesn’t show up on this test?” and dig into that- whether it’s particular subjects or challenging simulations. Lean into your discomfort in an effort to sure-up any areas where you’re less confident. Most importantly, don’t let this failure hold you back or derail your plan completely. The most important thing is that you keep your head up, and keep going. You’ve got this!
If you have questions about your CPA Exam plan, let us know! We’d love to help.
For more information like this:
Check out our Webinar on how to overcome your fear of failure and bounce back mentally before your next exam.
Like us on Facebook,
Follow us on Instagram
Get Tips on Youtube
Email us! hello@wellbalancedaccountants.com
Good Luck!

This is some helpful stuff. It took me some time to locate this web site but it was worth the time. I noticed this page was hidden in yahoo and not the first spot. This blog has a lot of pleasant material and it doesnt deserve to be burried in the searches like that. By the way Im going to add this web publication to my favorites.
Thank you so much, wonderful job! This was the thing I needed to get.
Zycie, uswiadomil sobie, bardzo przypomina piosenke. Na poczatku jest tajemnica, na końcu – potwierdzenie, ale to w srodku kryja sie wszystkie emocje, dla ktorych cala sprawa staje sie warta zachodu. – Nicholas Sparks
Nice blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog shine. Please let me know where you got your theme. Thank you
I’ll be back as soon as once more within the long run to examine out your blogposts down the road. Thanks!
Do you always write this stuff, over you head.. Great article! Tell me more, let it come.. You are master. Laughing
Very nice post. Ive really enjoyed visiting your blog posts. Whatever the case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and i also hope you write again soon! Thanks, I’ll try and visit often. Happy new year!
Are you fed up of wearing clothes that dont fit OR embarrassed when you see that roll of fat over your jeans in photos? Well, worry no longer this site can help as long as you TAKE ACTION! There is a FREE weight loss book to the right and professional diets that we highly recommend check the reviews to see why!
Hello Is it okay if I go sort of away from the topic? Im tryin to read your post from my brand new Macbook although it wont show correctly (a few of the buttons are pretty much missing), any suggestions? Shall I try to find an fix for my browser or something? Thank you for the help I hope! Tashia x
There is apparently a bunch to realize about this. I believe you made some good points in features also.
Oh my goodness! a tremendous article dude. Thank you Nevertheless Im experiencing problem with ur rss . Don’t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting equivalent rss downside? Anybody who is aware of kindly respond. Thnkx
Greetings, I do think your web site could
be having internet browser compatibility issues. When I look at
your website in Safari, it looks fine however, if opening in I.E., it has some
overlapping issues. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up!
Aside from that, fantastic site! 0mniartist asmr