Course Rating: ★★★★★
Becker CPA Review course is by far the most popular and biggest name in the CPA exam study course industry. All of the Big Four accounting firms recommend Becker to their employees because it has proven itself to be an effective CPA review course for thousands of candidates over the years; after all, they have a 94% pass rate among all their students.
Since their inception in 1957, Newt Becker has developed a system of teaching that requires students to pay attention and keep up. Today Becker offers many different options from live in-person training to online classrooms and self-study materials. Each of their three subscriptions has slightly different options, but all of the courses are applicable for the Becker Promise.
They promise if you attend 100% of the lectures and maintain a 90% on all PassMaster homework problems and you still don’t pass the exam on your first time, you can retake the entire course tuition-free. Sounds pretty good, right? In all seriousness, this is a great guarantee if you are able to meet all of their requirements.
There are three different ways you can take the Becker course, so let’s take a look at them and see which one is right for you.
Becker CPA Prep Course Details
Live Teaching – Most CPA exam prep courses don’t do live, in-classroom teaching because of the high cost and logistics. Becker arranges college professors and industry professionals across the country to do local nightly classes for each section. These classes generally meet in a college or office building and usually last anywhere from 1 to 3 hours.
There have been mixed reviews on how well these live classes are actually run. Since professionals and professions teaching them to have other full-time jobs, the CPA exam review courses sometimes fall on the back burner. You’ll probably end up with a professor who really puts in the effort and goes above and beyond. However, there are some students who have mentioned that their experience was less than stellar.
No matter what kind of teacher you get, one thing is consistent. If you take the live version, you’ll get the study text and access to the computerized tools, which is a terrific supplement to reinforce your knowledge.
Online Teaching – The online version was introduced a few years ago for students who want the benefits of a live classroom and schedule without having to drive to a physical meeting room every night.
They work exactly how you would assume; you log on to the system and attend lectures virtually. Your homework assignments have similar due dates to the live teaching sections and the Becker Promise works the same as well.
Self Study Course – Becker’s most affordable Advantage course is similar to other review courses in that it includes video lectures, an interactive study planner, a test bank of 6,500 questions, and exam simulations. Unlike the live and virtual classrooms, however, the self-study course is set at your own pace and does not have stringent deadlines. This makes for a great study resource if you’re introverted or just a self-motivated individual.
Pros
The Becker System
Course Materials
The practice questions and other study materials are extensive and well put together. All of Becker’s options come with over 9,200 multiple-choice questions, 500+exam simulators, and practice exams to help you prepare for the CPA exam. Furthermore, all three study options also include over 200 hours of instruction, which is more than the industry average.
The Becker Bump
When you practice taking Becker’s mock exams, you might be discouraged if your scores are low. However, many students have noticed that their scores on the actual CPA exams are much higher in comparison. This is due to a difference in grading between Becker and the AICPA, which many students refer to as the Becker Bump. Basically, the mock exams are like the CPA exam on steroids!
Biggest Name
Let’s face it. Becker is the biggest name in the industry and that’s exactly what you are paying for. You get the confidence of using something that is familiar to many CPAs, and future employers get the confidence of hiring someone who learned from the best.
Cons
Unfortunately, there are a few shortfalls to this package. Read this before buying:
Lack of Audio Content
Technically, you can repurpose Becker’s video content as audio lectures by simply playing them while focusing on something else. However, students who love to learn new information through audiobooks and podcasts will immediately notice the difference.
If you’re the type of student that wants to squeeze in some study time while exercising, doing chores, or driving on the freeway, Becker might not be the best choice. Hopefully they improve this in the future!
Should You Buy Becker CPA Review?
Like I said before, Becker CPA Review is a terrific course. There’s a reason why they have the biggest name in the industry. It’s especially valuable if you want to learn about the CPA exam in a live classroom environment, which is more difficult to find than you would expect. Fortunately, all difficulty is gone if you opt for Becker.
Additionally, students who have a lot of anxiety about passing the CPA exam can rest assured that they’ll receive the education they need. You can even save over $1,000 using a verified Becker promo code. Thanks to the Becker Promise, there’s no danger of wasting your money; they’ll work with you for as long as it takes.
