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Northern Illinois University

College of Business - NIU

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What requirements must I meet to sit for the exam?
    Click here for details of the 150-hour requirement in the state of Illinois.
  2. How do I register for the CPA exam and when is the deadline?
    To register and receive an authorization to test (ATT) in the state of Illinois, consult the Illinois Board of Examiners at www.ilboa.org. There is no longer an application due date as candidates may sit for the exam during the first two months of every quarter (referred to as "testing windows").
  3. Can I take the CPA Review for credit?
    Yes, Auditing and the Financial Accounting and Reporting can be taken for 3 credit hours each. The credit fees are about $850 for  in-state and $1,500 for out-of-state. These fees are in addition to the NIU CPA Review course fees. For more information about the credit classes, click here.
  4. Do the course fees include all course materials?
    Yes, they do. All lecture outlines and online quizzes are included in the course fee.

  5. Must I take the NIU CPA Review in DeKalb?
    DeKalb is only one location where the world class NIU CPA Review is offered. You may choose from one or more of the following four locations offering review courses for the new computer-based test (CBT):

    • Downtown Chicago (222 South Riverside, above Union Station);

    • DeKalb (our new technologically advanced $20,000,000 Barsema Hall);

    • Hoffman Estates (the NIU campus just off Higgins Road behind the Sears Corporate Headquarters); and

    • Naperville (the NIU facility on Diehl Road just west of Naperville Road).
  6. Is the NIU CPA Review mostly Northern Illinois University graduates?
    No. NIU graduates comprise less than 20% of the total enrollment. Our courses are open to CPA candidates from any university in the world.
  7. Is the NIU CPA Review competitively priced?
    Yes. The NIU CPA Review is dollar-to-hour above the rest. We offer you more course hours of live instruction than any of our competition. When comparing CPA Review courses, it is important to note the number of course hours devoted to each section. For example, Audit and Attestation is the largest exam section at 4 and 1/2 hours, and we offer 39 hours of instruction. Financial Accounting & Reporting has 51 hours, Regulation has 39 hours, and Business Environment & Concepts has 24 hours of class time instruction. Dollar for dollar, our hourly fee is very competitive at approximately $15 per hour.
  8. Does the NIU CPA Review have a high pass rate?
    Yes. The NIU CPA Review and NIU graduates have the eighth highest overall pass rate in the nation. If you are not an NIU graduate, do not despair. The pass rate for non-NIU graduates completing the NIU Comprehensive CPA Reviews are as much as two times the national passing rate for first-time takers. The NASBA Performance Manuals tracks the number of times universities finish in the top five passing rates in each of the four exam areas. Northern Illinois University is number one in the nation in Auditing. Click here for Exam Results.
  9. How does the NIU CPA Review differ from other review courses?

    • We are live and lively! Each and every one of our sessions is presented by a live faculty member from a highly accredited institution. We won't play tape recordings for you. We will show you in person how to work exam questions and how to remember exam material. Our faculty not only knows how to teach but also understands the intricacies of today's computerized CPA exam. We make teaching and CPA Review our business.

    • We offer CORRESPONDENCE. For an additional fee, you can learn at home. Click here for details.

    • Our course materials are second to none. Candidates receive detailed materials that describe the concepts and questions asked in each area. Our materials are updated as new professional standards are issued and tested on the exam. Don't work with outdated materials.

    • Our flex-schedule program allows you to select the time, location, and exam sections that are most convenient for you.

    • When you email the expert, you will receive a reply from a CPA faculty member, not from a student worker or graduate assistant. It's our business and we stay on top of it!

    • We won't give up on you! If you are unsuccessful on any section, we will continue to provide you with technical updates, practice quizzes, and simulated exams until you pass. A section of our secure website is dedicated to assisting prior candidates. If you plan to attend a live session again, you will receive a discount.

  10. What coursework should I take to be prepared for the exam?
    The chart below provides information about suggested coursework. The typical candidate completes some, but not all of the listed courses. Since each candidate's coursework, professional experience, and university preparation varies, it is best to complete the NIU CPA Review fact sheet and submit it to the CPA course director.

    Exam Section Suggested Coursework
    Audit and Attestation
    • One to two semesters of financial statement auditing performed by external auditors
    • Additional coursework covering statistical sampling and auditing with technology may be helpful
    Business Environment & Concepts
    • One to two semesters of economics at the micro and/or macro level
    • One to two semesters of corporate finance at the junior or above level
    • One semester of business law covering the areas of formation, operation, and dissolution of various business organizations
    • One semester of accounting information systems at the junior or above level
    • One semester of managerial accounting at the junior or above level
    Financial Accounting & Reporting
    • Two semesters of intermediate financial reporting taken at the junior or above level
    • One semester of advanced financial accounting covering the areas of partnership accounting combinations and consolidations
    • One semester of governmental/nonprofit accounting
    Regulation
    • One to two semesters of business law at the junior or above level
    • One semester of individual income taxation
    • One semester of corporate and partnership taxation
    • Additional coursework covering estates, trusts, and exempt organizations may be help

  11. What does the exam look like?
    To view a tutorial that allows you to preview the new exam, click on www.cpa-exam.org. Note the use of the database research and spreadsheet tools. Don't worry; the NIU CPA Review is ready to help you understand all aspects of the exam.
  12. How soon will I receive my scores? What are passing scores?
    Scores are released twice within each testing window. All scores must be released within one month after each quarter. A score of 75 continues to be the passing score.

  13. Is the computer-based test (CBT) any more difficult than the pencil-based exam?
    The national pass rate per section is 40%. Over half of the people must repeat a section at least once. The CPA exam is becoming more broad-based and analytical. Do not rely on old materials or old information when you are preparing for the new CBT. Be smart. STEP INTO SUCCESS with the NIU CPA Review. Let us help keep you focused, current, and disciplined. Don't make a career out of passing the exam. Do it right from the beginning.

  14. When should I take the CPA exam? When should I take the NIU CPA Review?
    The old saying goes, "If you don't use it, you will lose it." Take the exam while the course information is fresh in your mind. Register for the review courses shortly before you have completed the 150-hour requirement. Let the NIU CPA Review assist you in completing your exam application. Then, review while your application to sit for the exam is being processed. Sit for a second section shortly after the review course ends. Testing windows are as follows:

    January, February April, May July, August October, November
  15. Which review and exam sections should I take first?
    We suggest that you complete the most difficult sections first for one important reason: You will want to complete the most difficult section before the 18-month clock begins.
  16. Can I take one exam section at a time? Can I take one CPA Review session at a time?
    The answer to both questions is yes! This is the greatest advantage of the CBT. Candidates may take the exam sections in any order during any testing window.

  17. How many times can I sit for an exam?
    Candidates may sit for a section as many times as they choose. However, no candidate may sit for a section more than once in a testing window (the first two months of every quarter). Also, once a candidate passes a section, an 18-month rolling time frame begins. The other remaining sections must be successfully completed within 18 months from the date the candidate sat for their first successfully completed section.

  18. Must I take the exam in the state of Illinois?
    You should sit for the exam in the state in which you plan to practice. For most of you, that will be the state of Illinois. Be careful here; if you receive authorization to test for the exam in another state and plan to transfer your credentials at a later date to Illinois, you must have met the Illinois requirements at the time you sit for the exam. For example, if you sit in a state that does not require 150 hours and pass the exam, can you transfer your CPA credential to Illinois? No! Why not? You did not meet the 150 hours in Illinois at the time you sat for the exam. The 150-hour requirement is just one of many requirements that must be met. When in doubt, contact the state board of accountancy where you plan to practice.
  19. When should I begin taking the exam?
    Sit for the exam shortly after you earn the 150-hours.
  20. Am I allowed to repeat the NIU CPA Review for free if I do not pass?
    The NIU CPA Review makes updated materials available electronically free of charge until you successfully complete the exam. We also offer the Review at a discounted price. Our focus is on passing, not failure. We allow you to tape record our live sessions to create your own free repeat. Once you have enrolled as an NIU CPA Review candidate, you are always a candidate. We continue to offer you assistance free of charge. Our faculty email service, exam questions, and course scripts continue to be available to you until you pass.